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diff --git a/2591-0.txt b/2591-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dcaf870 --- /dev/null +++ b/2591-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9612 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Grimms’ Fairy Tales, by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: Grimms’ Fairy Tales + +Author: Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm + +Translators: Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes + +Release Date: April, 2001 [eBook #2591] +[Most recently updated: June 28, 2021] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +Produced by: Emma Dudding, John Bickers, Dagny and David Widger + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRIMMS’ FAIRY TALES *** + + + + +Grimms’ Fairy Tales + +By Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm + + + +PREPARER’S NOTE + + The text is based on translations from + the Grimms’ Kinder und Hausmärchen by + Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes. + + + + +CONTENTS: + + THE GOLDEN BIRD + HANS IN LUCK + JORINDA AND JORINDEL + THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS + OLD SULTAN + THE STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN + BRIAR ROSE + THE DOG AND THE SPARROW + THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES + THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE + THE WILLOW-WREN AND THE BEAR + THE FROG-PRINCE + CAT AND MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP + THE GOOSE-GIRL + THE ADVENTURES OF CHANTICLEER AND PARTLET + 1. HOW THEY WENT TO THE MOUNTAINS TO EAT NUTS + 2. HOW CHANTICLEER AND PARTLET WENT TO VISIT MR KORBES + RAPUNZEL + FUNDEVOGEL + THE VALIANT LITTLE TAILOR + HANSEL AND GRETEL + THE MOUSE, THE BIRD, AND THE SAUSAGE + MOTHER HOLLE + LITTLE RED-CAP [LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD] + THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM + TOM THUMB + RUMPELSTILTSKIN + CLEVER GRETEL + THE OLD MAN AND HIS GRANDSON + THE LITTLE PEASANT + FREDERICK AND CATHERINE + SWEETHEART ROLAND + SNOWDROP + THE PINK + CLEVER ELSIE + THE MISER IN THE BUSH + ASHPUTTEL + THE WHITE SNAKE + THE WOLF AND THE SEVEN LITTLE KIDS + THE QUEEN BEE + THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER + THE JUNIPER-TREE + the juniper-tree. + THE TURNIP + CLEVER HANS + THE THREE LANGUAGES + THE FOX AND THE CAT + THE FOUR CLEVER BROTHERS + LILY AND THE LION + THE FOX AND THE HORSE + THE BLUE LIGHT + THE RAVEN + THE GOLDEN GOOSE + THE WATER OF LIFE + THE TWELVE HUNTSMEN + THE KING OF THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN + DOCTOR KNOWALL + THE SEVEN RAVENS + THE WEDDING OF MRS FOX + FIRST STORY + SECOND STORY + THE SALAD + THE STORY OF THE YOUTH WHO WENT FORTH TO LEARN WHAT FEAR WAS + KING GRISLY-BEARD + IRON HANS + CAT-SKIN + SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED + + + + +THE BROTHERS GRIMM FAIRY TALES + + + + +THE GOLDEN BIRD + + +A certain king had a beautiful garden, and in the garden stood a tree +which bore golden apples. These apples were always counted, and about +the time when they began to grow ripe it was found that every night one +of them was gone. The king became very angry at this, and ordered the +gardener to keep watch all night under the tree. The gardener set his +eldest son to watch; but about twelve o’clock he fell asleep, and in +the morning another of the apples was missing. Then the second son was +ordered to watch; and at midnight he too fell asleep, and in the morning +another apple was gone. Then the third son offered to keep watch; but +the gardener at first would not let him, for fear some harm should come +to him: however, at last he consented, and the young man laid himself +under the tree to watch. As the clock struck twelve he heard a rustling +noise in the air, and a bird came flying that was of pure gold; and as +it was snapping at one of the apples with its beak, the gardener’s son +jumped up and shot an arrow at it. But the arrow did the bird no harm; +only it dropped a golden feather from its tail, and then flew away. +The golden feather was brought to the king in the morning, and all the +council was called together. Everyone agreed that it was worth more than +all the wealth of the kingdom: but the king said, ‘One feather is of no +use to me, I must have the whole bird.’ + +Then the gardener’s eldest son set out and thought to find the golden +bird very easily; and when he had gone but a little way, he came to a +wood, and by the side of the wood he saw a fox sitting; so he took his +bow and made ready to shoot at it. Then the fox said, ‘Do not shoot me, +for I will give you good counsel; I know what your business is, and +that you want to find the golden bird. You will reach a village in the +evening; and when you get there, you will see two inns opposite to each +other, one of which is very pleasant and beautiful to look at: go not in +there, but rest for the night in the other, though it may appear to you +to be very poor and mean.’ But the son thought to himself, ‘What can +such a beast as this know about the matter?’ So he shot his arrow at +the fox; but he missed it, and it set up its tail above its back and +ran into the wood. Then he went his way, and in the evening came to +the village where the two inns were; and in one of these were people +singing, and dancing, and feasting; but the other looked very dirty, +and poor. ‘I should be very silly,’ said he, ‘if I went to that shabby +house, and left this charming place’; so he went into the smart house, +and ate and drank at his ease, and forgot the bird, and his country too. + +Time passed on; and as the eldest son did not come back, and no tidings +were heard of him, the second son set out, and the same thing happened +to him. He met the fox, who gave him the good advice: but when he came +to the two inns, his eldest brother was standing at the window where +the merrymaking was, and called to him to come in; and he could not +withstand the temptation, but went in, and forgot the golden bird and +his country in the same manner. + +Time passed on again, and the youngest son too wished to set out into +the wide world to seek for the golden bird; but his father would not +listen to it for a long while, for he was very fond of his son, and +was afraid that some ill luck might happen to him also, and prevent his +coming back. However, at last it was agreed he should go, for he would +not rest at home; and as he came to the wood, he met the fox, and heard +the same good counsel. But he was thankful to the fox, and did not +attempt his life as his brothers had done; so the fox said, ‘Sit upon my +tail, and you will travel faster.’ So he sat down, and the fox began to +run, and away they went over stock and stone so quick that their hair +whistled in the wind. + +When they came to the village, the son followed the fox’s counsel, and +without looking about him went to the shabby inn and rested there all +night at his ease. In the morning came the fox again and met him as he +was beginning his journey, and said, ‘Go straight forward, till you come +to a castle, before which lie a whole troop of soldiers fast asleep and +snoring: take no notice of them, but go into the castle and pass on and +on till you come to a room, where the golden bird sits in a wooden cage; +close by it stands a beautiful golden cage; but do not try to take the +bird out of the shabby cage and put it into the handsome one, otherwise +you will repent it.’ Then the fox stretched out his tail again, and the +young man sat himself down, and away they went over stock and stone till +their hair whistled in the wind. + +Before the castle gate all was as the fox had said: so the son went in +and found the chamber where the golden bird hung in a wooden cage, and +below stood the golden cage, and the three golden apples that had been +lost were lying close by it. Then thought he to himself, ‘It will be a +very droll thing to bring away such a fine bird in this shabby cage’; so +he opened the door and took hold of it and put it into the golden cage. +But the bird set up such a loud scream that all the soldiers awoke, and +they took him prisoner and carried him before the king. The next morning +the court sat to judge him; and when all was heard, it sentenced him to +die, unless he should bring the king the golden horse which could run as +swiftly as the wind; and if he did this, he was to have the golden bird +given him for his own. + +So he set out once more on his journey, sighing, and in great despair, +when on a sudden his friend the fox met him, and said, ‘You see now +what has happened on account of your not listening to my counsel. I will +still, however, tell you how to find the golden horse, if you will do as +I bid you. You must go straight on till you come to the castle where the +horse stands in his stall: by his side will lie the groom fast asleep +and snoring: take away the horse quietly, but be sure to put the old +leathern saddle upon him, and not the golden one that is close by it.’ +Then the son sat down on the fox’s tail, and away they went over stock +and stone till their hair whistled in the wind. + +All went right, and the groom lay snoring with his hand upon the golden +saddle. But when the son looked at the horse, he thought it a great pity +to put the leathern saddle upon it. ‘I will give him the good one,’ +said he; ‘I am sure he deserves it.’ As he took up the golden saddle the +groom awoke and cried out so loud, that all the guards ran in and took +him prisoner, and in the morning he was again brought before the court +to be judged, and was sentenced to die. But it was agreed, that, if he +could bring thither the beautiful princess, he should live, and have the +bird and the horse given him for his own. + +Then he went his way very sorrowful; but the old fox came and said, ‘Why +did not you listen to me? If you had, you would have carried away +both the bird and the horse; yet will I once more give you counsel. Go +straight on, and in the evening you will arrive at a castle. At twelve +o’clock at night the princess goes to the bathing-house: go up to her +and give her a kiss, and she will let you lead her away; but take care +you do not suffer her to go and take leave of her father and mother.’ +Then the fox stretched out his tail, and so away they went over stock +and stone till their hair whistled again. + +As they came to the castle, all was as the fox had said, and at twelve +o’clock the young man met the princess going to the bath and gave her the +kiss, and she agreed to run away with him, but begged with many tears +that he would let her take leave of her father. At first he refused, +but she wept still more and more, and fell at his feet, till at last +he consented; but the moment she came to her father’s house the guards +awoke and he was taken prisoner again. + +Then he was brought before the king, and the king said, ‘You shall never +have my daughter unless in eight days you dig away the hill that stops +the view from my window.’ Now this hill was so big that the whole world +could not take it away: and when he had worked for seven days, and had +done very little, the fox came and said. ‘Lie down and go to sleep; I +will work for you.’ And in the morning he awoke and the hill was gone; +so he went merrily to the king, and told him that now that it was +removed he must give him the princess. + +Then the king was obliged to keep his word, and away went the young man +and the princess; and the fox came and said to him, ‘We will have all +three, the princess, the horse, and the bird.’ ‘Ah!’ said the young man, +‘that would be a great thing, but how can you contrive it?’ + +‘If you will only listen,’ said the fox, ‘it can be done. When you come +to the king, and he asks for the beautiful princess, you must say, “Here +she is!” Then he will be very joyful; and you will mount the golden +horse that they are to give you, and put out your hand to take leave of +them; but shake hands with the princess last. Then lift her quickly on +to the horse behind you; clap your spurs to his side, and gallop away as +fast as you can.’ + +All went right: then the fox said, ‘When you come to the castle where +the bird is, I will stay with the princess at the door, and you will +ride in and speak to the king; and when he sees that it is the right +horse, he will bring out the bird; but you must sit still, and say that +you want to look at it, to see whether it is the true golden bird; and +when you get it into your hand, ride away.’ + +This, too, happened as the fox said; they carried off the bird, the +princess mounted again, and they rode on to a great wood. Then the fox +came, and said, ‘Pray kill me, and cut off my head and my feet.’ But the +young man refused to do it: so the fox said, ‘I will at any rate give +you good counsel: beware of two things; ransom no one from the gallows, +and sit down by the side of no river.’ Then away he went. ‘Well,’ +thought the young man, ‘it is no hard matter to keep that advice.’ + +He rode on with the princess, till at last he came to the village where +he had left his two brothers. And there he heard a great noise and +uproar; and when he asked what was the matter, the people said, ‘Two men +are going to be hanged.’ As he came nearer, he saw that the two men were +his brothers, who had turned robbers; so he said, ‘Cannot they in any +way be saved?’ But the people said ‘No,’ unless he would bestow all his +money upon the rascals and buy their liberty. Then he did not stay to +think about the matter, but paid what was asked, and his brothers were +given up, and went on with him towards their home. + +And as they came to the wood where the fox first met them, it was so +cool and pleasant that the two brothers said, ‘Let us sit down by the +side of the river, and rest a while, to eat and drink.’ So he said, +‘Yes,’ and forgot the fox’s counsel, and sat down on the side of the +river; and while he suspected nothing, they came behind, and threw him +down the bank, and took the princess, the horse, and the bird, and went +home to the king their master, and said. ‘All this have we won by our +labour.’ Then there was great rejoicing made; but the horse would not +eat, the bird would not sing, and the princess wept. + +The youngest son fell to the bottom of the river’s bed: luckily it was +nearly dry, but his bones were almost broken, and the bank was so steep +that he could find no way to get out. Then the old fox came once more, +and scolded him for not following his advice; otherwise no evil would +have befallen him: ‘Yet,’ said he, ‘I cannot leave you here, so lay hold +of my tail and hold fast.’ Then he pulled him out of the river, and said +to him, as he got upon the bank, ‘Your brothers have set watch to kill +you, if they find you in the kingdom.’ So he dressed himself as a poor +man, and came secretly to the king’s court, and was scarcely within the +doors when the horse began to eat, and the bird to sing, and the princess +left off weeping. Then he went to the king, and told him all his +brothers’ roguery; and they were seized and punished, and he had the +princess given to him again; and after the king’s death he was heir to +his kingdom. + +A long while after, he went to walk one day in the wood, and the old fox +met him, and besought him with tears in his eyes to kill him, and cut +off his head and feet. And at last he did so, and in a moment the +fox was changed into a man, and turned out to be the brother of the +princess, who had been lost a great many many years. + + + + +HANS IN LUCK + + +Some men are born to good luck: all they do or try to do comes +right--all that falls to them is so much gain--all their geese are +swans--all their cards are trumps--toss them which way you will, they +will always, like poor puss, alight upon their legs, and only move on so +much the faster. The world may very likely not always think of them as +they think of themselves, but what care they for the world? what can it +know about the matter? + +One of these lucky beings was neighbour Hans. Seven long years he had +worked hard for his master. At last he said, ‘Master, my time is up; I +must go home and see my poor mother once more: so pray pay me my wages +and let me go.’ And the master said, ‘You have been a faithful and good +servant, Hans, so your pay shall be handsome.’ Then he gave him a lump +of silver as big as his head. + +Hans took out his pocket-handkerchief, put the piece of silver into it, +threw it over his shoulder, and jogged off on his road homewards. As he +went lazily on, dragging one foot after another, a man came in sight, +trotting gaily along on a capital horse. ‘Ah!’ said Hans aloud, ‘what a +fine thing it is to ride on horseback! There he sits as easy and happy +as if he was at home, in the chair by his fireside; he trips against no +stones, saves shoe-leather, and gets on he hardly knows how.’ Hans did +not speak so softly but the horseman heard it all, and said, ‘Well, +friend, why do you go on foot then?’ ‘Ah!’ said he, ‘I have this load to +carry: to be sure it is silver, but it is so heavy that I can’t hold up +my head, and you must know it hurts my shoulder sadly.’ ‘What do you say +of making an exchange?’ said the horseman. ‘I will give you my horse, +and you shall give me the silver; which will save you a great deal of +trouble in carrying such a heavy load about with you.’ ‘With all my +heart,’ said Hans: ‘but as you are so kind to me, I must tell you one +thing--you will have a weary task to draw that silver about with you.’ +However, the horseman got off, took the silver, helped Hans up, gave him +the bridle into one hand and the whip into the other, and said, ‘When +you want to go very fast, smack your lips loudly together, and cry +“Jip!”’ + +Hans was delighted as he sat on the horse, drew himself up, squared his +elbows, turned out his toes, cracked his whip, and rode merrily off, one +minute whistling a merry tune, and another singing, + + ‘No care and no sorrow, + A fig for the morrow! + We’ll laugh and be merry, + Sing neigh down derry!’ + +After a time he thought he should like to go a little faster, so he +smacked his lips and cried ‘Jip!’ Away went the horse full gallop; and +before Hans knew what he was about, he was thrown off, and lay on his +back by the road-side. His horse would have ran off, if a shepherd who +was coming by, driving a cow, had not stopped it. Hans soon came to +himself, and got upon his legs again, sadly vexed, and said to the +shepherd, ‘This riding is no joke, when a man has the luck to get upon +a beast like this that stumbles and flings him off as if it would break +his neck. However, I’m off now once for all: I like your cow now a great +deal better than this smart beast that played me this trick, and has +spoiled my best coat, you see, in this puddle; which, by the by, smells +not very like a nosegay. One can walk along at one’s leisure behind that +cow--keep good company, and have milk, butter, and cheese, every day, +into the bargain. What would I give to have such a prize!’ ‘Well,’ said +the shepherd, ‘if you are so fond of her, I will change my cow for your +horse; I like to do good to my neighbours, even though I lose by it +myself.’ ‘Done!’ said Hans, merrily. ‘What a noble heart that good man +has!’ thought he. Then the shepherd jumped upon the horse, wished Hans +and the cow good morning, and away he rode. + +Hans brushed his coat, wiped his face and hands, rested a while, and +then drove off his cow quietly, and thought his bargain a very lucky +one. ‘If I have only a piece of bread (and I certainly shall always be +able to get that), I can, whenever I like, eat my butter and cheese with +it; and when I am thirsty I can milk my cow and drink the milk: and what +can I wish for more?’ When he came to an inn, he halted, ate up all his +bread, and gave away his last penny for a glass of beer. When he had +rested himself he set off again, driving his cow towards his mother’s +village. But the heat grew greater as soon as noon came on, till at +last, as he found himself on a wide heath that would take him more than +an hour to cross, he began to be so hot and parched that his tongue +clave to the roof of his mouth. ‘I can find a cure for this,’ thought +he; ‘now I will milk my cow and quench my thirst’: so he tied her to the +stump of a tree, and held his leathern cap to milk into; but not a drop +was to be had. Who would have thought that this cow, which was to bring +him milk and butter and cheese, was all that time utterly dry? Hans had +not thought of looking to that. + +While he was trying his luck in milking, and managing the matter very +clumsily, the uneasy beast began to think him very troublesome; and at +last gave him such a kick on the head as knocked him down; and there he +lay a long while senseless. Luckily a butcher soon came by, driving a +pig in a wheelbarrow. ‘What is the matter with you, my man?’ said the +butcher, as he helped him up. Hans told him what had happened, how he +was dry, and wanted to milk his cow, but found the cow was dry too. Then +the butcher gave him a flask of ale, saying, ‘There, drink and refresh +yourself; your cow will give you no milk: don’t you see she is an old +beast, good for nothing but the slaughter-house?’ ‘Alas, alas!’ said +Hans, ‘who would have thought it? What a shame to take my horse, and +give me only a dry cow! If I kill her, what will she be good for? I hate +cow-beef; it is not tender enough for me. If it were a pig now--like +that fat gentleman you are driving along at his ease--one could do +something with it; it would at any rate make sausages.’ ‘Well,’ said +the butcher, ‘I don’t like to say no, when one is asked to do a kind, +neighbourly thing. To please you I will change, and give you my fine fat +pig for the cow.’ ‘Heaven reward you for your kindness and self-denial!’ +said Hans, as he gave the butcher the cow; and taking the pig off the +wheel-barrow, drove it away, holding it by the string that was tied to +its leg. + +So on he jogged, and all seemed now to go right with him: he had met +with some misfortunes, to be sure; but he was now well repaid for all. +How could it be otherwise with such a travelling companion as he had at +last got? + +The next man he met was a countryman carrying a fine white goose. The +countryman stopped to ask what was o’clock; this led to further chat; +and Hans told him all his luck, how he had so many good bargains, and +how all the world went gay and smiling with him. The countryman then +began to tell his tale, and said he was going to take the goose to a +christening. ‘Feel,’ said he, ‘how heavy it is, and yet it is only eight +weeks old. Whoever roasts and eats it will find plenty of fat upon it, +it has lived so well!’ ‘You’re right,’ said Hans, as he weighed it in +his hand; ‘but if you talk of fat, my pig is no trifle.’ Meantime the +countryman began to look grave, and shook his head. ‘Hark ye!’ said he, +‘my worthy friend, you seem a good sort of fellow, so I can’t help doing +you a kind turn. Your pig may get you into a scrape. In the village I +just came from, the squire has had a pig stolen out of his sty. I was +dreadfully afraid when I saw you that you had got the squire’s pig. If +you have, and they catch you, it will be a bad job for you. The least +they will do will be to throw you into the horse-pond. Can you swim?’ + +Poor Hans was sadly frightened. ‘Good man,’ cried he, ‘pray get me out +of this scrape. I know nothing of where the pig was either bred or born; +but he may have been the squire’s for aught I can tell: you know this +country better than I do, take my pig and give me the goose.’ ‘I ought +to have something into the bargain,’ said the countryman; ‘give a fat +goose for a pig, indeed! ‘Tis not everyone would do so much for you as +that. However, I will not be hard upon you, as you are in trouble.’ Then +he took the string in his hand, and drove off the pig by a side path; +while Hans went on the way homewards free from care. ‘After all,’ +thought he, ‘that chap is pretty well taken in. I don’t care whose pig +it is, but wherever it came from it has been a very good friend to me. I +have much the best of the bargain. First there will be a capital roast; +then the fat will find me in goose-grease for six months; and then there +are all the beautiful white feathers. I will put them into my pillow, +and then I am sure I shall sleep soundly without rocking. How happy my +mother will be! Talk of a pig, indeed! Give me a fine fat goose.’ + +As he came to the next village, he saw a scissor-grinder with his wheel, +working and singing, + + ‘O’er hill and o’er dale + So happy I roam, + Work light and live well, + All the world is my home; + Then who so blythe, so merry as I?’ + +Hans stood looking on for a while, and at last said, ‘You must be well +off, master grinder! you seem so happy at your work.’ ‘Yes,’ said the +other, ‘mine is a golden trade; a good grinder never puts his hand +into his pocket without finding money in it--but where did you get that +beautiful goose?’ ‘I did not buy it, I gave a pig for it.’ ‘And where +did you get the pig?’ ‘I gave a cow for it.’ ‘And the cow?’ ‘I gave a +horse for it.’ ‘And the horse?’ ‘I gave a lump of silver as big as my +head for it.’ ‘And the silver?’ ‘Oh! I worked hard for that seven long +years.’ ‘You have thriven well in the world hitherto,’ said the grinder, +‘now if you could find money in your pocket whenever you put your hand +in it, your fortune would be made.’ ‘Very true: but how is that to be +managed?’ ‘How? Why, you must turn grinder like myself,’ said the other; +‘you only want a grindstone; the rest will come of itself. Here is one +that is but little the worse for wear: I would not ask more than the +value of your goose for it--will you buy?’ ‘How can you ask?’ said +Hans; ‘I should be the happiest man in the world, if I could have money +whenever I put my hand in my pocket: what could I want more? there’s +the goose.’ ‘Now,’ said the grinder, as he gave him a common rough stone +that lay by his side, ‘this is a most capital stone; do but work it well +enough, and you can make an old nail cut with it.’ + +Hans took the stone, and went his way with a light heart: his eyes +sparkled for joy, and he said to himself, ‘Surely I must have been born +in a lucky hour; everything I could want or wish for comes of itself. +People are so kind; they seem really to think I do them a favour in +letting them make me rich, and giving me good bargains.’ + +Meantime he began to be tired, and hungry too, for he had given away his +last penny in his joy at getting the cow. + +At last he could go no farther, for the stone tired him sadly: and he +dragged himself to the side of a river, that he might take a drink of +water, and rest a while. So he laid the stone carefully by his side on +the bank: but, as he stooped down to drink, he forgot it, pushed it a +little, and down it rolled, plump into the stream. + +For a while he watched it sinking in the deep clear water; then sprang +up and danced for joy, and again fell upon his knees and thanked Heaven, +with tears in his eyes, for its kindness in taking away his only plague, +the ugly heavy stone. + +‘How happy am I!’ cried he; ‘nobody was ever so lucky as I.’ Then up he +got with a light heart, free from all his troubles, and walked on till +he reached his mother’s house, and told her how very easy the road to +good luck was. + + + + +JORINDA AND JORINDEL + + +There was once an old castle, that stood in the middle of a deep gloomy +wood, and in the castle lived an old fairy. Now this fairy could take +any shape she pleased. All the day long she flew about in the form of +an owl, or crept about the country like a cat; but at night she always +became an old woman again. When any young man came within a hundred +paces of her castle, he became quite fixed, and could not move a step +till she came and set him free; which she would not do till he had given +her his word never to come there again: but when any pretty maiden came +within that space she was changed into a bird, and the fairy put her +into a cage, and hung her up in a chamber in the castle. There were +seven hundred of these cages hanging in the castle, and all with +beautiful birds in them. + +Now there was once a maiden whose name was Jorinda. She was prettier +than all the pretty girls that ever were seen before, and a shepherd +lad, whose name was Jorindel, was very fond of her, and they were soon +to be married. One day they went to walk in the wood, that they might be +alone; and Jorindel said, ‘We must take care that we don’t go too near +to the fairy’s castle.’ It was a beautiful evening; the last rays of the +setting sun shone bright through the long stems of the trees upon +the green underwood beneath, and the turtle-doves sang from the tall +birches. + +Jorinda sat down to gaze upon the sun; Jorindel sat by her side; and +both felt sad, they knew not why; but it seemed as if they were to be +parted from one another for ever. They had wandered a long way; and when +they looked to see which way they should go home, they found themselves +at a loss to know what path to take. + +The sun was setting fast, and already half of its circle had sunk behind +the hill: Jorindel on a sudden looked behind him, and saw through the +bushes that they had, without knowing it, sat down close under the old +walls of the castle. Then he shrank for fear, turned pale, and trembled. +Jorinda was just singing, + + ‘The ring-dove sang from the willow spray, + Well-a-day! Well-a-day! + He mourn’d for the fate of his darling mate, + Well-a-day!’ + +when her song stopped suddenly. Jorindel turned to see the reason, and +beheld his Jorinda changed into a nightingale, so that her song ended +with a mournful _jug, jug_. An owl with fiery eyes flew three times +round them, and three times screamed: + + ‘Tu whu! Tu whu! Tu whu!’ + +Jorindel could not move; he stood fixed as a stone, and could neither +weep, nor speak, nor stir hand or foot. And now the sun went quite down; +the gloomy night came; the owl flew into a bush; and a moment after the +old fairy came forth pale and meagre, with staring eyes, and a nose and +chin that almost met one another. + +She mumbled something to herself, seized the nightingale, and went away +with it in her hand. Poor Jorindel saw the nightingale was gone--but +what could he do? He could not speak, he could not move from the spot +where he stood. At last the fairy came back and sang with a hoarse +voice: + + ‘Till the prisoner is fast, + And her doom is cast, + There stay! Oh, stay! + When the charm is around her, + And the spell has bound her, + Hie away! away!’ + +On a sudden Jorindel found himself free. Then he fell on his knees +before the fairy, and prayed her to give him back his dear Jorinda: but +she laughed at him, and said he should never see her again; then she +went her way. + +He prayed, he wept, he sorrowed, but all in vain. ‘Alas!’ he said, ‘what +will become of me?’ He could not go back to his own home, so he went to +a strange village, and employed himself in keeping sheep. Many a time +did he walk round and round as near to the hated castle as he dared go, +but all in vain; he heard or saw nothing of Jorinda. + +At last he dreamt one night that he found a beautiful purple flower, +and that in the middle of it lay a costly pearl; and he dreamt that he +plucked the flower, and went with it in his hand into the castle, and +that everything he touched with it was disenchanted, and that there he +found his Jorinda again. + +In the morning when he awoke, he began to search over hill and dale for +this pretty flower; and eight long days he sought for it in vain: but +on the ninth day, early in the morning, he found the beautiful purple +flower; and in the middle of it was a large dewdrop, as big as a costly +pearl. Then he plucked the flower, and set out and travelled day and +night, till he came again to the castle. + +He walked nearer than a hundred paces to it, and yet he did not become +fixed as before, but found that he could go quite close up to the door. +Jorindel was very glad indeed to see this. Then he touched the door with +the flower, and it sprang open; so that he went in through the court, +and listened when he heard so many birds singing. At last he came to the +chamber where the fairy sat, with the seven hundred birds singing in +the seven hundred cages. When she saw Jorindel she was very angry, and +screamed with rage; but she could not come within two yards of him, for +the flower he held in his hand was his safeguard. He looked around at +the birds, but alas! there were many, many nightingales, and how then +should he find out which was his Jorinda? While he was thinking what to +do, he saw the fairy had taken down one of the cages, and was making the +best of her way off through the door. He ran or flew after her, touched +the cage with the flower, and Jorinda stood before him, and threw her +arms round his neck looking as beautiful as ever, as beautiful as when +they walked together in the wood. + +Then he touched all the other birds with the flower, so that they all +took their old forms again; and he took Jorinda home, where they were +married, and lived happily together many years: and so did a good many +other lads, whose maidens had been forced to sing in the old fairy’s +cages by themselves, much longer than they liked. + + + + +THE TRAVELLING MUSICIANS + + +An honest farmer had once an ass that had been a faithful servant to him +a great many years, but was now growing old and every day more and more +unfit for work. His master therefore was tired of keeping him and +began to think of putting an end to him; but the ass, who saw that some +mischief was in the wind, took himself slyly off, and began his journey +towards the great city, ‘For there,’ thought he, ‘I may turn musician.’ + +After he had travelled a little way, he spied a dog lying by the +roadside and panting as if he were tired. ‘What makes you pant so, my +friend?’ said the ass. ‘Alas!’ said the dog, ‘my master was going to +knock me on the head, because I am old and weak, and can no longer make +myself useful to him in hunting; so I ran away; but what can I do to +earn my livelihood?’ ‘Hark ye!’ said the ass, ‘I am going to the great +city to turn musician: suppose you go with me, and try what you can +do in the same way?’ The dog said he was willing, and they jogged on +together. + +They had not gone far before they saw a cat sitting in the middle of the +road and making a most rueful face. ‘Pray, my good lady,’ said the ass, +‘what’s the matter with you? You look quite out of spirits!’ ‘Ah, me!’ +said the cat, ‘how can one be in good spirits when one’s life is in +danger? Because I am beginning to grow old, and had rather lie at my +ease by the fire than run about the house after the mice, my mistress +laid hold of me, and was going to drown me; and though I have been lucky +enough to get away from her, I do not know what I am to live upon.’ +‘Oh,’ said the ass, ‘by all means go with us to the great city; you are +a good night singer, and may make your fortune as a musician.’ The cat +was pleased with the thought, and joined the party. + +Soon afterwards, as they were passing by a farmyard, they saw a cock +perched upon a gate, and screaming out with all his might and main. +‘Bravo!’ said the ass; ‘upon my word, you make a famous noise; pray what +is all this about?’ ‘Why,’ said the cock, ‘I was just now saying that +we should have fine weather for our washing-day, and yet my mistress and +the cook don’t thank me for my pains, but threaten to cut off my +head tomorrow, and make broth of me for the guests that are coming +on Sunday!’ ‘Heaven forbid!’ said the ass, ‘come with us Master +Chanticleer; it will be better, at any rate, than staying here to have +your head cut off! Besides, who knows? If we care to sing in tune, we +may get up some kind of a concert; so come along with us.’ ‘With all my +heart,’ said the cock: so they all four went on jollily together. + +They could not, however, reach the great city the first day; so when +night came on, they went into a wood to sleep. The ass and the dog laid +themselves down under a great tree, and the cat climbed up into the +branches; while the cock, thinking that the higher he sat the safer he +should be, flew up to the very top of the tree, and then, according to +his custom, before he went to sleep, looked out on all sides of him to +see that everything was well. In doing this, he saw afar off something +bright and shining and calling to his companions said, ‘There must be a +house no great way off, for I see a light.’ ‘If that be the case,’ said +the ass, ‘we had better change our quarters, for our lodging is not the +best in the world!’ ‘Besides,’ added the dog, ‘I should not be the +worse for a bone or two, or a bit of meat.’ So they walked off together +towards the spot where Chanticleer had seen the light, and as they drew +near it became larger and brighter, till they at last came close to a +house in which a gang of robbers lived. + +The ass, being the tallest of the company, marched up to the window and +peeped in. ‘Well, Donkey,’ said Chanticleer, ‘what do you see?’ ‘What +do I see?’ replied the ass. ‘Why, I see a table spread with all kinds of +good things, and robbers sitting round it making merry.’ ‘That would +be a noble lodging for us,’ said the cock. ‘Yes,’ said the ass, ‘if we +could only get in’; so they consulted together how they should contrive +to get the robbers out; and at last they hit upon a plan. The ass placed +himself upright on his hind legs, with his forefeet resting against the +window; the dog got upon his back; the cat scrambled up to the dog’s +shoulders, and the cock flew up and sat upon the cat’s head. When +all was ready a signal was given, and they began their music. The ass +brayed, the dog barked, the cat mewed, and the cock screamed; and then +they all broke through the window at once, and came tumbling into +the room, amongst the broken glass, with a most hideous clatter! The +robbers, who had been not a little frightened by the opening concert, +had now no doubt that some frightful hobgoblin had broken in upon them, +and scampered away as fast as they could. + +The coast once clear, our travellers soon sat down and dispatched what +the robbers had left, with as much eagerness as if they had not expected +to eat again for a month. As soon as they had satisfied themselves, they +put out the lights, and each once more sought out a resting-place to +his own liking. The donkey laid himself down upon a heap of straw in +the yard, the dog stretched himself upon a mat behind the door, the +cat rolled herself up on the hearth before the warm ashes, and the +cock perched upon a beam on the top of the house; and, as they were all +rather tired with their journey, they soon fell asleep. + +But about midnight, when the robbers saw from afar that the lights were +out and that all seemed quiet, they began to think that they had been in +too great a hurry to run away; and one of them, who was bolder than +the rest, went to see what was going on. Finding everything still, he +marched into the kitchen, and groped about till he found a match in +order to light a candle; and then, espying the glittering fiery eyes of +the cat, he mistook them for live coals, and held the match to them to +light it. But the cat, not understanding this joke, sprang at his face, +and spat, and scratched at him. This frightened him dreadfully, and away +he ran to the back door; but there the dog jumped up and bit him in the +leg; and as he was crossing over the yard the ass kicked him; and the +cock, who had been awakened by the noise, crowed with all his might. At +this the robber ran back as fast as he could to his comrades, and told +the captain how a horrid witch had got into the house, and had spat at +him and scratched his face with her long bony fingers; how a man with a +knife in his hand had hidden himself behind the door, and stabbed him +in the leg; how a black monster stood in the yard and struck him with a +club, and how the devil had sat upon the top of the house and cried out, +‘Throw the rascal up here!’ After this the robbers never dared to go +back to the house; but the musicians were so pleased with their quarters +that they took up their abode there; and there they are, I dare say, at +this very day. + + + + +OLD SULTAN + + +A shepherd had a faithful dog, called Sultan, who was grown very old, +and had lost all his teeth. And one day when the shepherd and his wife +were standing together before the house the shepherd said, ‘I will shoot +old Sultan tomorrow morning, for he is of no use now.’ But his wife +said, ‘Pray let the poor faithful creature live; he has served us well a +great many years, and we ought to give him a livelihood for the rest of +his days.’ ‘But what can we do with him?’ said the shepherd, ‘he has not +a tooth in his head, and the thieves don’t care for him at all; to +be sure he has served us, but then he did it to earn his livelihood; +tomorrow shall be his last day, depend upon it.’ + +Poor Sultan, who was lying close by them, heard all that the shepherd +and his wife said to one another, and was very much frightened to think +tomorrow would be his last day; so in the evening he went to his good +friend the wolf, who lived in the wood, and told him all his sorrows, +and how his master meant to kill him in the morning. ‘Make yourself +easy,’ said the wolf, ‘I will give you some good advice. Your master, +you know, goes out every morning very early with his wife into the +field; and they take their little child with them, and lay it down +behind the hedge in the shade while they are at work. Now do you lie +down close by the child, and pretend to be watching it, and I will come +out of the wood and run away with it; you must run after me as fast as +you can, and I will let it drop; then you may carry it back, and they +will think you have saved their child, and will be so thankful to you +that they will take care of you as long as you live.’ The dog liked this +plan very well; and accordingly so it was managed. The wolf ran with the +child a little way; the shepherd and his wife screamed out; but Sultan +soon overtook him, and carried the poor little thing back to his master +and mistress. Then the shepherd patted him on the head, and said, ‘Old +Sultan has saved our child from the wolf, and therefore he shall live +and be well taken care of, and have plenty to eat. Wife, go home, and +give him a good dinner, and let him have my old cushion to sleep on +as long as he lives.’ So from this time forward Sultan had all that he +could wish for. + +Soon afterwards the wolf came and wished him joy, and said, ‘Now, my +good fellow, you must tell no tales, but turn your head the other way +when I want to taste one of the old shepherd’s fine fat sheep.’ ‘No,’ +said the Sultan; ‘I will be true to my master.’ However, the wolf +thought he was in joke, and came one night to get a dainty morsel. But +Sultan had told his master what the wolf meant to do; so he laid wait +for him behind the barn door, and when the wolf was busy looking out for +a good fat sheep, he had a stout cudgel laid about his back, that combed +his locks for him finely. + +Then the wolf was very angry, and called Sultan ‘an old rogue,’ and +swore he would have his revenge. So the next morning the wolf sent the +boar to challenge Sultan to come into the wood to fight the matter. Now +Sultan had nobody he could ask to be his second but the shepherd’s old +three-legged cat; so he took her with him, and as the poor thing limped +along with some trouble, she stuck up her tail straight in the air. + +The wolf and the wild boar were first on the ground; and when they +espied their enemies coming, and saw the cat’s long tail standing +straight in the air, they thought she was carrying a sword for Sultan to +fight with; and every time she limped, they thought she was picking up +a stone to throw at them; so they said they should not like this way of +fighting, and the boar lay down behind a bush, and the wolf jumped +up into a tree. Sultan and the cat soon came up, and looked about and +wondered that no one was there. The boar, however, had not quite hidden +himself, for his ears stuck out of the bush; and when he shook one of +them a little, the cat, seeing something move, and thinking it was a +mouse, sprang upon it, and bit and scratched it, so that the boar jumped +up and grunted, and ran away, roaring out, ‘Look up in the tree, there +sits the one who is to blame.’ So they looked up, and espied the wolf +sitting amongst the branches; and they called him a cowardly rascal, +and would not suffer him to come down till he was heartily ashamed of +himself, and had promised to be good friends again with old Sultan. + + + + +THE STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN + + +In a village dwelt a poor old woman, who had gathered together a dish +of beans and wanted to cook them. So she made a fire on her hearth, and +that it might burn the quicker, she lighted it with a handful of straw. +When she was emptying the beans into the pan, one dropped without her +observing it, and lay on the ground beside a straw, and soon afterwards +a burning coal from the fire leapt down to the two. Then the straw +began and said: ‘Dear friends, from whence do you come here?’ The coal +replied: ‘I fortunately sprang out of the fire, and if I had not escaped +by sheer force, my death would have been certain,--I should have been +burnt to ashes.’ The bean said: ‘I too have escaped with a whole skin, +but if the old woman had got me into the pan, I should have been made +into broth without any mercy, like my comrades.’ ‘And would a better +fate have fallen to my lot?’ said the straw. ‘The old woman has +destroyed all my brethren in fire and smoke; she seized sixty of them at +once, and took their lives. I luckily slipped through her fingers.’ + +‘But what are we to do now?’ said the coal. + +‘I think,’ answered the bean, ‘that as we have so fortunately escaped +death, we should keep together like good companions, and lest a new +mischance should overtake us here, we should go away together, and +repair to a foreign country.’ + +The proposition pleased the two others, and they set out on their way +together. Soon, however, they came to a little brook, and as there was +no bridge or foot-plank, they did not know how they were to get over +it. The straw hit on a good idea, and said: ‘I will lay myself straight +across, and then you can walk over on me as on a bridge.’ The straw +therefore stretched itself from one bank to the other, and the coal, +who was of an impetuous disposition, tripped quite boldly on to the +newly-built bridge. But when she had reached the middle, and heard the +water rushing beneath her, she was after all, afraid, and stood still, +and ventured no farther. The straw, however, began to burn, broke in +two pieces, and fell into the stream. The coal slipped after her, hissed +when she got into the water, and breathed her last. The bean, who had +prudently stayed behind on the shore, could not but laugh at the event, +was unable to stop, and laughed so heartily that she burst. It would +have been all over with her, likewise, if, by good fortune, a tailor who +was travelling in search of work, had not sat down to rest by the brook. +As he had a compassionate heart he pulled out his needle and thread, +and sewed her together. The bean thanked him most prettily, but as the +tailor used black thread, all beans since then have a black seam. + + + + +BRIAR ROSE + + +A king and queen once upon a time reigned in a country a great way off, +where there were in those days fairies. Now this king and queen had +plenty of money, and plenty of fine clothes to wear, and plenty of +good things to eat and drink, and a coach to ride out in every day: but +though they had been married many years they had no children, and this +grieved them very much indeed. But one day as the queen was walking +by the side of the river, at the bottom of the garden, she saw a poor +little fish, that had thrown itself out of the water, and lay gasping +and nearly dead on the bank. Then the queen took pity on the little +fish, and threw it back again into the river; and before it swam away +it lifted its head out of the water and said, ‘I know what your wish is, +and it shall be fulfilled, in return for your kindness to me--you will +soon have a daughter.’ What the little fish had foretold soon came to +pass; and the queen had a little girl, so very beautiful that the king +could not cease looking on it for joy, and said he would hold a great +feast and make merry, and show the child to all the land. So he asked +his kinsmen, and nobles, and friends, and neighbours. But the queen +said, ‘I will have the fairies also, that they might be kind and good +to our little daughter.’ Now there were thirteen fairies in the kingdom; +but as the king and queen had only twelve golden dishes for them to eat +out of, they were forced to leave one of the fairies without asking her. +So twelve fairies came, each with a high red cap on her head, and red +shoes with high heels on her feet, and a long white wand in her hand: +and after the feast was over they gathered round in a ring and gave all +their best gifts to the little princess. One gave her goodness, another +beauty, another riches, and so on till she had all that was good in the +world. + +Just as eleven of them had done blessing her, a great noise was heard in +the courtyard, and word was brought that the thirteenth fairy was +come, with a black cap on her head, and black shoes on her feet, and a +broomstick in her hand: and presently up she came into the dining-hall. +Now, as she had not been asked to the feast she was very angry, and +scolded the king and queen very much, and set to work to take her +revenge. So she cried out, ‘The king’s daughter shall, in her fifteenth +year, be wounded by a spindle, and fall down dead.’ Then the twelfth of +the friendly fairies, who had not yet given her gift, came forward, and +said that the evil wish must be fulfilled, but that she could soften its +mischief; so her gift was, that the king’s daughter, when the spindle +wounded her, should not really die, but should only fall asleep for a +hundred years. + +However, the king hoped still to save his dear child altogether from +the threatened evil; so he ordered that all the spindles in the kingdom +should be bought up and burnt. But all the gifts of the first eleven +fairies were in the meantime fulfilled; for the princess was so +beautiful, and well behaved, and good, and wise, that everyone who knew +her loved her. + +It happened that, on the very day she was fifteen years old, the king +and queen were not at home, and she was left alone in the palace. So she +roved about by herself, and looked at all the rooms and chambers, till +at last she came to an old tower, to which there was a narrow staircase +ending with a little door. In the door there was a golden key, and when +she turned it the door sprang open, and there sat an old lady spinning +away very busily. ‘Why, how now, good mother,’ said the princess; ‘what +are you doing there?’ ‘Spinning,’ said the old lady, and nodded her +head, humming a tune, while buzz! went the wheel. ‘How prettily that +little thing turns round!’ said the princess, and took the spindle +and began to try and spin. But scarcely had she touched it, before the +fairy’s prophecy was fulfilled; the spindle wounded her, and she fell +down lifeless on the ground. + +However, she was not dead, but had only fallen into a deep sleep; and +the king and the queen, who had just come home, and all their court, +fell asleep too; and the horses slept in the stables, and the dogs in +the court, the pigeons on the house-top, and the very flies slept upon +the walls. Even the fire on the hearth left off blazing, and went to +sleep; the jack stopped, and the spit that was turning about with a +goose upon it for the king’s dinner stood still; and the cook, who was +at that moment pulling the kitchen-boy by the hair to give him a box +on the ear for something he had done amiss, let him go, and both fell +asleep; the butler, who was slyly tasting the ale, fell asleep with the +jug at his lips: and thus everything stood still, and slept soundly. + +A large hedge of thorns soon grew round the palace, and every year it +became higher and thicker; till at last the old palace was surrounded +and hidden, so that not even the roof or the chimneys could be seen. But +there went a report through all the land of the beautiful sleeping Briar +Rose (for so the king’s daughter was called): so that, from time to +time, several kings’ sons came, and tried to break through the thicket +into the palace. This, however, none of them could ever do; for the +thorns and bushes laid hold of them, as it were with hands; and there +they stuck fast, and died wretchedly. + +After many, many years there came a king’s son into that land: and an +old man told him the story of the thicket of thorns; and how a beautiful +palace stood behind it, and how a wonderful princess, called Briar Rose, +lay in it asleep, with all her court. He told, too, how he had heard +from his grandfather that many, many princes had come, and had tried to +break through the thicket, but that they had all stuck fast in it, and +died. Then the young prince said, ‘All this shall not frighten me; I +will go and see this Briar Rose.’ The old man tried to hinder him, but +he was bent upon going. + +Now that very day the hundred years were ended; and as the prince came +to the thicket he saw nothing but beautiful flowering shrubs, through +which he went with ease, and they shut in after him as thick as ever. +Then he came at last to the palace, and there in the court lay the dogs +asleep; and the horses were standing in the stables; and on the roof sat +the pigeons fast asleep, with their heads under their wings. And when he +came into the palace, the flies were sleeping on the walls; the spit +was standing still; the butler had the jug of ale at his lips, going +to drink a draught; the maid sat with a fowl in her lap ready to be +plucked; and the cook in the kitchen was still holding up her hand, as +if she was going to beat the boy. + +Then he went on still farther, and all was so still that he could hear +every breath he drew; till at last he came to the old tower, and opened +the door of the little room in which Briar Rose was; and there she lay, +fast asleep on a couch by the window. She looked so beautiful that he +could not take his eyes off her, so he stooped down and gave her a kiss. +But the moment he kissed her she opened her eyes and awoke, and smiled +upon him; and they went out together; and soon the king and queen also +awoke, and all the court, and gazed on each other with great wonder. +And the horses shook themselves, and the dogs jumped up and barked; the +pigeons took their heads from under their wings, and looked about and +flew into the fields; the flies on the walls buzzed again; the fire in +the kitchen blazed up; round went the jack, and round went the spit, +with the goose for the king’s dinner upon it; the butler finished his +draught of ale; the maid went on plucking the fowl; and the cook gave +the boy the box on his ear. + +And then the prince and Briar Rose were married, and the wedding feast +was given; and they lived happily together all their lives long. + + + + +THE DOG AND THE SPARROW + + +A shepherd’s dog had a master who took no care of him, but often let him +suffer the greatest hunger. At last he could bear it no longer; so he +took to his heels, and off he ran in a very sad and sorrowful mood. +On the road he met a sparrow that said to him, ‘Why are you so sad, +my friend?’ ‘Because,’ said the dog, ‘I am very very hungry, and have +nothing to eat.’ ‘If that be all,’ answered the sparrow, ‘come with me +into the next town, and I will soon find you plenty of food.’ So on they +went together into the town: and as they passed by a butcher’s shop, +the sparrow said to the dog, ‘Stand there a little while till I peck you +down a piece of meat.’ So the sparrow perched upon the shelf: and having +first looked carefully about her to see if anyone was watching her, she +pecked and scratched at a steak that lay upon the edge of the shelf, +till at last down it fell. Then the dog snapped it up, and scrambled +away with it into a corner, where he soon ate it all up. ‘Well,’ said +the sparrow, ‘you shall have some more if you will; so come with me to +the next shop, and I will peck you down another steak.’ When the dog had +eaten this too, the sparrow said to him, ‘Well, my good friend, have you +had enough now?’ ‘I have had plenty of meat,’ answered he, ‘but I should +like to have a piece of bread to eat after it.’ ‘Come with me then,’ +said the sparrow, ‘and you shall soon have that too.’ So she took him +to a baker’s shop, and pecked at two rolls that lay in the window, till +they fell down: and as the dog still wished for more, she took him to +another shop and pecked down some more for him. When that was eaten, the +sparrow asked him whether he had had enough now. ‘Yes,’ said he; ‘and +now let us take a walk a little way out of the town.’ So they both went +out upon the high road; but as the weather was warm, they had not gone +far before the dog said, ‘I am very much tired--I should like to take a +nap.’ ‘Very well,’ answered the sparrow, ‘do so, and in the meantime +I will perch upon that bush.’ So the dog stretched himself out on the +road, and fell fast asleep. Whilst he slept, there came by a carter with +a cart drawn by three horses, and loaded with two casks of wine. The +sparrow, seeing that the carter did not turn out of the way, but would +go on in the track in which the dog lay, so as to drive over him, called +out, ‘Stop! stop! Mr Carter, or it shall be the worse for you.’ But the +carter, grumbling to himself, ‘You make it the worse for me, indeed! +what can you do?’ cracked his whip, and drove his cart over the poor +dog, so that the wheels crushed him to death. ‘There,’ cried the +sparrow, ‘thou cruel villain, thou hast killed my friend the dog. Now +mind what I say. This deed of thine shall cost thee all thou art worth.’ +‘Do your worst, and welcome,’ said the brute, ‘what harm can you do me?’ +and passed on. But the sparrow crept under the tilt of the cart, and +pecked at the bung of one of the casks till she loosened it; and then +all the wine ran out, without the carter seeing it. At last he looked +round, and saw that the cart was dripping, and the cask quite empty. +‘What an unlucky wretch I am!’ cried he. ‘Not wretch enough yet!’ said +the sparrow, as she alighted upon the head of one of the horses, and +pecked at him till he reared up and kicked. When the carter saw this, +he drew out his hatchet and aimed a blow at the sparrow, meaning to kill +her; but she flew away, and the blow fell upon the poor horse’s head +with such force, that he fell down dead. ‘Unlucky wretch that I am!’ +cried he. ‘Not wretch enough yet!’ said the sparrow. And as the carter +went on with the other two horses, she again crept under the tilt of the +cart, and pecked out the bung of the second cask, so that all the wine +ran out. When the carter saw this, he again cried out, ‘Miserable wretch +that I am!’ But the sparrow answered, ‘Not wretch enough yet!’ and +perched on the head of the second horse, and pecked at him too. The +carter ran up and struck at her again with his hatchet; but away she +flew, and the blow fell upon the second horse and killed him on the +spot. ‘Unlucky wretch that I am!’ said he. ‘Not wretch enough yet!’ said +the sparrow; and perching upon the third horse, she began to peck him +too. The carter was mad with fury; and without looking about him, or +caring what he was about, struck again at the sparrow; but killed his +third horse as he done the other two. ‘Alas! miserable wretch that I +am!’ cried he. ‘Not wretch enough yet!’ answered the sparrow as she flew +away; ‘now will I plague and punish thee at thy own house.’ The +carter was forced at last to leave his cart behind him, and to go home +overflowing with rage and vexation. ‘Alas!’ said he to his wife, ‘what +ill luck has befallen me!--my wine is all spilt, and my horses all three +dead.’ ‘Alas! husband,’ replied she, ‘and a wicked bird has come into +the house, and has brought with her all the birds in the world, I am +sure, and they have fallen upon our corn in the loft, and are eating it +up at such a rate!’ Away ran the husband upstairs, and saw thousands of +birds sitting upon the floor eating up his corn, with the sparrow in the +midst of them. ‘Unlucky wretch that I am!’ cried the carter; for he saw +that the corn was almost all gone. ‘Not wretch enough yet!’ said the +sparrow; ‘thy cruelty shall cost thee thy life yet!’ and away she flew. + +The carter seeing that he had thus lost all that he had, went down +into his kitchen; and was still not sorry for what he had done, but sat +himself angrily and sulkily in the chimney corner. But the sparrow sat +on the outside of the window, and cried ‘Carter! thy cruelty shall cost +thee thy life!’ With that he jumped up in a rage, seized his hatchet, +and threw it at the sparrow; but it missed her, and only broke the +window. The sparrow now hopped in, perched upon the window-seat, and +cried, ‘Carter! it shall cost thee thy life!’ Then he became mad and +blind with rage, and struck the window-seat with such force that he +cleft it in two: and as the sparrow flew from place to place, the carter +and his wife were so furious, that they broke all their furniture, +glasses, chairs, benches, the table, and at last the walls, without +touching the bird at all. In the end, however, they caught her: and the +wife said, ‘Shall I kill her at once?’ ‘No,’ cried he, ‘that is letting +her off too easily: she shall die a much more cruel death; I will eat +her.’ But the sparrow began to flutter about, and stretch out her neck +and cried, ‘Carter! it shall cost thee thy life yet!’ With that he +could wait no longer: so he gave his wife the hatchet, and cried, ‘Wife, +strike at the bird and kill her in my hand.’ And the wife struck; but +she missed her aim, and hit her husband on the head so that he fell down +dead, and the sparrow flew quietly home to her nest. + + + + +THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES + + +There was a king who had twelve beautiful daughters. They slept in +twelve beds all in one room; and when they went to bed, the doors were +shut and locked up; but every morning their shoes were found to be quite +worn through as if they had been danced in all night; and yet nobody +could find out how it happened, or where they had been. + +Then the king made it known to all the land, that if any person could +discover the secret, and find out where it was that the princesses +danced in the night, he should have the one he liked best for his +wife, and should be king after his death; but whoever tried and did not +succeed, after three days and nights, should be put to death. + +A king’s son soon came. He was well entertained, and in the evening was +taken to the chamber next to the one where the princesses lay in their +twelve beds. There he was to sit and watch where they went to dance; +and, in order that nothing might pass without his hearing it, the door +of his chamber was left open. But the king’s son soon fell asleep; and +when he awoke in the morning he found that the princesses had all been +dancing, for the soles of their shoes were full of holes. The same thing +happened the second and third night: so the king ordered his head to be +cut off. After him came several others; but they had all the same luck, +and all lost their lives in the same manner. + +Now it chanced that an old soldier, who had been wounded in battle +and could fight no longer, passed through the country where this king +reigned: and as he was travelling through a wood, he met an old woman, +who asked him where he was going. ‘I hardly know where I am going, or +what I had better do,’ said the soldier; ‘but I think I should like very +well to find out where it is that the princesses dance, and then in time +I might be a king.’ ‘Well,’ said the old dame, ‘that is no very hard +task: only take care not to drink any of the wine which one of the +princesses will bring to you in the evening; and as soon as she leaves +you pretend to be fast asleep.’ + +Then she gave him a cloak, and said, ‘As soon as you put that on +you will become invisible, and you will then be able to follow the +princesses wherever they go.’ When the soldier heard all this good +counsel, he determined to try his luck: so he went to the king, and said +he was willing to undertake the task. + +He was as well received as the others had been, and the king ordered +fine royal robes to be given him; and when the evening came he was led +to the outer chamber. Just as he was going to lie down, the eldest of +the princesses brought him a cup of wine; but the soldier threw it all +away secretly, taking care not to drink a drop. Then he laid himself +down on his bed, and in a little while began to snore very loud as if +he was fast asleep. When the twelve princesses heard this they laughed +heartily; and the eldest said, ‘This fellow too might have done a wiser +thing than lose his life in this way!’ Then they rose up and opened +their drawers and boxes, and took out all their fine clothes, and +dressed themselves at the glass, and skipped about as if they were eager +to begin dancing. But the youngest said, ‘I don’t know how it is, while +you are so happy I feel very uneasy; I am sure some mischance will +befall us.’ ‘You simpleton,’ said the eldest, ‘you are always afraid; +have you forgotten how many kings’ sons have already watched in vain? +And as for this soldier, even if I had not given him his sleeping +draught, he would have slept soundly enough.’ + +When they were all ready, they went and looked at the soldier; but he +snored on, and did not stir hand or foot: so they thought they were +quite safe; and the eldest went up to her own bed and clapped her hands, +and the bed sank into the floor and a trap-door flew open. The soldier +saw them going down through the trap-door one after another, the eldest +leading the way; and thinking he had no time to lose, he jumped up, put +on the cloak which the old woman had given him, and followed them; +but in the middle of the stairs he trod on the gown of the youngest +princess, and she cried out to her sisters, ‘All is not right; someone +took hold of my gown.’ ‘You silly creature!’ said the eldest, ‘it is +nothing but a nail in the wall.’ Then down they all went, and at the +bottom they found themselves in a most delightful grove of trees; and +the leaves were all of silver, and glittered and sparkled beautifully. +The soldier wished to take away some token of the place; so he broke +off a little branch, and there came a loud noise from the tree. Then the +youngest daughter said again, ‘I am sure all is not right--did not you +hear that noise? That never happened before.’ But the eldest said, ‘It +is only our princes, who are shouting for joy at our approach.’ + +Then they came to another grove of trees, where all the leaves were of +gold; and afterwards to a third, where the leaves were all glittering +diamonds. And the soldier broke a branch from each; and every time there +was a loud noise, which made the youngest sister tremble with fear; but +the eldest still said, it was only the princes, who were crying for joy. +So they went on till they came to a great lake; and at the side of the +lake there lay twelve little boats with twelve handsome princes in them, +who seemed to be waiting there for the princesses. + +One of the princesses went into each boat, and the soldier stepped into +the same boat with the youngest. As they were rowing over the lake, the +prince who was in the boat with the youngest princess and the soldier +said, ‘I do not know why it is, but though I am rowing with all my might +we do not get on so fast as usual, and I am quite tired: the boat +seems very heavy today.’ ‘It is only the heat of the weather,’ said the +princess: ‘I feel it very warm too.’ + +On the other side of the lake stood a fine illuminated castle, from +which came the merry music of horns and trumpets. There they all landed, +and went into the castle, and each prince danced with his princess; and +the soldier, who was all the time invisible, danced with them too; and +when any of the princesses had a cup of wine set by her, he drank it +all up, so that when she put the cup to her mouth it was empty. At this, +too, the youngest sister was terribly frightened, but the eldest always +silenced her. They danced on till three o’clock in the morning, and then +all their shoes were worn out, so that they were obliged to leave off. +The princes rowed them back again over the lake (but this time the +soldier placed himself in the boat with the eldest princess); and on the +opposite shore they took leave of each other, the princesses promising +to come again the next night. + +When they came to the stairs, the soldier ran on before the princesses, +and laid himself down; and as the twelve sisters slowly came up very +much tired, they heard him snoring in his bed; so they said, ‘Now all +is quite safe’; then they undressed themselves, put away their fine +clothes, pulled off their shoes, and went to bed. In the morning the +soldier said nothing about what had happened, but determined to see more +of this strange adventure, and went again the second and third night; +and every thing happened just as before; the princesses danced each time +till their shoes were worn to pieces, and then returned home. However, +on the third night the soldier carried away one of the golden cups as a +token of where he had been. + +As soon as the time came when he was to declare the secret, he was taken +before the king with the three branches and the golden cup; and the +twelve princesses stood listening behind the door to hear what he would +say. And when the king asked him. ‘Where do my twelve daughters dance at +night?’ he answered, ‘With twelve princes in a castle under ground.’ And +then he told the king all that had happened, and showed him the three +branches and the golden cup which he had brought with him. Then the king +called for the princesses, and asked them whether what the soldier said +was true: and when they saw that they were discovered, and that it was +of no use to deny what had happened, they confessed it all. And the king +asked the soldier which of them he would choose for his wife; and he +answered, ‘I am not very young, so I will have the eldest.’--And they +were married that very day, and the soldier was chosen to be the king’s +heir. + + + + +THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE + + +There was once a fisherman who lived with his wife in a pigsty, close +by the seaside. The fisherman used to go out all day long a-fishing; and +one day, as he sat on the shore with his rod, looking at the sparkling +waves and watching his line, all on a sudden his float was dragged away +deep into the water: and in drawing it up he pulled out a great fish. +But the fish said, ‘Pray let me live! I am not a real fish; I am an +enchanted prince: put me in the water again, and let me go!’ ‘Oh, ho!’ +said the man, ‘you need not make so many words about the matter; I will +have nothing to do with a fish that can talk: so swim away, sir, as soon +as you please!’ Then he put him back into the water, and the fish darted +straight down to the bottom, and left a long streak of blood behind him +on the wave. + +When the fisherman went home to his wife in the pigsty, he told her how +he had caught a great fish, and how it had told him it was an enchanted +prince, and how, on hearing it speak, he had let it go again. ‘Did not +you ask it for anything?’ said the wife, ‘we live very wretchedly here, +in this nasty dirty pigsty; do go back and tell the fish we want a snug +little cottage.’ + +The fisherman did not much like the business: however, he went to the +seashore; and when he came back there the water looked all yellow and +green. And he stood at the water’s edge, and said: + + ‘O man of the sea! + Hearken to me! + My wife Ilsabill + Will have her own will, + And hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!’ + +Then the fish came swimming to him, and said, ‘Well, what is her will? +What does your wife want?’ ‘Ah!’ said the fisherman, ‘she says that when +I had caught you, I ought to have asked you for something before I let +you go; she does not like living any longer in the pigsty, and wants +a snug little cottage.’ ‘Go home, then,’ said the fish; ‘she is in the +cottage already!’ So the man went home, and saw his wife standing at the +door of a nice trim little cottage. ‘Come in, come in!’ said she; ‘is +not this much better than the filthy pigsty we had?’ And there was a +parlour, and a bedchamber, and a kitchen; and behind the cottage there +was a little garden, planted with all sorts of flowers and fruits; and +there was a courtyard behind, full of ducks and chickens. ‘Ah!’ said the +fisherman, ‘how happily we shall live now!’ ‘We will try to do so, at +least,’ said his wife. + +Everything went right for a week or two, and then Dame Ilsabill said, +‘Husband, there is not near room enough for us in this cottage; the +courtyard and the garden are a great deal too small; I should like to +have a large stone castle to live in: go to the fish again and tell him +to give us a castle.’ ‘Wife,’ said the fisherman, ‘I don’t like to go to +him again, for perhaps he will be angry; we ought to be easy with this +pretty cottage to live in.’ ‘Nonsense!’ said the wife; ‘he will do it +very willingly, I know; go along and try!’ + +The fisherman went, but his heart was very heavy: and when he came to +the sea, it looked blue and gloomy, though it was very calm; and he went +close to the edge of the waves, and said: + + ‘O man of the sea! + Hearken to me! + My wife Ilsabill + Will have her own will, + And hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!’ + +‘Well, what does she want now?’ said the fish. ‘Ah!’ said the man, +dolefully, ‘my wife wants to live in a stone castle.’ ‘Go home, then,’ +said the fish; ‘she is standing at the gate of it already.’ So away went +the fisherman, and found his wife standing before the gate of a great +castle. ‘See,’ said she, ‘is not this grand?’ With that they went into +the castle together, and found a great many servants there, and the +rooms all richly furnished, and full of golden chairs and tables; and +behind the castle was a garden, and around it was a park half a +mile long, full of sheep, and goats, and hares, and deer; and in the +courtyard were stables and cow-houses. ‘Well,’ said the man, ‘now we +will live cheerful and happy in this beautiful castle for the rest of +our lives.’ ‘Perhaps we may,’ said the wife; ‘but let us sleep upon it, +before we make up our minds to that.’ So they went to bed. + +The next morning when Dame Ilsabill awoke it was broad daylight, and +she jogged the fisherman with her elbow, and said, ‘Get up, husband, +and bestir yourself, for we must be king of all the land.’ ‘Wife, wife,’ +said the man, ‘why should we wish to be the king? I will not be king.’ +‘Then I will,’ said she. ‘But, wife,’ said the fisherman, ‘how can you +be king--the fish cannot make you a king?’ ‘Husband,’ said she, ‘say +no more about it, but go and try! I will be king.’ So the man went away +quite sorrowful to think that his wife should want to be king. This time +the sea looked a dark grey colour, and was overspread with curling waves +and the ridges of foam as he cried out: + + ‘O man of the sea! + Hearken to me! + My wife Ilsabill + Will have her own will, + And hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!’ + +‘Well, what would she have now?’ said the fish. ‘Alas!’ said the poor +man, ‘my wife wants to be king.’ ‘Go home,’ said the fish; ‘she is king +already.’ + +Then the fisherman went home; and as he came close to the palace he saw +a troop of soldiers, and heard the sound of drums and trumpets. And when +he went in he saw his wife sitting on a throne of gold and diamonds, +with a golden crown upon her head; and on each side of her stood six +fair maidens, each a head taller than the other. ‘Well, wife,’ said the +fisherman, ‘are you king?’ ‘Yes,’ said she, ‘I am king.’ And when he had +looked at her for a long time, he said, ‘Ah, wife! what a fine thing it +is to be king! Now we shall never have anything more to wish for as long +as we live.’ ‘I don’t know how that may be,’ said she; ‘never is a long +time. I am king, it is true; but I begin to be tired of that, and I +think I should like to be emperor.’ ‘Alas, wife! why should you wish to +be emperor?’ said the fisherman. ‘Husband,’ said she, ‘go to the fish! +I say I will be emperor.’ ‘Ah, wife!’ replied the fisherman, ‘the fish +cannot make an emperor, I am sure, and I should not like to ask him for +such a thing.’ ‘I am king,’ said Ilsabill, ‘and you are my slave; so go +at once!’ + +So the fisherman was forced to go; and he muttered as he went along, +‘This will come to no good, it is too much to ask; the fish will be +tired at last, and then we shall be sorry for what we have done.’ He +soon came to the seashore; and the water was quite black and muddy, and +a mighty whirlwind blew over the waves and rolled them about, but he +went as near as he could to the water’s brink, and said: + + ‘O man of the sea! + Hearken to me! + My wife Ilsabill + Will have her own will, + And hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!’ + +‘What would she have now?’ said the fish. ‘Ah!’ said the fisherman, +‘she wants to be emperor.’ ‘Go home,’ said the fish; ‘she is emperor +already.’ + +So he went home again; and as he came near he saw his wife Ilsabill +sitting on a very lofty throne made of solid gold, with a great crown on +her head full two yards high; and on each side of her stood her guards +and attendants in a row, each one smaller than the other, from the +tallest giant down to a little dwarf no bigger than my finger. And +before her stood princes, and dukes, and earls: and the fisherman went +up to her and said, ‘Wife, are you emperor?’ ‘Yes,’ said she, ‘I am +emperor.’ ‘Ah!’ said the man, as he gazed upon her, ‘what a fine thing +it is to be emperor!’ ‘Husband,’ said she, ‘why should we stop at being +emperor? I will be pope next.’ ‘O wife, wife!’ said he, ‘how can you be +pope? there is but one pope at a time in Christendom.’ ‘Husband,’ said +she, ‘I will be pope this very day.’ ‘But,’ replied the husband, ‘the +fish cannot make you pope.’ ‘What nonsense!’ said she; ‘if he can make +an emperor, he can make a pope: go and try him.’ + +So the fisherman went. But when he came to the shore the wind was raging +and the sea was tossed up and down in boiling waves, and the ships were +in trouble, and rolled fearfully upon the tops of the billows. In the +middle of the heavens there was a little piece of blue sky, but towards +the south all was red, as if a dreadful storm was rising. At this sight +the fisherman was dreadfully frightened, and he trembled so that his +knees knocked together: but still he went down near to the shore, and +said: + + ‘O man of the sea! + Hearken to me! + My wife Ilsabill + Will have her own will, + And hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!’ + +‘What does she want now?’ said the fish. ‘Ah!’ said the fisherman, ‘my +wife wants to be pope.’ ‘Go home,’ said the fish; ‘she is pope already.’ + +Then the fisherman went home, and found Ilsabill sitting on a throne +that was two miles high. And she had three great crowns on her head, and +around her stood all the pomp and power of the Church. And on each side +of her were two rows of burning lights, of all sizes, the greatest as +large as the highest and biggest tower in the world, and the least no +larger than a small rushlight. ‘Wife,’ said the fisherman, as he looked +at all this greatness, ‘are you pope?’ ‘Yes,’ said she, ‘I am pope.’ +‘Well, wife,’ replied he, ‘it is a grand thing to be pope; and now +you must be easy, for you can be nothing greater.’ ‘I will think about +that,’ said the wife. Then they went to bed: but Dame Ilsabill could not +sleep all night for thinking what she should be next. At last, as she +was dropping asleep, morning broke, and the sun rose. ‘Ha!’ thought she, +as she woke up and looked at it through the window, ‘after all I cannot +prevent the sun rising.’ At this thought she was very angry, and wakened +her husband, and said, ‘Husband, go to the fish and tell him I must +be lord of the sun and moon.’ The fisherman was half asleep, but the +thought frightened him so much that he started and fell out of bed. +‘Alas, wife!’ said he, ‘cannot you be easy with being pope?’ ‘No,’ +said she, ‘I am very uneasy as long as the sun and moon rise without my +leave. Go to the fish at once!’ + +Then the man went shivering with fear; and as he was going down to +the shore a dreadful storm arose, so that the trees and the very rocks +shook. And all the heavens became black with stormy clouds, and the +lightnings played, and the thunders rolled; and you might have seen in +the sea great black waves, swelling up like mountains with crowns of +white foam upon their heads. And the fisherman crept towards the sea, +and cried out, as well as he could: + + ‘O man of the sea! + Hearken to me! + My wife Ilsabill + Will have her own will, + And hath sent me to beg a boon of thee!’ + +‘What does she want now?’ said the fish. ‘Ah!’ said he, ‘she wants to +be lord of the sun and moon.’ ‘Go home,’ said the fish, ‘to your pigsty +again.’ + +And there they live to this very day. + + + + +THE WILLOW-WREN AND THE BEAR + + +Once in summer-time the bear and the wolf were walking in the forest, +and the bear heard a bird singing so beautifully that he said: ‘Brother +wolf, what bird is it that sings so well?’ ‘That is the King of birds,’ +said the wolf, ‘before whom we must bow down.’ In reality the bird was +the willow-wren. ‘IF that’s the case,’ said the bear, ‘I should very +much like to see his royal palace; come, take me thither.’ ‘That is not +done quite as you seem to think,’ said the wolf; ‘you must wait until +the Queen comes,’ Soon afterwards, the Queen arrived with some food in +her beak, and the lord King came too, and they began to feed their young +ones. The bear would have liked to go at once, but the wolf held him +back by the sleeve, and said: ‘No, you must wait until the lord and lady +Queen have gone away again.’ So they took stock of the hole where the +nest lay, and trotted away. The bear, however, could not rest until he +had seen the royal palace, and when a short time had passed, went to it +again. The King and Queen had just flown out, so he peeped in and saw +five or six young ones lying there. ‘Is that the royal palace?’ cried +the bear; ‘it is a wretched palace, and you are not King’s children, you +are disreputable children!’ When the young wrens heard that, they were +frightfully angry, and screamed: ‘No, that we are not! Our parents are +honest people! Bear, you will have to pay for that!’ + +The bear and the wolf grew uneasy, and turned back and went into their +holes. The young willow-wrens, however, continued to cry and scream, and +when their parents again brought food they said: ‘We will not so much as +touch one fly’s leg, no, not if we were dying of hunger, until you have +settled whether we are respectable children or not; the bear has been +here and has insulted us!’ Then the old King said: ‘Be easy, he shall +be punished,’ and he at once flew with the Queen to the bear’s cave, and +called in: ‘Old Growler, why have you insulted my children? You shall +suffer for it--we will punish you by a bloody war.’ Thus war was +announced to the Bear, and all four-footed animals were summoned to take +part in it, oxen, asses, cows, deer, and every other animal the earth +contained. And the willow-wren summoned everything which flew in the +air, not only birds, large and small, but midges, and hornets, bees and +flies had to come. + +When the time came for the war to begin, the willow-wren sent out spies +to discover who was the enemy’s commander-in-chief. The gnat, who was +the most crafty, flew into the forest where the enemy was assembled, +and hid herself beneath a leaf of the tree where the password was to be +announced. There stood the bear, and he called the fox before him +and said: ‘Fox, you are the most cunning of all animals, you shall be +general and lead us.’ ‘Good,’ said the fox, ‘but what signal shall we +agree upon?’ No one knew that, so the fox said: ‘I have a fine long +bushy tail, which almost looks like a plume of red feathers. When I lift +my tail up quite high, all is going well, and you must charge; but if I +let it hang down, run away as fast as you can.’ When the gnat had heard +that, she flew away again, and revealed everything, down to the minutest +detail, to the willow-wren. When day broke, and the battle was to begin, +all the four-footed animals came running up with such a noise that the +earth trembled. The willow-wren with his army also came flying through +the air with such a humming, and whirring, and swarming that every one +was uneasy and afraid, and on both sides they advanced against each +other. But the willow-wren sent down the hornet, with orders to settle +beneath the fox’s tail, and sting with all his might. When the fox felt +the first string, he started so that he lifted one leg, from pain, but +he bore it, and still kept his tail high in the air; at the second +sting, he was forced to put it down for a moment; at the third, he could +hold out no longer, screamed, and put his tail between his legs. When +the animals saw that, they thought all was lost, and began to flee, each +into his hole, and the birds had won the battle. + +Then the King and Queen flew home to their children and cried: +‘Children, rejoice, eat and drink to your heart’s content, we have won +the battle!’ But the young wrens said: ‘We will not eat yet, the bear +must come to the nest, and beg for pardon and say that we are honourable +children, before we will do that.’ Then the willow-wren flew to the +bear’s hole and cried: ‘Growler, you are to come to the nest to my +children, and beg their pardon, or else every rib of your body shall +be broken.’ So the bear crept thither in the greatest fear, and begged +their pardon. And now at last the young wrens were satisfied, and sat +down together and ate and drank, and made merry till quite late into the +night. + + + + +THE FROG-PRINCE + + +One fine evening a young princess put on her bonnet and clogs, and went +out to take a walk by herself in a wood; and when she came to a cool +spring of water, that rose in the midst of it, she sat herself down +to rest a while. Now she had a golden ball in her hand, which was her +favourite plaything; and she was always tossing it up into the air, and +catching it again as it fell. After a time she threw it up so high that +she missed catching it as it fell; and the ball bounded away, and rolled +along upon the ground, till at last it fell down into the spring. The +princess looked into the spring after her ball, but it was very deep, so +deep that she could not see the bottom of it. Then she began to bewail +her loss, and said, ‘Alas! if I could only get my ball again, I would +give all my fine clothes and jewels, and everything that I have in the +world.’ + +Whilst she was speaking, a frog put its head out of the water, and said, +‘Princess, why do you weep so bitterly?’ ‘Alas!’ said she, ‘what can you +do for me, you nasty frog? My golden ball has fallen into the spring.’ +The frog said, ‘I want not your pearls, and jewels, and fine clothes; +but if you will love me, and let me live with you and eat from off +your golden plate, and sleep upon your bed, I will bring you your ball +again.’ ‘What nonsense,’ thought the princess, ‘this silly frog is +talking! He can never even get out of the spring to visit me, though +he may be able to get my ball for me, and therefore I will tell him he +shall have what he asks.’ So she said to the frog, ‘Well, if you will +bring me my ball, I will do all you ask.’ Then the frog put his head +down, and dived deep under the water; and after a little while he came +up again, with the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the edge of the +spring. As soon as the young princess saw her ball, she ran to pick +it up; and she was so overjoyed to have it in her hand again, that she +never thought of the frog, but ran home with it as fast as she could. +The frog called after her, ‘Stay, princess, and take me with you as you +said,’ But she did not stop to hear a word. + +The next day, just as the princess had sat down to dinner, she heard a +strange noise--tap, tap--plash, plash--as if something was coming up the +marble staircase: and soon afterwards there was a gentle knock at the +door, and a little voice cried out and said: + + ‘Open the door, my princess dear, + Open the door to thy true love here! + And mind the words that thou and I said + By the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade.’ + +Then the princess ran to the door and opened it, and there she saw +the frog, whom she had quite forgotten. At this sight she was sadly +frightened, and shutting the door as fast as she could came back to her +seat. The king, her father, seeing that something had frightened her, +asked her what was the matter. ‘There is a nasty frog,’ said she, ‘at +the door, that lifted my ball for me out of the spring this morning: I +told him that he should live with me here, thinking that he could never +get out of the spring; but there he is at the door, and he wants to come +in.’ + +While she was speaking the frog knocked again at the door, and said: + + ‘Open the door, my princess dear, + Open the door to thy true love here! + And mind the words that thou and I said + By the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade.’ + +Then the king said to the young princess, ‘As you have given your word +you must keep it; so go and let him in.’ She did so, and the frog hopped +into the room, and then straight on--tap, tap--plash, plash--from the +bottom of the room to the top, till he came up close to the table where +the princess sat. ‘Pray lift me upon chair,’ said he to the princess, +‘and let me sit next to you.’ As soon as she had done this, the frog +said, ‘Put your plate nearer to me, that I may eat out of it.’ This +she did, and when he had eaten as much as he could, he said, ‘Now I am +tired; carry me upstairs, and put me into your bed.’ And the princess, +though very unwilling, took him up in her hand, and put him upon the +pillow of her own bed, where he slept all night long. As soon as it was +light he jumped up, hopped downstairs, and went out of the house. +‘Now, then,’ thought the princess, ‘at last he is gone, and I shall be +troubled with him no more.’ + +But she was mistaken; for when night came again she heard the same +tapping at the door; and the frog came once more, and said: + + ‘Open the door, my princess dear, + Open the door to thy true love here! + And mind the words that thou and I said + By the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade.’ + +And when the princess opened the door the frog came in, and slept upon +her pillow as before, till the morning broke. And the third night he did +the same. But when the princess awoke on the following morning she was +astonished to see, instead of the frog, a handsome prince, gazing on her +with the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, and standing at the head +of her bed. + +He told her that he had been enchanted by a spiteful fairy, who had +changed him into a frog; and that he had been fated so to abide till +some princess should take him out of the spring, and let him eat from +her plate, and sleep upon her bed for three nights. ‘You,’ said the +prince, ‘have broken his cruel charm, and now I have nothing to wish for +but that you should go with me into my father’s kingdom, where I will +marry you, and love you as long as you live.’ + +The young princess, you may be sure, was not long in saying ‘Yes’ to +all this; and as they spoke a gay coach drove up, with eight beautiful +horses, decked with plumes of feathers and a golden harness; and behind +the coach rode the prince’s servant, faithful Heinrich, who had bewailed +the misfortunes of his dear master during his enchantment so long and so +bitterly, that his heart had well-nigh burst. + +They then took leave of the king, and got into the coach with eight +horses, and all set out, full of joy and merriment, for the prince’s +kingdom, which they reached safely; and there they lived happily a great +many years. + + + + +CAT AND MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP + + +A certain cat had made the acquaintance of a mouse, and had said so much +to her about the great love and friendship she felt for her, that at +length the mouse agreed that they should live and keep house together. +‘But we must make a provision for winter, or else we shall suffer +from hunger,’ said the cat; ‘and you, little mouse, cannot venture +everywhere, or you will be caught in a trap some day.’ The good advice +was followed, and a pot of fat was bought, but they did not know where +to put it. At length, after much consideration, the cat said: ‘I know no +place where it will be better stored up than in the church, for no one +dares take anything away from there. We will set it beneath the altar, +and not touch it until we are really in need of it.’ So the pot was +placed in safety, but it was not long before the cat had a great +yearning for it, and said to the mouse: ‘I want to tell you something, +little mouse; my cousin has brought a little son into the world, and has +asked me to be godmother; he is white with brown spots, and I am to hold +him over the font at the christening. Let me go out today, and you look +after the house by yourself.’ ‘Yes, yes,’ answered the mouse, ‘by all +means go, and if you get anything very good to eat, think of me. I +should like a drop of sweet red christening wine myself.’ All this, +however, was untrue; the cat had no cousin, and had not been asked to +be godmother. She went straight to the church, stole to the pot of fat, +began to lick at it, and licked the top of the fat off. Then she took a +walk upon the roofs of the town, looked out for opportunities, and then +stretched herself in the sun, and licked her lips whenever she thought +of the pot of fat, and not until it was evening did she return home. +‘Well, here you are again,’ said the mouse, ‘no doubt you have had a +merry day.’ ‘All went off well,’ answered the cat. ‘What name did they +give the child?’ ‘Top off!’ said the cat quite coolly. ‘Top off!’ cried +the mouse, ‘that is a very odd and uncommon name, is it a usual one in +your family?’ ‘What does that matter,’ said the cat, ‘it is no worse +than Crumb-stealer, as your godchildren are called.’ + +Before long the cat was seized by another fit of yearning. She said to +the mouse: ‘You must do me a favour, and once more manage the house for +a day alone. I am again asked to be godmother, and, as the child has a +white ring round its neck, I cannot refuse.’ The good mouse consented, +but the cat crept behind the town walls to the church, and devoured +half the pot of fat. ‘Nothing ever seems so good as what one keeps to +oneself,’ said she, and was quite satisfied with her day’s work. When +she went home the mouse inquired: ‘And what was the child christened?’ +‘Half-done,’ answered the cat. ‘Half-done! What are you saying? I +never heard the name in my life, I’ll wager anything it is not in the +calendar!’ + +The cat’s mouth soon began to water for some more licking. ‘All good +things go in threes,’ said she, ‘I am asked to stand godmother again. +The child is quite black, only it has white paws, but with that +exception, it has not a single white hair on its whole body; this only +happens once every few years, you will let me go, won’t you?’ ‘Top-off! +Half-done!’ answered the mouse, ‘they are such odd names, they make me +very thoughtful.’ ‘You sit at home,’ said the cat, ‘in your dark-grey +fur coat and long tail, and are filled with fancies, that’s because +you do not go out in the daytime.’ During the cat’s absence the mouse +cleaned the house, and put it in order, but the greedy cat entirely +emptied the pot of fat. ‘When everything is eaten up one has some +peace,’ said she to herself, and well filled and fat she did not return +home till night. The mouse at once asked what name had been given to +the third child. ‘It will not please you more than the others,’ said the +cat. ‘He is called All-gone.’ ‘All-gone,’ cried the mouse ‘that is the +most suspicious name of all! I have never seen it in print. All-gone; +what can that mean?’ and she shook her head, curled herself up, and lay +down to sleep. + +From this time forth no one invited the cat to be godmother, but +when the winter had come and there was no longer anything to be found +outside, the mouse thought of their provision, and said: ‘Come, cat, +we will go to our pot of fat which we have stored up for ourselves--we +shall enjoy that.’ ‘Yes,’ answered the cat, ‘you will enjoy it as much +as you would enjoy sticking that dainty tongue of yours out of the +window.’ They set out on their way, but when they arrived, the pot of +fat certainly was still in its place, but it was empty. ‘Alas!’ said the +mouse, ‘now I see what has happened, now it comes to light! You are a true +friend! You have devoured all when you were standing godmother. First +top off, then half-done, then--’ ‘Will you hold your tongue,’ cried the +cat, ‘one word more, and I will eat you too.’ ‘All-gone’ was already on +the poor mouse’s lips; scarcely had she spoken it before the cat sprang +on her, seized her, and swallowed her down. Verily, that is the way of +the world. + + + + +THE GOOSE-GIRL + + +The king of a great land died, and left his queen to take care of their +only child. This child was a daughter, who was very beautiful; and her +mother loved her dearly, and was very kind to her. And there was a good +fairy too, who was fond of the princess, and helped her mother to watch +over her. When she grew up, she was betrothed to a prince who lived a +great way off; and as the time drew near for her to be married, she +got ready to set off on her journey to his country. Then the queen her +mother, packed up a great many costly things; jewels, and gold, and +silver; trinkets, fine dresses, and in short everything that became a +royal bride. And she gave her a waiting-maid to ride with her, and give +her into the bridegroom’s hands; and each had a horse for the journey. +Now the princess’s horse was the fairy’s gift, and it was called Falada, +and could speak. + +When the time came for them to set out, the fairy went into her +bed-chamber, and took a little knife, and cut off a lock of her hair, +and gave it to the princess, and said, ‘Take care of it, dear child; for +it is a charm that may be of use to you on the road.’ Then they all took +a sorrowful leave of the princess; and she put the lock of hair into +her bosom, got upon her horse, and set off on her journey to her +bridegroom’s kingdom. + +One day, as they were riding along by a brook, the princess began to +feel very thirsty: and she said to her maid, ‘Pray get down, and fetch +me some water in my golden cup out of yonder brook, for I want to +drink.’ ‘Nay,’ said the maid, ‘if you are thirsty, get off yourself, and +stoop down by the water and drink; I shall not be your waiting-maid any +longer.’ Then she was so thirsty that she got down, and knelt over the +little brook, and drank; for she was frightened, and dared not bring out +her golden cup; and she wept and said, ‘Alas! what will become of me?’ +And the lock answered her, and said: + + ‘Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, + Sadly, sadly, would she rue it.’ + +But the princess was very gentle and meek, so she said nothing to her +maid’s ill behaviour, but got upon her horse again. + +Then all rode farther on their journey, till the day grew so warm, and +the sun so scorching, that the bride began to feel very thirsty again; +and at last, when they came to a river, she forgot her maid’s rude +speech, and said, ‘Pray get down, and fetch me some water to drink in +my golden cup.’ But the maid answered her, and even spoke more haughtily +than before: ‘Drink if you will, but I shall not be your waiting-maid.’ +Then the princess was so thirsty that she got off her horse, and lay +down, and held her head over the running stream, and cried and said, +‘What will become of me?’ And the lock of hair answered her again: + + ‘Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, + Sadly, sadly, would she rue it.’ + +And as she leaned down to drink, the lock of hair fell from her bosom, +and floated away with the water. Now she was so frightened that she did +not see it; but her maid saw it, and was very glad, for she knew the +charm; and she saw that the poor bride would be in her power, now that +she had lost the hair. So when the bride had done drinking, and would +have got upon Falada again, the maid said, ‘I shall ride upon Falada, +and you may have my horse instead’; so she was forced to give up her +horse, and soon afterwards to take off her royal clothes and put on her +maid’s shabby ones. + +At last, as they drew near the end of their journey, this treacherous +servant threatened to kill her mistress if she ever told anyone what had +happened. But Falada saw it all, and marked it well. + +Then the waiting-maid got upon Falada, and the real bride rode upon the +other horse, and they went on in this way till at last they came to the +royal court. There was great joy at their coming, and the prince flew to +meet them, and lifted the maid from her horse, thinking she was the one +who was to be his wife; and she was led upstairs to the royal chamber; +but the true princess was told to stay in the court below. + +Now the old king happened just then to have nothing else to do; so he +amused himself by sitting at his kitchen window, looking at what was +going on; and he saw her in the courtyard. As she looked very pretty, +and too delicate for a waiting-maid, he went up into the royal chamber +to ask the bride who it was she had brought with her, that was thus left +standing in the court below. ‘I brought her with me for the sake of her +company on the road,’ said she; ‘pray give the girl some work to do, +that she may not be idle.’ The old king could not for some time think +of any work for her to do; but at last he said, ‘I have a lad who takes +care of my geese; she may go and help him.’ Now the name of this lad, +that the real bride was to help in watching the king’s geese, was +Curdken. + +But the false bride said to the prince, ‘Dear husband, pray do me one +piece of kindness.’ ‘That I will,’ said the prince. ‘Then tell one of +your slaughterers to cut off the head of the horse I rode upon, for it +was very unruly, and plagued me sadly on the road’; but the truth was, +she was very much afraid lest Falada should some day or other speak, and +tell all she had done to the princess. She carried her point, and the +faithful Falada was killed; but when the true princess heard of it, she +wept, and begged the man to nail up Falada’s head against a large +dark gate of the city, through which she had to pass every morning +and evening, that there she might still see him sometimes. Then the +slaughterer said he would do as she wished; and cut off the head, and +nailed it up under the dark gate. + +Early the next morning, as she and Curdken went out through the gate, +she said sorrowfully: + + ‘Falada, Falada, there thou hangest!’ + +and the head answered: + + ‘Bride, bride, there thou gangest! + Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, + Sadly, sadly, would she rue it.’ + +Then they went out of the city, and drove the geese on. And when she +came to the meadow, she sat down upon a bank there, and let down her +waving locks of hair, which were all of pure silver; and when Curdken +saw it glitter in the sun, he ran up, and would have pulled some of the +locks out, but she cried: + + ‘Blow, breezes, blow! + Let Curdken’s hat go! + Blow, breezes, blow! + Let him after it go! + O’er hills, dales, and rocks, + Away be it whirl’d + Till the silvery locks + Are all comb’d and curl’d! + +Then there came a wind, so strong that it blew off Curdken’s hat; and +away it flew over the hills: and he was forced to turn and run after +it; till, by the time he came back, she had done combing and curling her +hair, and had put it up again safe. Then he was very angry and sulky, +and would not speak to her at all; but they watched the geese until it +grew dark in the evening, and then drove them homewards. + +The next morning, as they were going through the dark gate, the poor +girl looked up at Falada’s head, and cried: + + ‘Falada, Falada, there thou hangest!’ + +and the head answered: + + ‘Bride, bride, there thou gangest! + Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, + Sadly, sadly, would she rue it.’ + +Then she drove on the geese, and sat down again in the meadow, and began +to comb out her hair as before; and Curdken ran up to her, and wanted to +take hold of it; but she cried out quickly: + + ‘Blow, breezes, blow! + Let Curdken’s hat go! + Blow, breezes, blow! + Let him after it go! + O’er hills, dales, and rocks, + Away be it whirl’d + Till the silvery locks + Are all comb’d and curl’d! + +Then the wind came and blew away his hat; and off it flew a great way, +over the hills and far away, so that he had to run after it; and when +he came back she had bound up her hair again, and all was safe. So they +watched the geese till it grew dark. + +In the evening, after they came home, Curdken went to the old king, and +said, ‘I cannot have that strange girl to help me to keep the geese any +longer.’ ‘Why?’ said the king. ‘Because, instead of doing any good, she +does nothing but tease me all day long.’ Then the king made him tell him +what had happened. And Curdken said, ‘When we go in the morning through +the dark gate with our flock of geese, she cries and talks with the head +of a horse that hangs upon the wall, and says: + + ‘Falada, Falada, there thou hangest!’ + +and the head answers: + + ‘Bride, bride, there thou gangest! + Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, + Sadly, sadly, would she rue it.’ + +And Curdken went on telling the king what had happened upon the meadow +where the geese fed; how his hat was blown away; and how he was forced +to run after it, and to leave his flock of geese to themselves. But the +old king told the boy to go out again the next day: and when morning +came, he placed himself behind the dark gate, and heard how she spoke +to Falada, and how Falada answered. Then he went into the field, and +hid himself in a bush by the meadow’s side; and he soon saw with his own +eyes how they drove the flock of geese; and how, after a little time, +she let down her hair that glittered in the sun. And then he heard her +say: + + ‘Blow, breezes, blow! + Let Curdken’s hat go! + Blow, breezes, blow! + Let him after it go! + O’er hills, dales, and rocks, + Away be it whirl’d + Till the silvery locks + Are all comb’d and curl’d! + +And soon came a gale of wind, and carried away Curdken’s hat, and away +went Curdken after it, while the girl went on combing and curling her +hair. All this the old king saw: so he went home without being seen; and +when the little goose-girl came back in the evening he called her aside, +and asked her why she did so: but she burst into tears, and said, ‘That +I must not tell you or any man, or I shall lose my life.’ + +But the old king begged so hard, that she had no peace till she had told +him all the tale, from beginning to end, word for word. And it was very +lucky for her that she did so, for when she had done the king ordered +royal clothes to be put upon her, and gazed on her with wonder, she was +so beautiful. Then he called his son and told him that he had only a +false bride; for that she was merely a waiting-maid, while the true +bride stood by. And the young king rejoiced when he saw her beauty, and +heard how meek and patient she had been; and without saying anything to +the false bride, the king ordered a great feast to be got ready for all +his court. The bridegroom sat at the top, with the false princess on one +side, and the true one on the other; but nobody knew her again, for her +beauty was quite dazzling to their eyes; and she did not seem at all +like the little goose-girl, now that she had her brilliant dress on. + +When they had eaten and drank, and were very merry, the old king said +he would tell them a tale. So he began, and told all the story of the +princess, as if it was one that he had once heard; and he asked the +true waiting-maid what she thought ought to be done to anyone who would +behave thus. ‘Nothing better,’ said this false bride, ‘than that she +should be thrown into a cask stuck round with sharp nails, and that +two white horses should be put to it, and should drag it from street to +street till she was dead.’ ‘Thou art she!’ said the old king; ‘and as +thou has judged thyself, so shall it be done to thee.’ And the young +king was then married to his true wife, and they reigned over the +kingdom in peace and happiness all their lives; and the good fairy came +to see them, and restored the faithful Falada to life again. + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF CHANTICLEER AND PARTLET + + +1. HOW THEY WENT TO THE MOUNTAINS TO EAT NUTS + +‘The nuts are quite ripe now,’ said Chanticleer to his wife Partlet, +‘suppose we go together to the mountains, and eat as many as we can, +before the squirrel takes them all away.’ ‘With all my heart,’ said +Partlet, ‘let us go and make a holiday of it together.’ + +So they went to the mountains; and as it was a lovely day, they stayed +there till the evening. Now, whether it was that they had eaten so many +nuts that they could not walk, or whether they were lazy and would not, +I do not know: however, they took it into their heads that it did not +become them to go home on foot. So Chanticleer began to build a little +carriage of nutshells: and when it was finished, Partlet jumped into +it and sat down, and bid Chanticleer harness himself to it and draw her +home. ‘That’s a good joke!’ said Chanticleer; ‘no, that will never do; +I had rather by half walk home; I’ll sit on the box and be coachman, +if you like, but I’ll not draw.’ While this was passing, a duck came +quacking up and cried out, ‘You thieving vagabonds, what business have +you in my grounds? I’ll give it you well for your insolence!’ and upon +that she fell upon Chanticleer most lustily. But Chanticleer was no +coward, and returned the duck’s blows with his sharp spurs so fiercely +that she soon began to cry out for mercy; which was only granted her +upon condition that she would draw the carriage home for them. This she +agreed to do; and Chanticleer got upon the box, and drove, crying, ‘Now, +duck, get on as fast as you can.’ And away they went at a pretty good +pace. + +After they had travelled along a little way, they met a needle and a pin +walking together along the road: and the needle cried out, ‘Stop, stop!’ +and said it was so dark that they could hardly find their way, and such +dirty walking they could not get on at all: he told them that he and his +friend, the pin, had been at a public-house a few miles off, and had sat +drinking till they had forgotten how late it was; he begged therefore +that the travellers would be so kind as to give them a lift in their +carriage. Chanticleer observing that they were but thin fellows, and not +likely to take up much room, told them they might ride, but made them +promise not to dirty the wheels of the carriage in getting in, nor to +tread on Partlet’s toes. + +Late at night they arrived at an inn; and as it was bad travelling in +the dark, and the duck seemed much tired, and waddled about a good +deal from one side to the other, they made up their minds to fix their +quarters there: but the landlord at first was unwilling, and said his +house was full, thinking they might not be very respectable company: +however, they spoke civilly to him, and gave him the egg which Partlet +had laid by the way, and said they would give him the duck, who was in +the habit of laying one every day: so at last he let them come in, and +they bespoke a handsome supper, and spent the evening very jollily. + +Early in the morning, before it was quite light, and when nobody was +stirring in the inn, Chanticleer awakened his wife, and, fetching the +egg, they pecked a hole in it, ate it up, and threw the shells into the +fireplace: they then went to the pin and needle, who were fast asleep, +and seizing them by the heads, stuck one into the landlord’s easy chair +and the other into his handkerchief; and, having done this, they crept +away as softly as possible. However, the duck, who slept in the open +air in the yard, heard them coming, and jumping into the brook which ran +close by the inn, soon swam out of their reach. + +An hour or two afterwards the landlord got up, and took his handkerchief +to wipe his face, but the pin ran into him and pricked him: then he +walked into the kitchen to light his pipe at the fire, but when he +stirred it up the eggshells flew into his eyes, and almost blinded him. +‘Bless me!’ said he, ‘all the world seems to have a design against my +head this morning’: and so saying, he threw himself sulkily into his +easy chair; but, oh dear! the needle ran into him; and this time the +pain was not in his head. He now flew into a very great passion, and, +suspecting the company who had come in the night before, he went to look +after them, but they were all off; so he swore that he never again +would take in such a troop of vagabonds, who ate a great deal, paid no +reckoning, and gave him nothing for his trouble but their apish tricks. + + +2. HOW CHANTICLEER AND PARTLET WENT TO VISIT MR KORBES + +Another day, Chanticleer and Partlet wished to ride out together; +so Chanticleer built a handsome carriage with four red wheels, and +harnessed six mice to it; and then he and Partlet got into the carriage, +and away they drove. Soon afterwards a cat met them, and said, ‘Where +are you going?’ And Chanticleer replied, + + ‘All on our way + A visit to pay + To Mr Korbes, the fox, today.’ + +Then the cat said, ‘Take me with you,’ Chanticleer said, ‘With all my +heart: get up behind, and be sure you do not fall off.’ + + ‘Take care of this handsome coach of mine, + Nor dirty my pretty red wheels so fine! + Now, mice, be ready, + And, wheels, run steady! + For we are going a visit to pay + To Mr Korbes, the fox, today.’ + +Soon after came up a millstone, an egg, a duck, and a pin; and +Chanticleer gave them all leave to get into the carriage and go with +them. + +When they arrived at Mr Korbes’s house, he was not at home; so the mice +drew the carriage into the coach-house, Chanticleer and Partlet flew +upon a beam, the cat sat down in the fireplace, the duck got into +the washing cistern, the pin stuck himself into the bed pillow, the +millstone laid himself over the house door, and the egg rolled himself +up in the towel. + +When Mr Korbes came home, he went to the fireplace to make a fire; but +the cat threw all the ashes in his eyes: so he ran to the kitchen to +wash himself; but there the duck splashed all the water in his face; and +when he tried to wipe himself, the egg broke to pieces in the towel all +over his face and eyes. Then he was very angry, and went without his +supper to bed; but when he laid his head on the pillow, the pin ran into +his cheek: at this he became quite furious, and, jumping up, would have +run out of the house; but when he came to the door, the millstone fell +down on his head, and killed him on the spot. + + +3. HOW PARTLET DIED AND WAS BURIED, AND HOW CHANTICLEER DIED OF GRIEF + +Another day Chanticleer and Partlet agreed to go again to the mountains +to eat nuts; and it was settled that all the nuts which they found +should be shared equally between them. Now Partlet found a very large +nut; but she said nothing about it to Chanticleer, and kept it all to +herself: however, it was so big that she could not swallow it, and it +stuck in her throat. Then she was in a great fright, and cried out to +Chanticleer, ‘Pray run as fast as you can, and fetch me some water, or I +shall be choked.’ Chanticleer ran as fast as he could to the river, and +said, ‘River, give me some water, for Partlet lies in the mountain, and +will be choked by a great nut.’ The river said, ‘Run first to the bride, +and ask her for a silken cord to draw up the water.’ Chanticleer ran to +the bride, and said, ‘Bride, you must give me a silken cord, for then +the river will give me water, and the water I will carry to Partlet, who +lies on the mountain, and will be choked by a great nut.’ But the bride +said, ‘Run first, and bring me my garland that is hanging on a willow +in the garden.’ Then Chanticleer ran to the garden, and took the garland +from the bough where it hung, and brought it to the bride; and then +the bride gave him the silken cord, and he took the silken cord to +the river, and the river gave him water, and he carried the water to +Partlet; but in the meantime she was choked by the great nut, and lay +quite dead, and never moved any more. + +Then Chanticleer was very sorry, and cried bitterly; and all the beasts +came and wept with him over poor Partlet. And six mice built a little +hearse to carry her to her grave; and when it was ready they harnessed +themselves before it, and Chanticleer drove them. On the way they +met the fox. ‘Where are you going, Chanticleer?’ said he. ‘To bury my +Partlet,’ said the other. ‘May I go with you?’ said the fox. ‘Yes; but +you must get up behind, or my horses will not be able to draw you.’ Then +the fox got up behind; and presently the wolf, the bear, the goat, and +all the beasts of the wood, came and climbed upon the hearse. + +So on they went till they came to a rapid stream. ‘How shall we get +over?’ said Chanticleer. Then said a straw, ‘I will lay myself across, +and you may pass over upon me.’ But as the mice were going over, the +straw slipped away and fell into the water, and the six mice all fell in +and were drowned. What was to be done? Then a large log of wood came +and said, ‘I am big enough; I will lay myself across the stream, and you +shall pass over upon me.’ So he laid himself down; but they managed +so clumsily, that the log of wood fell in and was carried away by the +stream. Then a stone, who saw what had happened, came up and kindly +offered to help poor Chanticleer by laying himself across the stream; +and this time he got safely to the other side with the hearse, and +managed to get Partlet out of it; but the fox and the other mourners, +who were sitting behind, were too heavy, and fell back into the water +and were all carried away by the stream and drowned. + +Thus Chanticleer was left alone with his dead Partlet; and having dug +a grave for her, he laid her in it, and made a little hillock over her. +Then he sat down by the grave, and wept and mourned, till at last he +died too; and so all were dead. + + + + +RAPUNZEL + + +There were once a man and a woman who had long in vain wished for a +child. At length the woman hoped that God was about to grant her desire. +These people had a little window at the back of their house from which +a splendid garden could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful +flowers and herbs. It was, however, surrounded by a high wall, and no +one dared to go into it because it belonged to an enchantress, who had +great power and was dreaded by all the world. One day the woman was +standing by this window and looking down into the garden, when she saw a +bed which was planted with the most beautiful rampion (rapunzel), and it +looked so fresh and green that she longed for it, she quite pined away, +and began to look pale and miserable. Then her husband was alarmed, and +asked: ‘What ails you, dear wife?’ ‘Ah,’ she replied, ‘if I can’t eat +some of the rampion, which is in the garden behind our house, I shall +die.’ The man, who loved her, thought: ‘Sooner than let your wife die, +bring her some of the rampion yourself, let it cost what it will.’ +At twilight, he clambered down over the wall into the garden of the +enchantress, hastily clutched a handful of rampion, and took it to his +wife. She at once made herself a salad of it, and ate it greedily. It +tasted so good to her--so very good, that the next day she longed for it +three times as much as before. If he was to have any rest, her husband +must once more descend into the garden. In the gloom of evening +therefore, he let himself down again; but when he had clambered down the +wall he was terribly afraid, for he saw the enchantress standing before +him. ‘How can you dare,’ said she with angry look, ‘descend into my +garden and steal my rampion like a thief? You shall suffer for it!’ +‘Ah,’ answered he, ‘let mercy take the place of justice, I only made +up my mind to do it out of necessity. My wife saw your rampion from the +window, and felt such a longing for it that she would have died if she +had not got some to eat.’ Then the enchantress allowed her anger to be +softened, and said to him: ‘If the case be as you say, I will allow +you to take away with you as much rampion as you will, only I make one +condition, you must give me the child which your wife will bring into +the world; it shall be well treated, and I will care for it like a +mother.’ The man in his terror consented to everything, and when the +woman was brought to bed, the enchantress appeared at once, gave the +child the name of Rapunzel, and took it away with her. + +Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child under the sun. When she was +twelve years old, the enchantress shut her into a tower, which lay in +a forest, and had neither stairs nor door, but quite at the top was a +little window. When the enchantress wanted to go in, she placed herself +beneath it and cried: + + ‘Rapunzel, Rapunzel, + Let down your hair to me.’ + +Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold, and when she +heard the voice of the enchantress she unfastened her braided tresses, +wound them round one of the hooks of the window above, and then the hair +fell twenty ells down, and the enchantress climbed up by it. + +After a year or two, it came to pass that the king’s son rode through +the forest and passed by the tower. Then he heard a song, which was so +charming that he stood still and listened. This was Rapunzel, who in her +solitude passed her time in letting her sweet voice resound. The king’s +son wanted to climb up to her, and looked for the door of the tower, +but none was to be found. He rode home, but the singing had so deeply +touched his heart, that every day he went out into the forest and +listened to it. Once when he was thus standing behind a tree, he saw +that an enchantress came there, and he heard how she cried: + + ‘Rapunzel, Rapunzel, + Let down your hair to me.’ + +Then Rapunzel let down the braids of her hair, and the enchantress +climbed up to her. ‘If that is the ladder by which one mounts, I too +will try my fortune,’ said he, and the next day when it began to grow +dark, he went to the tower and cried: + + ‘Rapunzel, Rapunzel, + Let down your hair to me.’ + +Immediately the hair fell down and the king’s son climbed up. + +At first Rapunzel was terribly frightened when a man, such as her eyes +had never yet beheld, came to her; but the king’s son began to talk to +her quite like a friend, and told her that his heart had been so stirred +that it had let him have no rest, and he had been forced to see her. +Then Rapunzel lost her fear, and when he asked her if she would take +him for her husband, and she saw that he was young and handsome, she +thought: ‘He will love me more than old Dame Gothel does’; and she said +yes, and laid her hand in his. She said: ‘I will willingly go away with +you, but I do not know how to get down. Bring with you a skein of silk +every time that you come, and I will weave a ladder with it, and when +that is ready I will descend, and you will take me on your horse.’ They +agreed that until that time he should come to her every evening, for the +old woman came by day. The enchantress remarked nothing of this, until +once Rapunzel said to her: ‘Tell me, Dame Gothel, how it happens that +you are so much heavier for me to draw up than the young king’s son--he +is with me in a moment.’ ‘Ah! you wicked child,’ cried the enchantress. +‘What do I hear you say! I thought I had separated you from all +the world, and yet you have deceived me!’ In her anger she clutched +Rapunzel’s beautiful tresses, wrapped them twice round her left hand, +seized a pair of scissors with the right, and snip, snap, they were cut +off, and the lovely braids lay on the ground. And she was so pitiless +that she took poor Rapunzel into a desert where she had to live in great +grief and misery. + +On the same day that she cast out Rapunzel, however, the enchantress +fastened the braids of hair, which she had cut off, to the hook of the +window, and when the king’s son came and cried: + + ‘Rapunzel, Rapunzel, + Let down your hair to me.’ + +she let the hair down. The king’s son ascended, but instead of finding +his dearest Rapunzel, he found the enchantress, who gazed at him with +wicked and venomous looks. ‘Aha!’ she cried mockingly, ‘you would fetch +your dearest, but the beautiful bird sits no longer singing in the nest; +the cat has got it, and will scratch out your eyes as well. Rapunzel is +lost to you; you will never see her again.’ The king’s son was beside +himself with pain, and in his despair he leapt down from the tower. He +escaped with his life, but the thorns into which he fell pierced his +eyes. Then he wandered quite blind about the forest, ate nothing but +roots and berries, and did naught but lament and weep over the loss of +his dearest wife. Thus he roamed about in misery for some years, and at +length came to the desert where Rapunzel, with the twins to which she +had given birth, a boy and a girl, lived in wretchedness. He heard a +voice, and it seemed so familiar to him that he went towards it, and +when he approached, Rapunzel knew him and fell on his neck and wept. Two +of her tears wetted his eyes and they grew clear again, and he could +see with them as before. He led her to his kingdom where he was +joyfully received, and they lived for a long time afterwards, happy and +contented. + + + + +FUNDEVOGEL + + +There was once a forester who went into the forest to hunt, and as +he entered it he heard a sound of screaming as if a little child were +there. He followed the sound, and at last came to a high tree, and at +the top of this a little child was sitting, for the mother had fallen +asleep under the tree with the child, and a bird of prey had seen it in +her arms, had flown down, snatched it away, and set it on the high tree. + +The forester climbed up, brought the child down, and thought to himself: +‘You will take him home with you, and bring him up with your Lina.’ He +took it home, therefore, and the two children grew up together. And the +one, which he had found on a tree was called Fundevogel, because a bird +had carried it away. Fundevogel and Lina loved each other so dearly that +when they did not see each other they were sad. + +Now the forester had an old cook, who one evening took two pails and +began to fetch water, and did not go once only, but many times, out +to the spring. Lina saw this and said, ‘Listen, old Sanna, why are you +fetching so much water?’ ‘If you will never repeat it to anyone, I will +tell you why.’ So Lina said, no, she would never repeat it to anyone, +and then the cook said: ‘Early tomorrow morning, when the forester +is out hunting, I will heat the water, and when it is boiling in the +kettle, I will throw in Fundevogel, and will boil him in it.’ + +Early next morning the forester got up and went out hunting, and when he +was gone the children were still in bed. Then Lina said to Fundevogel: +‘If you will never leave me, I too will never leave you.’ Fundevogel +said: ‘Neither now, nor ever will I leave you.’ Then said Lina: ‘Then +will I tell you. Last night, old Sanna carried so many buckets of water +into the house that I asked her why she was doing that, and she said +that if I would promise not to tell anyone, and she said that early +tomorrow morning when father was out hunting, she would set the kettle +full of water, throw you into it and boil you; but we will get up +quickly, dress ourselves, and go away together.’ + +The two children therefore got up, dressed themselves quickly, and went +away. When the water in the kettle was boiling, the cook went into the +bedroom to fetch Fundevogel and throw him into it. But when she came in, +and went to the beds, both the children were gone. Then she was terribly +alarmed, and she said to herself: ‘What shall I say now when the +forester comes home and sees that the children are gone? They must be +followed instantly to get them back again.’ + +Then the cook sent three servants after them, who were to run and +overtake the children. The children, however, were sitting outside the +forest, and when they saw from afar the three servants running, Lina +said to Fundevogel: ‘Never leave me, and I will never leave you.’ +Fundevogel said: ‘Neither now, nor ever.’ Then said Lina: ‘Do you become +a rose-tree, and I the rose upon it.’ When the three servants came to +the forest, nothing was there but a rose-tree and one rose on it, but +the children were nowhere. Then said they: ‘There is nothing to be done +here,’ and they went home and told the cook that they had seen nothing +in the forest but a little rose-bush with one rose on it. Then the +old cook scolded and said: ‘You simpletons, you should have cut the +rose-bush in two, and have broken off the rose and brought it home with +you; go, and do it at once.’ They had therefore to go out and look for +the second time. The children, however, saw them coming from a distance. +Then Lina said: ‘Fundevogel, never leave me, and I will never leave +you.’ Fundevogel said: ‘Neither now; nor ever.’ Said Lina: ‘Then do you +become a church, and I’ll be the chandelier in it.’ So when the three +servants came, nothing was there but a church, with a chandelier in +it. They said therefore to each other: ‘What can we do here, let us go +home.’ When they got home, the cook asked if they had not found them; +so they said no, they had found nothing but a church, and there was a +chandelier in it. And the cook scolded them and said: ‘You fools! why +did you not pull the church to pieces, and bring the chandelier home +with you?’ And now the old cook herself got on her legs, and went with +the three servants in pursuit of the children. The children, however, +saw from afar that the three servants were coming, and the cook waddling +after them. Then said Lina: ‘Fundevogel, never leave me, and I will +never leave you.’ Then said Fundevogel: ‘Neither now, nor ever.’ +Said Lina: ‘Be a fishpond, and I will be the duck upon it.’ The cook, +however, came up to them, and when she saw the pond she lay down by it, +and was about to drink it up. But the duck swam quickly to her, seized +her head in its beak and drew her into the water, and there the old +witch had to drown. Then the children went home together, and were +heartily delighted, and if they have not died, they are living still. + + + + +THE VALIANT LITTLE TAILOR + + +One summer’s morning a little tailor was sitting on his table by the +window; he was in good spirits, and sewed with all his might. Then came +a peasant woman down the street crying: ‘Good jams, cheap! Good jams, +cheap!’ This rang pleasantly in the tailor’s ears; he stretched his +delicate head out of the window, and called: ‘Come up here, dear woman; +here you will get rid of your goods.’ The woman came up the three steps +to the tailor with her heavy basket, and he made her unpack all the pots +for him. He inspected each one, lifted it up, put his nose to it, and +at length said: ‘The jam seems to me to be good, so weigh me out four +ounces, dear woman, and if it is a quarter of a pound that is of no +consequence.’ The woman who had hoped to find a good sale, gave him +what he desired, but went away quite angry and grumbling. ‘Now, this jam +shall be blessed by God,’ cried the little tailor, ‘and give me health +and strength’; so he brought the bread out of the cupboard, cut himself +a piece right across the loaf and spread the jam over it. ‘This won’t +taste bitter,’ said he, ‘but I will just finish the jacket before I +take a bite.’ He laid the bread near him, sewed on, and in his joy, made +bigger and bigger stitches. In the meantime the smell of the sweet jam +rose to where the flies were sitting in great numbers, and they were +attracted and descended on it in hosts. ‘Hi! who invited you?’ said the +little tailor, and drove the unbidden guests away. The flies, however, +who understood no German, would not be turned away, but came back +again in ever-increasing companies. The little tailor at last lost all +patience, and drew a piece of cloth from the hole under his work-table, +and saying: ‘Wait, and I will give it to you,’ struck it mercilessly on +them. When he drew it away and counted, there lay before him no fewer +than seven, dead and with legs stretched out. ‘Are you a fellow of that +sort?’ said he, and could not help admiring his own bravery. ‘The whole +town shall know of this!’ And the little tailor hastened to cut himself +a girdle, stitched it, and embroidered on it in large letters: ‘Seven at +one stroke!’ ‘What, the town!’ he continued, ‘the whole world shall hear +of it!’ and his heart wagged with joy like a lamb’s tail. The tailor +put on the girdle, and resolved to go forth into the world, because he +thought his workshop was too small for his valour. Before he went away, +he sought about in the house to see if there was anything which he could +take with him; however, he found nothing but an old cheese, and that +he put in his pocket. In front of the door he observed a bird which +had caught itself in the thicket. It had to go into his pocket with the +cheese. Now he took to the road boldly, and as he was light and nimble, +he felt no fatigue. The road led him up a mountain, and when he had +reached the highest point of it, there sat a powerful giant looking +peacefully about him. The little tailor went bravely up, spoke to him, +and said: ‘Good day, comrade, so you are sitting there overlooking the +wide-spread world! I am just on my way thither, and want to try my luck. +Have you any inclination to go with me?’ The giant looked contemptuously +at the tailor, and said: ‘You ragamuffin! You miserable creature!’ + +‘Oh, indeed?’ answered the little tailor, and unbuttoned his coat, and +showed the giant the girdle, ‘there may you read what kind of a man I +am!’ The giant read: ‘Seven at one stroke,’ and thought that they had +been men whom the tailor had killed, and began to feel a little respect +for the tiny fellow. Nevertheless, he wished to try him first, and took +a stone in his hand and squeezed it together so that water dropped out +of it. ‘Do that likewise,’ said the giant, ‘if you have strength.’ ‘Is +that all?’ said the tailor, ‘that is child’s play with us!’ and put his +hand into his pocket, brought out the soft cheese, and pressed it until +the liquid ran out of it. ‘Faith,’ said he, ‘that was a little better, +wasn’t it?’ The giant did not know what to say, and could not believe it +of the little man. Then the giant picked up a stone and threw it so high +that the eye could scarcely follow it. ‘Now, little mite of a man, do +that likewise,’ ‘Well thrown,’ said the tailor, ‘but after all the stone +came down to earth again; I will throw you one which shall never come +back at all,’ and he put his hand into his pocket, took out the bird, +and threw it into the air. The bird, delighted with its liberty, +rose, flew away and did not come back. ‘How does that shot please you, +comrade?’ asked the tailor. ‘You can certainly throw,’ said the giant, +‘but now we will see if you are able to carry anything properly.’ He +took the little tailor to a mighty oak tree which lay there felled on +the ground, and said: ‘If you are strong enough, help me to carry the +tree out of the forest.’ ‘Readily,’ answered the little man; ‘take you +the trunk on your shoulders, and I will raise up the branches and twigs; +after all, they are the heaviest.’ The giant took the trunk on his +shoulder, but the tailor seated himself on a branch, and the giant, who +could not look round, had to carry away the whole tree, and the little +tailor into the bargain: he behind, was quite merry and happy, and +whistled the song: ‘Three tailors rode forth from the gate,’ as if +carrying the tree were child’s play. The giant, after he had dragged the +heavy burden part of the way, could go no further, and cried: ‘Hark +you, I shall have to let the tree fall!’ The tailor sprang nimbly down, +seized the tree with both arms as if he had been carrying it, and said +to the giant: ‘You are such a great fellow, and yet cannot even carry +the tree!’ + +They went on together, and as they passed a cherry-tree, the giant laid +hold of the top of the tree where the ripest fruit was hanging, bent it +down, gave it into the tailor’s hand, and bade him eat. But the little +tailor was much too weak to hold the tree, and when the giant let it go, +it sprang back again, and the tailor was tossed into the air with it. +When he had fallen down again without injury, the giant said: ‘What is +this? Have you not strength enough to hold the weak twig?’ ‘There is no +lack of strength,’ answered the little tailor. ‘Do you think that could +be anything to a man who has struck down seven at one blow? I leapt over +the tree because the huntsmen are shooting down there in the thicket. +Jump as I did, if you can do it.’ The giant made the attempt but he +could not get over the tree, and remained hanging in the branches, so +that in this also the tailor kept the upper hand. + +The giant said: ‘If you are such a valiant fellow, come with me into our +cavern and spend the night with us.’ The little tailor was willing, and +followed him. When they went into the cave, other giants were sitting +there by the fire, and each of them had a roasted sheep in his hand and +was eating it. The little tailor looked round and thought: ‘It is much +more spacious here than in my workshop.’ The giant showed him a bed, and +said he was to lie down in it and sleep. The bed, however, was too +big for the little tailor; he did not lie down in it, but crept into +a corner. When it was midnight, and the giant thought that the little +tailor was lying in a sound sleep, he got up, took a great iron bar, +cut through the bed with one blow, and thought he had finished off the +grasshopper for good. With the earliest dawn the giants went into the +forest, and had quite forgotten the little tailor, when all at once he +walked up to them quite merrily and boldly. The giants were terrified, +they were afraid that he would strike them all dead, and ran away in a +great hurry. + +The little tailor went onwards, always following his own pointed nose. +After he had walked for a long time, he came to the courtyard of a royal +palace, and as he felt weary, he lay down on the grass and fell asleep. +Whilst he lay there, the people came and inspected him on all sides, and +read on his girdle: ‘Seven at one stroke.’ ‘Ah!’ said they, ‘what does +the great warrior want here in the midst of peace? He must be a mighty +lord.’ They went and announced him to the king, and gave it as their +opinion that if war should break out, this would be a weighty and useful +man who ought on no account to be allowed to depart. The counsel pleased +the king, and he sent one of his courtiers to the little tailor to offer +him military service when he awoke. The ambassador remained standing by +the sleeper, waited until he stretched his limbs and opened his eyes, +and then conveyed to him this proposal. ‘For this very reason have +I come here,’ the tailor replied, ‘I am ready to enter the king’s +service.’ He was therefore honourably received, and a special dwelling +was assigned him. + +The soldiers, however, were set against the little tailor, and wished +him a thousand miles away. ‘What is to be the end of this?’ they said +among themselves. ‘If we quarrel with him, and he strikes about him, +seven of us will fall at every blow; not one of us can stand against +him.’ They came therefore to a decision, betook themselves in a body to +the king, and begged for their dismissal. ‘We are not prepared,’ said +they, ‘to stay with a man who kills seven at one stroke.’ The king was +sorry that for the sake of one he should lose all his faithful servants, +wished that he had never set eyes on the tailor, and would willingly +have been rid of him again. But he did not venture to give him his +dismissal, for he dreaded lest he should strike him and all his people +dead, and place himself on the royal throne. He thought about it for a +long time, and at last found good counsel. He sent to the little tailor +and caused him to be informed that as he was a great warrior, he had one +request to make to him. In a forest of his country lived two giants, +who caused great mischief with their robbing, murdering, ravaging, +and burning, and no one could approach them without putting himself in +danger of death. If the tailor conquered and killed these two giants, he +would give him his only daughter to wife, and half of his kingdom as a +dowry, likewise one hundred horsemen should go with him to assist him. +‘That would indeed be a fine thing for a man like me!’ thought the +little tailor. ‘One is not offered a beautiful princess and half a +kingdom every day of one’s life!’ ‘Oh, yes,’ he replied, ‘I will soon +subdue the giants, and do not require the help of the hundred horsemen +to do it; he who can hit seven with one blow has no need to be afraid of +two.’ + +The little tailor went forth, and the hundred horsemen followed him. +When he came to the outskirts of the forest, he said to his followers: +‘Just stay waiting here, I alone will soon finish off the giants.’ Then +he bounded into the forest and looked about right and left. After a +while he perceived both giants. They lay sleeping under a tree, and +snored so that the branches waved up and down. The little tailor, not +idle, gathered two pocketsful of stones, and with these climbed up the +tree. When he was halfway up, he slipped down by a branch, until he sat +just above the sleepers, and then let one stone after another fall on +the breast of one of the giants. For a long time the giant felt nothing, +but at last he awoke, pushed his comrade, and said: ‘Why are you +knocking me?’ ‘You must be dreaming,’ said the other, ‘I am not knocking +you.’ They laid themselves down to sleep again, and then the tailor +threw a stone down on the second. ‘What is the meaning of this?’ cried +the other ‘Why are you pelting me?’ ‘I am not pelting you,’ answered +the first, growling. They disputed about it for a time, but as they were +weary they let the matter rest, and their eyes closed once more. The +little tailor began his game again, picked out the biggest stone, and +threw it with all his might on the breast of the first giant. ‘That +is too bad!’ cried he, and sprang up like a madman, and pushed his +companion against the tree until it shook. The other paid him back in +the same coin, and they got into such a rage that they tore up trees and +belaboured each other so long, that at last they both fell down dead on +the ground at the same time. Then the little tailor leapt down. ‘It is +a lucky thing,’ said he, ‘that they did not tear up the tree on which +I was sitting, or I should have had to sprint on to another like a +squirrel; but we tailors are nimble.’ He drew out his sword and gave +each of them a couple of thrusts in the breast, and then went out to the +horsemen and said: ‘The work is done; I have finished both of them +off, but it was hard work! They tore up trees in their sore need, and +defended themselves with them, but all that is to no purpose when a man +like myself comes, who can kill seven at one blow.’ ‘But are you not +wounded?’ asked the horsemen. ‘You need not concern yourself about +that,’ answered the tailor, ‘they have not bent one hair of mine.’ The +horsemen would not believe him, and rode into the forest; there they +found the giants swimming in their blood, and all round about lay the +torn-up trees. + +The little tailor demanded of the king the promised reward; he, however, +repented of his promise, and again bethought himself how he could get +rid of the hero. ‘Before you receive my daughter, and the half of my +kingdom,’ said he to him, ‘you must perform one more heroic deed. In +the forest roams a unicorn which does great harm, and you must catch +it first.’ ‘I fear one unicorn still less than two giants. Seven at one +blow, is my kind of affair.’ He took a rope and an axe with him, went +forth into the forest, and again bade those who were sent with him to +wait outside. He had not long to seek. The unicorn soon came towards +him, and rushed directly on the tailor, as if it would gore him with its +horn without more ado. ‘Softly, softly; it can’t be done as quickly as +that,’ said he, and stood still and waited until the animal was quite +close, and then sprang nimbly behind the tree. The unicorn ran against +the tree with all its strength, and stuck its horn so fast in the trunk +that it had not the strength enough to draw it out again, and thus it +was caught. ‘Now, I have got the bird,’ said the tailor, and came out +from behind the tree and put the rope round its neck, and then with his +axe he hewed the horn out of the tree, and when all was ready he led the +beast away and took it to the king. + +The king still would not give him the promised reward, and made a third +demand. Before the wedding the tailor was to catch him a wild boar that +made great havoc in the forest, and the huntsmen should give him their +help. ‘Willingly,’ said the tailor, ‘that is child’s play!’ He did not +take the huntsmen with him into the forest, and they were well pleased +that he did not, for the wild boar had several times received them in +such a manner that they had no inclination to lie in wait for him. When +the boar perceived the tailor, it ran on him with foaming mouth and +whetted tusks, and was about to throw him to the ground, but the hero +fled and sprang into a chapel which was near and up to the window at +once, and in one bound out again. The boar ran after him, but the tailor +ran round outside and shut the door behind it, and then the raging +beast, which was much too heavy and awkward to leap out of the window, +was caught. The little tailor called the huntsmen thither that they +might see the prisoner with their own eyes. The hero, however, went to +the king, who was now, whether he liked it or not, obliged to keep his +promise, and gave his daughter and the half of his kingdom. Had he known +that it was no warlike hero, but a little tailor who was standing before +him, it would have gone to his heart still more than it did. The wedding +was held with great magnificence and small joy, and out of a tailor a +king was made. + +After some time the young queen heard her husband say in his dreams at +night: ‘Boy, make me the doublet, and patch the pantaloons, or else I +will rap the yard-measure over your ears.’ Then she discovered in what +state of life the young lord had been born, and next morning complained +of her wrongs to her father, and begged him to help her to get rid of +her husband, who was nothing else but a tailor. The king comforted her +and said: ‘Leave your bedroom door open this night, and my servants +shall stand outside, and when he has fallen asleep shall go in, bind +him, and take him on board a ship which shall carry him into the wide +world.’ The woman was satisfied with this; but the king’s armour-bearer, +who had heard all, was friendly with the young lord, and informed him of +the whole plot. ‘I’ll put a screw into that business,’ said the little +tailor. At night he went to bed with his wife at the usual time, and +when she thought that he had fallen asleep, she got up, opened the door, +and then lay down again. The little tailor, who was only pretending to +be asleep, began to cry out in a clear voice: ‘Boy, make me the doublet +and patch me the pantaloons, or I will rap the yard-measure over your +ears. I smote seven at one blow. I killed two giants, I brought away one +unicorn, and caught a wild boar, and am I to fear those who are standing +outside the room.’ When these men heard the tailor speaking thus, they +were overcome by a great dread, and ran as if the wild huntsman were +behind them, and none of them would venture anything further against +him. So the little tailor was and remained a king to the end of his +life. + + + + +HANSEL AND GRETEL + + +Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his +two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Gretel. He had +little to bite and to break, and once when great dearth fell on the +land, he could no longer procure even daily bread. Now when he thought +over this by night in his bed, and tossed about in his anxiety, he +groaned and said to his wife: ‘What is to become of us? How are we +to feed our poor children, when we no longer have anything even for +ourselves?’ ‘I’ll tell you what, husband,’ answered the woman, ‘early +tomorrow morning we will take the children out into the forest to where +it is the thickest; there we will light a fire for them, and give each +of them one more piece of bread, and then we will go to our work and +leave them alone. They will not find the way home again, and we shall be +rid of them.’ ‘No, wife,’ said the man, ‘I will not do that; how can I +bear to leave my children alone in the forest?--the wild animals would +soon come and tear them to pieces.’ ‘O, you fool!’ said she, ‘then we +must all four die of hunger, you may as well plane the planks for our +coffins,’ and she left him no peace until he consented. ‘But I feel very +sorry for the poor children, all the same,’ said the man. + +The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had +heard what their stepmother had said to their father. Gretel wept +bitter tears, and said to Hansel: ‘Now all is over with us.’ ‘Be quiet, +Gretel,’ said Hansel, ‘do not distress yourself, I will soon find a way +to help us.’ And when the old folks had fallen asleep, he got up, put +on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept outside. The moon +shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house +glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped and stuffed the +little pocket of his coat with as many as he could get in. Then he went +back and said to Gretel: ‘Be comforted, dear little sister, and sleep in +peace, God will not forsake us,’ and he lay down again in his bed. When +day dawned, but before the sun had risen, the woman came and awoke the +two children, saying: ‘Get up, you sluggards! we are going into the +forest to fetch wood.’ She gave each a little piece of bread, and said: +‘There is something for your dinner, but do not eat it up before then, +for you will get nothing else.’ Gretel took the bread under her apron, +as Hansel had the pebbles in his pocket. Then they all set out together +on the way to the forest. When they had walked a short time, Hansel +stood still and peeped back at the house, and did so again and again. +His father said: ‘Hansel, what are you looking at there and staying +behind for? Pay attention, and do not forget how to use your legs.’ ‘Ah, +father,’ said Hansel, ‘I am looking at my little white cat, which is +sitting up on the roof, and wants to say goodbye to me.’ The wife said: +‘Fool, that is not your little cat, that is the morning sun which is +shining on the chimneys.’ Hansel, however, had not been looking back at +the cat, but had been constantly throwing one of the white pebble-stones +out of his pocket on the road. + +When they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said: ‘Now, +children, pile up some wood, and I will light a fire that you may not +be cold.’ Hansel and Gretel gathered brushwood together, as high as a +little hill. The brushwood was lighted, and when the flames were burning +very high, the woman said: ‘Now, children, lay yourselves down by the +fire and rest, we will go into the forest and cut some wood. When we +have done, we will come back and fetch you away.’ + +Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a little +piece of bread, and as they heard the strokes of the wood-axe they +believed that their father was near. It was not the axe, however, but +a branch which he had fastened to a withered tree which the wind was +blowing backwards and forwards. And as they had been sitting such a long +time, their eyes closed with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. When +at last they awoke, it was already dark night. Gretel began to cry and +said: ‘How are we to get out of the forest now?’ But Hansel comforted +her and said: ‘Just wait a little, until the moon has risen, and then we +will soon find the way.’ And when the full moon had risen, Hansel took +his little sister by the hand, and followed the pebbles which shone like +newly-coined silver pieces, and showed them the way. + +They walked the whole night long, and by break of day came once more +to their father’s house. They knocked at the door, and when the woman +opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Gretel, she said: ‘You naughty +children, why have you slept so long in the forest?--we thought you were +never coming back at all!’ The father, however, rejoiced, for it had cut +him to the heart to leave them behind alone. + +Not long afterwards, there was once more great dearth throughout the +land, and the children heard their mother saying at night to their +father: ‘Everything is eaten again, we have one half loaf left, and that +is the end. The children must go, we will take them farther into the +wood, so that they will not find their way out again; there is no other +means of saving ourselves!’ The man’s heart was heavy, and he thought: +‘It would be better for you to share the last mouthful with your +children.’ The woman, however, would listen to nothing that he had to +say, but scolded and reproached him. He who says A must say B, likewise, +and as he had yielded the first time, he had to do so a second time +also. + +The children, however, were still awake and had heard the conversation. +When the old folks were asleep, Hansel again got up, and wanted to go +out and pick up pebbles as he had done before, but the woman had locked +the door, and Hansel could not get out. Nevertheless he comforted his +little sister, and said: ‘Do not cry, Gretel, go to sleep quietly, the +good God will help us.’ + +Early in the morning came the woman, and took the children out of their +beds. Their piece of bread was given to them, but it was still smaller +than the time before. On the way into the forest Hansel crumbled his +in his pocket, and often stood still and threw a morsel on the ground. +‘Hansel, why do you stop and look round?’ said the father, ‘go on.’ ‘I +am looking back at my little pigeon which is sitting on the roof, and +wants to say goodbye to me,’ answered Hansel. ‘Fool!’ said the woman, +‘that is not your little pigeon, that is the morning sun that is shining +on the chimney.’ Hansel, however little by little, threw all the crumbs +on the path. + +The woman led the children still deeper into the forest, where they had +never in their lives been before. Then a great fire was again made, and +the mother said: ‘Just sit there, you children, and when you are tired +you may sleep a little; we are going into the forest to cut wood, and in +the evening when we are done, we will come and fetch you away.’ When +it was noon, Gretel shared her piece of bread with Hansel, who had +scattered his by the way. Then they fell asleep and evening passed, but +no one came to the poor children. They did not awake until it was dark +night, and Hansel comforted his little sister and said: ‘Just wait, +Gretel, until the moon rises, and then we shall see the crumbs of bread +which I have strewn about, they will show us our way home again.’ When +the moon came they set out, but they found no crumbs, for the many +thousands of birds which fly about in the woods and fields had picked +them all up. Hansel said to Gretel: ‘We shall soon find the way,’ but +they did not find it. They walked the whole night and all the next day +too from morning till evening, but they did not get out of the forest, +and were very hungry, for they had nothing to eat but two or three +berries, which grew on the ground. And as they were so weary that their +legs would carry them no longer, they lay down beneath a tree and fell +asleep. + +It was now three mornings since they had left their father’s house. They +began to walk again, but they always came deeper into the forest, and if +help did not come soon, they must die of hunger and weariness. When it +was mid-day, they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting on a bough, +which sang so delightfully that they stood still and listened to it. And +when its song was over, it spread its wings and flew away before them, +and they followed it until they reached a little house, on the roof of +which it alighted; and when they approached the little house they saw +that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows +were of clear sugar. ‘We will set to work on that,’ said Hansel, ‘and +have a good meal. I will eat a bit of the roof, and you Gretel, can eat +some of the window, it will taste sweet.’ Hansel reached up above, and +broke off a little of the roof to try how it tasted, and Gretel leant +against the window and nibbled at the panes. Then a soft voice cried +from the parlour: + + ‘Nibble, nibble, gnaw, + Who is nibbling at my little house?’ + +The children answered: + + ‘The wind, the wind, + The heaven-born wind,’ + +and went on eating without disturbing themselves. Hansel, who liked the +taste of the roof, tore down a great piece of it, and Gretel pushed out +the whole of one round window-pane, sat down, and enjoyed herself with +it. Suddenly the door opened, and a woman as old as the hills, who +supported herself on crutches, came creeping out. Hansel and Gretel were +so terribly frightened that they let fall what they had in their +hands. The old woman, however, nodded her head, and said: ‘Oh, you dear +children, who has brought you here? do come in, and stay with me. No +harm shall happen to you.’ She took them both by the hand, and led them +into her little house. Then good food was set before them, milk and +pancakes, with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterwards two pretty little +beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Gretel lay down +in them, and thought they were in heaven. + +The old woman had only pretended to be so kind; she was in reality +a wicked witch, who lay in wait for children, and had only built the +little house of bread in order to entice them there. When a child fell +into her power, she killed it, cooked and ate it, and that was a feast +day with her. Witches have red eyes, and cannot see far, but they have +a keen scent like the beasts, and are aware when human beings draw near. +When Hansel and Gretel came into her neighbourhood, she laughed with +malice, and said mockingly: ‘I have them, they shall not escape me +again!’ Early in the morning before the children were awake, she was +already up, and when she saw both of them sleeping and looking so +pretty, with their plump and rosy cheeks she muttered to herself: ‘That +will be a dainty mouthful!’ Then she seized Hansel with her shrivelled +hand, carried him into a little stable, and locked him in behind a +grated door. Scream as he might, it would not help him. Then she went to +Gretel, shook her till she awoke, and cried: ‘Get up, lazy thing, fetch +some water, and cook something good for your brother, he is in the +stable outside, and is to be made fat. When he is fat, I will eat him.’ +Gretel began to weep bitterly, but it was all in vain, for she was +forced to do what the wicked witch commanded. + +And now the best food was cooked for poor Hansel, but Gretel got nothing +but crab-shells. Every morning the woman crept to the little stable, and +cried: ‘Hansel, stretch out your finger that I may feel if you will soon +be fat.’ Hansel, however, stretched out a little bone to her, and +the old woman, who had dim eyes, could not see it, and thought it was +Hansel’s finger, and was astonished that there was no way of fattening +him. When four weeks had gone by, and Hansel still remained thin, she +was seized with impatience and would not wait any longer. ‘Now, then, +Gretel,’ she cried to the girl, ‘stir yourself, and bring some water. +Let Hansel be fat or lean, tomorrow I will kill him, and cook him.’ Ah, +how the poor little sister did lament when she had to fetch the water, +and how her tears did flow down her cheeks! ‘Dear God, do help us,’ she +cried. ‘If the wild beasts in the forest had but devoured us, we should +at any rate have died together.’ ‘Just keep your noise to yourself,’ +said the old woman, ‘it won’t help you at all.’ + +Early in the morning, Gretel had to go out and hang up the cauldron with +the water, and light the fire. ‘We will bake first,’ said the old woman, +‘I have already heated the oven, and kneaded the dough.’ She pushed poor +Gretel out to the oven, from which flames of fire were already darting. +‘Creep in,’ said the witch, ‘and see if it is properly heated, so that +we can put the bread in.’ And once Gretel was inside, she intended to +shut the oven and let her bake in it, and then she would eat her, too. +But Gretel saw what she had in mind, and said: ‘I do not know how I am +to do it; how do I get in?’ ‘Silly goose,’ said the old woman. ‘The door +is big enough; just look, I can get in myself!’ and she crept up and +thrust her head into the oven. Then Gretel gave her a push that drove +her far into it, and shut the iron door, and fastened the bolt. Oh! then +she began to howl quite horribly, but Gretel ran away and the godless +witch was miserably burnt to death. + +Gretel, however, ran like lightning to Hansel, opened his little stable, +and cried: ‘Hansel, we are saved! The old witch is dead!’ Then Hansel +sprang like a bird from its cage when the door is opened. How they did +rejoice and embrace each other, and dance about and kiss each other! And +as they had no longer any need to fear her, they went into the witch’s +house, and in every corner there stood chests full of pearls and jewels. +‘These are far better than pebbles!’ said Hansel, and thrust into his +pockets whatever could be got in, and Gretel said: ‘I, too, will take +something home with me,’ and filled her pinafore full. ‘But now we must +be off,’ said Hansel, ‘that we may get out of the witch’s forest.’ + +When they had walked for two hours, they came to a great stretch of +water. ‘We cannot cross,’ said Hansel, ‘I see no foot-plank, and no +bridge.’ ‘And there is also no ferry,’ answered Gretel, ‘but a white +duck is swimming there: if I ask her, she will help us over.’ Then she +cried: + + ‘Little duck, little duck, dost thou see, + Hansel and Gretel are waiting for thee? + There’s never a plank, or bridge in sight, + Take us across on thy back so white.’ + +The duck came to them, and Hansel seated himself on its back, and told +his sister to sit by him. ‘No,’ replied Gretel, ‘that will be too heavy +for the little duck; she shall take us across, one after the other.’ The +good little duck did so, and when they were once safely across and had +walked for a short time, the forest seemed to be more and more familiar +to them, and at length they saw from afar their father’s house. Then +they began to run, rushed into the parlour, and threw themselves round +their father’s neck. The man had not known one happy hour since he had +left the children in the forest; the woman, however, was dead. Gretel +emptied her pinafore until pearls and precious stones ran about the +room, and Hansel threw one handful after another out of his pocket to +add to them. Then all anxiety was at an end, and they lived together +in perfect happiness. My tale is done, there runs a mouse; whosoever +catches it, may make himself a big fur cap out of it. + + + + +THE MOUSE, THE BIRD, AND THE SAUSAGE + + +Once upon a time, a mouse, a bird, and a sausage, entered into +partnership and set up house together. For a long time all went well; +they lived in great comfort, and prospered so far as to be able to add +considerably to their stores. The bird’s duty was to fly daily into the +wood and bring in fuel; the mouse fetched the water, and the sausage saw +to the cooking. + +When people are too well off they always begin to long for something +new. And so it came to pass, that the bird, while out one day, met a +fellow bird, to whom he boastfully expatiated on the excellence of his +household arrangements. But the other bird sneered at him for being a +poor simpleton, who did all the hard work, while the other two stayed +at home and had a good time of it. For, when the mouse had made the fire +and fetched in the water, she could retire into her little room and rest +until it was time to set the table. The sausage had only to watch the +pot to see that the food was properly cooked, and when it was near +dinner-time, he just threw himself into the broth, or rolled in and out +among the vegetables three or four times, and there they were, buttered, +and salted, and ready to be served. Then, when the bird came home and +had laid aside his burden, they sat down to table, and when they had +finished their meal, they could sleep their fill till the following +morning: and that was really a very delightful life. + +Influenced by those remarks, the bird next morning refused to bring in +the wood, telling the others that he had been their servant long enough, +and had been a fool into the bargain, and that it was now time to make a +change, and to try some other way of arranging the work. Beg and pray +as the mouse and the sausage might, it was of no use; the bird remained +master of the situation, and the venture had to be made. They therefore +drew lots, and it fell to the sausage to bring in the wood, to the mouse +to cook, and to the bird to fetch the water. + +And now what happened? The sausage started in search of wood, the bird +made the fire, and the mouse put on the pot, and then these two waited +till the sausage returned with the fuel for the following day. But the +sausage remained so long away, that they became uneasy, and the bird +flew out to meet him. He had not flown far, however, when he came across +a dog who, having met the sausage, had regarded him as his legitimate +booty, and so seized and swallowed him. The bird complained to the dog +of this bare-faced robbery, but nothing he said was of any avail, for +the dog answered that he found false credentials on the sausage, and +that was the reason his life had been forfeited. + +He picked up the wood, and flew sadly home, and told the mouse all he +had seen and heard. They were both very unhappy, but agreed to make the +best of things and to remain with one another. + +So now the bird set the table, and the mouse looked after the food and, +wishing to prepare it in the same way as the sausage, by rolling in and +out among the vegetables to salt and butter them, she jumped into the +pot; but she stopped short long before she reached the bottom, having +already parted not only with her skin and hair, but also with life. + +Presently the bird came in and wanted to serve up the dinner, but he +could nowhere see the cook. In his alarm and flurry, he threw the wood +here and there about the floor, called and searched, but no cook was to +be found. Then some of the wood that had been carelessly thrown down, +caught fire and began to blaze. The bird hastened to fetch some water, +but his pail fell into the well, and he after it, and as he was unable +to recover himself, he was drowned. + + + + +MOTHER HOLLE + + +Once upon a time there was a widow who had two daughters; one of them +was beautiful and industrious, the other ugly and lazy. The mother, +however, loved the ugly and lazy one best, because she was her own +daughter, and so the other, who was only her stepdaughter, was made +to do all the work of the house, and was quite the Cinderella of the +family. Her stepmother sent her out every day to sit by the well in +the high road, there to spin until she made her fingers bleed. Now it +chanced one day that some blood fell on to the spindle, and as the girl +stopped over the well to wash it off, the spindle suddenly sprang out +of her hand and fell into the well. She ran home crying to tell of her +misfortune, but her stepmother spoke harshly to her, and after giving +her a violent scolding, said unkindly, ‘As you have let the spindle fall +into the well you may go yourself and fetch it out.’ + +The girl went back to the well not knowing what to do, and at last in +her distress she jumped into the water after the spindle. + +She remembered nothing more until she awoke and found herself in a +beautiful meadow, full of sunshine, and with countless flowers blooming +in every direction. + +She walked over the meadow, and presently she came upon a baker’s oven +full of bread, and the loaves cried out to her, ‘Take us out, take us +out, or alas! we shall be burnt to a cinder; we were baked through long +ago.’ So she took the bread-shovel and drew them all out. + +She went on a little farther, till she came to a tree full of apples. +‘Shake me, shake me, I pray,’ cried the tree; ‘my apples, one and all, +are ripe.’ So she shook the tree, and the apples came falling down upon +her like rain; but she continued shaking until there was not a single +apple left upon it. Then she carefully gathered the apples together in a +heap and walked on again. + +The next thing she came to was a little house, and there she saw an old +woman looking out, with such large teeth, that she was terrified, and +turned to run away. But the old woman called after her, ‘What are you +afraid of, dear child? Stay with me; if you will do the work of my house +properly for me, I will make you very happy. You must be very careful, +however, to make my bed in the right way, for I wish you always to shake +it thoroughly, so that the feathers fly about; then they say, down there +in the world, that it is snowing; for I am Mother Holle.’ The old woman +spoke so kindly, that the girl summoned up courage and agreed to enter +into her service. + +She took care to do everything according to the old woman’s bidding and +every time she made the bed she shook it with all her might, so that the +feathers flew about like so many snowflakes. The old woman was as good +as her word: she never spoke angrily to her, and gave her roast and +boiled meats every day. + +So she stayed on with Mother Holle for some time, and then she began +to grow unhappy. She could not at first tell why she felt sad, but she +became conscious at last of great longing to go home; then she knew she +was homesick, although she was a thousand times better off with Mother +Holle than with her mother and sister. After waiting awhile, she went +to Mother Holle and said, ‘I am so homesick, that I cannot stay with +you any longer, for although I am so happy here, I must return to my own +people.’ + +Then Mother Holle said, ‘I am pleased that you should want to go back +to your own people, and as you have served me so well and faithfully, I +will take you home myself.’ + +Thereupon she led the girl by the hand up to a broad gateway. The gate +was opened, and as the girl passed through, a shower of gold fell upon +her, and the gold clung to her, so that she was covered with it from +head to foot. + +‘That is a reward for your industry,’ said Mother Holle, and as she +spoke she handed her the spindle which she had dropped into the well. + +The gate was then closed, and the girl found herself back in the old +world close to her mother’s house. As she entered the courtyard, the +cock who was perched on the well, called out: + + ‘Cock-a-doodle-doo! + Your golden daughter’s come back to you.’ + +Then she went in to her mother and sister, and as she was so richly +covered with gold, they gave her a warm welcome. She related to them +all that had happened, and when the mother heard how she had come by her +great riches, she thought she should like her ugly, lazy daughter to go +and try her fortune. So she made the sister go and sit by the well +and spin, and the girl pricked her finger and thrust her hand into a +thorn-bush, so that she might drop some blood on to the spindle; then +she threw it into the well, and jumped in herself. + +Like her sister she awoke in the beautiful meadow, and walked over it +till she came to the oven. ‘Take us out, take us out, or alas! we shall +be burnt to a cinder; we were baked through long ago,’ cried the loaves +as before. But the lazy girl answered, ‘Do you think I am going to dirty +my hands for you?’ and walked on. + +Presently she came to the apple-tree. ‘Shake me, shake me, I pray; my +apples, one and all, are ripe,’ it cried. But she only answered, ‘A nice +thing to ask me to do, one of the apples might fall on my head,’ and +passed on. + +At last she came to Mother Holle’s house, and as she had heard all about +the large teeth from her sister, she was not afraid of them, and engaged +herself without delay to the old woman. + +The first day she was very obedient and industrious, and exerted herself +to please Mother Holle, for she thought of the gold she should get in +return. The next day, however, she began to dawdle over her work, and +the third day she was more idle still; then she began to lie in bed in +the mornings and refused to get up. Worse still, she neglected to +make the old woman’s bed properly, and forgot to shake it so that the +feathers might fly about. So Mother Holle very soon got tired of her, +and told her she might go. The lazy girl was delighted at this, and +thought to herself, ‘The gold will soon be mine.’ Mother Holle led her, +as she had led her sister, to the broad gateway; but as she was passing +through, instead of the shower of gold, a great bucketful of pitch came +pouring over her. + +‘That is in return for your services,’ said the old woman, and she shut +the gate. + +So the lazy girl had to go home covered with pitch, and the cock on the +well called out as she saw her: + + ‘Cock-a-doodle-doo! + Your dirty daughter’s come back to you.’ + +But, try what she would, she could not get the pitch off and it stuck to +her as long as she lived. + + + + +LITTLE RED-CAP [LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD] + + +Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by everyone +who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was +nothing that she would not have given to the child. Once she gave her a +little cap of red velvet, which suited her so well that she would never +wear anything else; so she was always called ‘Little Red-Cap.’ + +One day her mother said to her: ‘Come, Little Red-Cap, here is a piece +of cake and a bottle of wine; take them to your grandmother, she is ill +and weak, and they will do her good. Set out before it gets hot, and +when you are going, walk nicely and quietly and do not run off the path, +or you may fall and break the bottle, and then your grandmother will +get nothing; and when you go into her room, don’t forget to say, “Good +morning”, and don’t peep into every corner before you do it.’ + +‘I will take great care,’ said Little Red-Cap to her mother, and gave +her hand on it. + +The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the village, +and just as Little Red-Cap entered the wood, a wolf met her. Red-Cap +did not know what a wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of +him. + +‘Good day, Little Red-Cap,’ said he. + +‘Thank you kindly, wolf.’ + +‘Whither away so early, Little Red-Cap?’ + +‘To my grandmother’s.’ + +‘What have you got in your apron?’ + +‘Cake and wine; yesterday was baking-day, so poor sick grandmother is to +have something good, to make her stronger.’ + +‘Where does your grandmother live, Little Red-Cap?’ + +‘A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood; her house stands +under the three large oak-trees, the nut-trees are just below; you +surely must know it,’ replied Little Red-Cap. + +The wolf thought to himself: ‘What a tender young creature! what a nice +plump mouthful--she will be better to eat than the old woman. I must +act craftily, so as to catch both.’ So he walked for a short time by +the side of Little Red-Cap, and then he said: ‘See, Little Red-Cap, how +pretty the flowers are about here--why do you not look round? I believe, +too, that you do not hear how sweetly the little birds are singing; you +walk gravely along as if you were going to school, while everything else +out here in the wood is merry.’ + +Little Red-Cap raised her eyes, and when she saw the sunbeams dancing +here and there through the trees, and pretty flowers growing everywhere, +she thought: ‘Suppose I take grandmother a fresh nosegay; that would +please her too. It is so early in the day that I shall still get there +in good time’; and so she ran from the path into the wood to look for +flowers. And whenever she had picked one, she fancied that she saw a +still prettier one farther on, and ran after it, and so got deeper and +deeper into the wood. + +Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother’s house and knocked +at the door. + +‘Who is there?’ + +‘Little Red-Cap,’ replied the wolf. ‘She is bringing cake and wine; open +the door.’ + +‘Lift the latch,’ called out the grandmother, ‘I am too weak, and cannot +get up.’ + +The wolf lifted the latch, the door sprang open, and without saying a +word he went straight to the grandmother’s bed, and devoured her. Then +he put on her clothes, dressed himself in her cap laid himself in bed +and drew the curtains. + +Little Red-Cap, however, had been running about picking flowers, +and when she had gathered so many that she could carry no more, she +remembered her grandmother, and set out on the way to her. + +She was surprised to find the cottage-door standing open, and when she +went into the room, she had such a strange feeling that she said to +herself: ‘Oh dear! how uneasy I feel today, and at other times I like +being with grandmother so much.’ She called out: ‘Good morning,’ but +received no answer; so she went to the bed and drew back the curtains. +There lay her grandmother with her cap pulled far over her face, and +looking very strange. + +‘Oh! grandmother,’ she said, ‘what big ears you have!’ + +‘The better to hear you with, my child,’ was the reply. + +‘But, grandmother, what big eyes you have!’ she said. + +‘The better to see you with, my dear.’ + +‘But, grandmother, what large hands you have!’ + +‘The better to hug you with.’ + +‘Oh! but, grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have!’ + +‘The better to eat you with!’ + +And scarcely had the wolf said this, than with one bound he was out of +bed and swallowed up Red-Cap. + +When the wolf had appeased his appetite, he lay down again in the bed, +fell asleep and began to snore very loud. The huntsman was just passing +the house, and thought to himself: ‘How the old woman is snoring! I must +just see if she wants anything.’ So he went into the room, and when he +came to the bed, he saw that the wolf was lying in it. ‘Do I find you +here, you old sinner!’ said he. ‘I have long sought you!’ Then just as +he was going to fire at him, it occurred to him that the wolf might have +devoured the grandmother, and that she might still be saved, so he did +not fire, but took a pair of scissors, and began to cut open the stomach +of the sleeping wolf. When he had made two snips, he saw the little +Red-Cap shining, and then he made two snips more, and the little girl +sprang out, crying: ‘Ah, how frightened I have been! How dark it was +inside the wolf’; and after that the aged grandmother came out alive +also, but scarcely able to breathe. Red-Cap, however, quickly fetched +great stones with which they filled the wolf’s belly, and when he awoke, +he wanted to run away, but the stones were so heavy that he collapsed at +once, and fell dead. + +Then all three were delighted. The huntsman drew off the wolf’s skin and +went home with it; the grandmother ate the cake and drank the wine which +Red-Cap had brought, and revived, but Red-Cap thought to herself: ‘As +long as I live, I will never by myself leave the path, to run into the +wood, when my mother has forbidden me to do so.’ + + +It also related that once when Red-Cap was again taking cakes to the old +grandmother, another wolf spoke to her, and tried to entice her from the +path. Red-Cap, however, was on her guard, and went straight forward on +her way, and told her grandmother that she had met the wolf, and that he +had said ‘good morning’ to her, but with such a wicked look in his eyes, +that if they had not been on the public road she was certain he would +have eaten her up. ‘Well,’ said the grandmother, ‘we will shut the door, +that he may not come in.’ Soon afterwards the wolf knocked, and cried: +‘Open the door, grandmother, I am Little Red-Cap, and am bringing you +some cakes.’ But they did not speak, or open the door, so the grey-beard +stole twice or thrice round the house, and at last jumped on the roof, +intending to wait until Red-Cap went home in the evening, and then to +steal after her and devour her in the darkness. But the grandmother +saw what was in his thoughts. In front of the house was a great stone +trough, so she said to the child: ‘Take the pail, Red-Cap; I made some +sausages yesterday, so carry the water in which I boiled them to the +trough.’ Red-Cap carried until the great trough was quite full. Then the +smell of the sausages reached the wolf, and he sniffed and peeped down, +and at last stretched out his neck so far that he could no longer keep +his footing and began to slip, and slipped down from the roof straight +into the great trough, and was drowned. But Red-Cap went joyously home, +and no one ever did anything to harm her again. + + + + +THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM + + +There was once a miller who had one beautiful daughter, and as she was +grown up, he was anxious that she should be well married and provided +for. He said to himself, ‘I will give her to the first suitable man who +comes and asks for her hand.’ Not long after a suitor appeared, and as +he appeared to be very rich and the miller could see nothing in him with +which to find fault, he betrothed his daughter to him. But the girl did +not care for the man as a girl ought to care for her betrothed husband. +She did not feel that she could trust him, and she could not look at him +nor think of him without an inward shudder. One day he said to her, ‘You +have not yet paid me a visit, although we have been betrothed for some +time.’ ‘I do not know where your house is,’ she answered. ‘My house is +out there in the dark forest,’ he said. She tried to excuse herself by +saying that she would not be able to find the way thither. Her betrothed +only replied, ‘You must come and see me next Sunday; I have already +invited guests for that day, and that you may not mistake the way, I +will strew ashes along the path.’ + +When Sunday came, and it was time for the girl to start, a feeling of +dread came over her which she could not explain, and that she might +be able to find her path again, she filled her pockets with peas and +lentils to sprinkle on the ground as she went along. On reaching the +entrance to the forest she found the path strewed with ashes, and these +she followed, throwing down some peas on either side of her at every +step she took. She walked the whole day until she came to the deepest, +darkest part of the forest. There she saw a lonely house, looking so +grim and mysterious, that it did not please her at all. She stepped +inside, but not a soul was to be seen, and a great silence reigned +throughout. Suddenly a voice cried: + + ‘Turn back, turn back, young maiden fair, + Linger not in this murderers’ lair.’ + +The girl looked up and saw that the voice came from a bird hanging in a +cage on the wall. Again it cried: + + ‘Turn back, turn back, young maiden fair, + Linger not in this murderers’ lair.’ + +The girl passed on, going from room to room of the house, but they were +all empty, and still she saw no one. At last she came to the cellar, +and there sat a very, very old woman, who could not keep her head from +shaking. ‘Can you tell me,’ asked the girl, ‘if my betrothed husband +lives here?’ + +‘Ah, you poor child,’ answered the old woman, ‘what a place for you to +come to! This is a murderers’ den. You think yourself a promised bride, +and that your marriage will soon take place, but it is with death that +you will keep your marriage feast. Look, do you see that large cauldron +of water which I am obliged to keep on the fire! As soon as they have +you in their power they will kill you without mercy, and cook and eat +you, for they are eaters of men. If I did not take pity on you and save +you, you would be lost.’ + +Thereupon the old woman led her behind a large cask, which quite hid her +from view. ‘Keep as still as a mouse,’ she said; ‘do not move or speak, +or it will be all over with you. Tonight, when the robbers are +all asleep, we will flee together. I have long been waiting for an +opportunity to escape.’ + +The words were hardly out of her mouth when the godless crew returned, +dragging another young girl along with them. They were all drunk, and +paid no heed to her cries and lamentations. They gave her wine to drink, +three glasses full, one of white wine, one of red, and one of yellow, +and with that her heart gave way and she died. Then they tore off her +dainty clothing, laid her on a table, and cut her beautiful body into +pieces, and sprinkled salt upon it. + +The poor betrothed girl crouched trembling and shuddering behind the +cask, for she saw what a terrible fate had been intended for her by +the robbers. One of them now noticed a gold ring still remaining on +the little finger of the murdered girl, and as he could not draw it off +easily, he took a hatchet and cut off the finger; but the finger sprang +into the air, and fell behind the cask into the lap of the girl who was +hiding there. The robber took a light and began looking for it, but he +could not find it. ‘Have you looked behind the large cask?’ said one of +the others. But the old woman called out, ‘Come and eat your suppers, +and let the thing be till tomorrow; the finger won’t run away.’ + +‘The old woman is right,’ said the robbers, and they ceased looking for +the finger and sat down. + +The old woman then mixed a sleeping draught with their wine, and before +long they were all lying on the floor of the cellar, fast asleep and +snoring. As soon as the girl was assured of this, she came from behind +the cask. She was obliged to step over the bodies of the sleepers, who +were lying close together, and every moment she was filled with renewed +dread lest she should awaken them. But God helped her, so that she +passed safely over them, and then she and the old woman went upstairs, +opened the door, and hastened as fast as they could from the murderers’ +den. They found the ashes scattered by the wind, but the peas and +lentils had sprouted, and grown sufficiently above the ground, to guide +them in the moonlight along the path. All night long they walked, and it +was morning before they reached the mill. Then the girl told her father +all that had happened. + +The day came that had been fixed for the marriage. The bridegroom +arrived and also a large company of guests, for the miller had taken +care to invite all his friends and relations. As they sat at the feast, +each guest in turn was asked to tell a tale; the bride sat still and did +not say a word. + +‘And you, my love,’ said the bridegroom, turning to her, ‘is there no +tale you know? Tell us something.’ + +‘I will tell you a dream, then,’ said the bride. ‘I went alone through a +forest and came at last to a house; not a soul could I find within, but +a bird that was hanging in a cage on the wall cried: + + ‘Turn back, turn back, young maiden fair, + Linger not in this murderers’ lair.’ + +and again a second time it said these words.’ + +‘My darling, this is only a dream.’ + +‘I went on through the house from room to room, but they were all empty, +and everything was so grim and mysterious. At last I went down to the +cellar, and there sat a very, very old woman, who could not keep her +head still. I asked her if my betrothed lived here, and she answered, +“Ah, you poor child, you are come to a murderers’ den; your betrothed +does indeed live here, but he will kill you without mercy and afterwards +cook and eat you.”’ + +‘My darling, this is only a dream.’ + +‘The old woman hid me behind a large cask, and scarcely had she done +this when the robbers returned home, dragging a young girl along with +them. They gave her three kinds of wine to drink, white, red, and +yellow, and with that she died.’ + +‘My darling, this is only a dream.’ + +‘Then they tore off her dainty clothing, and cut her beautiful body into +pieces and sprinkled salt upon it.’ + +‘My darling, this is only a dream.’ + +‘And one of the robbers saw that there was a gold ring still left on her +finger, and as it was difficult to draw off, he took a hatchet and cut +off her finger; but the finger sprang into the air and fell behind the +great cask into my lap. And here is the finger with the ring.’ And +with these words the bride drew forth the finger and shewed it to the +assembled guests. + +The bridegroom, who during this recital had grown deadly pale, up and +tried to escape, but the guests seized him and held him fast. They +delivered him up to justice, and he and all his murderous band were +condemned to death for their wicked deeds. + + + + +TOM THUMB + + +A poor woodman sat in his cottage one night, smoking his pipe by the +fireside, while his wife sat by his side spinning. ‘How lonely it is, +wife,’ said he, as he puffed out a long curl of smoke, ‘for you and me +to sit here by ourselves, without any children to play about and amuse +us while other people seem so happy and merry with their children!’ +‘What you say is very true,’ said the wife, sighing, and turning round +her wheel; ‘how happy should I be if I had but one child! If it were +ever so small--nay, if it were no bigger than my thumb--I should be very +happy, and love it dearly.’ Now--odd as you may think it--it came to +pass that this good woman’s wish was fulfilled, just in the very way she +had wished it; for, not long afterwards, she had a little boy, who was +quite healthy and strong, but was not much bigger than my thumb. So +they said, ‘Well, we cannot say we have not got what we wished for, and, +little as he is, we will love him dearly.’ And they called him Thomas +Thumb. + +They gave him plenty of food, yet for all they could do he never grew +bigger, but kept just the same size as he had been when he was born. +Still, his eyes were sharp and sparkling, and he soon showed himself to +be a clever little fellow, who always knew well what he was about. + +One day, as the woodman was getting ready to go into the wood to cut +fuel, he said, ‘I wish I had someone to bring the cart after me, for I +want to make haste.’ ‘Oh, father,’ cried Tom, ‘I will take care of that; +the cart shall be in the wood by the time you want it.’ Then the woodman +laughed, and said, ‘How can that be? you cannot reach up to the horse’s +bridle.’ ‘Never mind that, father,’ said Tom; ‘if my mother will only +harness the horse, I will get into his ear and tell him which way to +go.’ ‘Well,’ said the father, ‘we will try for once.’ + +When the time came the mother harnessed the horse to the cart, and put +Tom into his ear; and as he sat there the little man told the beast how +to go, crying out, ‘Go on!’ and ‘Stop!’ as he wanted: and thus the horse +went on just as well as if the woodman had driven it himself into the +wood. It happened that as the horse was going a little too fast, and Tom +was calling out, ‘Gently! gently!’ two strangers came up. ‘What an odd +thing that is!’ said one: ‘there is a cart going along, and I hear a +carter talking to the horse, but yet I can see no one.’ ‘That is queer, +indeed,’ said the other; ‘let us follow the cart, and see where it +goes.’ So they went on into the wood, till at last they came to the +place where the woodman was. Then Tom Thumb, seeing his father, cried +out, ‘See, father, here I am with the cart, all right and safe! now take +me down!’ So his father took hold of the horse with one hand, and with +the other took his son out of the horse’s ear, and put him down upon a +straw, where he sat as merry as you please. + +The two strangers were all this time looking on, and did not know what +to say for wonder. At last one took the other aside, and said, ‘That +little urchin will make our fortune, if we can get him, and carry him +about from town to town as a show; we must buy him.’ So they went up to +the woodman, and asked him what he would take for the little man. ‘He +will be better off,’ said they, ‘with us than with you.’ ‘I won’t sell +him at all,’ said the father; ‘my own flesh and blood is dearer to me +than all the silver and gold in the world.’ But Tom, hearing of the +bargain they wanted to make, crept up his father’s coat to his shoulder +and whispered in his ear, ‘Take the money, father, and let them have me; +I’ll soon come back to you.’ + +So the woodman at last said he would sell Tom to the strangers for a +large piece of gold, and they paid the price. ‘Where would you like to +sit?’ said one of them. ‘Oh, put me on the rim of your hat; that will be +a nice gallery for me; I can walk about there and see the country as we +go along.’ So they did as he wished; and when Tom had taken leave of his +father they took him away with them. + +They journeyed on till it began to be dusky, and then the little man +said, ‘Let me get down, I’m tired.’ So the man took off his hat, and +put him down on a clod of earth, in a ploughed field by the side of the +road. But Tom ran about amongst the furrows, and at last slipped into +an old mouse-hole. ‘Good night, my masters!’ said he, ‘I’m off! mind and +look sharp after me the next time.’ Then they ran at once to the place, +and poked the ends of their sticks into the mouse-hole, but all in vain; +Tom only crawled farther and farther in; and at last it became quite +dark, so that they were forced to go their way without their prize, as +sulky as could be. + +When Tom found they were gone, he came out of his hiding-place. ‘What +dangerous walking it is,’ said he, ‘in this ploughed field! If I were to +fall from one of these great clods, I should undoubtedly break my neck.’ +At last, by good luck, he found a large empty snail-shell. ‘This is +lucky,’ said he, ‘I can sleep here very well’; and in he crept. + +Just as he was falling asleep, he heard two men passing by, chatting +together; and one said to the other, ‘How can we rob that rich parson’s +house of his silver and gold?’ ‘I’ll tell you!’ cried Tom. ‘What noise +was that?’ said the thief, frightened; ‘I’m sure I heard someone speak.’ +They stood still listening, and Tom said, ‘Take me with you, and I’ll +soon show you how to get the parson’s money.’ ‘But where are you?’ said +they. ‘Look about on the ground,’ answered he, ‘and listen where the +sound comes from.’ At last the thieves found him out, and lifted him +up in their hands. ‘You little urchin!’ they said, ‘what can you do for +us?’ ‘Why, I can get between the iron window-bars of the parson’s house, +and throw you out whatever you want.’ ‘That’s a good thought,’ said the +thieves; ‘come along, we shall see what you can do.’ + +When they came to the parson’s house, Tom slipped through the +window-bars into the room, and then called out as loud as he could bawl, +‘Will you have all that is here?’ At this the thieves were frightened, +and said, ‘Softly, softly! Speak low, that you may not awaken anybody.’ +But Tom seemed as if he did not understand them, and bawled out again, +‘How much will you have? Shall I throw it all out?’ Now the cook lay in +the next room; and hearing a noise she raised herself up in her bed and +listened. Meantime the thieves were frightened, and ran off a little +way; but at last they plucked up their hearts, and said, ‘The little +urchin is only trying to make fools of us.’ So they came back and +whispered softly to him, saying, ‘Now let us have no more of your +roguish jokes; but throw us out some of the money.’ Then Tom called out +as loud as he could, ‘Very well! hold your hands! here it comes.’ + +The cook heard this quite plain, so she sprang out of bed, and ran to +open the door. The thieves ran off as if a wolf was at their tails: and +the maid, having groped about and found nothing, went away for a light. +By the time she came back, Tom had slipped off into the barn; and when +she had looked about and searched every hole and corner, and found +nobody, she went to bed, thinking she must have been dreaming with her +eyes open. + +The little man crawled about in the hay-loft, and at last found a snug +place to finish his night’s rest in; so he laid himself down, meaning +to sleep till daylight, and then find his way home to his father and +mother. But alas! how woefully he was undone! what crosses and sorrows +happen to us all in this world! The cook got up early, before daybreak, +to feed the cows; and going straight to the hay-loft, carried away +a large bundle of hay, with the little man in the middle of it, fast +asleep. He still, however, slept on, and did not awake till he found +himself in the mouth of the cow; for the cook had put the hay into the +cow’s rick, and the cow had taken Tom up in a mouthful of it. ‘Good +lack-a-day!’ said he, ‘how came I to tumble into the mill?’ But he soon +found out where he really was; and was forced to have all his wits about +him, that he might not get between the cow’s teeth, and so be crushed to +death. At last down he went into her stomach. ‘It is rather dark,’ said +he; ‘they forgot to build windows in this room to let the sun in; a +candle would be no bad thing.’ + +Though he made the best of his bad luck, he did not like his quarters at +all; and the worst of it was, that more and more hay was always coming +down, and the space left for him became smaller and smaller. At last he +cried out as loud as he could, ‘Don’t bring me any more hay! Don’t bring +me any more hay!’ + +The maid happened to be just then milking the cow; and hearing someone +speak, but seeing nobody, and yet being quite sure it was the same voice +that she had heard in the night, she was so frightened that she fell off +her stool, and overset the milk-pail. As soon as she could pick herself +up out of the dirt, she ran off as fast as she could to her master the +parson, and said, ‘Sir, sir, the cow is talking!’ But the parson +said, ‘Woman, thou art surely mad!’ However, he went with her into the +cow-house, to try and see what was the matter. + +Scarcely had they set foot on the threshold, when Tom called out, ‘Don’t +bring me any more hay!’ Then the parson himself was frightened; and +thinking the cow was surely bewitched, told his man to kill her on the +spot. So the cow was killed, and cut up; and the stomach, in which Tom +lay, was thrown out upon a dunghill. + +Tom soon set himself to work to get out, which was not a very easy +task; but at last, just as he had made room to get his head out, fresh +ill-luck befell him. A hungry wolf sprang out, and swallowed up the +whole stomach, with Tom in it, at one gulp, and ran away. + +Tom, however, was still not disheartened; and thinking the wolf would +not dislike having some chat with him as he was going along, he called +out, ‘My good friend, I can show you a famous treat.’ ‘Where’s that?’ +said the wolf. ‘In such and such a house,’ said Tom, describing his own +father’s house. ‘You can crawl through the drain into the kitchen and +then into the pantry, and there you will find cakes, ham, beef, cold +chicken, roast pig, apple-dumplings, and everything that your heart can +wish.’ + +The wolf did not want to be asked twice; so that very night he went to +the house and crawled through the drain into the kitchen, and then into +the pantry, and ate and drank there to his heart’s content. As soon as +he had had enough he wanted to get away; but he had eaten so much that +he could not go out by the same way he came in. + +This was just what Tom had reckoned upon; and now he began to set up a +great shout, making all the noise he could. ‘Will you be easy?’ said the +wolf; ‘you’ll awaken everybody in the house if you make such a clatter.’ +‘What’s that to me?’ said the little man; ‘you have had your frolic, now +I’ve a mind to be merry myself’; and he began, singing and shouting as +loud as he could. + +The woodman and his wife, being awakened by the noise, peeped through +a crack in the door; but when they saw a wolf was there, you may well +suppose that they were sadly frightened; and the woodman ran for his +axe, and gave his wife a scythe. ‘Do you stay behind,’ said the woodman, +‘and when I have knocked him on the head you must rip him up with the +scythe.’ Tom heard all this, and cried out, ‘Father, father! I am here, +the wolf has swallowed me.’ And his father said, ‘Heaven be praised! we +have found our dear child again’; and he told his wife not to use the +scythe for fear she should hurt him. Then he aimed a great blow, and +struck the wolf on the head, and killed him on the spot! and when he was +dead they cut open his body, and set Tommy free. ‘Ah!’ said the father, +‘what fears we have had for you!’ ‘Yes, father,’ answered he; ‘I have +travelled all over the world, I think, in one way or other, since we +parted; and now I am very glad to come home and get fresh air again.’ +‘Why, where have you been?’ said his father. ‘I have been in a +mouse-hole--and in a snail-shell--and down a cow’s throat--and in the +wolf’s belly; and yet here I am again, safe and sound.’ + +‘Well,’ said they, ‘you are come back, and we will not sell you again +for all the riches in the world.’ + +Then they hugged and kissed their dear little son, and gave him plenty +to eat and drink, for he was very hungry; and then they fetched new +clothes for him, for his old ones had been quite spoiled on his journey. +So Master Thumb stayed at home with his father and mother, in peace; for +though he had been so great a traveller, and had done and seen so many +fine things, and was fond enough of telling the whole story, he always +agreed that, after all, there’s no place like HOME! + + + + +RUMPELSTILTSKIN + + +By the side of a wood, in a country a long way off, ran a fine stream +of water; and upon the stream there stood a mill. The miller’s house was +close by, and the miller, you must know, had a very beautiful daughter. +She was, moreover, very shrewd and clever; and the miller was so proud +of her, that he one day told the king of the land, who used to come and +hunt in the wood, that his daughter could spin gold out of straw. Now +this king was very fond of money; and when he heard the miller’s boast +his greediness was raised, and he sent for the girl to be brought before +him. Then he led her to a chamber in his palace where there was a great +heap of straw, and gave her a spinning-wheel, and said, ‘All this must +be spun into gold before morning, as you love your life.’ It was in vain +that the poor maiden said that it was only a silly boast of her father, +for that she could do no such thing as spin straw into gold: the chamber +door was locked, and she was left alone. + +She sat down in one corner of the room, and began to bewail her hard +fate; when on a sudden the door opened, and a droll-looking little man +hobbled in, and said, ‘Good morrow to you, my good lass; what are you +weeping for?’ ‘Alas!’ said she, ‘I must spin this straw into gold, and +I know not how.’ ‘What will you give me,’ said the hobgoblin, ‘to do it +for you?’ ‘My necklace,’ replied the maiden. He took her at her word, +and sat himself down to the wheel, and whistled and sang: + + ‘Round about, round about, + Lo and behold! + Reel away, reel away, + Straw into gold!’ + +And round about the wheel went merrily; the work was quickly done, and +the straw was all spun into gold. + +When the king came and saw this, he was greatly astonished and pleased; +but his heart grew still more greedy of gain, and he shut up the poor +miller’s daughter again with a fresh task. Then she knew not what to do, +and sat down once more to weep; but the dwarf soon opened the door, and +said, ‘What will you give me to do your task?’ ‘The ring on my finger,’ +said she. So her little friend took the ring, and began to work at the +wheel again, and whistled and sang: + + ‘Round about, round about, + Lo and behold! + Reel away, reel away, + Straw into gold!’ + +till, long before morning, all was done again. + +The king was greatly delighted to see all this glittering treasure; +but still he had not enough: so he took the miller’s daughter to a yet +larger heap, and said, ‘All this must be spun tonight; and if it is, +you shall be my queen.’ As soon as she was alone that dwarf came in, and +said, ‘What will you give me to spin gold for you this third time?’ +‘I have nothing left,’ said she. ‘Then say you will give me,’ said +the little man, ‘the first little child that you may have when you are +queen.’ ‘That may never be,’ thought the miller’s daughter: and as she +knew no other way to get her task done, she said she would do what he +asked. Round went the wheel again to the old song, and the manikin once +more spun the heap into gold. The king came in the morning, and, finding +all he wanted, was forced to keep his word; so he married the miller’s +daughter, and she really became queen. + +At the birth of her first little child she was very glad, and forgot the +dwarf, and what she had said. But one day he came into her room, where +she was sitting playing with her baby, and put her in mind of it. Then +she grieved sorely at her misfortune, and said she would give him all +the wealth of the kingdom if he would let her off, but in vain; till at +last her tears softened him, and he said, ‘I will give you three days’ +grace, and if during that time you tell me my name, you shall keep your +child.’ + +Now the queen lay awake all night, thinking of all the odd names that +she had ever heard; and she sent messengers all over the land to find +out new ones. The next day the little man came, and she began with +TIMOTHY, ICHABOD, BENJAMIN, JEREMIAH, and all the names she could +remember; but to all and each of them he said, ‘Madam, that is not my +name.’ + +The second day she began with all the comical names she could hear of, +BANDY-LEGS, HUNCHBACK, CROOK-SHANKS, and so on; but the little gentleman +still said to every one of them, ‘Madam, that is not my name.’ + +The third day one of the messengers came back, and said, ‘I have +travelled two days without hearing of any other names; but yesterday, as +I was climbing a high hill, among the trees of the forest where the fox +and the hare bid each other good night, I saw a little hut; and before +the hut burnt a fire; and round about the fire a funny little dwarf was +dancing upon one leg, and singing: + + “Merrily the feast I’ll make. + Today I’ll brew, tomorrow bake; + Merrily I’ll dance and sing, + For next day will a stranger bring. + Little does my lady dream + Rumpelstiltskin is my name!” + +When the queen heard this she jumped for joy, and as soon as her little +friend came she sat down upon her throne, and called all her court round +to enjoy the fun; and the nurse stood by her side with the baby in her +arms, as if it was quite ready to be given up. Then the little man began +to chuckle at the thought of having the poor child, to take home with +him to his hut in the woods; and he cried out, ‘Now, lady, what is my +name?’ ‘Is it JOHN?’ asked she. ‘No, madam!’ ‘Is it TOM?’ ‘No, madam!’ +‘Is it JEMMY?’ ‘It is not.’ ‘Can your name be RUMPELSTILTSKIN?’ said the +lady slyly. ‘Some witch told you that!--some witch told you that!’ cried +the little man, and dashed his right foot in a rage so deep into the +floor, that he was forced to lay hold of it with both hands to pull it +out. + +Then he made the best of his way off, while the nurse laughed and the +baby crowed; and all the court jeered at him for having had so much +trouble for nothing, and said, ‘We wish you a very good morning, and a +merry feast, Mr RUMPLESTILTSKIN!’ + + + + +CLEVER GRETEL + + +There was once a cook named Gretel, who wore shoes with red heels, and +when she walked out with them on, she turned herself this way and that, +was quite happy and thought: ‘You certainly are a pretty girl!’ And when +she came home she drank, in her gladness of heart, a draught of wine, +and as wine excites a desire to eat, she tasted the best of whatever she +was cooking until she was satisfied, and said: ‘The cook must know what +the food is like.’ + +It came to pass that the master one day said to her: ‘Gretel, there is a +guest coming this evening; prepare me two fowls very daintily.’ ‘I will +see to it, master,’ answered Gretel. She killed two fowls, scalded them, +plucked them, put them on the spit, and towards evening set them before +the fire, that they might roast. The fowls began to turn brown, and were +nearly ready, but the guest had not yet arrived. Then Gretel called out +to her master: ‘If the guest does not come, I must take the fowls away +from the fire, but it will be a sin and a shame if they are not eaten +the moment they are at their juiciest.’ The master said: ‘I will run +myself, and fetch the guest.’ When the master had turned his back, +Gretel laid the spit with the fowls on one side, and thought: ‘Standing +so long by the fire there, makes one sweat and thirsty; who knows +when they will come? Meanwhile, I will run into the cellar, and take a +drink.’ She ran down, set a jug, said: ‘God bless it for you, Gretel,’ +and took a good drink, and thought that wine should flow on, and should +not be interrupted, and took yet another hearty draught. + +Then she went and put the fowls down again to the fire, basted them, +and drove the spit merrily round. But as the roast meat smelt so good, +Gretel thought: ‘Something might be wrong, it ought to be tasted!’ +She touched it with her finger, and said: ‘Ah! how good fowls are! It +certainly is a sin and a shame that they are not eaten at the right +time!’ She ran to the window, to see if the master was not coming with +his guest, but she saw no one, and went back to the fowls and thought: +‘One of the wings is burning! I had better take it off and eat it.’ +So she cut it off, ate it, and enjoyed it, and when she had done, she +thought: ‘The other must go down too, or else master will observe that +something is missing.’ When the two wings were eaten, she went and +looked for her master, and did not see him. It suddenly occurred to +her: ‘Who knows? They are perhaps not coming at all, and have turned in +somewhere.’ Then she said: ‘Well, Gretel, enjoy yourself, one fowl has +been cut into, take another drink, and eat it up entirely; when it is +eaten you will have some peace, why should God’s good gifts be spoilt?’ +So she ran into the cellar again, took an enormous drink and ate up the +one chicken in great glee. When one of the chickens was swallowed down, +and still her master did not come, Gretel looked at the other and said: +‘What one is, the other should be likewise, the two go together; what’s +right for the one is right for the other; I think if I were to take +another draught it would do me no harm.’ So she took another hearty +drink, and let the second chicken follow the first. + +While she was making the most of it, her master came and cried: ‘Hurry +up, Gretel, the guest is coming directly after me!’ ‘Yes, sir, I will +soon serve up,’ answered Gretel. Meantime the master looked to see that +the table was properly laid, and took the great knife, wherewith he was +going to carve the chickens, and sharpened it on the steps. Presently +the guest came, and knocked politely and courteously at the house-door. +Gretel ran, and looked to see who was there, and when she saw the guest, +she put her finger to her lips and said: ‘Hush! hush! go away as quickly +as you can, if my master catches you it will be the worse for you; he +certainly did ask you to supper, but his intention is to cut off your +two ears. Just listen how he is sharpening the knife for it!’ The guest +heard the sharpening, and hurried down the steps again as fast as he +could. Gretel was not idle; she ran screaming to her master, and cried: +‘You have invited a fine guest!’ ‘Why, Gretel? What do you mean by +that?’ ‘Yes,’ said she, ‘he has taken the chickens which I was just +going to serve up, off the dish, and has run away with them!’ ‘That’s a +nice trick!’ said her master, and lamented the fine chickens. ‘If he had +but left me one, so that something remained for me to eat.’ He called to +him to stop, but the guest pretended not to hear. Then he ran after him +with the knife still in his hand, crying: ‘Just one, just one,’ meaning +that the guest should leave him just one chicken, and not take both. The +guest, however, thought no otherwise than that he was to give up one of +his ears, and ran as if fire were burning under him, in order to take +them both with him. + + + + +THE OLD MAN AND HIS GRANDSON + + +There was once a very old man, whose eyes had become dim, his ears dull +of hearing, his knees trembled, and when he sat at table he could hardly +hold the spoon, and spilt the broth upon the table-cloth or let it run +out of his mouth. His son and his son’s wife were disgusted at this, so +the old grandfather at last had to sit in the corner behind the stove, +and they gave him his food in an earthenware bowl, and not even enough +of it. And he used to look towards the table with his eyes full of +tears. Once, too, his trembling hands could not hold the bowl, and it +fell to the ground and broke. The young wife scolded him, but he said +nothing and only sighed. Then they brought him a wooden bowl for a few +half-pence, out of which he had to eat. + +They were once sitting thus when the little grandson of four years old +began to gather together some bits of wood upon the ground. ‘What are +you doing there?’ asked the father. ‘I am making a little trough,’ +answered the child, ‘for father and mother to eat out of when I am big.’ + +The man and his wife looked at each other for a while, and presently +began to cry. Then they took the old grandfather to the table, and +henceforth always let him eat with them, and likewise said nothing if he +did spill a little of anything. + + + + +THE LITTLE PEASANT + + +There was a certain village wherein no one lived but really rich +peasants, and just one poor one, whom they called the little peasant. He +had not even so much as a cow, and still less money to buy one, and +yet he and his wife did so wish to have one. One day he said to her: +‘Listen, I have a good idea, there is our gossip the carpenter, he shall +make us a wooden calf, and paint it brown, so that it looks like any +other, and in time it will certainly get big and be a cow.’ the woman +also liked the idea, and their gossip the carpenter cut and planed +the calf, and painted it as it ought to be, and made it with its head +hanging down as if it were eating. + +Next morning when the cows were being driven out, the little peasant +called the cow-herd in and said: ‘Look, I have a little calf there, +but it is still small and has to be carried.’ The cow-herd said: ‘All +right,’ and took it in his arms and carried it to the pasture, and set +it among the grass. The little calf always remained standing like one +which was eating, and the cow-herd said: ‘It will soon run by itself, +just look how it eats already!’ At night when he was going to drive the +herd home again, he said to the calf: ‘If you can stand there and eat +your fill, you can also go on your four legs; I don’t care to drag you +home again in my arms.’ But the little peasant stood at his door, and +waited for his little calf, and when the cow-herd drove the cows through +the village, and the calf was missing, he inquired where it was. The +cow-herd answered: ‘It is still standing out there eating. It would not +stop and come with us.’ But the little peasant said: ‘Oh, but I must +have my beast back again.’ Then they went back to the meadow together, +but someone had stolen the calf, and it was gone. The cow-herd said: ‘It +must have run away.’ The peasant, however, said: ‘Don’t tell me +that,’ and led the cow-herd before the mayor, who for his carelessness +condemned him to give the peasant a cow for the calf which had run away. + +And now the little peasant and his wife had the cow for which they had +so long wished, and they were heartily glad, but they had no food for +it, and could give it nothing to eat, so it soon had to be killed. They +salted the flesh, and the peasant went into the town and wanted to sell +the skin there, so that he might buy a new calf with the proceeds. On +the way he passed by a mill, and there sat a raven with broken wings, +and out of pity he took him and wrapped him in the skin. But as the +weather grew so bad and there was a storm of rain and wind, he could +go no farther, and turned back to the mill and begged for shelter. The +miller’s wife was alone in the house, and said to the peasant: ‘Lay +yourself on the straw there,’ and gave him a slice of bread and cheese. +The peasant ate it, and lay down with his skin beside him, and the woman +thought: ‘He is tired and has gone to sleep.’ In the meantime came the +parson; the miller’s wife received him well, and said: ‘My husband is +out, so we will have a feast.’ The peasant listened, and when he heard +them talk about feasting he was vexed that he had been forced to make +shift with a slice of bread and cheese. Then the woman served up four +different things, roast meat, salad, cakes, and wine. + +Just as they were about to sit down and eat, there was a knocking +outside. The woman said: ‘Oh, heavens! It is my husband!’ she quickly +hid the roast meat inside the tiled stove, the wine under the pillow, +the salad on the bed, the cakes under it, and the parson in the closet +on the porch. Then she opened the door for her husband, and said: ‘Thank +heaven, you are back again! There is such a storm, it looks as if the +world were coming to an end.’ The miller saw the peasant lying on the +straw, and asked, ‘What is that fellow doing there?’ ‘Ah,’ said the +wife, ‘the poor knave came in the storm and rain, and begged for +shelter, so I gave him a bit of bread and cheese, and showed him where +the straw was.’ The man said: ‘I have no objection, but be quick and get +me something to eat.’ The woman said: ‘But I have nothing but bread and +cheese.’ ‘I am contented with anything,’ replied the husband, ‘so far as +I am concerned, bread and cheese will do,’ and looked at the peasant and +said: ‘Come and eat some more with me.’ The peasant did not require to +be invited twice, but got up and ate. After this the miller saw the skin +in which the raven was, lying on the ground, and asked: ‘What have you +there?’ The peasant answered: ‘I have a soothsayer inside it.’ ‘Can +he foretell anything to me?’ said the miller. ‘Why not?’ answered +the peasant: ‘but he only says four things, and the fifth he keeps to +himself.’ The miller was curious, and said: ‘Let him foretell something +for once.’ Then the peasant pinched the raven’s head, so that he croaked +and made a noise like krr, krr. The miller said: ‘What did he say?’ The +peasant answered: ‘In the first place, he says that there is some wine +hidden under the pillow.’ ‘Bless me!’ cried the miller, and went there +and found the wine. ‘Now go on,’ said he. The peasant made the raven +croak again, and said: ‘In the second place, he says that there is some +roast meat in the tiled stove.’ ‘Upon my word!’ cried the miller, and +went thither, and found the roast meat. The peasant made the raven +prophesy still more, and said: ‘Thirdly, he says that there is some +salad on the bed.’ ‘That would be a fine thing!’ cried the miller, and +went there and found the salad. At last the peasant pinched the raven +once more till he croaked, and said: ‘Fourthly, he says that there +are some cakes under the bed.’ ‘That would be a fine thing!’ cried the +miller, and looked there, and found the cakes. + +And now the two sat down to the table together, but the miller’s wife +was frightened to death, and went to bed and took all the keys with +her. The miller would have liked much to know the fifth, but the little +peasant said: ‘First, we will quickly eat the four things, for the fifth +is something bad.’ So they ate, and after that they bargained how much +the miller was to give for the fifth prophecy, until they agreed on +three hundred talers. Then the peasant once more pinched the raven’s +head till he croaked loudly. The miller asked: ‘What did he say?’ The +peasant replied: ‘He says that the Devil is hiding outside there in +the closet on the porch.’ The miller said: ‘The Devil must go out,’ and +opened the house-door; then the woman was forced to give up the keys, +and the peasant unlocked the closet. The parson ran out as fast as he +could, and the miller said: ‘It was true; I saw the black rascal with my +own eyes.’ The peasant, however, made off next morning by daybreak with +the three hundred talers. + +At home the small peasant gradually launched out; he built a beautiful +house, and the peasants said: ‘The small peasant has certainly been to +the place where golden snow falls, and people carry the gold home in +shovels.’ Then the small peasant was brought before the mayor, and +bidden to say from whence his wealth came. He answered: ‘I sold my cow’s +skin in the town, for three hundred talers.’ When the peasants heard +that, they too wished to enjoy this great profit, and ran home, killed +all their cows, and stripped off their skins in order to sell them in +the town to the greatest advantage. The mayor, however, said: ‘But my +servant must go first.’ When she came to the merchant in the town, he +did not give her more than two talers for a skin, and when the others +came, he did not give them so much, and said: ‘What can I do with all +these skins?’ + +Then the peasants were vexed that the small peasant should have thus +outwitted them, wanted to take vengeance on him, and accused him of this +treachery before the mayor. The innocent little peasant was unanimously +sentenced to death, and was to be rolled into the water, in a barrel +pierced full of holes. He was led forth, and a priest was brought who +was to say a mass for his soul. The others were all obliged to retire to +a distance, and when the peasant looked at the priest, he recognized the +man who had been with the miller’s wife. He said to him: ‘I set you free +from the closet, set me free from the barrel.’ At this same moment up +came, with a flock of sheep, the very shepherd whom the peasant knew had +long been wishing to be mayor, so he cried with all his might: ‘No, I +will not do it; if the whole world insists on it, I will not do it!’ The +shepherd hearing that, came up to him, and asked: ‘What are you about? +What is it that you will not do?’ The peasant said: ‘They want to make +me mayor, if I will but put myself in the barrel, but I will not do it.’ +The shepherd said: ‘If nothing more than that is needful in order to be +mayor, I would get into the barrel at once.’ The peasant said: ‘If you +will get in, you will be mayor.’ The shepherd was willing, and got in, +and the peasant shut the top down on him; then he took the shepherd’s +flock for himself, and drove it away. The parson went to the crowd, +and declared that the mass had been said. Then they came and rolled the +barrel towards the water. When the barrel began to roll, the shepherd +cried: ‘I am quite willing to be mayor.’ They believed no otherwise than +that it was the peasant who was saying this, and answered: ‘That is +what we intend, but first you shall look about you a little down below +there,’ and they rolled the barrel down into the water. + +After that the peasants went home, and as they were entering the +village, the small peasant also came quietly in, driving a flock of +sheep and looking quite contented. Then the peasants were astonished, +and said: ‘Peasant, from whence do you come? Have you come out of the +water?’ ‘Yes, truly,’ replied the peasant, ‘I sank deep, deep down, +until at last I got to the bottom; I pushed the bottom out of the +barrel, and crept out, and there were pretty meadows on which a number +of lambs were feeding, and from thence I brought this flock away with +me.’ Said the peasants: ‘Are there any more there?’ ‘Oh, yes,’ said he, +‘more than I could want.’ Then the peasants made up their minds that +they too would fetch some sheep for themselves, a flock apiece, but the +mayor said: ‘I come first.’ So they went to the water together, and just +then there were some of the small fleecy clouds in the blue sky, which +are called little lambs, and they were reflected in the water, whereupon +the peasants cried: ‘We already see the sheep down below!’ The mayor +pressed forward and said: ‘I will go down first, and look about me, and +if things promise well I’ll call you.’ So he jumped in; splash! went +the water; it sounded as if he were calling them, and the whole crowd +plunged in after him as one man. Then the entire village was dead, and +the small peasant, as sole heir, became a rich man. + + + + +FREDERICK AND CATHERINE + + +There was once a man called Frederick: he had a wife whose name was +Catherine, and they had not long been married. One day Frederick said. +‘Kate! I am going to work in the fields; when I come back I shall be +hungry so let me have something nice cooked, and a good draught of ale.’ +‘Very well,’ said she, ‘it shall all be ready.’ When dinner-time drew +nigh, Catherine took a nice steak, which was all the meat she had, and +put it on the fire to fry. The steak soon began to look brown, and to +crackle in the pan; and Catherine stood by with a fork and turned it: +then she said to herself, ‘The steak is almost ready, I may as well go +to the cellar for the ale.’ So she left the pan on the fire and took a +large jug and went into the cellar and tapped the ale cask. The beer ran +into the jug and Catherine stood looking on. At last it popped into her +head, ‘The dog is not shut up--he may be running away with the steak; +that’s well thought of.’ So up she ran from the cellar; and sure enough +the rascally cur had got the steak in his mouth, and was making off with +it. + +Away ran Catherine, and away ran the dog across the field: but he ran +faster than she, and stuck close to the steak. ‘It’s all gone, and “what +can’t be cured must be endured”,’ said Catherine. So she turned round; +and as she had run a good way and was tired, she walked home leisurely +to cool herself. + +Now all this time the ale was running too, for Catherine had not turned +the cock; and when the jug was full the liquor ran upon the floor till +the cask was empty. When she got to the cellar stairs she saw what had +happened. ‘My stars!’ said she, ‘what shall I do to keep Frederick from +seeing all this slopping about?’ So she thought a while; and at last +remembered that there was a sack of fine meal bought at the last fair, +and that if she sprinkled this over the floor it would suck up the ale +nicely. ‘What a lucky thing,’ said she, ‘that we kept that meal! we have +now a good use for it.’ So away she went for it: but she managed to set +it down just upon the great jug full of beer, and upset it; and thus +all the ale that had been saved was set swimming on the floor also. ‘Ah! +well,’ said she, ‘when one goes another may as well follow.’ Then she +strewed the meal all about the cellar, and was quite pleased with her +cleverness, and said, ‘How very neat and clean it looks!’ + +At noon Frederick came home. ‘Now, wife,’ cried he, ‘what have you for +dinner?’ ‘O Frederick!’ answered she, ‘I was cooking you a steak; but +while I went down to draw the ale, the dog ran away with it; and while +I ran after him, the ale ran out; and when I went to dry up the ale +with the sack of meal that we got at the fair, I upset the jug: but the +cellar is now quite dry, and looks so clean!’ ‘Kate, Kate,’ said he, +‘how could you do all this?’ Why did you leave the steak to fry, and the +ale to run, and then spoil all the meal?’ ‘Why, Frederick,’ said she, ‘I +did not know I was doing wrong; you should have told me before.’ + +The husband thought to himself, ‘If my wife manages matters thus, I must +look sharp myself.’ Now he had a good deal of gold in the house: so he +said to Catherine, ‘What pretty yellow buttons these are! I shall put +them into a box and bury them in the garden; but take care that you +never go near or meddle with them.’ ‘No, Frederick,’ said she, ‘that +I never will.’ As soon as he was gone, there came by some pedlars with +earthenware plates and dishes, and they asked her whether she would buy. +‘Oh dear me, I should like to buy very much, but I have no money: if +you had any use for yellow buttons, I might deal with you.’ ‘Yellow +buttons!’ said they: ‘let us have a look at them.’ ‘Go into the garden +and dig where I tell you, and you will find the yellow buttons: I dare +not go myself.’ So the rogues went: and when they found what these +yellow buttons were, they took them all away, and left her plenty of +plates and dishes. Then she set them all about the house for a show: +and when Frederick came back, he cried out, ‘Kate, what have you been +doing?’ ‘See,’ said she, ‘I have bought all these with your yellow +buttons: but I did not touch them myself; the pedlars went themselves +and dug them up.’ ‘Wife, wife,’ said Frederick, ‘what a pretty piece of +work you have made! those yellow buttons were all my money: how came you +to do such a thing?’ ‘Why,’ answered she, ‘I did not know there was any +harm in it; you should have told me.’ + +Catherine stood musing for a while, and at last said to her husband, +‘Hark ye, Frederick, we will soon get the gold back: let us run after +the thieves.’ ‘Well, we will try,’ answered he; ‘but take some butter +and cheese with you, that we may have something to eat by the way.’ +‘Very well,’ said she; and they set out: and as Frederick walked the +fastest, he left his wife some way behind. ‘It does not matter,’ thought +she: ‘when we turn back, I shall be so much nearer home than he.’ + +Presently she came to the top of a hill, down the side of which there +was a road so narrow that the cart wheels always chafed the trees +on each side as they passed. ‘Ah, see now,’ said she, ‘how they have +bruised and wounded those poor trees; they will never get well.’ So she +took pity on them, and made use of the butter to grease them all, so +that the wheels might not hurt them so much. While she was doing this +kind office one of her cheeses fell out of the basket, and rolled down +the hill. Catherine looked, but could not see where it had gone; so she +said, ‘Well, I suppose the other will go the same way and find you; he +has younger legs than I have.’ Then she rolled the other cheese after +it; and away it went, nobody knows where, down the hill. But she said +she supposed that they knew the road, and would follow her, and she +could not stay there all day waiting for them. + +At last she overtook Frederick, who desired her to give him something to +eat. Then she gave him the dry bread. ‘Where are the butter and cheese?’ +said he. ‘Oh!’ answered she, ‘I used the butter to grease those poor +trees that the wheels chafed so: and one of the cheeses ran away so I +sent the other after it to find it, and I suppose they are both on +the road together somewhere.’ ‘What a goose you are to do such silly +things!’ said the husband. ‘How can you say so?’ said she; ‘I am sure +you never told me not.’ + +They ate the dry bread together; and Frederick said, ‘Kate, I hope you +locked the door safe when you came away.’ ‘No,’ answered she, ‘you did +not tell me.’ ‘Then go home, and do it now before we go any farther,’ +said Frederick, ‘and bring with you something to eat.’ + +Catherine did as he told her, and thought to herself by the way, +‘Frederick wants something to eat; but I don’t think he is very fond of +butter and cheese: I’ll bring him a bag of fine nuts, and the vinegar, +for I have often seen him take some.’ + +When she reached home, she bolted the back door, but the front door she +took off the hinges, and said, ‘Frederick told me to lock the door, but +surely it can nowhere be so safe if I take it with me.’ So she took +her time by the way; and when she overtook her husband she cried +out, ‘There, Frederick, there is the door itself, you may watch it as +carefully as you please.’ ‘Alas! alas!’ said he, ‘what a clever wife I +have! I sent you to make the house fast, and you take the door away, so +that everybody may go in and out as they please--however, as you have +brought the door, you shall carry it about with you for your pains.’ +‘Very well,’ answered she, ‘I’ll carry the door; but I’ll not carry the +nuts and vinegar bottle also--that would be too much of a load; so if +you please, I’ll fasten them to the door.’ + +Frederick of course made no objection to that plan, and they set off +into the wood to look for the thieves; but they could not find them: and +when it grew dark, they climbed up into a tree to spend the night there. +Scarcely were they up, than who should come by but the very rogues they +were looking for. They were in truth great rascals, and belonged to that +class of people who find things before they are lost; they were tired; +so they sat down and made a fire under the very tree where Frederick and +Catherine were. Frederick slipped down on the other side, and picked up +some stones. Then he climbed up again, and tried to hit the thieves on +the head with them: but they only said, ‘It must be near morning, for +the wind shakes the fir-apples down.’ + +Catherine, who had the door on her shoulder, began to be very tired; +but she thought it was the nuts upon it that were so heavy: so she said +softly, ‘Frederick, I must let the nuts go.’ ‘No,’ answered he, ‘not +now, they will discover us.’ ‘I can’t help that: they must go.’ ‘Well, +then, make haste and throw them down, if you will.’ Then away rattled +the nuts down among the boughs and one of the thieves cried, ‘Bless me, +it is hailing.’ + +A little while after, Catherine thought the door was still very heavy: +so she whispered to Frederick, ‘I must throw the vinegar down.’ ‘Pray +don’t,’ answered he, ‘it will discover us.’ ‘I can’t help that,’ said +she, ‘go it must.’ So she poured all the vinegar down; and the thieves +said, ‘What a heavy dew there is!’ + +At last it popped into Catherine’s head that it was the door itself that +was so heavy all the time: so she whispered, ‘Frederick, I must throw +the door down soon.’ But he begged and prayed her not to do so, for he +was sure it would betray them. ‘Here goes, however,’ said she: and down +went the door with such a clatter upon the thieves, that they cried +out ‘Murder!’ and not knowing what was coming, ran away as fast as they +could, and left all the gold. So when Frederick and Catherine came down, +there they found all their money safe and sound. + + + + +SWEETHEART ROLAND + + +There was once upon a time a woman who was a real witch and had two +daughters, one ugly and wicked, and this one she loved because she was +her own daughter, and one beautiful and good, and this one she hated, +because she was her stepdaughter. The stepdaughter once had a pretty +apron, which the other fancied so much that she became envious, and +told her mother that she must and would have that apron. ‘Be quiet, my +child,’ said the old woman, ‘and you shall have it. Your stepsister has +long deserved death; tonight when she is asleep I will come and cut her +head off. Only be careful that you are at the far side of the bed, and +push her well to the front.’ It would have been all over with the poor +girl if she had not just then been standing in a corner, and heard +everything. All day long she dared not go out of doors, and when bedtime +had come, the witch’s daughter got into bed first, so as to lie at the +far side, but when she was asleep, the other pushed her gently to the +front, and took for herself the place at the back, close by the wall. In +the night, the old woman came creeping in, she held an axe in her right +hand, and felt with her left to see if anyone were lying at the outside, +and then she grasped the axe with both hands, and cut her own child’s +head off. + +When she had gone away, the girl got up and went to her sweetheart, who +was called Roland, and knocked at his door. When he came out, she said +to him: ‘Listen, dearest Roland, we must fly in all haste; my stepmother +wanted to kill me, but has struck her own child. When daylight comes, +and she sees what she has done, we shall be lost.’ ‘But,’ said Roland, +‘I counsel you first to take away her magic wand, or we cannot escape +if she pursues us.’ The maiden fetched the magic wand, and she took the +dead girl’s head and dropped three drops of blood on the ground, one in +front of the bed, one in the kitchen, and one on the stairs. Then she +hurried away with her lover. + +When the old witch got up next morning, she called her daughter, and +wanted to give her the apron, but she did not come. Then the witch +cried: ‘Where are you?’ ‘Here, on the stairs, I am sweeping,’ answered +the first drop of blood. The old woman went out, but saw no one on the +stairs, and cried again: ‘Where are you?’ ‘Here in the kitchen, I am +warming myself,’ cried the second drop of blood. She went into the +kitchen, but found no one. Then she cried again: ‘Where are you?’ ‘Ah, +here in the bed, I am sleeping,’ cried the third drop of blood. She went +into the room to the bed. What did she see there? Her own child, +whose head she had cut off, bathed in her blood. The witch fell into +a passion, sprang to the window, and as she could look forth quite far +into the world, she perceived her stepdaughter hurrying away with her +sweetheart Roland. ‘That shall not help you,’ cried she, ‘even if you +have got a long way off, you shall still not escape me.’ She put on her +many-league boots, in which she covered an hour’s walk at every step, +and it was not long before she overtook them. The girl, however, when +she saw the old woman striding towards her, changed, with her magic +wand, her sweetheart Roland into a lake, and herself into a duck +swimming in the middle of it. The witch placed herself on the shore, +threw breadcrumbs in, and went to endless trouble to entice the duck; +but the duck did not let herself be enticed, and the old woman had to +go home at night as she had come. At this the girl and her sweetheart +Roland resumed their natural shapes again, and they walked on the whole +night until daybreak. Then the maiden changed herself into a beautiful +flower which stood in the midst of a briar hedge, and her sweetheart +Roland into a fiddler. It was not long before the witch came striding up +towards them, and said to the musician: ‘Dear musician, may I pluck that +beautiful flower for myself?’ ‘Oh, yes,’ he replied, ‘I will play to +you while you do it.’ As she was hastily creeping into the hedge and was +just going to pluck the flower, knowing perfectly well who the flower +was, he began to play, and whether she would or not, she was forced +to dance, for it was a magical dance. The faster he played, the more +violent springs was she forced to make, and the thorns tore her clothes +from her body, and pricked her and wounded her till she bled, and as he +did not stop, she had to dance till she lay dead on the ground. + +As they were now set free, Roland said: ‘Now I will go to my father and +arrange for the wedding.’ ‘Then in the meantime I will stay here and +wait for you,’ said the girl, ‘and that no one may recognize me, I will +change myself into a red stone landmark.’ Then Roland went away, and the +girl stood like a red landmark in the field and waited for her beloved. +But when Roland got home, he fell into the snares of another, who so +fascinated him that he forgot the maiden. The poor girl remained there a +long time, but at length, as he did not return at all, she was sad, and +changed herself into a flower, and thought: ‘Someone will surely come +this way, and trample me down.’ + +It befell, however, that a shepherd kept his sheep in the field and saw +the flower, and as it was so pretty, plucked it, took it with him, and +laid it away in his chest. From that time forth, strange things happened +in the shepherd’s house. When he arose in the morning, all the work was +already done, the room was swept, the table and benches cleaned, the +fire in the hearth was lighted, and the water was fetched, and at noon, +when he came home, the table was laid, and a good dinner served. He +could not conceive how this came to pass, for he never saw a human being +in his house, and no one could have concealed himself in it. He was +certainly pleased with this good attendance, but still at last he was so +afraid that he went to a wise woman and asked for her advice. The wise +woman said: ‘There is some enchantment behind it, listen very early some +morning if anything is moving in the room, and if you see anything, no +matter what it is, throw a white cloth over it, and then the magic will +be stopped.’ + +The shepherd did as she bade him, and next morning just as day dawned, +he saw the chest open, and the flower come out. Swiftly he +sprang towards it, and threw a white cloth over it. Instantly the +transformation came to an end, and a beautiful girl stood before him, +who admitted to him that she had been the flower, and that up to this +time she had attended to his house-keeping. She told him her story, +and as she pleased him he asked her if she would marry him, but she +answered: ‘No,’ for she wanted to remain faithful to her sweetheart +Roland, although he had deserted her. Nevertheless, she promised not to +go away, but to continue keeping house for the shepherd. + +And now the time drew near when Roland’s wedding was to be celebrated, +and then, according to an old custom in the country, it was announced +that all the girls were to be present at it, and sing in honour of the +bridal pair. When the faithful maiden heard of this, she grew so sad +that she thought her heart would break, and she would not go thither, +but the other girls came and took her. When it came to her turn to sing, +she stepped back, until at last she was the only one left, and then she +could not refuse. But when she began her song, and it reached Roland’s +ears, he sprang up and cried: ‘I know the voice, that is the true +bride, I will have no other!’ Everything he had forgotten, and which had +vanished from his mind, had suddenly come home again to his heart. Then +the faithful maiden held her wedding with her sweetheart Roland, and +grief came to an end and joy began. + + + + +SNOWDROP + + +It was the middle of winter, when the broad flakes of snow were falling +around, that the queen of a country many thousand miles off sat working +at her window. The frame of the window was made of fine black ebony, and +as she sat looking out upon the snow, she pricked her finger, and three +drops of blood fell upon it. Then she gazed thoughtfully upon the red +drops that sprinkled the white snow, and said, ‘Would that my little +daughter may be as white as that snow, as red as that blood, and as +black as this ebony windowframe!’ And so the little girl really did grow +up; her skin was as white as snow, her cheeks as rosy as the blood, and +her hair as black as ebony; and she was called Snowdrop. + +But this queen died; and the king soon married another wife, who became +queen, and was very beautiful, but so vain that she could not bear +to think that anyone could be handsomer than she was. She had a fairy +looking-glass, to which she used to go, and then she would gaze upon +herself in it, and say: + + ‘Tell me, glass, tell me true! + Of all the ladies in the land, + Who is fairest, tell me, who?’ + +And the glass had always answered: + + ‘Thou, queen, art the fairest in all the land.’ + +But Snowdrop grew more and more beautiful; and when she was seven years +old she was as bright as the day, and fairer than the queen herself. +Then the glass one day answered the queen, when she went to look in it +as usual: + + ‘Thou, queen, art fair, and beauteous to see, + But Snowdrop is lovelier far than thee!’ + +When she heard this she turned pale with rage and envy, and called to +one of her servants, and said, ‘Take Snowdrop away into the wide wood, +that I may never see her any more.’ Then the servant led her away; but +his heart melted when Snowdrop begged him to spare her life, and he +said, ‘I will not hurt you, thou pretty child.’ So he left her by +herself; and though he thought it most likely that the wild beasts would +tear her in pieces, he felt as if a great weight were taken off his +heart when he had made up his mind not to kill her but to leave her to +her fate, with the chance of someone finding and saving her. + +Then poor Snowdrop wandered along through the wood in great fear; and +the wild beasts roared about her, but none did her any harm. In the +evening she came to a cottage among the hills, and went in to rest, for +her little feet would carry her no further. Everything was spruce and +neat in the cottage: on the table was spread a white cloth, and there +were seven little plates, seven little loaves, and seven little glasses +with wine in them; and seven knives and forks laid in order; and by +the wall stood seven little beds. As she was very hungry, she picked +a little piece of each loaf and drank a very little wine out of each +glass; and after that she thought she would lie down and rest. So she +tried all the little beds; but one was too long, and another was too +short, till at last the seventh suited her: and there she laid herself +down and went to sleep. + +By and by in came the masters of the cottage. Now they were seven little +dwarfs, that lived among the mountains, and dug and searched for gold. +They lighted up their seven lamps, and saw at once that all was not +right. The first said, ‘Who has been sitting on my stool?’ The second, +‘Who has been eating off my plate?’ The third, ‘Who has been picking my +bread?’ The fourth, ‘Who has been meddling with my spoon?’ The fifth, +‘Who has been handling my fork?’ The sixth, ‘Who has been cutting with +my knife?’ The seventh, ‘Who has been drinking my wine?’ Then the first +looked round and said, ‘Who has been lying on my bed?’ And the rest came +running to him, and everyone cried out that somebody had been upon his +bed. But the seventh saw Snowdrop, and called all his brethren to come +and see her; and they cried out with wonder and astonishment and brought +their lamps to look at her, and said, ‘Good heavens! what a lovely child +she is!’ And they were very glad to see her, and took care not to wake +her; and the seventh dwarf slept an hour with each of the other dwarfs +in turn, till the night was gone. + +In the morning Snowdrop told them all her story; and they pitied her, +and said if she would keep all things in order, and cook and wash and +knit and spin for them, she might stay where she was, and they would +take good care of her. Then they went out all day long to their work, +seeking for gold and silver in the mountains: but Snowdrop was left at +home; and they warned her, and said, ‘The queen will soon find out where +you are, so take care and let no one in.’ + +But the queen, now that she thought Snowdrop was dead, believed that she +must be the handsomest lady in the land; and she went to her glass and +said: + + ‘Tell me, glass, tell me true! + Of all the ladies in the land, + Who is fairest, tell me, who?’ + +And the glass answered: + + ‘Thou, queen, art the fairest in all this land: + But over the hills, in the greenwood shade, + Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made, + There Snowdrop is hiding her head; and she + Is lovelier far, O queen! than thee.’ + +Then the queen was very much frightened; for she knew that the glass +always spoke the truth, and was sure that the servant had betrayed her. +And she could not bear to think that anyone lived who was more beautiful +than she was; so she dressed herself up as an old pedlar, and went +her way over the hills, to the place where the dwarfs dwelt. Then she +knocked at the door, and cried, ‘Fine wares to sell!’ Snowdrop looked +out at the window, and said, ‘Good day, good woman! what have you to +sell?’ ‘Good wares, fine wares,’ said she; ‘laces and bobbins of all +colours.’ ‘I will let the old lady in; she seems to be a very good +sort of body,’ thought Snowdrop, as she ran down and unbolted the door. +‘Bless me!’ said the old woman, ‘how badly your stays are laced! Let me +lace them up with one of my nice new laces.’ Snowdrop did not dream of +any mischief; so she stood before the old woman; but she set to work +so nimbly, and pulled the lace so tight, that Snowdrop’s breath was +stopped, and she fell down as if she were dead. ‘There’s an end to all +thy beauty,’ said the spiteful queen, and went away home. + +In the evening the seven dwarfs came home; and I need not say how +grieved they were to see their faithful Snowdrop stretched out upon the +ground, as if she was quite dead. However, they lifted her up, and when +they found what ailed her, they cut the lace; and in a little time she +began to breathe, and very soon came to life again. Then they said, ‘The +old woman was the queen herself; take care another time, and let no one +in when we are away.’ + +When the queen got home, she went straight to her glass, and spoke to it +as before; but to her great grief it still said: + + ‘Thou, queen, art the fairest in all this land: + But over the hills, in the greenwood shade, + Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made, + There Snowdrop is hiding her head; and she + Is lovelier far, O queen! than thee.’ + +Then the blood ran cold in her heart with spite and malice, to see that +Snowdrop still lived; and she dressed herself up again, but in quite +another dress from the one she wore before, and took with her a poisoned +comb. When she reached the dwarfs’ cottage, she knocked at the door, and +cried, ‘Fine wares to sell!’ But Snowdrop said, ‘I dare not let anyone +in.’ Then the queen said, ‘Only look at my beautiful combs!’ and gave +her the poisoned one. And it looked so pretty, that she took it up and +put it into her hair to try it; but the moment it touched her head, +the poison was so powerful that she fell down senseless. ‘There you may +lie,’ said the queen, and went her way. But by good luck the dwarfs +came in very early that evening; and when they saw Snowdrop lying on +the ground, they thought what had happened, and soon found the poisoned +comb. And when they took it away she got well, and told them all that +had passed; and they warned her once more not to open the door to +anyone. + +Meantime the queen went home to her glass, and shook with rage when she +read the very same answer as before; and she said, ‘Snowdrop shall die, +if it cost me my life.’ So she went by herself into her chamber, and got +ready a poisoned apple: the outside looked very rosy and tempting, but +whoever tasted it was sure to die. Then she dressed herself up as a +peasant’s wife, and travelled over the hills to the dwarfs’ cottage, +and knocked at the door; but Snowdrop put her head out of the window and +said, ‘I dare not let anyone in, for the dwarfs have told me not.’ ‘Do +as you please,’ said the old woman, ‘but at any rate take this pretty +apple; I will give it you.’ ‘No,’ said Snowdrop, ‘I dare not take it.’ +‘You silly girl!’ answered the other, ‘what are you afraid of? Do you +think it is poisoned? Come! do you eat one part, and I will eat the +other.’ Now the apple was so made up that one side was good, though the +other side was poisoned. Then Snowdrop was much tempted to taste, for +the apple looked so very nice; and when she saw the old woman eat, she +could wait no longer. But she had scarcely put the piece into her mouth, +when she fell down dead upon the ground. ‘This time nothing will save +thee,’ said the queen; and she went home to her glass, and at last it +said: + + ‘Thou, queen, art the fairest of all the fair.’ + +And then her wicked heart was glad, and as happy as such a heart could +be. + +When evening came, and the dwarfs had gone home, they found Snowdrop +lying on the ground: no breath came from her lips, and they were afraid +that she was quite dead. They lifted her up, and combed her hair, and +washed her face with wine and water; but all was in vain, for the little +girl seemed quite dead. So they laid her down upon a bier, and all seven +watched and bewailed her three whole days; and then they thought they +would bury her: but her cheeks were still rosy; and her face looked just +as it did while she was alive; so they said, ‘We will never bury her in +the cold ground.’ And they made a coffin of glass, so that they might +still look at her, and wrote upon it in golden letters what her name +was, and that she was a king’s daughter. And the coffin was set among +the hills, and one of the dwarfs always sat by it and watched. And the +birds of the air came too, and bemoaned Snowdrop; and first of all came +an owl, and then a raven, and at last a dove, and sat by her side. + +And thus Snowdrop lay for a long, long time, and still only looked as +though she was asleep; for she was even now as white as snow, and as red +as blood, and as black as ebony. At last a prince came and called at the +dwarfs’ house; and he saw Snowdrop, and read what was written in golden +letters. Then he offered the dwarfs money, and prayed and besought them +to let him take her away; but they said, ‘We will not part with her for +all the gold in the world.’ At last, however, they had pity on him, and +gave him the coffin; but the moment he lifted it up to carry it home +with him, the piece of apple fell from between her lips, and Snowdrop +awoke, and said, ‘Where am I?’ And the prince said, ‘Thou art quite safe +with me.’ + +Then he told her all that had happened, and said, ‘I love you far better +than all the world; so come with me to my father’s palace, and you shall +be my wife.’ And Snowdrop consented, and went home with the prince; +and everything was got ready with great pomp and splendour for their +wedding. + +To the feast was asked, among the rest, Snowdrop’s old enemy the queen; +and as she was dressing herself in fine rich clothes, she looked in the +glass and said: + + ‘Tell me, glass, tell me true! + Of all the ladies in the land, + Who is fairest, tell me, who?’ + +And the glass answered: + + ‘Thou, lady, art loveliest here, I ween; + But lovelier far is the new-made queen.’ + +When she heard this she started with rage; but her envy and curiosity +were so great, that she could not help setting out to see the bride. And +when she got there, and saw that it was no other than Snowdrop, who, as +she thought, had been dead a long while, she choked with rage, and fell +down and died: but Snowdrop and the prince lived and reigned happily +over that land many, many years; and sometimes they went up into the +mountains, and paid a visit to the little dwarfs, who had been so kind +to Snowdrop in her time of need. + + + + +THE PINK + + +There was once upon a time a queen to whom God had given no children. +Every morning she went into the garden and prayed to God in heaven to +bestow on her a son or a daughter. Then an angel from heaven came to her +and said: ‘Be at rest, you shall have a son with the power of wishing, +so that whatsoever in the world he wishes for, that shall he have.’ Then +she went to the king, and told him the joyful tidings, and when the time +was come she gave birth to a son, and the king was filled with gladness. + +Every morning she went with the child to the garden where the wild +beasts were kept, and washed herself there in a clear stream. It +happened once when the child was a little older, that it was lying in +her arms and she fell asleep. Then came the old cook, who knew that the +child had the power of wishing, and stole it away, and he took a hen, +and cut it in pieces, and dropped some of its blood on the queen’s apron +and on her dress. Then he carried the child away to a secret place, +where a nurse was obliged to suckle it, and he ran to the king and +accused the queen of having allowed her child to be taken from her by +the wild beasts. When the king saw the blood on her apron, he believed +this, fell into such a passion that he ordered a high tower to be built, +in which neither sun nor moon could be seen and had his wife put into +it, and walled up. Here she was to stay for seven years without meat +or drink, and die of hunger. But God sent two angels from heaven in the +shape of white doves, which flew to her twice a day, and carried her +food until the seven years were over. + +The cook, however, thought to himself: ‘If the child has the power of +wishing, and I am here, he might very easily get me into trouble.’ So +he left the palace and went to the boy, who was already big enough to +speak, and said to him: ‘Wish for a beautiful palace for yourself with +a garden, and all else that pertains to it.’ Scarcely were the words out +of the boy’s mouth, when everything was there that he had wished for. +After a while the cook said to him: ‘It is not well for you to be so +alone, wish for a pretty girl as a companion.’ Then the king’s son +wished for one, and she immediately stood before him, and was more +beautiful than any painter could have painted her. The two played +together, and loved each other with all their hearts, and the old cook +went out hunting like a nobleman. The thought occurred to him, however, +that the king’s son might some day wish to be with his father, and thus +bring him into great peril. So he went out and took the maiden aside, +and said: ‘Tonight when the boy is asleep, go to his bed and plunge this +knife into his heart, and bring me his heart and tongue, and if you do +not do it, you shall lose your life.’ Thereupon he went away, and when +he returned next day she had not done it, and said: ‘Why should I shed +the blood of an innocent boy who has never harmed anyone?’ The cook once +more said: ‘If you do not do it, it shall cost you your own life.’ When +he had gone away, she had a little hind brought to her, and ordered her +to be killed, and took her heart and tongue, and laid them on a plate, +and when she saw the old man coming, she said to the boy: ‘Lie down in +your bed, and draw the clothes over you.’ Then the wicked wretch came in +and said: ‘Where are the boy’s heart and tongue?’ The girl reached the +plate to him, but the king’s son threw off the quilt, and said: ‘You old +sinner, why did you want to kill me? Now will I pronounce thy sentence. +You shall become a black poodle and have a gold collar round your neck, +and shall eat burning coals, till the flames burst forth from your +throat.’ And when he had spoken these words, the old man was changed +into a poodle dog, and had a gold collar round his neck, and the cooks +were ordered to bring up some live coals, and these he ate, until the +flames broke forth from his throat. The king’s son remained there a +short while longer, and he thought of his mother, and wondered if she +were still alive. At length he said to the maiden: ‘I will go home to my +own country; if you will go with me, I will provide for you.’ ‘Ah,’ +she replied, ‘the way is so long, and what shall I do in a strange land +where I am unknown?’ As she did not seem quite willing, and as they +could not be parted from each other, he wished that she might be changed +into a beautiful pink, and took her with him. Then he went away to his +own country, and the poodle had to run after him. He went to the tower +in which his mother was confined, and as it was so high, he wished for +a ladder which would reach up to the very top. Then he mounted up and +looked inside, and cried: ‘Beloved mother, Lady Queen, are you still +alive, or are you dead?’ She answered: ‘I have just eaten, and am still +satisfied,’ for she thought the angels were there. Said he: ‘I am your +dear son, whom the wild beasts were said to have torn from your arms; +but I am alive still, and will soon set you free.’ Then he descended +again, and went to his father, and caused himself to be announced as a +strange huntsman, and asked if he could offer him service. The king said +yes, if he was skilful and could get game for him, he should come to +him, but that deer had never taken up their quarters in any part of the +district or country. Then the huntsman promised to procure as much game +for him as he could possibly use at the royal table. So he summoned all +the huntsmen together, and bade them go out into the forest with him. +And he went with them and made them form a great circle, open at one end +where he stationed himself, and began to wish. Two hundred deer and more +came running inside the circle at once, and the huntsmen shot them. +Then they were all placed on sixty country carts, and driven home to the +king, and for once he was able to deck his table with game, after having +had none at all for years. + +Now the king felt great joy at this, and commanded that his entire +household should eat with him next day, and made a great feast. When +they were all assembled together, he said to the huntsman: ‘As you are +so clever, you shall sit by me.’ He replied: ‘Lord King, your majesty +must excuse me, I am a poor huntsman.’ But the king insisted on it, +and said: ‘You shall sit by me,’ until he did it. Whilst he was sitting +there, he thought of his dearest mother, and wished that one of the +king’s principal servants would begin to speak of her, and would ask how +it was faring with the queen in the tower, and if she were alive still, +or had perished. Hardly had he formed the wish than the marshal began, +and said: ‘Your majesty, we live joyously here, but how is the queen +living in the tower? Is she still alive, or has she died?’ But the king +replied: ‘She let my dear son be torn to pieces by wild beasts; I will +not have her named.’ Then the huntsman arose and said: ‘Gracious lord +father she is alive still, and I am her son, and I was not carried away +by wild beasts, but by that wretch the old cook, who tore me from her +arms when she was asleep, and sprinkled her apron with the blood of a +chicken.’ Thereupon he took the dog with the golden collar, and said: +‘That is the wretch!’ and caused live coals to be brought, and these the +dog was compelled to devour before the sight of all, until flames burst +forth from its throat. On this the huntsman asked the king if he would +like to see the dog in his true shape, and wished him back into the form +of the cook, in which he stood immediately, with his white apron, +and his knife by his side. When the king saw him he fell into a passion, +and ordered him to be cast into the deepest dungeon. Then the huntsman +spoke further and said: ‘Father, will you see the maiden who brought me +up so tenderly and who was afterwards to murder me, but did not do it, +though her own life depended on it?’ The king replied: ‘Yes, I would +like to see her.’ The son said: ‘Most gracious father, I will show her +to you in the form of a beautiful flower,’ and he thrust his hand into +his pocket and brought forth the pink, and placed it on the royal table, +and it was so beautiful that the king had never seen one to equal it. +Then the son said: ‘Now will I show her to you in her own form,’ and +wished that she might become a maiden, and she stood there looking so +beautiful that no painter could have made her look more so. + +And the king sent two waiting-maids and two attendants into the tower, +to fetch the queen and bring her to the royal table. But when she was +led in she ate nothing, and said: ‘The gracious and merciful God who has +supported me in the tower, will soon set me free.’ She lived three days +more, and then died happily, and when she was buried, the two white +doves which had brought her food to the tower, and were angels of +heaven, followed her body and seated themselves on her grave. The aged +king ordered the cook to be torn in four pieces, but grief consumed the +king’s own heart, and he soon died. His son married the beautiful maiden +whom he had brought with him as a flower in his pocket, and whether they +are still alive or not, is known to God. + + + + +CLEVER ELSIE + + +There was once a man who had a daughter who was called Clever Elsie. And +when she had grown up her father said: ‘We will get her married.’ ‘Yes,’ +said the mother, ‘if only someone would come who would have her.’ At +length a man came from a distance and wooed her, who was called Hans; +but he stipulated that Clever Elsie should be really smart. ‘Oh,’ said +the father, ‘she has plenty of good sense’; and the mother said: ‘Oh, +she can see the wind coming up the street, and hear the flies coughing.’ +‘Well,’ said Hans, ‘if she is not really smart, I won’t have her.’ When +they were sitting at dinner and had eaten, the mother said: ‘Elsie, go +into the cellar and fetch some beer.’ Then Clever Elsie took the pitcher +from the wall, went into the cellar, and tapped the lid briskly as she +went, so that the time might not appear long. When she was below she +fetched herself a chair, and set it before the barrel so that she had +no need to stoop, and did not hurt her back or do herself any unexpected +injury. Then she placed the can before her, and turned the tap, and +while the beer was running she would not let her eyes be idle, but +looked up at the wall, and after much peering here and there, saw a +pick-axe exactly above her, which the masons had accidentally left +there. + +Then Clever Elsie began to weep and said: ‘If I get Hans, and we have +a child, and he grows big, and we send him into the cellar here to draw +beer, then the pick-axe will fall on his head and kill him.’ Then she +sat and wept and screamed with all the strength of her body, over the +misfortune which lay before her. Those upstairs waited for the drink, +but Clever Elsie still did not come. Then the woman said to the servant: +‘Just go down into the cellar and see where Elsie is.’ The maid went and +found her sitting in front of the barrel, screaming loudly. ‘Elsie why +do you weep?’ asked the maid. ‘Ah,’ she answered, ‘have I not reason to +weep? If I get Hans, and we have a child, and he grows big, and has to +draw beer here, the pick-axe will perhaps fall on his head, and kill +him.’ Then said the maid: ‘What a clever Elsie we have!’ and sat down +beside her and began loudly to weep over the misfortune. After a while, +as the maid did not come back, and those upstairs were thirsty for the +beer, the man said to the boy: ‘Just go down into the cellar and see +where Elsie and the girl are.’ The boy went down, and there sat Clever +Elsie and the girl both weeping together. Then he asked: ‘Why are you +weeping?’ ‘Ah,’ said Elsie, ‘have I not reason to weep? If I get Hans, +and we have a child, and he grows big, and has to draw beer here, the +pick-axe will fall on his head and kill him.’ Then said the boy: ‘What +a clever Elsie we have!’ and sat down by her, and likewise began to +howl loudly. Upstairs they waited for the boy, but as he still did not +return, the man said to the woman: ‘Just go down into the cellar and see +where Elsie is!’ The woman went down, and found all three in the midst +of their lamentations, and inquired what was the cause; then Elsie told +her also that her future child was to be killed by the pick-axe, when it +grew big and had to draw beer, and the pick-axe fell down. Then said the +mother likewise: ‘What a clever Elsie we have!’ and sat down and wept +with them. The man upstairs waited a short time, but as his wife did not +come back and his thirst grew ever greater, he said: ‘I must go into the +cellar myself and see where Elsie is.’ But when he got into the cellar, +and they were all sitting together crying, and he heard the reason, and +that Elsie’s child was the cause, and the Elsie might perhaps bring one +into the world some day, and that he might be killed by the pick-axe, if +he should happen to be sitting beneath it, drawing beer just at the very +time when it fell down, he cried: ‘Oh, what a clever Elsie!’ and sat +down, and likewise wept with them. The bridegroom stayed upstairs alone +for a long time; then as no one would come back he thought: ‘They must be +waiting for me below: I too must go there and see what they are about.’ +When he got down, the five of them were sitting screaming and lamenting +quite piteously, each out-doing the other. ‘What misfortune has happened +then?’ asked he. ‘Ah, dear Hans,’ said Elsie, ‘if we marry each other +and have a child, and he is big, and we perhaps send him here to draw +something to drink, then the pick-axe which has been left up there might +dash his brains out if it were to fall down, so have we not reason to +weep?’ ‘Come,’ said Hans, ‘more understanding than that is not needed +for my household, as you are such a clever Elsie, I will have you,’ and +seized her hand, took her upstairs with him, and married her. + +After Hans had had her some time, he said: ‘Wife, I am going out to work +and earn some money for us; go into the field and cut the corn that we +may have some bread.’ ‘Yes, dear Hans, I will do that.’ After Hans had +gone away, she cooked herself some good broth and took it into the field +with her. When she came to the field she said to herself: ‘What shall I +do; shall I cut first, or shall I eat first? Oh, I will eat first.’ Then +she drank her cup of broth and when she was fully satisfied, she once +more said: ‘What shall I do? Shall I cut first, or shall I sleep first? +I will sleep first.’ Then she lay down among the corn and fell asleep. +Hans had been at home for a long time, but Elsie did not come; then said +he: ‘What a clever Elsie I have; she is so industrious that she does not +even come home to eat.’ But when evening came and she still stayed away, +Hans went out to see what she had cut, but nothing was cut, and she +was lying among the corn asleep. Then Hans hastened home and brought +a fowler’s net with little bells and hung it round about her, and she +still went on sleeping. Then he ran home, shut the house-door, and sat +down in his chair and worked. At length, when it was quite dark, Clever +Elsie awoke and when she got up there was a jingling all round about +her, and the bells rang at each step which she took. Then she was +alarmed, and became uncertain whether she really was Clever Elsie or +not, and said: ‘Is it I, or is it not I?’ But she knew not what answer +to make to this, and stood for a time in doubt; at length she thought: +‘I will go home and ask if it be I, or if it be not I, they will be sure +to know.’ She ran to the door of her own house, but it was shut; then +she knocked at the window and cried: ‘Hans, is Elsie within?’ ‘Yes,’ +answered Hans, ‘she is within.’ Hereupon she was terrified, and said: +‘Ah, heavens! Then it is not I,’ and went to another door; but when the +people heard the jingling of the bells they would not open it, and she +could get in nowhere. Then she ran out of the village, and no one has +seen her since. + + + + +THE MISER IN THE BUSH + + +A farmer had a faithful and diligent servant, who had worked hard for +him three years, without having been paid any wages. At last it came +into the man’s head that he would not go on thus without pay any longer; +so he went to his master, and said, ‘I have worked hard for you a long +time, I will trust to you to give me what I deserve to have for my +trouble.’ The farmer was a sad miser, and knew that his man was very +simple-hearted; so he took out threepence, and gave him for every year’s +service a penny. The poor fellow thought it was a great deal of money to +have, and said to himself, ‘Why should I work hard, and live here on bad +fare any longer? I can now travel into the wide world, and make myself +merry.’ With that he put his money into his purse, and set out, roaming +over hill and valley. + +As he jogged along over the fields, singing and dancing, a little dwarf +met him, and asked him what made him so merry. ‘Why, what should make +me down-hearted?’ said he; ‘I am sound in health and rich in purse, what +should I care for? I have saved up my three years’ earnings and have it +all safe in my pocket.’ ‘How much may it come to?’ said the little man. +‘Full threepence,’ replied the countryman. ‘I wish you would give them +to me,’ said the other; ‘I am very poor.’ Then the man pitied him, and +gave him all he had; and the little dwarf said in return, ‘As you have +such a kind honest heart, I will grant you three wishes--one for every +penny; so choose whatever you like.’ Then the countryman rejoiced at +his good luck, and said, ‘I like many things better than money: first, I +will have a bow that will bring down everything I shoot at; secondly, +a fiddle that will set everyone dancing that hears me play upon it; and +thirdly, I should like that everyone should grant what I ask.’ The dwarf +said he should have his three wishes; so he gave him the bow and fiddle, +and went his way. + +Our honest friend journeyed on his way too; and if he was merry before, +he was now ten times more so. He had not gone far before he met an old +miser: close by them stood a tree, and on the topmost twig sat a thrush +singing away most joyfully. ‘Oh, what a pretty bird!’ said the miser; ‘I +would give a great deal of money to have such a one.’ ‘If that’s all,’ +said the countryman, ‘I will soon bring it down.’ Then he took up his +bow, and down fell the thrush into the bushes at the foot of the tree. +The miser crept into the bush to find it; but directly he had got into +the middle, his companion took up his fiddle and played away, and the +miser began to dance and spring about, capering higher and higher in +the air. The thorns soon began to tear his clothes till they all hung +in rags about him, and he himself was all scratched and wounded, so that +the blood ran down. ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake!’ cried the miser, ‘Master! +master! pray let the fiddle alone. What have I done to deserve this?’ +‘Thou hast shaved many a poor soul close enough,’ said the other; ‘thou +art only meeting thy reward’: so he played up another tune. Then the +miser began to beg and promise, and offered money for his liberty; but +he did not come up to the musician’s price for some time, and he danced +him along brisker and brisker, and the miser bid higher and higher, till +at last he offered a round hundred of florins that he had in his purse, +and had just gained by cheating some poor fellow. When the countryman +saw so much money, he said, ‘I will agree to your proposal.’ So he took +the purse, put up his fiddle, and travelled on very pleased with his +bargain. + +Meanwhile the miser crept out of the bush half-naked and in a piteous +plight, and began to ponder how he should take his revenge, and serve +his late companion some trick. At last he went to the judge, and +complained that a rascal had robbed him of his money, and beaten him +into the bargain; and that the fellow who did it carried a bow at his +back and a fiddle hung round his neck. Then the judge sent out his +officers to bring up the accused wherever they should find him; and he +was soon caught and brought up to be tried. + +The miser began to tell his tale, and said he had been robbed of +his money. ‘No, you gave it me for playing a tune to you.’ said the +countryman; but the judge told him that was not likely, and cut the +matter short by ordering him off to the gallows. + +So away he was taken; but as he stood on the steps he said, ‘My Lord +Judge, grant me one last request.’ ‘Anything but thy life,’ replied the +other. ‘No,’ said he, ‘I do not ask my life; only to let me play upon +my fiddle for the last time.’ The miser cried out, ‘Oh, no! no! for +heaven’s sake don’t listen to him! don’t listen to him!’ But the judge +said, ‘It is only this once, he will soon have done.’ The fact was, he +could not refuse the request, on account of the dwarf’s third gift. + +Then the miser said, ‘Bind me fast, bind me fast, for pity’s sake.’ But +the countryman seized his fiddle, and struck up a tune, and at the first +note judge, clerks, and jailer were in motion; all began capering, and +no one could hold the miser. At the second note the hangman let his +prisoner go, and danced also, and by the time he had played the first +bar of the tune, all were dancing together--judge, court, and miser, and +all the people who had followed to look on. At first the thing was merry +and pleasant enough; but when it had gone on a while, and there seemed +to be no end of playing or dancing, they began to cry out, and beg him +to leave off; but he stopped not a whit the more for their entreaties, +till the judge not only gave him his life, but promised to return him +the hundred florins. + +Then he called to the miser, and said, ‘Tell us now, you vagabond, where +you got that gold, or I shall play on for your amusement only,’ ‘I stole +it,’ said the miser in the presence of all the people; ‘I acknowledge +that I stole it, and that you earned it fairly.’ Then the countryman +stopped his fiddle, and left the miser to take his place at the gallows. + + + + +ASHPUTTEL + + +The wife of a rich man fell sick; and when she felt that her end drew +nigh, she called her only daughter to her bed-side, and said, ‘Always be +a good girl, and I will look down from heaven and watch over you.’ Soon +afterwards she shut her eyes and died, and was buried in the garden; +and the little girl went every day to her grave and wept, and was always +good and kind to all about her. And the snow fell and spread a beautiful +white covering over the grave; but by the time the spring came, and the +sun had melted it away again, her father had married another wife. This +new wife had two daughters of her own, that she brought home with her; +they were fair in face but foul at heart, and it was now a sorry time +for the poor little girl. ‘What does the good-for-nothing want in the +parlour?’ said they; ‘they who would eat bread should first earn it; +away with the kitchen-maid!’ Then they took away her fine clothes, and +gave her an old grey frock to put on, and laughed at her, and turned her +into the kitchen. + +There she was forced to do hard work; to rise early before daylight, to +bring the water, to make the fire, to cook and to wash. Besides that, +the sisters plagued her in all sorts of ways, and laughed at her. In the +evening when she was tired, she had no bed to lie down on, but was made +to lie by the hearth among the ashes; and as this, of course, made her +always dusty and dirty, they called her Ashputtel. + +It happened once that the father was going to the fair, and asked his +wife’s daughters what he should bring them. ‘Fine clothes,’ said the +first; ‘Pearls and diamonds,’ cried the second. ‘Now, child,’ said he +to his own daughter, ‘what will you have?’ ‘The first twig, dear +father, that brushes against your hat when you turn your face to come +homewards,’ said she. Then he bought for the first two the fine clothes +and pearls and diamonds they had asked for: and on his way home, as he +rode through a green copse, a hazel twig brushed against him, and almost +pushed off his hat: so he broke it off and brought it away; and when he +got home he gave it to his daughter. Then she took it, and went to +her mother’s grave and planted it there; and cried so much that it was +watered with her tears; and there it grew and became a fine tree. Three +times every day she went to it and cried; and soon a little bird came +and built its nest upon the tree, and talked with her, and watched over +her, and brought her whatever she wished for. + +Now it happened that the king of that land held a feast, which was to +last three days; and out of those who came to it his son was to choose +a bride for himself. Ashputtel’s two sisters were asked to come; so they +called her up, and said, ‘Now, comb our hair, brush our shoes, and tie +our sashes for us, for we are going to dance at the king’s feast.’ +Then she did as she was told; but when all was done she could not help +crying, for she thought to herself, she should so have liked to have +gone with them to the ball; and at last she begged her mother very hard +to let her go. ‘You, Ashputtel!’ said she; ‘you who have nothing to +wear, no clothes at all, and who cannot even dance--you want to go to +the ball? And when she kept on begging, she said at last, to get rid of +her, ‘I will throw this dishful of peas into the ash-heap, and if in +two hours’ time you have picked them all out, you shall go to the feast +too.’ + +Then she threw the peas down among the ashes, but the little maiden ran +out at the back door into the garden, and cried out: + + ‘Hither, hither, through the sky, + Turtle-doves and linnets, fly! + Blackbird, thrush, and chaffinch gay, + Hither, hither, haste away! + One and all come help me, quick! + Haste ye, haste ye!--pick, pick, pick!’ + +Then first came two white doves, flying in at the kitchen window; next +came two turtle-doves; and after them came all the little birds under +heaven, chirping and fluttering in: and they flew down into the ashes. +And the little doves stooped their heads down and set to work, pick, +pick, pick; and then the others began to pick, pick, pick: and among +them all they soon picked out all the good grain, and put it into a dish +but left the ashes. Long before the end of the hour the work was quite +done, and all flew out again at the windows. + +Then Ashputtel brought the dish to her mother, overjoyed at the thought +that now she should go to the ball. But the mother said, ‘No, no! you +slut, you have no clothes, and cannot dance; you shall not go.’ And when +Ashputtel begged very hard to go, she said, ‘If you can in one hour’s +time pick two of those dishes of peas out of the ashes, you shall go +too.’ And thus she thought she should at least get rid of her. So she +shook two dishes of peas into the ashes. + +But the little maiden went out into the garden at the back of the house, +and cried out as before: + + ‘Hither, hither, through the sky, + Turtle-doves and linnets, fly! + Blackbird, thrush, and chaffinch gay, + Hither, hither, haste away! + One and all come help me, quick! + Haste ye, haste ye!--pick, pick, pick!’ + +Then first came two white doves in at the kitchen window; next came two +turtle-doves; and after them came all the little birds under heaven, +chirping and hopping about. And they flew down into the ashes; and the +little doves put their heads down and set to work, pick, pick, pick; and +then the others began pick, pick, pick; and they put all the good grain +into the dishes, and left all the ashes. Before half an hour’s time all +was done, and out they flew again. And then Ashputtel took the dishes to +her mother, rejoicing to think that she should now go to the ball. +But her mother said, ‘It is all of no use, you cannot go; you have no +clothes, and cannot dance, and you would only put us to shame’: and off +she went with her two daughters to the ball. + +Now when all were gone, and nobody left at home, Ashputtel went +sorrowfully and sat down under the hazel-tree, and cried out: + + ‘Shake, shake, hazel-tree, + Gold and silver over me!’ + +Then her friend the bird flew out of the tree, and brought a gold and +silver dress for her, and slippers of spangled silk; and she put them +on, and followed her sisters to the feast. But they did not know her, +and thought it must be some strange princess, she looked so fine and +beautiful in her rich clothes; and they never once thought of Ashputtel, +taking it for granted that she was safe at home in the dirt. + +The king’s son soon came up to her, and took her by the hand and danced +with her, and no one else: and he never left her hand; but when anyone +else came to ask her to dance, he said, ‘This lady is dancing with me.’ + +Thus they danced till a late hour of the night; and then she wanted to +go home: and the king’s son said, ‘I shall go and take care of you to +your home’; for he wanted to see where the beautiful maiden lived. But +she slipped away from him, unawares, and ran off towards home; and as +the prince followed her, she jumped up into the pigeon-house and shut +the door. Then he waited till her father came home, and told him that +the unknown maiden, who had been at the feast, had hid herself in the +pigeon-house. But when they had broken open the door they found no one +within; and as they came back into the house, Ashputtel was lying, as +she always did, in her dirty frock by the ashes, and her dim little +lamp was burning in the chimney. For she had run as quickly as she could +through the pigeon-house and on to the hazel-tree, and had there taken +off her beautiful clothes, and put them beneath the tree, that the bird +might carry them away, and had lain down again amid the ashes in her +little grey frock. + +The next day when the feast was again held, and her father, mother, and +sisters were gone, Ashputtel went to the hazel-tree, and said: + + ‘Shake, shake, hazel-tree, + Gold and silver over me!’ + +And the bird came and brought a still finer dress than the one she +had worn the day before. And when she came in it to the ball, everyone +wondered at her beauty: but the king’s son, who was waiting for her, +took her by the hand, and danced with her; and when anyone asked her to +dance, he said as before, ‘This lady is dancing with me.’ + +When night came she wanted to go home; and the king’s son followed here +as before, that he might see into what house she went: but she sprang +away from him all at once into the garden behind her father’s house. +In this garden stood a fine large pear-tree full of ripe fruit; and +Ashputtel, not knowing where to hide herself, jumped up into it without +being seen. Then the king’s son lost sight of her, and could not find +out where she was gone, but waited till her father came home, and said +to him, ‘The unknown lady who danced with me has slipped away, and I +think she must have sprung into the pear-tree.’ The father thought to +himself, ‘Can it be Ashputtel?’ So he had an axe brought; and they cut +down the tree, but found no one upon it. And when they came back into +the kitchen, there lay Ashputtel among the ashes; for she had slipped +down on the other side of the tree, and carried her beautiful clothes +back to the bird at the hazel-tree, and then put on her little grey +frock. + +The third day, when her father and mother and sisters were gone, she +went again into the garden, and said: + + ‘Shake, shake, hazel-tree, + Gold and silver over me!’ + +Then her kind friend the bird brought a dress still finer than the +former one, and slippers which were all of gold: so that when she came +to the feast no one knew what to say, for wonder at her beauty: and the +king’s son danced with nobody but her; and when anyone else asked her to +dance, he said, ‘This lady is _my_ partner, sir.’ + +When night came she wanted to go home; and the king’s son would go with +her, and said to himself, ‘I will not lose her this time’; but, however, +she again slipped away from him, though in such a hurry that she dropped +her left golden slipper upon the stairs. + +The prince took the shoe, and went the next day to the king his father, +and said, ‘I will take for my wife the lady that this golden slipper +fits.’ Then both the sisters were overjoyed to hear it; for they +had beautiful feet, and had no doubt that they could wear the golden +slipper. The eldest went first into the room where the slipper was, and +wanted to try it on, and the mother stood by. But her great toe could +not go into it, and the shoe was altogether much too small for her. Then +the mother gave her a knife, and said, ‘Never mind, cut it off; when you +are queen you will not care about toes; you will not want to walk.’ So +the silly girl cut off her great toe, and thus squeezed on the shoe, +and went to the king’s son. Then he took her for his bride, and set her +beside him on his horse, and rode away with her homewards. + +But on their way home they had to pass by the hazel-tree that Ashputtel +had planted; and on the branch sat a little dove singing: + + ‘Back again! back again! look to the shoe! + The shoe is too small, and not made for you! + Prince! prince! look again for thy bride, + For she’s not the true one that sits by thy side.’ + +Then the prince got down and looked at her foot; and he saw, by the +blood that streamed from it, what a trick she had played him. So he +turned his horse round, and brought the false bride back to her home, +and said, ‘This is not the right bride; let the other sister try and put +on the slipper.’ Then she went into the room and got her foot into the +shoe, all but the heel, which was too large. But her mother squeezed it +in till the blood came, and took her to the king’s son: and he set her +as his bride by his side on his horse, and rode away with her. + +But when they came to the hazel-tree the little dove sat there still, +and sang: + + ‘Back again! back again! look to the shoe! + The shoe is too small, and not made for you! + Prince! prince! look again for thy bride, + For she’s not the true one that sits by thy side.’ + +Then he looked down, and saw that the blood streamed so much from the +shoe, that her white stockings were quite red. So he turned his horse +and brought her also back again. ‘This is not the true bride,’ said he +to the father; ‘have you no other daughters?’ ‘No,’ said he; ‘there is +only a little dirty Ashputtel here, the child of my first wife; I am +sure she cannot be the bride.’ The prince told him to send her. But the +mother said, ‘No, no, she is much too dirty; she will not dare to show +herself.’ However, the prince would have her come; and she first washed +her face and hands, and then went in and curtsied to him, and he reached +her the golden slipper. Then she took her clumsy shoe off her left foot, +and put on the golden slipper; and it fitted her as if it had been made +for her. And when he drew near and looked at her face he knew her, and +said, ‘This is the right bride.’ But the mother and both the sisters +were frightened, and turned pale with anger as he took Ashputtel on his +horse, and rode away with her. And when they came to the hazel-tree, the +white dove sang: + + ‘Home! home! look at the shoe! + Princess! the shoe was made for you! + Prince! prince! take home thy bride, + For she is the true one that sits by thy side!’ + +And when the dove had done its song, it came flying, and perched upon +her right shoulder, and so went home with her. + + + + +THE WHITE SNAKE + + +A long time ago there lived a king who was famed for his wisdom through +all the land. Nothing was hidden from him, and it seemed as if news of +the most secret things was brought to him through the air. But he had a +strange custom; every day after dinner, when the table was cleared, +and no one else was present, a trusty servant had to bring him one more +dish. It was covered, however, and even the servant did not know what +was in it, neither did anyone know, for the king never took off the +cover to eat of it until he was quite alone. + +This had gone on for a long time, when one day the servant, who took +away the dish, was overcome with such curiosity that he could not help +carrying the dish into his room. When he had carefully locked the door, +he lifted up the cover, and saw a white snake lying on the dish. But +when he saw it he could not deny himself the pleasure of tasting it, +so he cut of a little bit and put it into his mouth. No sooner had it +touched his tongue than he heard a strange whispering of little voices +outside his window. He went and listened, and then noticed that it was +the sparrows who were chattering together, and telling one another of +all kinds of things which they had seen in the fields and woods. Eating +the snake had given him power of understanding the language of animals. + +Now it so happened that on this very day the queen lost her most +beautiful ring, and suspicion of having stolen it fell upon this trusty +servant, who was allowed to go everywhere. The king ordered the man to +be brought before him, and threatened with angry words that unless he +could before the morrow point out the thief, he himself should be looked +upon as guilty and executed. In vain he declared his innocence; he was +dismissed with no better answer. + +In his trouble and fear he went down into the courtyard and took thought +how to help himself out of his trouble. Now some ducks were sitting +together quietly by a brook and taking their rest; and, whilst they +were making their feathers smooth with their bills, they were having a +confidential conversation together. The servant stood by and listened. +They were telling one another of all the places where they had been +waddling about all the morning, and what good food they had found; and +one said in a pitiful tone: ‘Something lies heavy on my stomach; as +I was eating in haste I swallowed a ring which lay under the queen’s +window.’ The servant at once seized her by the neck, carried her to the +kitchen, and said to the cook: ‘Here is a fine duck; pray, kill her.’ +‘Yes,’ said the cook, and weighed her in his hand; ‘she has spared +no trouble to fatten herself, and has been waiting to be roasted long +enough.’ So he cut off her head, and as she was being dressed for the +spit, the queen’s ring was found inside her. + +The servant could now easily prove his innocence; and the king, to make +amends for the wrong, allowed him to ask a favour, and promised him +the best place in the court that he could wish for. The servant refused +everything, and only asked for a horse and some money for travelling, as +he had a mind to see the world and go about a little. When his request +was granted he set out on his way, and one day came to a pond, where he +saw three fishes caught in the reeds and gasping for water. Now, though +it is said that fishes are dumb, he heard them lamenting that they must +perish so miserably, and, as he had a kind heart, he got off his +horse and put the three prisoners back into the water. They leapt with +delight, put out their heads, and cried to him: ‘We will remember you +and repay you for saving us!’ + +He rode on, and after a while it seemed to him that he heard a voice in +the sand at his feet. He listened, and heard an ant-king complain: ‘Why +cannot folks, with their clumsy beasts, keep off our bodies? That stupid +horse, with his heavy hoofs, has been treading down my people without +mercy!’ So he turned on to a side path and the ant-king cried out to +him: ‘We will remember you--one good turn deserves another!’ + +The path led him into a wood, and there he saw two old ravens standing +by their nest, and throwing out their young ones. ‘Out with you, you +idle, good-for-nothing creatures!’ cried they; ‘we cannot find food for +you any longer; you are big enough, and can provide for yourselves.’ +But the poor young ravens lay upon the ground, flapping their wings, and +crying: ‘Oh, what helpless chicks we are! We must shift for ourselves, +and yet we cannot fly! What can we do, but lie here and starve?’ So the +good young fellow alighted and killed his horse with his sword, and gave +it to them for food. Then they came hopping up to it, satisfied their +hunger, and cried: ‘We will remember you--one good turn deserves +another!’ + +And now he had to use his own legs, and when he had walked a long +way, he came to a large city. There was a great noise and crowd in +the streets, and a man rode up on horseback, crying aloud: ‘The king’s +daughter wants a husband; but whoever seeks her hand must perform a hard +task, and if he does not succeed he will forfeit his life.’ Many had +already made the attempt, but in vain; nevertheless when the youth +saw the king’s daughter he was so overcome by her great beauty that he +forgot all danger, went before the king, and declared himself a suitor. + +So he was led out to the sea, and a gold ring was thrown into it, before +his eyes; then the king ordered him to fetch this ring up from the +bottom of the sea, and added: ‘If you come up again without it you will +be thrown in again and again until you perish amid the waves.’ All the +people grieved for the handsome youth; then they went away, leaving him +alone by the sea. + +He stood on the shore and considered what he should do, when suddenly +he saw three fishes come swimming towards him, and they were the very +fishes whose lives he had saved. The one in the middle held a mussel in +its mouth, which it laid on the shore at the youth’s feet, and when he +had taken it up and opened it, there lay the gold ring in the shell. +Full of joy he took it to the king and expected that he would grant him +the promised reward. + +But when the proud princess perceived that he was not her equal in +birth, she scorned him, and required him first to perform another +task. She went down into the garden and strewed with her own hands ten +sacksful of millet-seed on the grass; then she said: ‘Tomorrow morning +before sunrise these must be picked up, and not a single grain be +wanting.’ + +The youth sat down in the garden and considered how it might be possible +to perform this task, but he could think of nothing, and there he sat +sorrowfully awaiting the break of day, when he should be led to death. +But as soon as the first rays of the sun shone into the garden he saw +all the ten sacks standing side by side, quite full, and not a single +grain was missing. The ant-king had come in the night with thousands +and thousands of ants, and the grateful creatures had by great industry +picked up all the millet-seed and gathered them into the sacks. + +Presently the king’s daughter herself came down into the garden, and was +amazed to see that the young man had done the task she had given him. +But she could not yet conquer her proud heart, and said: ‘Although he +has performed both the tasks, he shall not be my husband until he had +brought me an apple from the Tree of Life.’ The youth did not know where +the Tree of Life stood, but he set out, and would have gone on for ever, +as long as his legs would carry him, though he had no hope of finding +it. After he had wandered through three kingdoms, he came one evening to +a wood, and lay down under a tree to sleep. But he heard a rustling in +the branches, and a golden apple fell into his hand. At the same time +three ravens flew down to him, perched themselves upon his knee, and +said: ‘We are the three young ravens whom you saved from starving; when +we had grown big, and heard that you were seeking the Golden Apple, +we flew over the sea to the end of the world, where the Tree of Life +stands, and have brought you the apple.’ The youth, full of joy, set out +homewards, and took the Golden Apple to the king’s beautiful daughter, +who had now no more excuses left to make. They cut the Apple of Life in +two and ate it together; and then her heart became full of love for him, +and they lived in undisturbed happiness to a great age. + + + + +THE WOLF AND THE SEVEN LITTLE KIDS + + +There was once upon a time an old goat who had seven little kids, and +loved them with all the love of a mother for her children. One day she +wanted to go into the forest and fetch some food. So she called all +seven to her and said: ‘Dear children, I have to go into the forest, +be on your guard against the wolf; if he comes in, he will devour you +all--skin, hair, and everything. The wretch often disguises himself, but +you will know him at once by his rough voice and his black feet.’ The +kids said: ‘Dear mother, we will take good care of ourselves; you may go +away without any anxiety.’ Then the old one bleated, and went on her way +with an easy mind. + +It was not long before someone knocked at the house-door and called: +‘Open the door, dear children; your mother is here, and has brought +something back with her for each of you.’ But the little kids knew that +it was the wolf, by the rough voice. ‘We will not open the door,’ cried +they, ‘you are not our mother. She has a soft, pleasant voice, but +your voice is rough; you are the wolf!’ Then the wolf went away to a +shopkeeper and bought himself a great lump of chalk, ate this and made +his voice soft with it. Then he came back, knocked at the door of the +house, and called: ‘Open the door, dear children, your mother is here +and has brought something back with her for each of you.’ But the wolf +had laid his black paws against the window, and the children saw them +and cried: ‘We will not open the door, our mother has not black feet +like you: you are the wolf!’ Then the wolf ran to a baker and said: ‘I +have hurt my feet, rub some dough over them for me.’ And when the baker +had rubbed his feet over, he ran to the miller and said: ‘Strew some +white meal over my feet for me.’ The miller thought to himself: ‘The +wolf wants to deceive someone,’ and refused; but the wolf said: ‘If you +will not do it, I will devour you.’ Then the miller was afraid, and made +his paws white for him. Truly, this is the way of mankind. + +So now the wretch went for the third time to the house-door, knocked at +it and said: ‘Open the door for me, children, your dear little mother +has come home, and has brought every one of you something back from the +forest with her.’ The little kids cried: ‘First show us your paws that +we may know if you are our dear little mother.’ Then he put his paws +in through the window and when the kids saw that they were white, they +believed that all he said was true, and opened the door. But who should +come in but the wolf! They were terrified and wanted to hide themselves. +One sprang under the table, the second into the bed, the third into the +stove, the fourth into the kitchen, the fifth into the cupboard, the +sixth under the washing-bowl, and the seventh into the clock-case. But +the wolf found them all, and used no great ceremony; one after the +other he swallowed them down his throat. The youngest, who was in +the clock-case, was the only one he did not find. When the wolf had +satisfied his appetite he took himself off, laid himself down under a +tree in the green meadow outside, and began to sleep. Soon afterwards +the old goat came home again from the forest. Ah! what a sight she saw +there! The house-door stood wide open. The table, chairs, and benches +were thrown down, the washing-bowl lay broken to pieces, and the quilts +and pillows were pulled off the bed. She sought her children, but they +were nowhere to be found. She called them one after another by name, but +no one answered. At last, when she came to the youngest, a soft voice +cried: ‘Dear mother, I am in the clock-case.’ She took the kid out, and +it told her that the wolf had come and had eaten all the others. Then +you may imagine how she wept over her poor children. + +At length in her grief she went out, and the youngest kid ran with her. +When they came to the meadow, there lay the wolf by the tree and snored +so loud that the branches shook. She looked at him on every side and +saw that something was moving and struggling in his gorged belly. ‘Ah, +heavens,’ she said, ‘is it possible that my poor children whom he has +swallowed down for his supper, can be still alive?’ Then the kid had to +run home and fetch scissors, and a needle and thread, and the goat cut +open the monster’s stomach, and hardly had she made one cut, than one +little kid thrust its head out, and when she had cut farther, all six +sprang out one after another, and were all still alive, and had suffered +no injury whatever, for in his greediness the monster had swallowed them +down whole. What rejoicing there was! They embraced their dear mother, +and jumped like a tailor at his wedding. The mother, however, said: ‘Now +go and look for some big stones, and we will fill the wicked beast’s +stomach with them while he is still asleep.’ Then the seven kids dragged +the stones thither with all speed, and put as many of them into this +stomach as they could get in; and the mother sewed him up again in the +greatest haste, so that he was not aware of anything and never once +stirred. + +When the wolf at length had had his fill of sleep, he got on his legs, +and as the stones in his stomach made him very thirsty, he wanted to +go to a well to drink. But when he began to walk and to move about, the +stones in his stomach knocked against each other and rattled. Then cried +he: + + ‘What rumbles and tumbles + Against my poor bones? + I thought ‘twas six kids, + But it feels like big stones.’ + +And when he got to the well and stooped over the water to drink, the +heavy stones made him fall in, and he drowned miserably. When the seven +kids saw that, they came running to the spot and cried aloud: ‘The wolf +is dead! The wolf is dead!’ and danced for joy round about the well with +their mother. + + + + +THE QUEEN BEE + + +Two kings’ sons once upon a time went into the world to seek their +fortunes; but they soon fell into a wasteful foolish way of living, so +that they could not return home again. Then their brother, who was a +little insignificant dwarf, went out to seek for his brothers: but when +he had found them they only laughed at him, to think that he, who was so +young and simple, should try to travel through the world, when they, who +were so much wiser, had been unable to get on. However, they all set +out on their journey together, and came at last to an ant-hill. The two +elder brothers would have pulled it down, in order to see how the poor +ants in their fright would run about and carry off their eggs. But the +little dwarf said, ‘Let the poor things enjoy themselves, I will not +suffer you to trouble them.’ + +So on they went, and came to a lake where many many ducks were swimming +about. The two brothers wanted to catch two, and roast them. But the +dwarf said, ‘Let the poor things enjoy themselves, you shall not kill +them.’ Next they came to a bees’-nest in a hollow tree, and there was +so much honey that it ran down the trunk; and the two brothers wanted to +light a fire under the tree and kill the bees, so as to get their honey. +But the dwarf held them back, and said, ‘Let the pretty insects enjoy +themselves, I cannot let you burn them.’ + +At length the three brothers came to a castle: and as they passed by the +stables they saw fine horses standing there, but all were of marble, and +no man was to be seen. Then they went through all the rooms, till they +came to a door on which were three locks: but in the middle of the door +was a wicket, so that they could look into the next room. There they saw +a little grey old man sitting at a table; and they called to him once or +twice, but he did not hear: however, they called a third time, and then +he rose and came out to them. + +He said nothing, but took hold of them and led them to a beautiful +table covered with all sorts of good things: and when they had eaten and +drunk, he showed each of them to a bed-chamber. + +The next morning he came to the eldest and took him to a marble table, +where there were three tablets, containing an account of the means by +which the castle might be disenchanted. The first tablet said: ‘In the +wood, under the moss, lie the thousand pearls belonging to the king’s +daughter; they must all be found: and if one be missing by set of sun, +he who seeks them will be turned into marble.’ + +The eldest brother set out, and sought for the pearls the whole day: +but the evening came, and he had not found the first hundred: so he was +turned into stone as the tablet had foretold. + +The next day the second brother undertook the task; but he succeeded no +better than the first; for he could only find the second hundred of the +pearls; and therefore he too was turned into stone. + +At last came the little dwarf’s turn; and he looked in the moss; but it +was so hard to find the pearls, and the job was so tiresome!--so he sat +down upon a stone and cried. And as he sat there, the king of the ants +(whose life he had saved) came to help him, with five thousand ants; and +it was not long before they had found all the pearls and laid them in a +heap. + +The second tablet said: ‘The key of the princess’s bed-chamber must be +fished up out of the lake.’ And as the dwarf came to the brink of it, +he saw the two ducks whose lives he had saved swimming about; and they +dived down and soon brought in the key from the bottom. + +The third task was the hardest. It was to choose out the youngest and +the best of the king’s three daughters. Now they were all beautiful, and +all exactly alike: but he was told that the eldest had eaten a piece of +sugar, the next some sweet syrup, and the youngest a spoonful of honey; +so he was to guess which it was that had eaten the honey. + +Then came the queen of the bees, who had been saved by the little dwarf +from the fire, and she tried the lips of all three; but at last she sat +upon the lips of the one that had eaten the honey: and so the dwarf knew +which was the youngest. Thus the spell was broken, and all who had been +turned into stones awoke, and took their proper forms. And the dwarf +married the youngest and the best of the princesses, and was king after +her father’s death; but his two brothers married the other two sisters. + + + + +THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER + + +There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest: +but still he could not earn enough to live upon; and at last all he +had in the world was gone, save just leather enough to make one pair of +shoes. + +Then he cut his leather out, all ready to make up the next day, meaning +to rise early in the morning to his work. His conscience was clear and +his heart light amidst all his troubles; so he went peaceably to bed, +left all his cares to Heaven, and soon fell asleep. In the morning after +he had said his prayers, he sat himself down to his work; when, to his +great wonder, there stood the shoes all ready made, upon the table. The +good man knew not what to say or think at such an odd thing happening. +He looked at the workmanship; there was not one false stitch in the +whole job; all was so neat and true, that it was quite a masterpiece. + +The same day a customer came in, and the shoes suited him so well that +he willingly paid a price higher than usual for them; and the poor +shoemaker, with the money, bought leather enough to make two pairs more. +In the evening he cut out the work, and went to bed early, that he might +get up and begin betimes next day; but he was saved all the trouble, for +when he got up in the morning the work was done ready to his hand. Soon +in came buyers, who paid him handsomely for his goods, so that he bought +leather enough for four pair more. He cut out the work again overnight +and found it done in the morning, as before; and so it went on for some +time: what was got ready in the evening was always done by daybreak, and +the good man soon became thriving and well off again. + +One evening, about Christmas-time, as he and his wife were sitting over +the fire chatting together, he said to her, ‘I should like to sit up and +watch tonight, that we may see who it is that comes and does my work for +me.’ The wife liked the thought; so they left a light burning, and hid +themselves in a corner of the room, behind a curtain that was hung up +there, and watched what would happen. + +As soon as it was midnight, there came in two little naked dwarfs; and +they sat themselves upon the shoemaker’s bench, took up all the work +that was cut out, and began to ply with their little fingers, stitching +and rapping and tapping away at such a rate, that the shoemaker was all +wonder, and could not take his eyes off them. And on they went, till the +job was quite done, and the shoes stood ready for use upon the table. +This was long before daybreak; and then they bustled away as quick as +lightning. + +The next day the wife said to the shoemaker. ‘These little wights have +made us rich, and we ought to be thankful to them, and do them a good +turn if we can. I am quite sorry to see them run about as they do; and +indeed it is not very decent, for they have nothing upon their backs to +keep off the cold. I’ll tell you what, I will make each of them a shirt, +and a coat and waistcoat, and a pair of pantaloons into the bargain; and +do you make each of them a little pair of shoes.’ + +The thought pleased the good cobbler very much; and one evening, when +all the things were ready, they laid them on the table, instead of the +work that they used to cut out, and then went and hid themselves, to +watch what the little elves would do. + +About midnight in they came, dancing and skipping, hopped round the +room, and then went to sit down to their work as usual; but when they +saw the clothes lying for them, they laughed and chuckled, and seemed +mightily delighted. + +Then they dressed themselves in the twinkling of an eye, and danced and +capered and sprang about, as merry as could be; till at last they danced +out at the door, and away over the green. + +The good couple saw them no more; but everything went well with them +from that time forward, as long as they lived. + + + + +THE JUNIPER-TREE + + +Long, long ago, some two thousand years or so, there lived a rich +man with a good and beautiful wife. They loved each other dearly, but +sorrowed much that they had no children. So greatly did they desire +to have one, that the wife prayed for it day and night, but still they +remained childless. + +In front of the house there was a court, in which grew a juniper-tree. +One winter’s day the wife stood under the tree to peel some apples, and +as she was peeling them, she cut her finger, and the blood fell on the +snow. ‘Ah,’ sighed the woman heavily, ‘if I had but a child, as red as +blood and as white as snow,’ and as she spoke the words, her heart grew +light within her, and it seemed to her that her wish was granted, and +she returned to the house feeling glad and comforted. A month passed, +and the snow had all disappeared; then another month went by, and all +the earth was green. So the months followed one another, and first the +trees budded in the woods, and soon the green branches grew thickly +intertwined, and then the blossoms began to fall. Once again the wife +stood under the juniper-tree, and it was so full of sweet scent that her +heart leaped for joy, and she was so overcome with her happiness, that +she fell on her knees. Presently the fruit became round and firm, and +she was glad and at peace; but when they were fully ripe she picked the +berries and ate eagerly of them, and then she grew sad and ill. A little +while later she called her husband, and said to him, weeping. ‘If I +die, bury me under the juniper-tree.’ Then she felt comforted and happy +again, and before another month had passed she had a little child, and +when she saw that it was as white as snow and as red as blood, her joy +was so great that she died. + +Her husband buried her under the juniper-tree, and wept bitterly for +her. By degrees, however, his sorrow grew less, and although at times he +still grieved over his loss, he was able to go about as usual, and later +on he married again. + +He now had a little daughter born to him; the child of his first wife +was a boy, who was as red as blood and as white as snow. The mother +loved her daughter very much, and when she looked at her and then looked +at the boy, it pierced her heart to think that he would always stand in +the way of her own child, and she was continually thinking how she could +get the whole of the property for her. This evil thought took possession +of her more and more, and made her behave very unkindly to the boy. She +drove him from place to place with cuffings and buffetings, so that the +poor child went about in fear, and had no peace from the time he left +school to the time he went back. + +One day the little daughter came running to her mother in the +store-room, and said, ‘Mother, give me an apple.’ ‘Yes, my child,’ said +the wife, and she gave her a beautiful apple out of the chest; the chest +had a very heavy lid and a large iron lock. + +‘Mother,’ said the little daughter again, ‘may not brother have one +too?’ The mother was angry at this, but she answered, ‘Yes, when he +comes out of school.’ + +Just then she looked out of the window and saw him coming, and it seemed +as if an evil spirit entered into her, for she snatched the apple out +of her little daughter’s hand, and said, ‘You shall not have one before +your brother.’ She threw the apple into the chest and shut it to. The +little boy now came in, and the evil spirit in the wife made her say +kindly to him, ‘My son, will you have an apple?’ but she gave him a +wicked look. ‘Mother,’ said the boy, ‘how dreadful you look! Yes, give +me an apple.’ The thought came to her that she would kill him. ‘Come +with me,’ she said, and she lifted up the lid of the chest; ‘take one +out for yourself.’ And as he bent over to do so, the evil spirit urged +her, and crash! down went the lid, and off went the little boy’s head. +Then she was overwhelmed with fear at the thought of what she had done. +‘If only I can prevent anyone knowing that I did it,’ she thought. So +she went upstairs to her room, and took a white handkerchief out of +her top drawer; then she set the boy’s head again on his shoulders, and +bound it with the handkerchief so that nothing could be seen, and placed +him on a chair by the door with an apple in his hand. + +Soon after this, little Marleen came up to her mother who was stirring +a pot of boiling water over the fire, and said, ‘Mother, brother is +sitting by the door with an apple in his hand, and he looks so pale; +and when I asked him to give me the apple, he did not answer, and that +frightened me.’ + +‘Go to him again,’ said her mother, ‘and if he does not answer, give him +a box on the ear.’ So little Marleen went, and said, ‘Brother, give me +that apple,’ but he did not say a word; then she gave him a box on the +ear, and his head rolled off. She was so terrified at this, that she ran +crying and screaming to her mother. ‘Oh!’ she said, ‘I have knocked off +brother’s head,’ and then she wept and wept, and nothing would stop her. + +‘What have you done!’ said her mother, ‘but no one must know about it, +so you must keep silence; what is done can’t be undone; we will make +him into puddings.’ And she took the little boy and cut him up, made him +into puddings, and put him in the pot. But Marleen stood looking on, +and wept and wept, and her tears fell into the pot, so that there was no +need of salt. + +Presently the father came home and sat down to his dinner; he asked, +‘Where is my son?’ The mother said nothing, but gave him a large dish of +black pudding, and Marleen still wept without ceasing. + +The father again asked, ‘Where is my son?’ + +‘Oh,’ answered the wife, ‘he is gone into the country to his mother’s +great uncle; he is going to stay there some time.’ + +‘What has he gone there for, and he never even said goodbye to me!’ + +‘Well, he likes being there, and he told me he should be away quite six +weeks; he is well looked after there.’ + +‘I feel very unhappy about it,’ said the husband, ‘in case it should not +be all right, and he ought to have said goodbye to me.’ + +With this he went on with his dinner, and said, ‘Little Marleen, why do +you weep? Brother will soon be back.’ Then he asked his wife for more +pudding, and as he ate, he threw the bones under the table. + +Little Marleen went upstairs and took her best silk handkerchief out of +her bottom drawer, and in it she wrapped all the bones from under the +table and carried them outside, and all the time she did nothing but +weep. Then she laid them in the green grass under the juniper-tree, and +she had no sooner done so, then all her sadness seemed to leave her, +and she wept no more. And now the juniper-tree began to move, and the +branches waved backwards and forwards, first away from one another, and +then together again, as it might be someone clapping their hands for +joy. After this a mist came round the tree, and in the midst of it there +was a burning as of fire, and out of the fire there flew a beautiful +bird, that rose high into the air, singing magnificently, and when it +could no more be seen, the juniper-tree stood there as before, and the +silk handkerchief and the bones were gone. + +Little Marleen now felt as lighthearted and happy as if her brother were +still alive, and she went back to the house and sat down cheerfully to +the table and ate. + +The bird flew away and alighted on the house of a goldsmith and began to +sing: + + ‘My mother killed her little son; + My father grieved when I was gone; + My sister loved me best of all; + She laid her kerchief over me, + And took my bones that they might lie + Underneath the juniper-tree + Kywitt, Kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!’ + +The goldsmith was in his workshop making a gold chain, when he heard the +song of the bird on his roof. He thought it so beautiful that he got +up and ran out, and as he crossed the threshold he lost one of his +slippers. But he ran on into the middle of the street, with a slipper on +one foot and a sock on the other; he still had on his apron, and still +held the gold chain and the pincers in his hands, and so he stood gazing +up at the bird, while the sun came shining brightly down on the street. + +‘Bird,’ he said, ‘how beautifully you sing! Sing me that song again.’ + +‘Nay,’ said the bird, ‘I do not sing twice for nothing. Give that gold +chain, and I will sing it you again.’ + +‘Here is the chain, take it,’ said the goldsmith. ‘Only sing me that +again.’ + +The bird flew down and took the gold chain in his right claw, and then +he alighted again in front of the goldsmith and sang: + + ‘My mother killed her little son; + My father grieved when I was gone; + My sister loved me best of all; + She laid her kerchief over me, + And took my bones that they might lie + Underneath the juniper-tree + Kywitt, Kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!’ + +Then he flew away, and settled on the roof of a shoemaker’s house and +sang: + + ‘My mother killed her little son; + My father grieved when I was gone; + My sister loved me best of all; + She laid her kerchief over me, + And took my bones that they might lie + Underneath the juniper-tree + Kywitt, Kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!’ + +The shoemaker heard him, and he jumped up and ran out in his +shirt-sleeves, and stood looking up at the bird on the roof with his +hand over his eyes to keep himself from being blinded by the sun. + +‘Bird,’ he said, ‘how beautifully you sing!’ Then he called through the +door to his wife: ‘Wife, come out; here is a bird, come and look at it +and hear how beautifully it sings.’ Then he called his daughter and the +children, then the apprentices, girls and boys, and they all ran up the +street to look at the bird, and saw how splendid it was with its red +and green feathers, and its neck like burnished gold, and eyes like two +bright stars in its head. + +‘Bird,’ said the shoemaker, ‘sing me that song again.’ + +‘Nay,’ answered the bird, ‘I do not sing twice for nothing; you must +give me something.’ + +‘Wife,’ said the man, ‘go into the garret; on the upper shelf you will +see a pair of red shoes; bring them to me.’ The wife went in and fetched +the shoes. + +‘There, bird,’ said the shoemaker, ‘now sing me that song again.’ + +The bird flew down and took the red shoes in his left claw, and then he +went back to the roof and sang: + + ‘My mother killed her little son; + My father grieved when I was gone; + My sister loved me best of all; + She laid her kerchief over me, + And took my bones that they might lie + Underneath the juniper-tree + Kywitt, Kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!’ + +When he had finished, he flew away. He had the chain in his right claw +and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the +mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’ Inside the mill were +twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, +hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click +clack.’ + +The bird settled on a lime-tree in front of the mill and sang: + + ‘My mother killed her little son; + +then one of the men left off, + + My father grieved when I was gone; + +two more men left off and listened, + + My sister loved me best of all; + +then four more left off, + + She laid her kerchief over me, + And took my bones that they might lie + +now there were only eight at work, + + Underneath + +And now only five, + + the juniper-tree. + +And now only one, + + Kywitt, Kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!’ + +then he looked up and the last one had left off work. + +‘Bird,’ he said, ‘what a beautiful song that is you sing! Let me hear it +too; sing it again.’ + +‘Nay,’ answered the bird, ‘I do not sing twice for nothing; give me that +millstone, and I will sing it again.’ + +‘If it belonged to me alone,’ said the man, ‘you should have it.’ + +‘Yes, yes,’ said the others: ‘if he will sing again, he can have it.’ + +The bird came down, and all the twenty millers set to and lifted up the +stone with a beam; then the bird put his head through the hole and took +the stone round his neck like a collar, and flew back with it to the +tree and sang-- + + ‘My mother killed her little son; + My father grieved when I was gone; + My sister loved me best of all; + She laid her kerchief over me, + And took my bones that they might lie + Underneath the juniper-tree + Kywitt, Kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!’ + +And when he had finished his song, he spread his wings, and with the +chain in his right claw, the shoes in his left, and the millstone round +his neck, he flew right away to his father’s house. + +The father, the mother, and little Marleen were having their dinner. + +‘How lighthearted I feel,’ said the father, ‘so pleased and cheerful.’ + +‘And I,’ said the mother, ‘I feel so uneasy, as if a heavy thunderstorm +were coming.’ + +But little Marleen sat and wept and wept. + +Then the bird came flying towards the house and settled on the roof. + +‘I do feel so happy,’ said the father, ‘and how beautifully the sun +shines; I feel just as if I were going to see an old friend again.’ + +‘Ah!’ said the wife, ‘and I am so full of distress and uneasiness that +my teeth chatter, and I feel as if there were a fire in my veins,’ and +she tore open her dress; and all the while little Marleen sat in the +corner and wept, and the plate on her knees was wet with her tears. + +The bird now flew to the juniper-tree and began singing: + + ‘My mother killed her little son; + +the mother shut her eyes and her ears, that she might see and hear +nothing, but there was a roaring sound in her ears like that of a +violent storm, and in her eyes a burning and flashing like lightning: + + My father grieved when I was gone; + +‘Look, mother,’ said the man, ‘at the beautiful bird that is singing so +magnificently; and how warm and bright the sun is, and what a delicious +scent of spice in the air!’ + + My sister loved me best of all; + +then little Marleen laid her head down on her knees and sobbed. + +‘I must go outside and see the bird nearer,’ said the man. + +‘Ah, do not go!’ cried the wife. ‘I feel as if the whole house were in +flames!’ + +But the man went out and looked at the bird. + + She laid her kerchief over me, + And took my bones that they might lie + Underneath the juniper-tree + Kywitt, Kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!’ + +With that the bird let fall the gold chain, and it fell just round the +man’s neck, so that it fitted him exactly. + +He went inside, and said, ‘See, what a splendid bird that is; he has +given me this beautiful gold chain, and looks so beautiful himself.’ + +But the wife was in such fear and trouble, that she fell on the floor, +and her cap fell from her head. + +Then the bird began again: + + ‘My mother killed her little son; + +‘Ah me!’ cried the wife, ‘if I were but a thousand feet beneath the +earth, that I might not hear that song.’ + + My father grieved when I was gone; + +then the woman fell down again as if dead. + + My sister loved me best of all; + +‘Well,’ said little Marleen, ‘I will go out too and see if the bird will +give me anything.’ + +So she went out. + + She laid her kerchief over me, + And took my bones that they might lie + +and he threw down the shoes to her, + + Underneath the juniper-tree + Kywitt, Kywitt, what a beautiful bird am I!’ + +And she now felt quite happy and lighthearted; she put on the shoes and +danced and jumped about in them. ‘I was so miserable,’ she said, ‘when I +came out, but that has all passed away; that is indeed a splendid bird, +and he has given me a pair of red shoes.’ + +The wife sprang up, with her hair standing out from her head like flames +of fire. ‘Then I will go out too,’ she said, ‘and see if it will lighten +my misery, for I feel as if the world were coming to an end.’ + +But as she crossed the threshold, crash! the bird threw the millstone +down on her head, and she was crushed to death. + +The father and little Marleen heard the sound and ran out, but they only +saw mist and flame and fire rising from the spot, and when these had +passed, there stood the little brother, and he took the father and +little Marleen by the hand; then they all three rejoiced, and went +inside together and sat down to their dinners and ate. + + + + +THE TURNIP + + +There were two brothers who were both soldiers; the one was rich and +the other poor. The poor man thought he would try to better himself; so, +pulling off his red coat, he became a gardener, and dug his ground well, +and sowed turnips. + +When the seed came up, there was one plant bigger than all the rest; and +it kept getting larger and larger, and seemed as if it would never cease +growing; so that it might have been called the prince of turnips for +there never was such a one seen before, and never will again. At last it +was so big that it filled a cart, and two oxen could hardly draw it; and +the gardener knew not what in the world to do with it, nor whether it +would be a blessing or a curse to him. One day he said to himself, ‘What +shall I do with it? if I sell it, it will bring no more than another; +and for eating, the little turnips are better than this; the best thing +perhaps is to carry it and give it to the king as a mark of respect.’ + +Then he yoked his oxen, and drew the turnip to the court, and gave it +to the king. ‘What a wonderful thing!’ said the king; ‘I have seen many +strange things, but such a monster as this I never saw. Where did you +get the seed? or is it only your good luck? If so, you are a true child +of fortune.’ ‘Ah, no!’ answered the gardener, ‘I am no child of fortune; +I am a poor soldier, who never could get enough to live upon; so I +laid aside my red coat, and set to work, tilling the ground. I have a +brother, who is rich, and your majesty knows him well, and all the world +knows him; but because I am poor, everybody forgets me.’ + +The king then took pity on him, and said, ‘You shall be poor no +longer. I will give you so much that you shall be even richer than your +brother.’ Then he gave him gold and lands and flocks, and made him so +rich that his brother’s fortune could not at all be compared with his. + +When the brother heard of all this, and how a turnip had made the +gardener so rich, he envied him sorely, and bethought himself how he +could contrive to get the same good fortune for himself. However, he +determined to manage more cleverly than his brother, and got together a +rich present of gold and fine horses for the king; and thought he must +have a much larger gift in return; for if his brother had received so +much for only a turnip, what must his present be worth? + +The king took the gift very graciously, and said he knew not what to +give in return more valuable and wonderful than the great turnip; so +the soldier was forced to put it into a cart, and drag it home with him. +When he reached home, he knew not upon whom to vent his rage and spite; +and at length wicked thoughts came into his head, and he resolved to +kill his brother. + +So he hired some villains to murder him; and having shown them where to +lie in ambush, he went to his brother, and said, ‘Dear brother, I have +found a hidden treasure; let us go and dig it up, and share it between +us.’ The other had no suspicions of his roguery: so they went out +together, and as they were travelling along, the murderers rushed out +upon him, bound him, and were going to hang him on a tree. + +But whilst they were getting all ready, they heard the trampling of a +horse at a distance, which so frightened them that they pushed their +prisoner neck and shoulders together into a sack, and swung him up by a +cord to the tree, where they left him dangling, and ran away. Meantime +he worked and worked away, till he made a hole large enough to put out +his head. + +When the horseman came up, he proved to be a student, a merry fellow, +who was journeying along on his nag, and singing as he went. As soon as +the man in the sack saw him passing under the tree, he cried out, ‘Good +morning! good morning to thee, my friend!’ The student looked about +everywhere; and seeing no one, and not knowing where the voice came +from, cried out, ‘Who calls me?’ + +Then the man in the tree answered, ‘Lift up thine eyes, for behold here +I sit in the sack of wisdom; here have I, in a short time, learned great +and wondrous things. Compared to this seat, all the learning of the +schools is as empty air. A little longer, and I shall know all that man +can know, and shall come forth wiser than the wisest of mankind. Here +I discern the signs and motions of the heavens and the stars; the laws +that control the winds; the number of the sands on the seashore; the +healing of the sick; the virtues of all simples, of birds, and of +precious stones. Wert thou but once here, my friend, though wouldst feel +and own the power of knowledge. + +The student listened to all this and wondered much; at last he said, +‘Blessed be the day and hour when I found you; cannot you contrive to +let me into the sack for a little while?’ Then the other answered, as if +very unwillingly, ‘A little space I may allow thee to sit here, if thou +wilt reward me well and entreat me kindly; but thou must tarry yet an +hour below, till I have learnt some little matters that are yet unknown +to me.’ + +So the student sat himself down and waited a while; but the time hung +heavy upon him, and he begged earnestly that he might ascend forthwith, +for his thirst for knowledge was great. Then the other pretended to give +way, and said, ‘Thou must let the sack of wisdom descend, by untying +yonder cord, and then thou shalt enter.’ So the student let him down, +opened the sack, and set him free. ‘Now then,’ cried he, ‘let me ascend +quickly.’ As he began to put himself into the sack heels first, ‘Wait a +while,’ said the gardener, ‘that is not the way.’ Then he pushed him +in head first, tied up the sack, and soon swung up the searcher after +wisdom dangling in the air. ‘How is it with thee, friend?’ said he, +‘dost thou not feel that wisdom comes unto thee? Rest there in peace, +till thou art a wiser man than thou wert.’ + +So saying, he trotted off on the student’s nag, and left the poor fellow +to gather wisdom till somebody should come and let him down. + + + + +CLEVER HANS + + +The mother of Hans said: ‘Whither away, Hans?’ Hans answered: ‘To +Gretel.’ ‘Behave well, Hans.’ ‘Oh, I’ll behave well. Goodbye, mother.’ +‘Goodbye, Hans.’ Hans comes to Gretel. ‘Good day, Gretel.’ ‘Good day, +Hans. What do you bring that is good?’ ‘I bring nothing, I want to have +something given me.’ Gretel presents Hans with a needle, Hans says: +‘Goodbye, Gretel.’ ‘Goodbye, Hans.’ + +Hans takes the needle, sticks it into a hay-cart, and follows the cart +home. ‘Good evening, mother.’ ‘Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?’ +‘With Gretel.’ ‘What did you take her?’ ‘Took nothing; had something +given me.’ ‘What did Gretel give you?’ ‘Gave me a needle.’ ‘Where is the +needle, Hans?’ ‘Stuck in the hay-cart.’ ‘That was ill done, Hans. You +should have stuck the needle in your sleeve.’ ‘Never mind, I’ll do +better next time.’ + +‘Whither away, Hans?’ ‘To Gretel, mother.’ ‘Behave well, Hans.’ ‘Oh, +I’ll behave well. Goodbye, mother.’ ‘Goodbye, Hans.’ Hans comes to +Gretel. ‘Good day, Gretel.’ ‘Good day, Hans. What do you bring that is +good?’ ‘I bring nothing. I want to have something given to me.’ Gretel +presents Hans with a knife. ‘Goodbye, Gretel.’ ‘Goodbye, Hans.’ Hans +takes the knife, sticks it in his sleeve, and goes home. ‘Good evening, +mother.’ ‘Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?’ ‘With Gretel.’ What +did you take her?’ ‘Took her nothing, she gave me something.’ ‘What did +Gretel give you?’ ‘Gave me a knife.’ ‘Where is the knife, Hans?’ ‘Stuck +in my sleeve.’ ‘That’s ill done, Hans, you should have put the knife in +your pocket.’ ‘Never mind, will do better next time.’ + +‘Whither away, Hans?’ ‘To Gretel, mother.’ ‘Behave well, Hans.’ ‘Oh, +I’ll behave well. Goodbye, mother.’ ‘Goodbye, Hans.’ Hans comes to +Gretel. ‘Good day, Gretel.’ ‘Good day, Hans. What good thing do you +bring?’ ‘I bring nothing, I want something given me.’ Gretel presents +Hans with a young goat. ‘Goodbye, Gretel.’ ‘Goodbye, Hans.’ Hans takes +the goat, ties its legs, and puts it in his pocket. When he gets home it +is suffocated. ‘Good evening, mother.’ ‘Good evening, Hans. Where have +you been?’ ‘With Gretel.’ ‘What did you take her?’ ‘Took nothing, she +gave me something.’ ‘What did Gretel give you?’ ‘She gave me a goat.’ +‘Where is the goat, Hans?’ ‘Put it in my pocket.’ ‘That was ill done, +Hans, you should have put a rope round the goat’s neck.’ ‘Never mind, +will do better next time.’ + +‘Whither away, Hans?’ ‘To Gretel, mother.’ ‘Behave well, Hans.’ ‘Oh, +I’ll behave well. Goodbye, mother.’ ‘Goodbye, Hans.’ Hans comes to +Gretel. ‘Good day, Gretel.’ ‘Good day, Hans. What good thing do you +bring?’ ‘I bring nothing, I want something given me.’ Gretel presents +Hans with a piece of bacon. ‘Goodbye, Gretel.’ ‘Goodbye, Hans.’ + +Hans takes the bacon, ties it to a rope, and drags it away behind him. +The dogs come and devour the bacon. When he gets home, he has the rope +in his hand, and there is no longer anything hanging on to it. ‘Good +evening, mother.’ ‘Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?’ ‘With +Gretel.’ ‘What did you take her?’ ‘I took her nothing, she gave me +something.’ ‘What did Gretel give you?’ ‘Gave me a bit of bacon.’ ‘Where +is the bacon, Hans?’ ‘I tied it to a rope, brought it home, dogs took +it.’ ‘That was ill done, Hans, you should have carried the bacon on your +head.’ ‘Never mind, will do better next time.’ + +‘Whither away, Hans?’ ‘To Gretel, mother.’ ‘Behave well, Hans.’ ‘I’ll +behave well. Goodbye, mother.’ ‘Goodbye, Hans.’ Hans comes to Gretel. +‘Good day, Gretel.’ ‘Good day, Hans, What good thing do you bring?’ ‘I +bring nothing, but would have something given.’ Gretel presents Hans +with a calf. ‘Goodbye, Gretel.’ ‘Goodbye, Hans.’ + +Hans takes the calf, puts it on his head, and the calf kicks his face. +‘Good evening, mother.’ ‘Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?’ ‘With +Gretel.’ ‘What did you take her?’ ‘I took nothing, but had something +given me.’ ‘What did Gretel give you?’ ‘A calf.’ ‘Where have you the +calf, Hans?’ ‘I set it on my head and it kicked my face.’ ‘That was +ill done, Hans, you should have led the calf, and put it in the stall.’ +‘Never mind, will do better next time.’ + +‘Whither away, Hans?’ ‘To Gretel, mother.’ ‘Behave well, Hans.’ ‘I’ll +behave well. Goodbye, mother.’ ‘Goodbye, Hans.’ + +Hans comes to Gretel. ‘Good day, Gretel.’ ‘Good day, Hans. What good +thing do you bring?’ ‘I bring nothing, but would have something given.’ +Gretel says to Hans: ‘I will go with you.’ + +Hans takes Gretel, ties her to a rope, leads her to the rack, and binds +her fast. Then Hans goes to his mother. ‘Good evening, mother.’ ‘Good +evening, Hans. Where have you been?’ ‘With Gretel.’ ‘What did you take +her?’ ‘I took her nothing.’ ‘What did Gretel give you?’ ‘She gave me +nothing, she came with me.’ ‘Where have you left Gretel?’ ‘I led her by +the rope, tied her to the rack, and scattered some grass for her.’ ‘That +was ill done, Hans, you should have cast friendly eyes on her.’ ‘Never +mind, will do better.’ + +Hans went into the stable, cut out all the calves’ and sheep’s eyes, +and threw them in Gretel’s face. Then Gretel became angry, tore herself +loose and ran away, and was no longer the bride of Hans. + + + + +THE THREE LANGUAGES + + +An aged count once lived in Switzerland, who had an only son, but he +was stupid, and could learn nothing. Then said the father: ‘Hark you, +my son, try as I will I can get nothing into your head. You must go from +hence, I will give you into the care of a celebrated master, who shall +see what he can do with you.’ The youth was sent into a strange town, +and remained a whole year with the master. At the end of this time, +he came home again, and his father asked: ‘Now, my son, what have you +learnt?’ ‘Father, I have learnt what the dogs say when they bark.’ ‘Lord +have mercy on us!’ cried the father; ‘is that all you have learnt? I +will send you into another town, to another master.’ The youth was taken +thither, and stayed a year with this master likewise. When he came back +the father again asked: ‘My son, what have you learnt?’ He answered: +‘Father, I have learnt what the birds say.’ Then the father fell into a +rage and said: ‘Oh, you lost man, you have spent the precious time and +learnt nothing; are you not ashamed to appear before my eyes? I will +send you to a third master, but if you learn nothing this time also, I +will no longer be your father.’ The youth remained a whole year with the +third master also, and when he came home again, and his father inquired: +‘My son, what have you learnt?’ he answered: ‘Dear father, I have this +year learnt what the frogs croak.’ Then the father fell into the most +furious anger, sprang up, called his people thither, and said: ‘This man +is no longer my son, I drive him forth, and command you to take him +out into the forest, and kill him.’ They took him forth, but when they +should have killed him, they could not do it for pity, and let him go, +and they cut the eyes and tongue out of a deer that they might carry +them to the old man as a token. + +The youth wandered on, and after some time came to a fortress where he +begged for a night’s lodging. ‘Yes,’ said the lord of the castle, ‘if +you will pass the night down there in the old tower, go thither; but I +warn you, it is at the peril of your life, for it is full of wild dogs, +which bark and howl without stopping, and at certain hours a man has to +be given to them, whom they at once devour.’ The whole district was in +sorrow and dismay because of them, and yet no one could do anything to +stop this. The youth, however, was without fear, and said: ‘Just let me +go down to the barking dogs, and give me something that I can throw to +them; they will do nothing to harm me.’ As he himself would have it so, +they gave him some food for the wild animals, and led him down to the +tower. When he went inside, the dogs did not bark at him, but wagged +their tails quite amicably around him, ate what he set before them, and +did not hurt one hair of his head. Next morning, to the astonishment of +everyone, he came out again safe and unharmed, and said to the lord of +the castle: ‘The dogs have revealed to me, in their own language, why +they dwell there, and bring evil on the land. They are bewitched, and +are obliged to watch over a great treasure which is below in the tower, +and they can have no rest until it is taken away, and I have likewise +learnt, from their discourse, how that is to be done.’ Then all who +heard this rejoiced, and the lord of the castle said he would adopt him +as a son if he accomplished it successfully. He went down again, and +as he knew what he had to do, he did it thoroughly, and brought a chest +full of gold out with him. The howling of the wild dogs was henceforth +heard no more; they had disappeared, and the country was freed from the +trouble. + +After some time he took it in his head that he would travel to Rome. On +the way he passed by a marsh, in which a number of frogs were sitting +croaking. He listened to them, and when he became aware of what they +were saying, he grew very thoughtful and sad. At last he arrived in +Rome, where the Pope had just died, and there was great doubt among +the cardinals as to whom they should appoint as his successor. They at +length agreed that the person should be chosen as pope who should be +distinguished by some divine and miraculous token. And just as that was +decided on, the young count entered into the church, and suddenly two +snow-white doves flew on his shoulders and remained sitting there. The +ecclesiastics recognized therein the token from above, and asked him on +the spot if he would be pope. He was undecided, and knew not if he were +worthy of this, but the doves counselled him to do it, and at length he +said yes. Then was he anointed and consecrated, and thus was fulfilled +what he had heard from the frogs on his way, which had so affected him, +that he was to be his Holiness the Pope. Then he had to sing a mass, and +did not know one word of it, but the two doves sat continually on his +shoulders, and said it all in his ear. + + + + +THE FOX AND THE CAT + + +It happened that the cat met the fox in a forest, and as she thought to +herself: ‘He is clever and full of experience, and much esteemed in the +world,’ she spoke to him in a friendly way. ‘Good day, dear Mr Fox, +how are you? How is all with you? How are you getting on in these hard +times?’ The fox, full of all kinds of arrogance, looked at the cat from +head to foot, and for a long time did not know whether he would give +any answer or not. At last he said: ‘Oh, you wretched beard-cleaner, you +piebald fool, you hungry mouse-hunter, what can you be thinking of? Have +you the cheek to ask how I am getting on? What have you learnt? How +many arts do you understand?’ ‘I understand but one,’ replied the +cat, modestly. ‘What art is that?’ asked the fox. ‘When the hounds are +following me, I can spring into a tree and save myself.’ ‘Is that all?’ +said the fox. ‘I am master of a hundred arts, and have into the bargain +a sackful of cunning. You make me sorry for you; come with me, I will +teach you how people get away from the hounds.’ Just then came a hunter +with four dogs. The cat sprang nimbly up a tree, and sat down at the top +of it, where the branches and foliage quite concealed her. ‘Open your +sack, Mr Fox, open your sack,’ cried the cat to him, but the dogs had +already seized him, and were holding him fast. ‘Ah, Mr Fox,’ cried the +cat. ‘You with your hundred arts are left in the lurch! Had you been +able to climb like me, you would not have lost your life.’ + + + + +THE FOUR CLEVER BROTHERS + + +‘Dear children,’ said a poor man to his four sons, ‘I have nothing to +give you; you must go out into the wide world and try your luck. Begin +by learning some craft or another, and see how you can get on.’ So the +four brothers took their walking-sticks in their hands, and their little +bundles on their shoulders, and after bidding their father goodbye, went +all out at the gate together. When they had got on some way they came +to four crossways, each leading to a different country. Then the eldest +said, ‘Here we must part; but this day four years we will come back +to this spot, and in the meantime each must try what he can do for +himself.’ + +So each brother went his way; and as the eldest was hastening on a man +met him, and asked him where he was going, and what he wanted. ‘I am +going to try my luck in the world, and should like to begin by learning +some art or trade,’ answered he. ‘Then,’ said the man, ‘go with me, and +I will teach you to become the cunningest thief that ever was.’ ‘No,’ +said the other, ‘that is not an honest calling, and what can one look +to earn by it in the end but the gallows?’ ‘Oh!’ said the man, ‘you need +not fear the gallows; for I will only teach you to steal what will be +fair game: I meddle with nothing but what no one else can get or care +anything about, and where no one can find you out.’ So the young man +agreed to follow his trade, and he soon showed himself so clever, that +nothing could escape him that he had once set his mind upon. + +The second brother also met a man, who, when he found out what he was +setting out upon, asked him what craft he meant to follow. ‘I do not +know yet,’ said he. ‘Then come with me, and be a star-gazer. It is a +noble art, for nothing can be hidden from you, when once you understand +the stars.’ The plan pleased him much, and he soon became such a skilful +star-gazer, that when he had served out his time, and wanted to leave +his master, he gave him a glass, and said, ‘With this you can see all +that is passing in the sky and on earth, and nothing can be hidden from +you.’ + +The third brother met a huntsman, who took him with him, and taught him +so well all that belonged to hunting, that he became very clever in the +craft of the woods; and when he left his master he gave him a bow, and +said, ‘Whatever you shoot at with this bow you will be sure to hit.’ + +The youngest brother likewise met a man who asked him what he wished to +do. ‘Would not you like,’ said he, ‘to be a tailor?’ ‘Oh, no!’ said +the young man; ‘sitting cross-legged from morning to night, working +backwards and forwards with a needle and goose, will never suit me.’ +‘Oh!’ answered the man, ‘that is not my sort of tailoring; come with me, +and you will learn quite another kind of craft from that.’ Not knowing +what better to do, he came into the plan, and learnt tailoring from the +beginning; and when he left his master, he gave him a needle, and said, +‘You can sew anything with this, be it as soft as an egg or as hard as +steel; and the joint will be so fine that no seam will be seen.’ + +After the space of four years, at the time agreed upon, the four +brothers met at the four cross-roads; and having welcomed each other, +set off towards their father’s home, where they told him all that had +happened to them, and how each had learned some craft. + +Then, one day, as they were sitting before the house under a very high +tree, the father said, ‘I should like to try what each of you can do in +this way.’ So he looked up, and said to the second son, ‘At the top of +this tree there is a chaffinch’s nest; tell me how many eggs there are +in it.’ The star-gazer took his glass, looked up, and said, ‘Five.’ +‘Now,’ said the father to the eldest son, ‘take away the eggs without +letting the bird that is sitting upon them and hatching them know +anything of what you are doing.’ So the cunning thief climbed up the +tree, and brought away to his father the five eggs from under the bird; +and it never saw or felt what he was doing, but kept sitting on at its +ease. Then the father took the eggs, and put one on each corner of the +table, and the fifth in the middle, and said to the huntsman, ‘Cut all +the eggs in two pieces at one shot.’ The huntsman took up his bow, and +at one shot struck all the five eggs as his father wished. + +‘Now comes your turn,’ said he to the young tailor; ‘sew the eggs and +the young birds in them together again, so neatly that the shot shall +have done them no harm.’ Then the tailor took his needle, and sewed the +eggs as he was told; and when he had done, the thief was sent to take +them back to the nest, and put them under the bird without its knowing +it. Then she went on sitting, and hatched them: and in a few days they +crawled out, and had only a little red streak across their necks, where +the tailor had sewn them together. + +‘Well done, sons!’ said the old man; ‘you have made good use of your +time, and learnt something worth the knowing; but I am sure I do not +know which ought to have the prize. Oh, that a time might soon come for +you to turn your skill to some account!’ + +Not long after this there was a great bustle in the country; for the +king’s daughter had been carried off by a mighty dragon, and the king +mourned over his loss day and night, and made it known that whoever +brought her back to him should have her for a wife. Then the four +brothers said to each other, ‘Here is a chance for us; let us try +what we can do.’ And they agreed to see whether they could not set the +princess free. ‘I will soon find out where she is, however,’ said the +star-gazer, as he looked through his glass; and he soon cried out, ‘I +see her afar off, sitting upon a rock in the sea, and I can spy the +dragon close by, guarding her.’ Then he went to the king, and asked for +a ship for himself and his brothers; and they sailed together over the +sea, till they came to the right place. There they found the princess +sitting, as the star-gazer had said, on the rock; and the dragon was +lying asleep, with his head upon her lap. ‘I dare not shoot at him,’ +said the huntsman, ‘for I should kill the beautiful young lady also.’ +‘Then I will try my skill,’ said the thief, and went and stole her away +from under the dragon, so quietly and gently that the beast did not know +it, but went on snoring. + +Then away they hastened with her full of joy in their boat towards the +ship; but soon came the dragon roaring behind them through the air; for +he awoke and missed the princess. But when he got over the boat, and +wanted to pounce upon them and carry off the princess, the huntsman took +up his bow and shot him straight through the heart so that he fell down +dead. They were still not safe; for he was such a great beast that in +his fall he overset the boat, and they had to swim in the open sea +upon a few planks. So the tailor took his needle, and with a few large +stitches put some of the planks together; and he sat down upon these, +and sailed about and gathered up all pieces of the boat; and then tacked +them together so quickly that the boat was soon ready, and they then +reached the ship and got home safe. + +When they had brought home the princess to her father, there was great +rejoicing; and he said to the four brothers, ‘One of you shall marry +her, but you must settle amongst yourselves which it is to be.’ Then +there arose a quarrel between them; and the star-gazer said, ‘If I had +not found the princess out, all your skill would have been of no use; +therefore she ought to be mine.’ ‘Your seeing her would have been of +no use,’ said the thief, ‘if I had not taken her away from the dragon; +therefore she ought to be mine.’ ‘No, she is mine,’ said the huntsman; +‘for if I had not killed the dragon, he would, after all, have torn you +and the princess into pieces.’ ‘And if I had not sewn the boat together +again,’ said the tailor, ‘you would all have been drowned, therefore she +is mine.’ Then the king put in a word, and said, ‘Each of you is right; +and as all cannot have the young lady, the best way is for neither of +you to have her: for the truth is, there is somebody she likes a great +deal better. But to make up for your loss, I will give each of you, as a +reward for his skill, half a kingdom.’ So the brothers agreed that this +plan would be much better than either quarrelling or marrying a lady who +had no mind to have them. And the king then gave to each half a kingdom, +as he had said; and they lived very happily the rest of their days, and +took good care of their father; and somebody took better care of the +young lady, than to let either the dragon or one of the craftsmen have +her again. + + + + +LILY AND THE LION + + +A merchant, who had three daughters, was once setting out upon a +journey; but before he went he asked each daughter what gift he should +bring back for her. The eldest wished for pearls; the second for jewels; +but the third, who was called Lily, said, ‘Dear father, bring me a +rose.’ Now it was no easy task to find a rose, for it was the middle +of winter; yet as she was his prettiest daughter, and was very fond of +flowers, her father said he would try what he could do. So he kissed all +three, and bid them goodbye. + +And when the time came for him to go home, he had bought pearls and +jewels for the two eldest, but he had sought everywhere in vain for the +rose; and when he went into any garden and asked for such a thing, the +people laughed at him, and asked him whether he thought roses grew in +snow. This grieved him very much, for Lily was his dearest child; and as +he was journeying home, thinking what he should bring her, he came to a +fine castle; and around the castle was a garden, in one half of which it +seemed to be summer-time and in the other half winter. On one side the +finest flowers were in full bloom, and on the other everything looked +dreary and buried in the snow. ‘A lucky hit!’ said he, as he called to +his servant, and told him to go to a beautiful bed of roses that was +there, and bring him away one of the finest flowers. + +This done, they were riding away well pleased, when up sprang a fierce +lion, and roared out, ‘Whoever has stolen my roses shall be eaten up +alive!’ Then the man said, ‘I knew not that the garden belonged to you; +can nothing save my life?’ ‘No!’ said the lion, ‘nothing, unless you +undertake to give me whatever meets you on your return home; if you +agree to this, I will give you your life, and the rose too for your +daughter.’ But the man was unwilling to do so and said, ‘It may be my +youngest daughter, who loves me most, and always runs to meet me when +I go home.’ Then the servant was greatly frightened, and said, ‘It may +perhaps be only a cat or a dog.’ And at last the man yielded with a +heavy heart, and took the rose; and said he would give the lion whatever +should meet him first on his return. + +And as he came near home, it was Lily, his youngest and dearest +daughter, that met him; she came running, and kissed him, and welcomed +him home; and when she saw that he had brought her the rose, she was +still more glad. But her father began to be very sorrowful, and to weep, +saying, ‘Alas, my dearest child! I have bought this flower at a high +price, for I have said I would give you to a wild lion; and when he has +you, he will tear you in pieces, and eat you.’ Then he told her all that +had happened, and said she should not go, let what would happen. + +But she comforted him, and said, ‘Dear father, the word you have given +must be kept; I will go to the lion, and soothe him: perhaps he will let +me come safe home again.’ + +The next morning she asked the way she was to go, and took leave of her +father, and went forth with a bold heart into the wood. But the lion was +an enchanted prince. By day he and all his court were lions, but in the +evening they took their right forms again. And when Lily came to the +castle, he welcomed her so courteously that she agreed to marry him. The +wedding-feast was held, and they lived happily together a long time. The +prince was only to be seen as soon as evening came, and then he held his +court; but every morning he left his bride, and went away by himself, +she knew not whither, till the night came again. + +After some time he said to her, ‘Tomorrow there will be a great feast in +your father’s house, for your eldest sister is to be married; and if +you wish to go and visit her my lions shall lead you thither.’ Then she +rejoiced much at the thoughts of seeing her father once more, and set +out with the lions; and everyone was overjoyed to see her, for they had +thought her dead long since. But she told them how happy she was, and +stayed till the feast was over, and then went back to the wood. + +Her second sister was soon after married, and when Lily was asked to +go to the wedding, she said to the prince, ‘I will not go alone this +time--you must go with me.’ But he would not, and said that it would be +a very hazardous thing; for if the least ray of the torch-light should +fall upon him his enchantment would become still worse, for he should be +changed into a dove, and be forced to wander about the world for seven +long years. However, she gave him no rest, and said she would take care +no light should fall upon him. So at last they set out together, and +took with them their little child; and she chose a large hall with thick +walls for him to sit in while the wedding-torches were lighted; but, +unluckily, no one saw that there was a crack in the door. Then the +wedding was held with great pomp, but as the train came from the church, +and passed with the torches before the hall, a very small ray of light +fell upon the prince. In a moment he disappeared, and when his wife came +in and looked for him, she found only a white dove; and it said to her, +‘Seven years must I fly up and down over the face of the earth, but +every now and then I will let fall a white feather, that will show you +the way I am going; follow it, and at last you may overtake and set me +free.’ + +This said, he flew out at the door, and poor Lily followed; and every +now and then a white feather fell, and showed her the way she was to +journey. Thus she went roving on through the wide world, and looked +neither to the right hand nor to the left, nor took any rest, for seven +years. Then she began to be glad, and thought to herself that the time +was fast coming when all her troubles should end; yet repose was still +far off, for one day as she was travelling on she missed the white +feather, and when she lifted up her eyes she could nowhere see the dove. +‘Now,’ thought she to herself, ‘no aid of man can be of use to me.’ So +she went to the sun and said, ‘Thou shinest everywhere, on the hill’s +top and the valley’s depth--hast thou anywhere seen my white dove?’ +‘No,’ said the sun, ‘I have not seen it; but I will give thee a +casket--open it when thy hour of need comes.’ + +So she thanked the sun, and went on her way till eventide; and when +the moon arose, she cried unto it, and said, ‘Thou shinest through the +night, over field and grove--hast thou nowhere seen my white dove?’ +‘No,’ said the moon, ‘I cannot help thee but I will give thee an +egg--break it when need comes.’ + +Then she thanked the moon, and went on till the night-wind blew; and she +raised up her voice to it, and said, ‘Thou blowest through every tree +and under every leaf--hast thou not seen my white dove?’ ‘No,’ said the +night-wind, ‘but I will ask three other winds; perhaps they have seen +it.’ Then the east wind and the west wind came, and said they too had +not seen it, but the south wind said, ‘I have seen the white dove--he +has fled to the Red Sea, and is changed once more into a lion, for the +seven years are passed away, and there he is fighting with a dragon; +and the dragon is an enchanted princess, who seeks to separate him from +you.’ Then the night-wind said, ‘I will give thee counsel. Go to the +Red Sea; on the right shore stand many rods--count them, and when thou +comest to the eleventh, break it off, and smite the dragon with it; and +so the lion will have the victory, and both of them will appear to you +in their own forms. Then look round and thou wilt see a griffin, winged +like bird, sitting by the Red Sea; jump on to his back with thy beloved +one as quickly as possible, and he will carry you over the waters to +your home. I will also give thee this nut,’ continued the night-wind. +‘When you are half-way over, throw it down, and out of the waters will +immediately spring up a high nut-tree on which the griffin will be able +to rest, otherwise he would not have the strength to bear you the whole +way; if, therefore, thou dost forget to throw down the nut, he will let +you both fall into the sea.’ + +So our poor wanderer went forth, and found all as the night-wind had +said; and she plucked the eleventh rod, and smote the dragon, and the +lion forthwith became a prince, and the dragon a princess again. But +no sooner was the princess released from the spell, than she seized +the prince by the arm and sprang on to the griffin’s back, and went off +carrying the prince away with her. + +Thus the unhappy traveller was again forsaken and forlorn; but she +took heart and said, ‘As far as the wind blows, and so long as the cock +crows, I will journey on, till I find him once again.’ She went on for +a long, long way, till at length she came to the castle whither the +princess had carried the prince; and there was a feast got ready, and +she heard that the wedding was about to be held. ‘Heaven aid me now!’ +said she; and she took the casket that the sun had given her, and found +that within it lay a dress as dazzling as the sun itself. So she put it +on, and went into the palace, and all the people gazed upon her; and +the dress pleased the bride so much that she asked whether it was to be +sold. ‘Not for gold and silver.’ said she, ‘but for flesh and blood.’ +The princess asked what she meant, and she said, ‘Let me speak with the +bridegroom this night in his chamber, and I will give thee the dress.’ +At last the princess agreed, but she told her chamberlain to give the +prince a sleeping draught, that he might not hear or see her. When +evening came, and the prince had fallen asleep, she was led into +his chamber, and she sat herself down at his feet, and said: ‘I have +followed thee seven years. I have been to the sun, the moon, and the +night-wind, to seek thee, and at last I have helped thee to overcome +the dragon. Wilt thou then forget me quite?’ But the prince all the time +slept so soundly, that her voice only passed over him, and seemed like +the whistling of the wind among the fir-trees. + +Then poor Lily was led away, and forced to give up the golden dress; and +when she saw that there was no help for her, she went out into a meadow, +and sat herself down and wept. But as she sat she bethought herself of +the egg that the moon had given her; and when she broke it, there ran +out a hen and twelve chickens of pure gold, that played about, and then +nestled under the old one’s wings, so as to form the most beautiful +sight in the world. And she rose up and drove them before her, till the +bride saw them from her window, and was so pleased that she came forth +and asked her if she would sell the brood. ‘Not for gold or silver, but +for flesh and blood: let me again this evening speak with the bridegroom +in his chamber, and I will give thee the whole brood.’ + +Then the princess thought to betray her as before, and agreed to +what she asked: but when the prince went to his chamber he asked +the chamberlain why the wind had whistled so in the night. And the +chamberlain told him all--how he had given him a sleeping draught, and +how a poor maiden had come and spoken to him in his chamber, and was +to come again that night. Then the prince took care to throw away the +sleeping draught; and when Lily came and began again to tell him what +woes had befallen her, and how faithful and true to him she had been, +he knew his beloved wife’s voice, and sprang up, and said, ‘You have +awakened me as from a dream, for the strange princess had thrown a spell +around me, so that I had altogether forgotten you; but Heaven hath sent +you to me in a lucky hour.’ + +And they stole away out of the palace by night unawares, and seated +themselves on the griffin, who flew back with them over the Red Sea. +When they were half-way across Lily let the nut fall into the water, +and immediately a large nut-tree arose from the sea, whereon the griffin +rested for a while, and then carried them safely home. There they found +their child, now grown up to be comely and fair; and after all their +troubles they lived happily together to the end of their days. + + + + +THE FOX AND THE HORSE + + +A farmer had a horse that had been an excellent faithful servant to +him: but he was now grown too old to work; so the farmer would give him +nothing more to eat, and said, ‘I want you no longer, so take yourself +off out of my stable; I shall not take you back again until you are +stronger than a lion.’ Then he opened the door and turned him adrift. + +The poor horse was very melancholy, and wandered up and down in the +wood, seeking some little shelter from the cold wind and rain. Presently +a fox met him: ‘What’s the matter, my friend?’ said he, ‘why do you hang +down your head and look so lonely and woe-begone?’ ‘Ah!’ replied the +horse, ‘justice and avarice never dwell in one house; my master has +forgotten all that I have done for him so many years, and because I +can no longer work he has turned me adrift, and says unless I become +stronger than a lion he will not take me back again; what chance can I +have of that? he knows I have none, or he would not talk so.’ + +However, the fox bid him be of good cheer, and said, ‘I will help you; +lie down there, stretch yourself out quite stiff, and pretend to be +dead.’ The horse did as he was told, and the fox went straight to the +lion who lived in a cave close by, and said to him, ‘A little way off +lies a dead horse; come with me and you may make an excellent meal of +his carcase.’ The lion was greatly pleased, and set off immediately; and +when they came to the horse, the fox said, ‘You will not be able to eat +him comfortably here; I’ll tell you what--I will tie you fast to +his tail, and then you can draw him to your den, and eat him at your +leisure.’ + +This advice pleased the lion, so he laid himself down quietly for the +fox to make him fast to the horse. But the fox managed to tie his legs +together and bound all so hard and fast that with all his strength he +could not set himself free. When the work was done, the fox clapped the +horse on the shoulder, and said, ‘Jip! Dobbin! Jip!’ Then up he sprang, +and moved off, dragging the lion behind him. The beast began to roar +and bellow, till all the birds of the wood flew away for fright; but the +horse let him sing on, and made his way quietly over the fields to his +master’s house. + +‘Here he is, master,’ said he, ‘I have got the better of him’: and when +the farmer saw his old servant, his heart relented, and he said. ‘Thou +shalt stay in thy stable and be well taken care of.’ And so the poor old +horse had plenty to eat, and lived--till he died. + + + + +THE BLUE LIGHT + + +There was once upon a time a soldier who for many years had served the +king faithfully, but when the war came to an end could serve no longer +because of the many wounds which he had received. The king said to him: +‘You may return to your home, I need you no longer, and you will not +receive any more money, for he only receives wages who renders me +service for them.’ Then the soldier did not know how to earn a living, +went away greatly troubled, and walked the whole day, until in the +evening he entered a forest. When darkness came on, he saw a light, +which he went up to, and came to a house wherein lived a witch. ‘Do give +me one night’s lodging, and a little to eat and drink,’ said he to +her, ‘or I shall starve.’ ‘Oho!’ she answered, ‘who gives anything to a +run-away soldier? Yet will I be compassionate, and take you in, if you +will do what I wish.’ ‘What do you wish?’ said the soldier. ‘That you +should dig all round my garden for me, tomorrow.’ The soldier consented, +and next day laboured with all his strength, but could not finish it by +the evening. ‘I see well enough,’ said the witch, ‘that you can do no +more today, but I will keep you yet another night, in payment for +which you must tomorrow chop me a load of wood, and chop it small.’ The +soldier spent the whole day in doing it, and in the evening the witch +proposed that he should stay one night more. ‘Tomorrow, you shall only +do me a very trifling piece of work. Behind my house, there is an old +dry well, into which my light has fallen, it burns blue, and never goes +out, and you shall bring it up again.’ Next day the old woman took him +to the well, and let him down in a basket. He found the blue light, and +made her a signal to draw him up again. She did draw him up, but when he +came near the edge, she stretched down her hand and wanted to take the +blue light away from him. ‘No,’ said he, perceiving her evil intention, +‘I will not give you the light until I am standing with both feet upon +the ground.’ The witch fell into a passion, let him fall again into the +well, and went away. + +The poor soldier fell without injury on the moist ground, and the blue +light went on burning, but of what use was that to him? He saw very well +that he could not escape death. He sat for a while very sorrowfully, +then suddenly he felt in his pocket and found his tobacco pipe, which +was still half full. ‘This shall be my last pleasure,’ thought he, +pulled it out, lit it at the blue light and began to smoke. When the +smoke had circled about the cavern, suddenly a little black dwarf stood +before him, and said: ‘Lord, what are your commands?’ ‘What my commands +are?’ replied the soldier, quite astonished. ‘I must do everything you +bid me,’ said the little man. ‘Good,’ said the soldier; ‘then in the +first place help me out of this well.’ The little man took him by the +hand, and led him through an underground passage, but he did not forget +to take the blue light with him. On the way the dwarf showed him the +treasures which the witch had collected and hidden there, and the +soldier took as much gold as he could carry. When he was above, he said +to the little man: ‘Now go and bind the old witch, and carry her before +the judge.’ In a short time she came by like the wind, riding on a wild +tom-cat and screaming frightfully. Nor was it long before the little man +reappeared. ‘It is all done,’ said he, ‘and the witch is already hanging +on the gallows. What further commands has my lord?’ inquired the dwarf. +‘At this moment, none,’ answered the soldier; ‘you can return home, only +be at hand immediately, if I summon you.’ ‘Nothing more is needed than +that you should light your pipe at the blue light, and I will appear +before you at once.’ Thereupon he vanished from his sight. + +The soldier returned to the town from which he came. He went to the +best inn, ordered himself handsome clothes, and then bade the landlord +furnish him a room as handsome as possible. When it was ready and the +soldier had taken possession of it, he summoned the little black manikin +and said: ‘I have served the king faithfully, but he has dismissed me, +and left me to hunger, and now I want to take my revenge.’ ‘What am I to +do?’ asked the little man. ‘Late at night, when the king’s daughter is +in bed, bring her here in her sleep, she shall do servant’s work for +me.’ The manikin said: ‘That is an easy thing for me to do, but a very +dangerous thing for you, for if it is discovered, you will fare ill.’ +When twelve o’clock had struck, the door sprang open, and the manikin +carried in the princess. ‘Aha! are you there?’ cried the soldier, ‘get +to your work at once! Fetch the broom and sweep the chamber.’ When +she had done this, he ordered her to come to his chair, and then he +stretched out his feet and said: ‘Pull off my boots,’ and then he +threw them in her face, and made her pick them up again, and clean +and brighten them. She, however, did everything he bade her, without +opposition, silently and with half-shut eyes. When the first cock +crowed, the manikin carried her back to the royal palace, and laid her +in her bed. + +Next morning when the princess arose she went to her father, and told +him that she had had a very strange dream. ‘I was carried through the +streets with the rapidity of lightning,’ said she, ‘and taken into a +soldier’s room, and I had to wait upon him like a servant, sweep his +room, clean his boots, and do all kinds of menial work. It was only a +dream, and yet I am just as tired as if I really had done everything.’ +‘The dream may have been true,’ said the king. ‘I will give you a piece +of advice. Fill your pocket full of peas, and make a small hole in the +pocket, and then if you are carried away again, they will fall out and +leave a track in the streets.’ But unseen by the king, the manikin was +standing beside him when he said that, and heard all. At night when +the sleeping princess was again carried through the streets, some peas +certainly did fall out of her pocket, but they made no track, for the +crafty manikin had just before scattered peas in every street there +was. And again the princess was compelled to do servant’s work until +cock-crow. + +Next morning the king sent his people out to seek the track, but it was +all in vain, for in every street poor children were sitting, picking up +peas, and saying: ‘It must have rained peas, last night.’ ‘We must think +of something else,’ said the king; ‘keep your shoes on when you go to +bed, and before you come back from the place where you are taken, hide +one of them there, I will soon contrive to find it.’ The black manikin +heard this plot, and at night when the soldier again ordered him to +bring the princess, revealed it to him, and told him that he knew of no +expedient to counteract this stratagem, and that if the shoe were found +in the soldier’s house it would go badly with him. ‘Do what I bid you,’ +replied the soldier, and again this third night the princess was obliged +to work like a servant, but before she went away, she hid her shoe under +the bed. + +Next morning the king had the entire town searched for his daughter’s +shoe. It was found at the soldier’s, and the soldier himself, who at the +entreaty of the dwarf had gone outside the gate, was soon brought back, +and thrown into prison. In his flight he had forgotten the most valuable +things he had, the blue light and the gold, and had only one ducat in +his pocket. And now loaded with chains, he was standing at the window of +his dungeon, when he chanced to see one of his comrades passing by. The +soldier tapped at the pane of glass, and when this man came up, said to +him: ‘Be so kind as to fetch me the small bundle I have left lying in +the inn, and I will give you a ducat for doing it.’ His comrade ran +thither and brought him what he wanted. As soon as the soldier was alone +again, he lighted his pipe and summoned the black manikin. ‘Have no +fear,’ said the latter to his master. ‘Go wheresoever they take you, and +let them do what they will, only take the blue light with you.’ Next day +the soldier was tried, and though he had done nothing wicked, the judge +condemned him to death. When he was led forth to die, he begged a last +favour of the king. ‘What is it?’ asked the king. ‘That I may smoke one +more pipe on my way.’ ‘You may smoke three,’ answered the king, ‘but do +not imagine that I will spare your life.’ Then the soldier pulled out +his pipe and lighted it at the blue light, and as soon as a few wreaths +of smoke had ascended, the manikin was there with a small cudgel in his +hand, and said: ‘What does my lord command?’ ‘Strike down to earth that +false judge there, and his constable, and spare not the king who has +treated me so ill.’ Then the manikin fell on them like lightning, +darting this way and that way, and whosoever was so much as touched by +his cudgel fell to earth, and did not venture to stir again. The king +was terrified; he threw himself on the soldier’s mercy, and merely to +be allowed to live at all, gave him his kingdom for his own, and his +daughter to wife. + + + + +THE RAVEN + + +There was once a queen who had a little daughter, still too young to run +alone. One day the child was very troublesome, and the mother could not +quiet it, do what she would. She grew impatient, and seeing the ravens +flying round the castle, she opened the window, and said: ‘I wish you +were a raven and would fly away, then I should have a little peace.’ +Scarcely were the words out of her mouth, when the child in her arms was +turned into a raven, and flew away from her through the open window. The +bird took its flight to a dark wood and remained there for a long time, +and meanwhile the parents could hear nothing of their child. + +Long after this, a man was making his way through the wood when he heard +a raven calling, and he followed the sound of the voice. As he drew +near, the raven said, ‘I am by birth a king’s daughter, but am now under +the spell of some enchantment; you can, however, set me free.’ ‘What +am I to do?’ he asked. She replied, ‘Go farther into the wood until you +come to a house, wherein lives an old woman; she will offer you food and +drink, but you must not take of either; if you do, you will fall into +a deep sleep, and will not be able to help me. In the garden behind the +house is a large tan-heap, and on that you must stand and watch for me. +I shall drive there in my carriage at two o’clock in the afternoon for +three successive days; the first day it will be drawn by four white, the +second by four chestnut, and the last by four black horses; but if you +fail to keep awake and I find you sleeping, I shall not be set free.’ + +The man promised to do all that she wished, but the raven said, ‘Alas! I +know even now that you will take something from the woman and be unable +to save me.’ The man assured her again that he would on no account touch +a thing to eat or drink. + +When he came to the house and went inside, the old woman met him, and +said, ‘Poor man! how tired you are! Come in and rest and let me give you +something to eat and drink.’ + +‘No,’ answered the man, ‘I will neither eat not drink.’ + +But she would not leave him alone, and urged him saying, ‘If you will +not eat anything, at least you might take a draught of wine; one drink +counts for nothing,’ and at last he allowed himself to be persuaded, and +drank. + +As it drew towards the appointed hour, he went outside into the garden +and mounted the tan-heap to await the raven. Suddenly a feeling of +fatigue came over him, and unable to resist it, he lay down for a little +while, fully determined, however, to keep awake; but in another minute +his eyes closed of their own accord, and he fell into such a deep sleep, +that all the noises in the world would not have awakened him. At two +o’clock the raven came driving along, drawn by her four white horses; +but even before she reached the spot, she said to herself, sighing, ‘I +know he has fallen asleep.’ When she entered the garden, there she found +him as she had feared, lying on the tan-heap, fast asleep. She got out +of her carriage and went to him; she called him and shook him, but it +was all in vain, he still continued sleeping. + +The next day at noon, the old woman came to him again with food and +drink which he at first refused. At last, overcome by her persistent +entreaties that he would take something, he lifted the glass and drank +again. + +Towards two o’clock he went into the garden and on to the tan-heap to +watch for the raven. He had not been there long before he began to feel +so tired that his limbs seemed hardly able to support him, and he could +not stand upright any longer; so again he lay down and fell fast asleep. +As the raven drove along her four chestnut horses, she said sorrowfully +to herself, ‘I know he has fallen asleep.’ She went as before to look +for him, but he slept, and it was impossible to awaken him. + +The following day the old woman said to him, ‘What is this? You are not +eating or drinking anything, do you want to kill yourself?’ + +He answered, ‘I may not and will not either eat or drink.’ + +But she put down the dish of food and the glass of wine in front of him, +and when he smelt the wine, he was unable to resist the temptation, and +took a deep draught. + +When the hour came round again he went as usual on to the tan-heap in +the garden to await the king’s daughter, but he felt even more overcome +with weariness than on the two previous days, and throwing himself down, +he slept like a log. At two o’clock the raven could be seen approaching, +and this time her coachman and everything about her, as well as her +horses, were black. + +She was sadder than ever as she drove along, and said mournfully, ‘I +know he has fallen asleep, and will not be able to set me free.’ She +found him sleeping heavily, and all her efforts to awaken him were of no +avail. Then she placed beside him a loaf, and some meat, and a flask +of wine, of such a kind, that however much he took of them, they would +never grow less. After that she drew a gold ring, on which her name was +engraved, off her finger, and put it upon one of his. Finally, she laid +a letter near him, in which, after giving him particulars of the food +and drink she had left for him, she finished with the following words: +‘I see that as long as you remain here you will never be able to set me +free; if, however, you still wish to do so, come to the golden castle +of Stromberg; this is well within your power to accomplish.’ She then +returned to her carriage and drove to the golden castle of Stromberg. + +When the man awoke and found that he had been sleeping, he was grieved +at heart, and said, ‘She has no doubt been here and driven away again, +and it is now too late for me to save her.’ Then his eyes fell on the +things which were lying beside him; he read the letter, and knew from it +all that had happened. He rose up without delay, eager to start on his +way and to reach the castle of Stromberg, but he had no idea in which +direction he ought to go. He travelled about a long time in search of it +and came at last to a dark forest, through which he went on walking for +fourteen days and still could not find a way out. Once more the night +came on, and worn out he lay down under a bush and fell asleep. Again +the next day he pursued his way through the forest, and that evening, +thinking to rest again, he lay down as before, but he heard such a +howling and wailing that he found it impossible to sleep. He waited till +it was darker and people had begun to light up their houses, and then +seeing a little glimmer ahead of him, he went towards it. + +He found that the light came from a house which looked smaller than +it really was, from the contrast of its height with that of an immense +giant who stood in front of it. He thought to himself, ‘If the giant +sees me going in, my life will not be worth much.’ However, after a +while he summoned up courage and went forward. When the giant saw him, +he called out, ‘It is lucky for that you have come, for I have not had +anything to eat for a long time. I can have you now for my supper.’ ‘I +would rather you let that alone,’ said the man, ‘for I do not willingly +give myself up to be eaten; if you are wanting food I have enough to +satisfy your hunger.’ ‘If that is so,’ replied the giant, ‘I will leave +you in peace; I only thought of eating you because I had nothing else.’ + +So they went indoors together and sat down, and the man brought out the +bread, meat, and wine, which although he had eaten and drunk of them, +were still unconsumed. The giant was pleased with the good cheer, and +ate and drank to his heart’s content. When he had finished his supper +the man asked him if he could direct him to the castle of Stromberg. +The giant said, ‘I will look on my map; on it are marked all the towns, +villages, and houses.’ So he fetched his map, and looked for the castle, +but could not find it. ‘Never mind,’ he said, ‘I have larger maps +upstairs in the cupboard, we will look on those,’ but they searched in +vain, for the castle was not marked even on these. The man now thought +he should like to continue his journey, but the giant begged him to +remain for a day or two longer until the return of his brother, who was +away in search of provisions. When the brother came home, they asked him +about the castle of Stromberg, and he told them he would look on his own +maps as soon as he had eaten and appeased his hunger. Accordingly, when +he had finished his supper, they all went up together to his room and +looked through his maps, but the castle was not to be found. Then he +fetched other older maps, and they went on looking for the castle until +at last they found it, but it was many thousand miles away. ‘How shall I +be able to get there?’ asked the man. ‘I have two hours to spare,’ said +the giant, ‘and I will carry you into the neighbourhood of the castle; I +must then return to look after the child who is in our care.’ + +The giant, thereupon, carried the man to within about a hundred leagues +of the castle, where he left him, saying, ‘You will be able to walk the +remainder of the way yourself.’ The man journeyed on day and night +till he reached the golden castle of Stromberg. He found it situated, +however, on a glass mountain, and looking up from the foot he saw the +enchanted maiden drive round her castle and then go inside. He was +overjoyed to see her, and longed to get to the top of the mountain, but +the sides were so slippery that every time he attempted to climb he +fell back again. When he saw that it was impossible to reach her, he was +greatly grieved, and said to himself, ‘I will remain here and wait for +her,’ so he built himself a little hut, and there he sat and watched for +a whole year, and every day he saw the king’s daughter driving round her +castle, but still was unable to get nearer to her. + +Looking out from his hut one day he saw three robbers fighting and he +called out to them, ‘God be with you.’ They stopped when they heard the +call, but looking round and seeing nobody, they went on again with their +fighting, which now became more furious. ‘God be with you,’ he cried +again, and again they paused and looked about, but seeing no one went +back to their fighting. A third time he called out, ‘God be with you,’ +and then thinking he should like to know the cause of dispute between +the three men, he went out and asked them why they were fighting so +angrily with one another. One of them said that he had found a stick, +and that he had but to strike it against any door through which he +wished to pass, and it immediately flew open. Another told him that he +had found a cloak which rendered its wearer invisible; and the third had +caught a horse which would carry its rider over any obstacle, and even +up the glass mountain. They had been unable to decide whether they +would keep together and have the things in common, or whether they would +separate. On hearing this, the man said, ‘I will give you something in +exchange for those three things; not money, for that I have not got, +but something that is of far more value. I must first, however, prove +whether all you have told me about your three things is true.’ The +robbers, therefore, made him get on the horse, and handed him the stick +and the cloak, and when he had put this round him he was no longer +visible. Then he fell upon them with the stick and beat them one after +another, crying, ‘There, you idle vagabonds, you have got what you +deserve; are you satisfied now!’ + +After this he rode up the glass mountain. When he reached the gate of +the castle, he found it closed, but he gave it a blow with his stick, +and it flew wide open at once and he passed through. He mounted the +steps and entered the room where the maiden was sitting, with a golden +goblet full of wine in front of her. She could not see him for he still +wore his cloak. He took the ring which she had given him off his finger, +and threw it into the goblet, so that it rang as it touched the bottom. +‘That is my own ring,’ she exclaimed, ‘and if that is so the man must +also be here who is coming to set me free.’ + +She sought for him about the castle, but could find him nowhere. +Meanwhile he had gone outside again and mounted his horse and thrown off +the cloak. When therefore she came to the castle gate she saw him, and +cried aloud for joy. Then he dismounted and took her in his arms; and +she kissed him, and said, ‘Now you have indeed set me free, and tomorrow +we will celebrate our marriage.’ + + + + +THE GOLDEN GOOSE + + +There was a man who had three sons, the youngest of whom was called +Dummling,[*] and was despised, mocked, and sneered at on every occasion. + + [*] Simpleton + +It happened that the eldest wanted to go into the forest to hew wood, +and before he went his mother gave him a beautiful sweet cake and a +bottle of wine in order that he might not suffer from hunger or thirst. + +When he entered the forest he met a little grey-haired old man who bade +him good day, and said: ‘Do give me a piece of cake out of your pocket, +and let me have a draught of your wine; I am so hungry and thirsty.’ But +the clever son answered: ‘If I give you my cake and wine, I shall have +none for myself; be off with you,’ and he left the little man standing +and went on. + +But when he began to hew down a tree, it was not long before he made a +false stroke, and the axe cut him in the arm, so that he had to go home +and have it bound up. And this was the little grey man’s doing. + +After this the second son went into the forest, and his mother gave him, +like the eldest, a cake and a bottle of wine. The little old grey man +met him likewise, and asked him for a piece of cake and a drink of wine. +But the second son, too, said sensibly enough: ‘What I give you will be +taken away from myself; be off!’ and he left the little man standing and +went on. His punishment, however, was not delayed; when he had made a +few blows at the tree he struck himself in the leg, so that he had to be +carried home. + +Then Dummling said: ‘Father, do let me go and cut wood.’ The father +answered: ‘Your brothers have hurt themselves with it, leave it alone, +you do not understand anything about it.’ But Dummling begged so long +that at last he said: ‘Just go then, you will get wiser by hurting +yourself.’ His mother gave him a cake made with water and baked in the +cinders, and with it a bottle of sour beer. + +When he came to the forest the little old grey man met him likewise, +and greeting him, said: ‘Give me a piece of your cake and a drink out +of your bottle; I am so hungry and thirsty.’ Dummling answered: ‘I have +only cinder-cake and sour beer; if that pleases you, we will sit +down and eat.’ So they sat down, and when Dummling pulled out his +cinder-cake, it was a fine sweet cake, and the sour beer had become good +wine. So they ate and drank, and after that the little man said: ‘Since +you have a good heart, and are willing to divide what you have, I will +give you good luck. There stands an old tree, cut it down, and you will +find something at the roots.’ Then the little man took leave of him. + +Dummling went and cut down the tree, and when it fell there was a goose +sitting in the roots with feathers of pure gold. He lifted her up, and +taking her with him, went to an inn where he thought he would stay the +night. Now the host had three daughters, who saw the goose and were +curious to know what such a wonderful bird might be, and would have +liked to have one of its golden feathers. + +The eldest thought: ‘I shall soon find an opportunity of pulling out a +feather,’ and as soon as Dummling had gone out she seized the goose by +the wing, but her finger and hand remained sticking fast to it. + +The second came soon afterwards, thinking only of how she might get a +feather for herself, but she had scarcely touched her sister than she +was held fast. + +At last the third also came with the like intent, and the others +screamed out: ‘Keep away; for goodness’ sake keep away!’ But she did +not understand why she was to keep away. ‘The others are there,’ she +thought, ‘I may as well be there too,’ and ran to them; but as soon as +she had touched her sister, she remained sticking fast to her. So they +had to spend the night with the goose. + +The next morning Dummling took the goose under his arm and set out, +without troubling himself about the three girls who were hanging on to +it. They were obliged to run after him continually, now left, now right, +wherever his legs took him. + +In the middle of the fields the parson met them, and when he saw the +procession he said: ‘For shame, you good-for-nothing girls, why are you +running across the fields after this young man? Is that seemly?’ At the +same time he seized the youngest by the hand in order to pull her away, +but as soon as he touched her he likewise stuck fast, and was himself +obliged to run behind. + +Before long the sexton came by and saw his master, the parson, running +behind three girls. He was astonished at this and called out: ‘Hi! +your reverence, whither away so quickly? Do not forget that we have a +christening today!’ and running after him he took him by the sleeve, but +was also held fast to it. + +Whilst the five were trotting thus one behind the other, two labourers +came with their hoes from the fields; the parson called out to them +and begged that they would set him and the sexton free. But they had +scarcely touched the sexton when they were held fast, and now there were +seven of them running behind Dummling and the goose. + +Soon afterwards he came to a city, where a king ruled who had a daughter +who was so serious that no one could make her laugh. So he had put forth +a decree that whosoever should be able to make her laugh should marry +her. When Dummling heard this, he went with his goose and all her train +before the king’s daughter, and as soon as she saw the seven people +running on and on, one behind the other, she began to laugh quite +loudly, and as if she would never stop. Thereupon Dummling asked to have +her for his wife; but the king did not like the son-in-law, and made all +manner of excuses and said he must first produce a man who could drink +a cellarful of wine. Dummling thought of the little grey man, who could +certainly help him; so he went into the forest, and in the same place +where he had felled the tree, he saw a man sitting, who had a very +sorrowful face. Dummling asked him what he was taking to heart so +sorely, and he answered: ‘I have such a great thirst and cannot quench +it; cold water I cannot stand, a barrel of wine I have just emptied, but +that to me is like a drop on a hot stone!’ + +‘There, I can help you,’ said Dummling, ‘just come with me and you shall +be satisfied.’ + +He led him into the king’s cellar, and the man bent over the huge +barrels, and drank and drank till his loins hurt, and before the day was +out he had emptied all the barrels. Then Dummling asked once more +for his bride, but the king was vexed that such an ugly fellow, whom +everyone called Dummling, should take away his daughter, and he made a +new condition; he must first find a man who could eat a whole mountain +of bread. Dummling did not think long, but went straight into the +forest, where in the same place there sat a man who was tying up his +body with a strap, and making an awful face, and saying: ‘I have eaten a +whole ovenful of rolls, but what good is that when one has such a hunger +as I? My stomach remains empty, and I must tie myself up if I am not to +die of hunger.’ + +At this Dummling was glad, and said: ‘Get up and come with me; you shall +eat yourself full.’ He led him to the king’s palace where all the +flour in the whole Kingdom was collected, and from it he caused a huge +mountain of bread to be baked. The man from the forest stood before it, +began to eat, and by the end of one day the whole mountain had vanished. +Then Dummling for the third time asked for his bride; but the king again +sought a way out, and ordered a ship which could sail on land and on +water. ‘As soon as you come sailing back in it,’ said he, ‘you shall +have my daughter for wife.’ + +Dummling went straight into the forest, and there sat the little grey +man to whom he had given his cake. When he heard what Dummling wanted, +he said: ‘Since you have given me to eat and to drink, I will give you +the ship; and I do all this because you once were kind to me.’ Then he +gave him the ship which could sail on land and water, and when the king +saw that, he could no longer prevent him from having his daughter. The +wedding was celebrated, and after the king’s death, Dummling inherited +his kingdom and lived for a long time contentedly with his wife. + + + + +THE WATER OF LIFE + + +Long before you or I were born, there reigned, in a country a great way +off, a king who had three sons. This king once fell very ill--so ill +that nobody thought he could live. His sons were very much grieved +at their father’s sickness; and as they were walking together very +mournfully in the garden of the palace, a little old man met them and +asked what was the matter. They told him that their father was very ill, +and that they were afraid nothing could save him. ‘I know what would,’ +said the little old man; ‘it is the Water of Life. If he could have a +draught of it he would be well again; but it is very hard to get.’ Then +the eldest son said, ‘I will soon find it’: and he went to the sick +king, and begged that he might go in search of the Water of Life, as +it was the only thing that could save him. ‘No,’ said the king. ‘I had +rather die than place you in such great danger as you must meet with in +your journey.’ But he begged so hard that the king let him go; and the +prince thought to himself, ‘If I bring my father this water, he will +make me sole heir to his kingdom.’ + +Then he set out: and when he had gone on his way some time he came to a +deep valley, overhung with rocks and woods; and as he looked around, he +saw standing above him on one of the rocks a little ugly dwarf, with a +sugarloaf cap and a scarlet cloak; and the dwarf called to him and said, +‘Prince, whither so fast?’ ‘What is that to thee, you ugly imp?’ said +the prince haughtily, and rode on. + +But the dwarf was enraged at his behaviour, and laid a fairy spell +of ill-luck upon him; so that as he rode on the mountain pass became +narrower and narrower, and at last the way was so straitened that he +could not go to step forward: and when he thought to have turned his +horse round and go back the way he came, he heard a loud laugh ringing +round him, and found that the path was closed behind him, so that he was +shut in all round. He next tried to get off his horse and make his way +on foot, but again the laugh rang in his ears, and he found himself +unable to move a step, and thus he was forced to abide spellbound. + +Meantime the old king was lingering on in daily hope of his son’s +return, till at last the second son said, ‘Father, I will go in search +of the Water of Life.’ For he thought to himself, ‘My brother is surely +dead, and the kingdom will fall to me if I find the water.’ The king was +at first very unwilling to let him go, but at last yielded to his wish. +So he set out and followed the same road which his brother had done, +and met with the same elf, who stopped him at the same spot in the +mountains, saying, as before, ‘Prince, prince, whither so fast?’ ‘Mind +your own affairs, busybody!’ said the prince scornfully, and rode on. + +But the dwarf put the same spell upon him as he put on his elder +brother, and he, too, was at last obliged to take up his abode in the +heart of the mountains. Thus it is with proud silly people, who think +themselves above everyone else, and are too proud to ask or take advice. + +When the second prince had thus been gone a long time, the youngest son +said he would go and search for the Water of Life, and trusted he should +soon be able to make his father well again. So he set out, and the dwarf +met him too at the same spot in the valley, among the mountains, and +said, ‘Prince, whither so fast?’ And the prince said, ‘I am going in +search of the Water of Life, because my father is ill, and like to die: +can you help me? Pray be kind, and aid me if you can!’ ‘Do you know +where it is to be found?’ asked the dwarf. ‘No,’ said the prince, ‘I do +not. Pray tell me if you know.’ ‘Then as you have spoken to me kindly, +and are wise enough to seek for advice, I will tell you how and where to +go. The water you seek springs from a well in an enchanted castle; and, +that you may be able to reach it in safety, I will give you an iron wand +and two little loaves of bread; strike the iron door of the castle three +times with the wand, and it will open: two hungry lions will be lying +down inside gaping for their prey, but if you throw them the bread they +will let you pass; then hasten on to the well, and take some of the +Water of Life before the clock strikes twelve; for if you tarry longer +the door will shut upon you for ever.’ + +Then the prince thanked his little friend with the scarlet cloak for his +friendly aid, and took the wand and the bread, and went travelling on +and on, over sea and over land, till he came to his journey’s end, and +found everything to be as the dwarf had told him. The door flew open at +the third stroke of the wand, and when the lions were quieted he went on +through the castle and came at length to a beautiful hall. Around it he +saw several knights sitting in a trance; then he pulled off their rings +and put them on his own fingers. In another room he saw on a table a +sword and a loaf of bread, which he also took. Further on he came to a +room where a beautiful young lady sat upon a couch; and she welcomed him +joyfully, and said, if he would set her free from the spell that bound +her, the kingdom should be his, if he would come back in a year and +marry her. Then she told him that the well that held the Water of Life +was in the palace gardens; and bade him make haste, and draw what he +wanted before the clock struck twelve. + +He walked on; and as he walked through beautiful gardens he came to a +delightful shady spot in which stood a couch; and he thought to himself, +as he felt tired, that he would rest himself for a while, and gaze on +the lovely scenes around him. So he laid himself down, and sleep +fell upon him unawares, so that he did not wake up till the clock was +striking a quarter to twelve. Then he sprang from the couch dreadfully +frightened, ran to the well, filled a cup that was standing by him full +of water, and hastened to get away in time. Just as he was going out of +the iron door it struck twelve, and the door fell so quickly upon him +that it snapped off a piece of his heel. + +When he found himself safe, he was overjoyed to think that he had got +the Water of Life; and as he was going on his way homewards, he passed +by the little dwarf, who, when he saw the sword and the loaf, said, ‘You +have made a noble prize; with the sword you can at a blow slay whole +armies, and the bread will never fail you.’ Then the prince thought +to himself, ‘I cannot go home to my father without my brothers’; so he +said, ‘My dear friend, cannot you tell me where my two brothers are, who +set out in search of the Water of Life before me, and never came back?’ +‘I have shut them up by a charm between two mountains,’ said the dwarf, +‘because they were proud and ill-behaved, and scorned to ask advice.’ +The prince begged so hard for his brothers, that the dwarf at last set +them free, though unwillingly, saying, ‘Beware of them, for they have +bad hearts.’ Their brother, however, was greatly rejoiced to see them, +and told them all that had happened to him; how he had found the Water +of Life, and had taken a cup full of it; and how he had set a beautiful +princess free from a spell that bound her; and how she had engaged to +wait a whole year, and then to marry him, and to give him the kingdom. + +Then they all three rode on together, and on their way home came to a +country that was laid waste by war and a dreadful famine, so that it was +feared all must die for want. But the prince gave the king of the land +the bread, and all his kingdom ate of it. And he lent the king the +wonderful sword, and he slew the enemy’s army with it; and thus the +kingdom was once more in peace and plenty. In the same manner he +befriended two other countries through which they passed on their way. + +When they came to the sea, they got into a ship and during their voyage +the two eldest said to themselves, ‘Our brother has got the water which +we could not find, therefore our father will forsake us and give him the +kingdom, which is our right’; so they were full of envy and revenge, and +agreed together how they could ruin him. Then they waited till he was +fast asleep, and poured the Water of Life out of the cup, and took it +for themselves, giving him bitter sea-water instead. + +When they came to their journey’s end, the youngest son brought his cup +to the sick king, that he might drink and be healed. Scarcely, however, +had he tasted the bitter sea-water when he became worse even than he was +before; and then both the elder sons came in, and blamed the youngest +for what they had done; and said that he wanted to poison their father, +but that they had found the Water of Life, and had brought it with them. +He no sooner began to drink of what they brought him, than he felt his +sickness leave him, and was as strong and well as in his younger days. +Then they went to their brother, and laughed at him, and said, ‘Well, +brother, you found the Water of Life, did you? You have had the trouble +and we shall have the reward. Pray, with all your cleverness, why did +not you manage to keep your eyes open? Next year one of us will take +away your beautiful princess, if you do not take care. You had better +say nothing about this to our father, for he does not believe a word you +say; and if you tell tales, you shall lose your life into the bargain: +but be quiet, and we will let you off.’ + +The old king was still very angry with his youngest son, and thought +that he really meant to have taken away his life; so he called his court +together, and asked what should be done, and all agreed that he ought to +be put to death. The prince knew nothing of what was going on, till one +day, when the king’s chief huntsmen went a-hunting with him, and they +were alone in the wood together, the huntsman looked so sorrowful that +the prince said, ‘My friend, what is the matter with you?’ ‘I cannot and +dare not tell you,’ said he. But the prince begged very hard, and said, +‘Only tell me what it is, and do not think I shall be angry, for I will +forgive you.’ ‘Alas!’ said the huntsman; ‘the king has ordered me to +shoot you.’ The prince started at this, and said, ‘Let me live, and I +will change dresses with you; you shall take my royal coat to show to my +father, and do you give me your shabby one.’ ‘With all my heart,’ said +the huntsman; ‘I am sure I shall be glad to save you, for I could not +have shot you.’ Then he took the prince’s coat, and gave him the shabby +one, and went away through the wood. + +Some time after, three grand embassies came to the old king’s court, +with rich gifts of gold and precious stones for his youngest son; now +all these were sent from the three kings to whom he had lent his sword +and loaf of bread, in order to rid them of their enemy and feed their +people. This touched the old king’s heart, and he thought his son might +still be guiltless, and said to his court, ‘O that my son were still +alive! how it grieves me that I had him killed!’ ‘He is still alive,’ +said the huntsman; ‘and I am glad that I had pity on him, but let him +go in peace, and brought home his royal coat.’ At this the king was +overwhelmed with joy, and made it known throughout all his kingdom, that +if his son would come back to his court he would forgive him. + +Meanwhile the princess was eagerly waiting till her deliverer should +come back; and had a road made leading up to her palace all of shining +gold; and told her courtiers that whoever came on horseback, and rode +straight up to the gate upon it, was her true lover; and that they must +let him in: but whoever rode on one side of it, they must be sure was +not the right one; and that they must send him away at once. + +The time soon came, when the eldest brother thought that he would make +haste to go to the princess, and say that he was the one who had set +her free, and that he should have her for his wife, and the kingdom with +her. As he came before the palace and saw the golden road, he stopped to +look at it, and he thought to himself, ‘It is a pity to ride upon this +beautiful road’; so he turned aside and rode on the right-hand side of +it. But when he came to the gate, the guards, who had seen the road +he took, said to him, he could not be what he said he was, and must go +about his business. + +The second prince set out soon afterwards on the same errand; and when +he came to the golden road, and his horse had set one foot upon it, +he stopped to look at it, and thought it very beautiful, and said to +himself, ‘What a pity it is that anything should tread here!’ Then he +too turned aside and rode on the left side of it. But when he came to +the gate the guards said he was not the true prince, and that he too +must go away about his business; and away he went. + +Now when the full year was come round, the third brother left the forest +in which he had lain hid for fear of his father’s anger, and set out in +search of his betrothed bride. So he journeyed on, thinking of her all +the way, and rode so quickly that he did not even see what the road was +made of, but went with his horse straight over it; and as he came to the +gate it flew open, and the princess welcomed him with joy, and said +he was her deliverer, and should now be her husband and lord of the +kingdom. When the first joy at their meeting was over, the princess told +him she had heard of his father having forgiven him, and of his wish to +have him home again: so, before his wedding with the princess, he went +to visit his father, taking her with him. Then he told him everything; +how his brothers had cheated and robbed him, and yet that he had borne +all those wrongs for the love of his father. And the old king was very +angry, and wanted to punish his wicked sons; but they made their escape, +and got into a ship and sailed away over the wide sea, and where they +went to nobody knew and nobody cared. + +And now the old king gathered together his court, and asked all his +kingdom to come and celebrate the wedding of his son and the princess. +And young and old, noble and squire, gentle and simple, came at once +on the summons; and among the rest came the friendly dwarf, with the +sugarloaf hat, and a new scarlet cloak. + + And the wedding was held, and the merry bells run. + And all the good people they danced and they sung, + And feasted and frolick’d I can’t tell how long. + + + + +THE TWELVE HUNTSMEN + + +There was once a king’s son who had a bride whom he loved very much. And +when he was sitting beside her and very happy, news came that his father +lay sick unto death, and desired to see him once again before his end. +Then he said to his beloved: ‘I must now go and leave you, I give you +a ring as a remembrance of me. When I am king, I will return and fetch +you.’ So he rode away, and when he reached his father, the latter was +dangerously ill, and near his death. He said to him: ‘Dear son, I wished +to see you once again before my end, promise me to marry as I wish,’ and +he named a certain king’s daughter who was to be his wife. The son was +in such trouble that he did not think what he was doing, and said: ‘Yes, +dear father, your will shall be done,’ and thereupon the king shut his +eyes, and died. + +When therefore the son had been proclaimed king, and the time of +mourning was over, he was forced to keep the promise which he had given +his father, and caused the king’s daughter to be asked in marriage, and +she was promised to him. His first betrothed heard of this, and fretted +so much about his faithfulness that she nearly died. Then her father +said to her: ‘Dearest child, why are you so sad? You shall have +whatsoever you will.’ She thought for a moment and said: ‘Dear father, +I wish for eleven girls exactly like myself in face, figure, and size.’ +The father said: ‘If it be possible, your desire shall be fulfilled,’ +and he caused a search to be made in his whole kingdom, until eleven +young maidens were found who exactly resembled his daughter in face, +figure, and size. + +When they came to the king’s daughter, she had twelve suits of +huntsmen’s clothes made, all alike, and the eleven maidens had to put +on the huntsmen’s clothes, and she herself put on the twelfth suit. +Thereupon she took her leave of her father, and rode away with them, +and rode to the court of her former betrothed, whom she loved so dearly. +Then she asked if he required any huntsmen, and if he would take all of +them into his service. The king looked at her and did not know her, but +as they were such handsome fellows, he said: ‘Yes,’ and that he would +willingly take them, and now they were the king’s twelve huntsmen. + +The king, however, had a lion which was a wondrous animal, for he knew +all concealed and secret things. It came to pass that one evening he +said to the king: ‘You think you have twelve huntsmen?’ ‘Yes,’ said the +king, ‘they are twelve huntsmen.’ The lion continued: ‘You are mistaken, +they are twelve girls.’ The king said: ‘That cannot be true! How +will you prove that to me?’ ‘Oh, just let some peas be strewn in the +ante-chamber,’ answered the lion, ‘and then you will soon see. Men have +a firm step, and when they walk over peas none of them stir, but girls +trip and skip, and drag their feet, and the peas roll about.’ The king +was well pleased with the counsel, and caused the peas to be strewn. + +There was, however, a servant of the king’s who favoured the huntsmen, +and when he heard that they were going to be put to this test he went to +them and repeated everything, and said: ‘The lion wants to make the king +believe that you are girls.’ Then the king’s daughter thanked him, and +said to her maidens: ‘Show some strength, and step firmly on the peas.’ +So next morning when the king had the twelve huntsmen called before +him, and they came into the ante-chamber where the peas were lying, they +stepped so firmly on them, and had such a strong, sure walk, that not +one of the peas either rolled or stirred. Then they went away again, +and the king said to the lion: ‘You have lied to me, they walk just like +men.’ The lion said: ‘They have been informed that they were going to +be put to the test, and have assumed some strength. Just let twelve +spinning-wheels be brought into the ante-chamber, and they will go to +them and be pleased with them, and that is what no man would do.’ +The king liked the advice, and had the spinning-wheels placed in the +ante-chamber. + +But the servant, who was well disposed to the huntsmen, went to them, +and disclosed the project. So when they were alone the king’s daughter +said to her eleven girls: ‘Show some constraint, and do not look round +at the spinning-wheels.’ And next morning when the king had his twelve +huntsmen summoned, they went through the ante-chamber, and never once +looked at the spinning-wheels. Then the king again said to the lion: +‘You have deceived me, they are men, for they have not looked at the +spinning-wheels.’ The lion replied: ‘They have restrained themselves.’ +The king, however, would no longer believe the lion. + +The twelve huntsmen always followed the king to the chase, and his +liking for them continually increased. Now it came to pass that +once when they were out hunting, news came that the king’s bride was +approaching. When the true bride heard that, it hurt her so much that +her heart was almost broken, and she fell fainting to the ground. The +king thought something had happened to his dear huntsman, ran up to him, +wanted to help him, and drew his glove off. Then he saw the ring which +he had given to his first bride, and when he looked in her face he +recognized her. Then his heart was so touched that he kissed her, and +when she opened her eyes he said: ‘You are mine, and I am yours, and +no one in the world can alter that.’ He sent a messenger to the other +bride, and entreated her to return to her own kingdom, for he had a wife +already, and someone who had just found an old key did not require a new +one. Thereupon the wedding was celebrated, and the lion was again taken +into favour, because, after all, he had told the truth. + + + + +THE KING OF THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN + + +There was once a merchant who had only one child, a son, that was very +young, and barely able to run alone. He had two richly laden ships then +making a voyage upon the seas, in which he had embarked all his wealth, +in the hope of making great gains, when the news came that both were +lost. Thus from being a rich man he became all at once so very poor that +nothing was left to him but one small plot of land; and there he often +went in an evening to take his walk, and ease his mind of a little of +his trouble. + +One day, as he was roaming along in a brown study, thinking with no +great comfort on what he had been and what he now was, and was like +to be, all on a sudden there stood before him a little, rough-looking, +black dwarf. ‘Prithee, friend, why so sorrowful?’ said he to the +merchant; ‘what is it you take so deeply to heart?’ ‘If you would do me +any good I would willingly tell you,’ said the merchant. ‘Who knows but +I may?’ said the little man: ‘tell me what ails you, and perhaps you +will find I may be of some use.’ Then the merchant told him how all his +wealth was gone to the bottom of the sea, and how he had nothing left +but that little plot of land. ‘Oh, trouble not yourself about that,’ +said the dwarf; ‘only undertake to bring me here, twelve years hence, +whatever meets you first on your going home, and I will give you as much +as you please.’ The merchant thought this was no great thing to ask; +that it would most likely be his dog or his cat, or something of that +sort, but forgot his little boy Heinel; so he agreed to the bargain, and +signed and sealed the bond to do what was asked of him. + +But as he drew near home, his little boy was so glad to see him that he +crept behind him, and laid fast hold of his legs, and looked up in +his face and laughed. Then the father started, trembling with fear and +horror, and saw what it was that he had bound himself to do; but as no +gold was come, he made himself easy by thinking that it was only a joke +that the dwarf was playing him, and that, at any rate, when the money +came, he should see the bearer, and would not take it in. + +About a month afterwards he went upstairs into a lumber-room to look +for some old iron, that he might sell it and raise a little money; and +there, instead of his iron, he saw a large pile of gold lying on the +floor. At the sight of this he was overjoyed, and forgetting all about +his son, went into trade again, and became a richer merchant than +before. + +Meantime little Heinel grew up, and as the end of the twelve years drew +near the merchant began to call to mind his bond, and became very sad +and thoughtful; so that care and sorrow were written upon his face. The +boy one day asked what was the matter, but his father would not tell for +some time; at last, however, he said that he had, without knowing it, +sold him for gold to a little, ugly-looking, black dwarf, and that the +twelve years were coming round when he must keep his word. Then Heinel +said, ‘Father, give yourself very little trouble about that; I shall be +too much for the little man.’ + +When the time came, the father and son went out together to the place +agreed upon: and the son drew a circle on the ground, and set himself +and his father in the middle of it. The little black dwarf soon came, +and walked round and round about the circle, but could not find any way +to get into it, and he either could not, or dared not, jump over it. At +last the boy said to him. ‘Have you anything to say to us, my friend, or +what do you want?’ Now Heinel had found a friend in a good fairy, that +was fond of him, and had told him what to do; for this fairy knew what +good luck was in store for him. ‘Have you brought me what you said you +would?’ said the dwarf to the merchant. The old man held his tongue, but +Heinel said again, ‘What do you want here?’ The dwarf said, ‘I come to +talk with your father, not with you.’ ‘You have cheated and taken in my +father,’ said the son; ‘pray give him up his bond at once.’ ‘Fair and +softly,’ said the little old man; ‘right is right; I have paid my money, +and your father has had it, and spent it; so be so good as to let me +have what I paid it for.’ ‘You must have my consent to that first,’ said +Heinel, ‘so please to step in here, and let us talk it over.’ The old +man grinned, and showed his teeth, as if he should have been very glad +to get into the circle if he could. Then at last, after a long talk, +they came to terms. Heinel agreed that his father must give him up, and +that so far the dwarf should have his way: but, on the other hand, the +fairy had told Heinel what fortune was in store for him, if he followed +his own course; and he did not choose to be given up to his hump-backed +friend, who seemed so anxious for his company. + +So, to make a sort of drawn battle of the matter, it was settled that +Heinel should be put into an open boat, that lay on the sea-shore hard +by; that the father should push him off with his own hand, and that he +should thus be set adrift, and left to the bad or good luck of wind and +weather. Then he took leave of his father, and set himself in the boat, +but before it got far off a wave struck it, and it fell with one side +low in the water, so the merchant thought that poor Heinel was lost, and +went home very sorrowful, while the dwarf went his way, thinking that at +any rate he had had his revenge. + +The boat, however, did not sink, for the good fairy took care of her +friend, and soon raised the boat up again, and it went safely on. The +young man sat safe within, till at length it ran ashore upon an unknown +land. As he jumped upon the shore he saw before him a beautiful castle +but empty and dreary within, for it was enchanted. ‘Here,’ said he to +himself, ‘must I find the prize the good fairy told me of.’ So he once +more searched the whole palace through, till at last he found a white +snake, lying coiled up on a cushion in one of the chambers. + +Now the white snake was an enchanted princess; and she was very glad +to see him, and said, ‘Are you at last come to set me free? Twelve +long years have I waited here for the fairy to bring you hither as she +promised, for you alone can save me. This night twelve men will come: +their faces will be black, and they will be dressed in chain armour. +They will ask what you do here, but give no answer; and let them do +what they will--beat, whip, pinch, prick, or torment you--bear all; only +speak not a word, and at twelve o’clock they must go away. The second +night twelve others will come: and the third night twenty-four, who +will even cut off your head; but at the twelfth hour of that night their +power is gone, and I shall be free, and will come and bring you the +Water of Life, and will wash you with it, and bring you back to life +and health.’ And all came to pass as she had said; Heinel bore all, and +spoke not a word; and the third night the princess came, and fell on his +neck and kissed him. Joy and gladness burst forth throughout the castle, +the wedding was celebrated, and he was crowned king of the Golden +Mountain. + +They lived together very happily, and the queen had a son. And thus +eight years had passed over their heads, when the king thought of his +father; and he began to long to see him once again. But the queen was +against his going, and said, ‘I know well that misfortunes will come +upon us if you go.’ However, he gave her no rest till she agreed. At his +going away she gave him a wishing-ring, and said, ‘Take this ring, and +put it on your finger; whatever you wish it will bring you; only promise +never to make use of it to bring me hence to your father’s house.’ Then +he said he would do what she asked, and put the ring on his finger, and +wished himself near the town where his father lived. + +Heinel found himself at the gates in a moment; but the guards would +not let him go in, because he was so strangely clad. So he went up to a +neighbouring hill, where a shepherd dwelt, and borrowed his old frock, +and thus passed unknown into the town. When he came to his father’s +house, he said he was his son; but the merchant would not believe him, +and said he had had but one son, his poor Heinel, who he knew was long +since dead: and as he was only dressed like a poor shepherd, he would +not even give him anything to eat. The king, however, still vowed that +he was his son, and said, ‘Is there no mark by which you would know me +if I am really your son?’ ‘Yes,’ said his mother, ‘our Heinel had a mark +like a raspberry on his right arm.’ Then he showed them the mark, and +they knew that what he had said was true. + +He next told them how he was king of the Golden Mountain, and was +married to a princess, and had a son seven years old. But the merchant +said, ‘that can never be true; he must be a fine king truly who travels +about in a shepherd’s frock!’ At this the son was vexed; and forgetting +his word, turned his ring, and wished for his queen and son. In an +instant they stood before him; but the queen wept, and said he had +broken his word, and bad luck would follow. He did all he could to +soothe her, and she at last seemed to be appeased; but she was not so in +truth, and was only thinking how she should punish him. + +One day he took her to walk with him out of the town, and showed her +the spot where the boat was set adrift upon the wide waters. Then he sat +himself down, and said, ‘I am very much tired; sit by me, I will rest my +head in your lap, and sleep a while.’ As soon as he had fallen asleep, +however, she drew the ring from his finger, and crept softly away, and +wished herself and her son at home in their kingdom. And when he awoke +he found himself alone, and saw that the ring was gone from his finger. +‘I can never go back to my father’s house,’ said he; ‘they would say I +am a sorcerer: I will journey forth into the world, till I come again to +my kingdom.’ + +So saying he set out and travelled till he came to a hill, where three +giants were sharing their father’s goods; and as they saw him pass they +cried out and said, ‘Little men have sharp wits; he shall part the goods +between us.’ Now there was a sword that cut off an enemy’s head whenever +the wearer gave the words, ‘Heads off!’; a cloak that made the owner +invisible, or gave him any form he pleased; and a pair of boots that +carried the wearer wherever he wished. Heinel said they must first let +him try these wonderful things, then he might know how to set a value +upon them. Then they gave him the cloak, and he wished himself a fly, +and in a moment he was a fly. ‘The cloak is very well,’ said he: ‘now +give me the sword.’ ‘No,’ said they; ‘not unless you undertake not to +say, “Heads off!” for if you do we are all dead men.’ So they gave it +him, charging him to try it on a tree. He next asked for the boots also; +and the moment he had all three in his power, he wished himself at +the Golden Mountain; and there he was at once. So the giants were left +behind with no goods to share or quarrel about. + +As Heinel came near his castle he heard the sound of merry music; and +the people around told him that his queen was about to marry another +husband. Then he threw his cloak around him, and passed through the +castle hall, and placed himself by the side of the queen, where no one +saw him. But when anything to eat was put upon her plate, he took it +away and ate it himself; and when a glass of wine was handed to her, he +took it and drank it; and thus, though they kept on giving her meat and +drink, her plate and cup were always empty. + +Upon this, fear and remorse came over her, and she went into her chamber +alone, and sat there weeping; and he followed her there. ‘Alas!’ said +she to herself, ‘was I not once set free? Why then does this enchantment +still seem to bind me?’ + +‘False and fickle one!’ said he. ‘One indeed came who set thee free, and +he is now near thee again; but how have you used him? Ought he to +have had such treatment from thee?’ Then he went out and sent away the +company, and said the wedding was at an end, for that he was come back +to the kingdom. But the princes, peers, and great men mocked at him. +However, he would enter into no parley with them, but only asked them +if they would go in peace or not. Then they turned upon him and tried +to seize him; but he drew his sword. ‘Heads Off!’ cried he; and with the +word the traitors’ heads fell before him, and Heinel was once more king +of the Golden Mountain. + + + + +DOCTOR KNOWALL + + +There was once upon a time a poor peasant called Crabb, who drove with +two oxen a load of wood to the town, and sold it to a doctor for two +talers. When the money was being counted out to him, it so happened that +the doctor was sitting at table, and when the peasant saw how well he +ate and drank, his heart desired what he saw, and would willingly +have been a doctor too. So he remained standing a while, and at length +inquired if he too could not be a doctor. ‘Oh, yes,’ said the doctor, +‘that is soon managed.’ ‘What must I do?’ asked the peasant. ‘In the +first place buy yourself an A B C book of the kind which has a cock on +the frontispiece; in the second, turn your cart and your two oxen into +money, and get yourself some clothes, and whatsoever else pertains to +medicine; thirdly, have a sign painted for yourself with the words: “I +am Doctor Knowall,” and have that nailed up above your house-door.’ The +peasant did everything that he had been told to do. When he had doctored +people awhile, but not long, a rich and great lord had some money +stolen. Then he was told about Doctor Knowall who lived in such and such +a village, and must know what had become of the money. So the lord had +the horses harnessed to his carriage, drove out to the village, and +asked Crabb if he were Doctor Knowall. Yes, he was, he said. Then he was +to go with him and bring back the stolen money. ‘Oh, yes, but Grete, my +wife, must go too.’ The lord was willing, and let both of them have a +seat in the carriage, and they all drove away together. When they came +to the nobleman’s castle, the table was spread, and Crabb was told to +sit down and eat. ‘Yes, but my wife, Grete, too,’ said he, and he seated +himself with her at the table. And when the first servant came with a +dish of delicate fare, the peasant nudged his wife, and said: ‘Grete, +that was the first,’ meaning that was the servant who brought the first +dish. The servant, however, thought he intended by that to say: ‘That is +the first thief,’ and as he actually was so, he was terrified, and said +to his comrade outside: ‘The doctor knows all: we shall fare ill, he +said I was the first.’ The second did not want to go in at all, but was +forced. So when he went in with his dish, the peasant nudged his wife, +and said: ‘Grete, that is the second.’ This servant was equally alarmed, +and he got out as fast as he could. The third fared no better, for the +peasant again said: ‘Grete, that is the third.’ The fourth had to carry +in a dish that was covered, and the lord told the doctor that he was to +show his skill, and guess what was beneath the cover. Actually, there +were crabs. The doctor looked at the dish, had no idea what to say, and +cried: ‘Ah, poor Crabb.’ When the lord heard that, he cried: ‘There! he +knows it; he must also know who has the money!’ + +On this the servants looked terribly uneasy, and made a sign to the +doctor that they wished him to step outside for a moment. When therefore +he went out, all four of them confessed to him that they had stolen +the money, and said that they would willingly restore it and give him a +heavy sum into the bargain, if he would not denounce them, for if he +did they would be hanged. They led him to the spot where the money was +concealed. With this the doctor was satisfied, and returned to the hall, +sat down to the table, and said: ‘My lord, now will I search in my book +where the gold is hidden.’ The fifth servant, however, crept into the +stove to hear if the doctor knew still more. But the doctor sat still +and opened his A B C book, turned the pages backwards and forwards, and +looked for the cock. As he could not find it immediately he said: ‘I +know you are there, so you had better come out!’ Then the fellow in the +stove thought that the doctor meant him, and full of terror, sprang out, +crying: ‘That man knows everything!’ Then Doctor Knowall showed the lord +where the money was, but did not say who had stolen it, and received +from both sides much money in reward, and became a renowned man. + + + + +THE SEVEN RAVENS + + +There was once a man who had seven sons, and last of all one daughter. +Although the little girl was very pretty, she was so weak and small that +they thought she could not live; but they said she should at once be +christened. + +So the father sent one of his sons in haste to the spring to get some +water, but the other six ran with him. Each wanted to be first at +drawing the water, and so they were in such a hurry that all let their +pitchers fall into the well, and they stood very foolishly looking at +one another, and did not know what to do, for none dared go home. In the +meantime the father was uneasy, and could not tell what made the +young men stay so long. ‘Surely,’ said he, ‘the whole seven must have +forgotten themselves over some game of play’; and when he had waited +still longer and they yet did not come, he flew into a rage and wished +them all turned into ravens. Scarcely had he spoken these words when he +heard a croaking over his head, and looked up and saw seven ravens as +black as coal flying round and round. Sorry as he was to see his wish +so fulfilled, he did not know how what was done could be undone, and +comforted himself as well as he could for the loss of his seven sons +with his dear little daughter, who soon became stronger and every day +more beautiful. + +For a long time she did not know that she had ever had any brothers; for +her father and mother took care not to speak of them before her: but one +day by chance she heard the people about her speak of them. ‘Yes,’ said +they, ‘she is beautiful indeed, but still ‘tis a pity that her brothers +should have been lost for her sake.’ Then she was much grieved, and went +to her father and mother, and asked if she had any brothers, and what +had become of them. So they dared no longer hide the truth from her, but +said it was the will of Heaven, and that her birth was only the innocent +cause of it; but the little girl mourned sadly about it every day, and +thought herself bound to do all she could to bring her brothers back; +and she had neither rest nor ease, till at length one day she stole +away, and set out into the wide world to find her brothers, wherever +they might be, and free them, whatever it might cost her. + +She took nothing with her but a little ring which her father and mother +had given her, a loaf of bread in case she should be hungry, a little +pitcher of water in case she should be thirsty, and a little stool +to rest upon when she should be weary. Thus she went on and on, and +journeyed till she came to the world’s end; then she came to the sun, +but the sun looked much too hot and fiery; so she ran away quickly to +the moon, but the moon was cold and chilly, and said, ‘I smell flesh +and blood this way!’ so she took herself away in a hurry and came to the +stars, and the stars were friendly and kind to her, and each star sat +upon his own little stool; but the morning star rose up and gave her a +little piece of wood, and said, ‘If you have not this little piece of +wood, you cannot unlock the castle that stands on the glass-mountain, +and there your brothers live.’ The little girl took the piece of wood, +rolled it up in a little cloth, and went on again until she came to the +glass-mountain, and found the door shut. Then she felt for the little +piece of wood; but when she unwrapped the cloth it was not there, and +she saw she had lost the gift of the good stars. What was to be done? +She wanted to save her brothers, and had no key of the castle of the +glass-mountain; so this faithful little sister took a knife out of her +pocket and cut off her little finger, that was just the size of the +piece of wood she had lost, and put it in the door and opened it. + +As she went in, a little dwarf came up to her, and said, ‘What are you +seeking for?’ ‘I seek for my brothers, the seven ravens,’ answered she. +Then the dwarf said, ‘My masters are not at home; but if you will wait +till they come, pray step in.’ Now the little dwarf was getting their +dinner ready, and he brought their food upon seven little plates, and +their drink in seven little glasses, and set them upon the table, and +out of each little plate their sister ate a small piece, and out of each +little glass she drank a small drop; but she let the ring that she had +brought with her fall into the last glass. + +On a sudden she heard a fluttering and croaking in the air, and the +dwarf said, ‘Here come my masters.’ When they came in, they wanted to +eat and drink, and looked for their little plates and glasses. Then said +one after the other, + +‘Who has eaten from my little plate? And who has been drinking out of my +little glass?’ + + ‘Caw! Caw! well I ween + Mortal lips have this way been.’ + +When the seventh came to the bottom of his glass, and found there the +ring, he looked at it, and knew that it was his father’s and mother’s, +and said, ‘O that our little sister would but come! then we should be +free.’ When the little girl heard this (for she stood behind the door +all the time and listened), she ran forward, and in an instant all +the ravens took their right form again; and all hugged and kissed each +other, and went merrily home. + + + + +THE WEDDING OF MRS FOX + + +FIRST STORY + +There was once upon a time an old fox with nine tails, who believed that +his wife was not faithful to him, and wished to put her to the test. He +stretched himself out under the bench, did not move a limb, and behaved +as if he were stone dead. Mrs Fox went up to her room, shut herself in, +and her maid, Miss Cat, sat by the fire, and did the cooking. When it +became known that the old fox was dead, suitors presented themselves. +The maid heard someone standing at the house-door, knocking. She went +and opened it, and it was a young fox, who said: + + ‘What may you be about, Miss Cat? + Do you sleep or do you wake?’ + +She answered: + + ‘I am not sleeping, I am waking, + Would you know what I am making? + I am boiling warm beer with butter, + Will you be my guest for supper?’ + +‘No, thank you, miss,’ said the fox, ‘what is Mrs Fox doing?’ The maid +replied: + + ‘She is sitting in her room, + Moaning in her gloom, + Weeping her little eyes quite red, + Because old Mr Fox is dead.’ + +‘Do just tell her, miss, that a young fox is here, who would like to woo +her.’ ‘Certainly, young sir.’ + + The cat goes up the stairs trip, trap, + The door she knocks at tap, tap, tap, + ‘Mistress Fox, are you inside?’ + ‘Oh, yes, my little cat,’ she cried. + ‘A wooer he stands at the door out there.’ + ‘What does he look like, my dear?’ + +‘Has he nine as beautiful tails as the late Mr Fox?’ ‘Oh, no,’ answered +the cat, ‘he has only one.’ ‘Then I will not have him.’ + +Miss Cat went downstairs and sent the wooer away. Soon afterwards there +was another knock, and another fox was at the door who wished to woo Mrs +Fox. He had two tails, but he did not fare better than the first. After +this still more came, each with one tail more than the other, but they +were all turned away, until at last one came who had nine tails, like +old Mr Fox. When the widow heard that, she said joyfully to the cat: + + ‘Now open the gates and doors all wide, + And carry old Mr Fox outside.’ + +But just as the wedding was going to be solemnized, old Mr Fox stirred +under the bench, and cudgelled all the rabble, and drove them and Mrs +Fox out of the house. + + +SECOND STORY + +When old Mr Fox was dead, the wolf came as a suitor, and knocked at the +door, and the cat who was servant to Mrs Fox, opened it for him. The +wolf greeted her, and said: + + ‘Good day, Mrs Cat of Kehrewit, + How comes it that alone you sit? + What are you making good?’ + +The cat replied: + + ‘In milk I’m breaking bread so sweet, + Will you be my guest, and eat?’ + +‘No, thank you, Mrs Cat,’ answered the wolf. ‘Is Mrs Fox not at home?’ + +The cat said: + + ‘She sits upstairs in her room, + Bewailing her sorrowful doom, + Bewailing her trouble so sore, + For old Mr Fox is no more.’ + +The wolf answered: + + ‘If she’s in want of a husband now, + Then will it please her to step below?’ + The cat runs quickly up the stair, + And lets her tail fly here and there, + Until she comes to the parlour door. + With her five gold rings at the door she knocks: + ‘Are you within, good Mistress Fox? + If you’re in want of a husband now, + Then will it please you to step below? + +Mrs Fox asked: ‘Has the gentleman red stockings on, and has he a pointed +mouth?’ ‘No,’ answered the cat. ‘Then he won’t do for me.’ + +When the wolf was gone, came a dog, a stag, a hare, a bear, a lion, and +all the beasts of the forest, one after the other. But one of the good +qualities which old Mr Fox had possessed, was always lacking, and the +cat had continually to send the suitors away. At length came a young +fox. Then Mrs Fox said: ‘Has the gentleman red stockings on, and has a +little pointed mouth?’ ‘Yes,’ said the cat, ‘he has.’ ‘Then let him come +upstairs,’ said Mrs Fox, and ordered the servant to prepare the wedding +feast. + + ‘Sweep me the room as clean as you can, + Up with the window, fling out my old man! + For many a fine fat mouse he brought, + Yet of his wife he never thought, + But ate up every one he caught.’ + +Then the wedding was solemnized with young Mr Fox, and there was much +rejoicing and dancing; and if they have not left off, they are dancing +still. + + + + +THE SALAD + + +As a merry young huntsman was once going briskly along through a wood, +there came up a little old woman, and said to him, ‘Good day, good day; +you seem merry enough, but I am hungry and thirsty; do pray give me +something to eat.’ The huntsman took pity on her, and put his hand in +his pocket and gave her what he had. Then he wanted to go his way; but +she took hold of him, and said, ‘Listen, my friend, to what I am going +to tell you; I will reward you for your kindness; go your way, and after +a little time you will come to a tree where you will see nine birds +sitting on a cloak. Shoot into the midst of them, and one will fall down +dead: the cloak will fall too; take it, it is a wishing-cloak, and when +you wear it you will find yourself at any place where you may wish to +be. Cut open the dead bird, take out its heart and keep it, and you will +find a piece of gold under your pillow every morning when you rise. It +is the bird’s heart that will bring you this good luck.’ + +The huntsman thanked her, and thought to himself, ‘If all this does +happen, it will be a fine thing for me.’ When he had gone a hundred +steps or so, he heard a screaming and chirping in the branches over him, +and looked up and saw a flock of birds pulling a cloak with their bills +and feet; screaming, fighting, and tugging at each other as if +each wished to have it himself. ‘Well,’ said the huntsman, ‘this is +wonderful; this happens just as the old woman said’; then he shot into +the midst of them so that their feathers flew all about. Off went the +flock chattering away; but one fell down dead, and the cloak with it. +Then the huntsman did as the old woman told him, cut open the bird, took +out the heart, and carried the cloak home with him. + +The next morning when he awoke he lifted up his pillow, and there lay +the piece of gold glittering underneath; the same happened next day, and +indeed every day when he arose. He heaped up a great deal of gold, and +at last thought to himself, ‘Of what use is this gold to me whilst I am +at home? I will go out into the world and look about me.’ + +Then he took leave of his friends, and hung his bag and bow about his +neck, and went his way. It so happened that his road one day led through +a thick wood, at the end of which was a large castle in a green meadow, +and at one of the windows stood an old woman with a very beautiful young +lady by her side looking about them. Now the old woman was a witch, and +said to the young lady, ‘There is a young man coming out of the wood who +carries a wonderful prize; we must get it away from him, my dear child, +for it is more fit for us than for him. He has a bird’s heart that +brings a piece of gold under his pillow every morning.’ Meantime the +huntsman came nearer and looked at the lady, and said to himself, ‘I +have been travelling so long that I should like to go into this castle +and rest myself, for I have money enough to pay for anything I want’; +but the real reason was, that he wanted to see more of the beautiful +lady. Then he went into the house, and was welcomed kindly; and it was +not long before he was so much in love that he thought of nothing else +but looking at the lady’s eyes, and doing everything that she wished. +Then the old woman said, ‘Now is the time for getting the bird’s heart.’ +So the lady stole it away, and he never found any more gold under his +pillow, for it lay now under the young lady’s, and the old woman took it +away every morning; but he was so much in love that he never missed his +prize. + +‘Well,’ said the old witch, ‘we have got the bird’s heart, but not the +wishing-cloak yet, and that we must also get.’ ‘Let us leave him that,’ +said the young lady; ‘he has already lost his wealth.’ Then the witch +was very angry, and said, ‘Such a cloak is a very rare and wonderful +thing, and I must and will have it.’ So she did as the old woman told +her, and set herself at the window, and looked about the country and +seemed very sorrowful; then the huntsman said, ‘What makes you so sad?’ +‘Alas! dear sir,’ said she, ‘yonder lies the granite rock where all the +costly diamonds grow, and I want so much to go there, that whenever I +think of it I cannot help being sorrowful, for who can reach it? only +the birds and the flies--man cannot.’ ‘If that’s all your grief,’ said +the huntsman, ‘I’ll take you there with all my heart’; so he drew her under +his cloak, and the moment he wished to be on the granite mountain they +were both there. The diamonds glittered so on all sides that they were +delighted with the sight and picked up the finest. But the old witch +made a deep sleep come upon him, and he said to the young lady, ‘Let us +sit down and rest ourselves a little, I am so tired that I cannot stand +any longer.’ So they sat down, and he laid his head in her lap and +fell asleep; and whilst he was sleeping on she took the cloak from +his shoulders, hung it on her own, picked up the diamonds, and wished +herself home again. + +When he awoke and found that his lady had tricked him, and left him +alone on the wild rock, he said, ‘Alas! what roguery there is in the +world!’ and there he sat in great grief and fear, not knowing what to +do. Now this rock belonged to fierce giants who lived upon it; and as +he saw three of them striding about, he thought to himself, ‘I can only +save myself by feigning to be asleep’; so he laid himself down as if he +were in a sound sleep. When the giants came up to him, the first pushed +him with his foot, and said, ‘What worm is this that lies here curled +up?’ ‘Tread upon him and kill him,’ said the second. ‘It’s not worth the +trouble,’ said the third; ‘let him live, he’ll go climbing higher up the +mountain, and some cloud will come rolling and carry him away.’ And they +passed on. But the huntsman had heard all they said; and as soon as they +were gone, he climbed to the top of the mountain, and when he had sat +there a short time a cloud came rolling around him, and caught him in a +whirlwind and bore him along for some time, till it settled in a garden, +and he fell quite gently to the ground amongst the greens and cabbages. + +Then he looked around him, and said, ‘I wish I had something to eat, if +not I shall be worse off than before; for here I see neither apples +nor pears, nor any kind of fruits, nothing but vegetables.’ At last he +thought to himself, ‘I can eat salad, it will refresh and strengthen +me.’ So he picked out a fine head and ate of it; but scarcely had he +swallowed two bites when he felt himself quite changed, and saw with +horror that he was turned into an ass. However, he still felt very +hungry, and the salad tasted very nice; so he ate on till he came +to another kind of salad, and scarcely had he tasted it when he felt +another change come over him, and soon saw that he was lucky enough to +have found his old shape again. + +Then he laid himself down and slept off a little of his weariness; and +when he awoke the next morning he broke off a head both of the good and +the bad salad, and thought to himself, ‘This will help me to my fortune +again, and enable me to pay off some folks for their treachery.’ So he +went away to try and find the castle of his friends; and after wandering +about a few days he luckily found it. Then he stained his face all over +brown, so that even his mother would not have known him, and went into +the castle and asked for a lodging; ‘I am so tired,’ said he, ‘that I +can go no farther.’ ‘Countryman,’ said the witch, ‘who are you? and what +is your business?’ ‘I am,’ said he, ‘a messenger sent by the king to +find the finest salad that grows under the sun. I have been lucky +enough to find it, and have brought it with me; but the heat of the sun +scorches so that it begins to wither, and I don’t know that I can carry +it farther.’ + +When the witch and the young lady heard of his beautiful salad, they +longed to taste it, and said, ‘Dear countryman, let us just taste it.’ +‘To be sure,’ answered he; ‘I have two heads of it with me, and will +give you one’; so he opened his bag and gave them the bad. Then the +witch herself took it into the kitchen to be dressed; and when it was +ready she could not wait till it was carried up, but took a few leaves +immediately and put them in her mouth, and scarcely were they swallowed +when she lost her own form and ran braying down into the court in the +form of an ass. Now the servant-maid came into the kitchen, and seeing +the salad ready, was going to carry it up; but on the way she too felt a +wish to taste it as the old woman had done, and ate some leaves; so she +also was turned into an ass and ran after the other, letting the dish +with the salad fall on the ground. The messenger sat all this time with +the beautiful young lady, and as nobody came with the salad and she +longed to taste it, she said, ‘I don’t know where the salad can be.’ +Then he thought something must have happened, and said, ‘I will go +into the kitchen and see.’ And as he went he saw two asses in the court +running about, and the salad lying on the ground. ‘All right!’ said +he; ‘those two have had their share.’ Then he took up the rest of +the leaves, laid them on the dish and brought them to the young lady, +saying, ‘I bring you the dish myself that you may not wait any longer.’ +So she ate of it, and like the others ran off into the court braying +away. + +Then the huntsman washed his face and went into the court that they +might know him. ‘Now you shall be paid for your roguery,’ said he; and +tied them all three to a rope and took them along with him till he +came to a mill and knocked at the window. ‘What’s the matter?’ said the +miller. ‘I have three tiresome beasts here,’ said the other; ‘if you +will take them, give them food and room, and treat them as I tell you, +I will pay you whatever you ask.’ ‘With all my heart,’ said the miller; +‘but how shall I treat them?’ Then the huntsman said, ‘Give the old +one stripes three times a day and hay once; give the next (who was +the servant-maid) stripes once a day and hay three times; and give +the youngest (who was the beautiful lady) hay three times a day and +no stripes’: for he could not find it in his heart to have her beaten. +After this he went back to the castle, where he found everything he +wanted. + +Some days after, the miller came to him and told him that the old ass +was dead; ‘The other two,’ said he, ‘are alive and eat, but are so +sorrowful that they cannot last long.’ Then the huntsman pitied them, +and told the miller to drive them back to him, and when they came, he +gave them some of the good salad to eat. And the beautiful young lady +fell upon her knees before him, and said, ‘O dearest huntsman! forgive +me all the ill I have done you; my mother forced me to it, it was +against my will, for I always loved you very much. Your wishing-cloak +hangs up in the closet, and as for the bird’s heart, I will give it you +too.’ But he said, ‘Keep it, it will be just the same thing, for I mean +to make you my wife.’ So they were married, and lived together very +happily till they died. + + + + +THE STORY OF THE YOUTH WHO WENT FORTH TO LEARN WHAT FEAR WAS + + +A certain father had two sons, the elder of who was smart and sensible, +and could do everything, but the younger was stupid and could neither +learn nor understand anything, and when people saw him they said: +‘There’s a fellow who will give his father some trouble!’ When anything +had to be done, it was always the elder who was forced to do it; but +if his father bade him fetch anything when it was late, or in the +night-time, and the way led through the churchyard, or any other dismal +place, he answered: ‘Oh, no father, I’ll not go there, it makes me +shudder!’ for he was afraid. Or when stories were told by the fire at +night which made the flesh creep, the listeners sometimes said: ‘Oh, +it makes us shudder!’ The younger sat in a corner and listened with +the rest of them, and could not imagine what they could mean. ‘They are +always saying: “It makes me shudder, it makes me shudder!” It does not +make me shudder,’ thought he. ‘That, too, must be an art of which I +understand nothing!’ + +Now it came to pass that his father said to him one day: ‘Hearken to me, +you fellow in the corner there, you are growing tall and strong, and you +too must learn something by which you can earn your bread. Look how your +brother works, but you do not even earn your salt.’ ‘Well, father,’ he +replied, ‘I am quite willing to learn something--indeed, if it could but +be managed, I should like to learn how to shudder. I don’t understand +that at all yet.’ The elder brother smiled when he heard that, and +thought to himself: ‘Goodness, what a blockhead that brother of mine is! +He will never be good for anything as long as he lives! He who wants to +be a sickle must bend himself betimes.’ + +The father sighed, and answered him: ‘You shall soon learn what it is to +shudder, but you will not earn your bread by that.’ + +Soon after this the sexton came to the house on a visit, and the father +bewailed his trouble, and told him how his younger son was so backward +in every respect that he knew nothing and learnt nothing. ‘Just think,’ +said he, ‘when I asked him how he was going to earn his bread, he +actually wanted to learn to shudder.’ ‘If that be all,’ replied the +sexton, ‘he can learn that with me. Send him to me, and I will soon +polish him.’ The father was glad to do it, for he thought: ‘It will +train the boy a little.’ The sexton therefore took him into his house, +and he had to ring the church bell. After a day or two, the sexton awoke +him at midnight, and bade him arise and go up into the church tower and +ring the bell. ‘You shall soon learn what shuddering is,’ thought he, +and secretly went there before him; and when the boy was at the top of +the tower and turned round, and was just going to take hold of the bell +rope, he saw a white figure standing on the stairs opposite the sounding +hole. ‘Who is there?’ cried he, but the figure made no reply, and did +not move or stir. ‘Give an answer,’ cried the boy, ‘or take yourself +off, you have no business here at night.’ + +The sexton, however, remained standing motionless that the boy might +think he was a ghost. The boy cried a second time: ‘What do you want +here?--speak if you are an honest fellow, or I will throw you down the +steps!’ The sexton thought: ‘He can’t mean to be as bad as his words,’ +uttered no sound and stood as if he were made of stone. Then the boy +called to him for the third time, and as that was also to no purpose, +he ran against him and pushed the ghost down the stairs, so that it fell +down the ten steps and remained lying there in a corner. Thereupon he +rang the bell, went home, and without saying a word went to bed, and +fell asleep. The sexton’s wife waited a long time for her husband, but +he did not come back. At length she became uneasy, and wakened the boy, +and asked: ‘Do you know where my husband is? He climbed up the tower +before you did.’ ‘No, I don’t know,’ replied the boy, ‘but someone was +standing by the sounding hole on the other side of the steps, and as he +would neither give an answer nor go away, I took him for a scoundrel, +and threw him downstairs. Just go there and you will see if it was he. +I should be sorry if it were.’ The woman ran away and found her husband, +who was lying moaning in the corner, and had broken his leg. + +She carried him down, and then with loud screams she hastened to the +boy’s father, ‘Your boy,’ cried she, ‘has been the cause of a great +misfortune! He has thrown my husband down the steps so that he broke his +leg. Take the good-for-nothing fellow out of our house.’ The father was +terrified, and ran thither and scolded the boy. ‘What wicked tricks +are these?’ said he. ‘The devil must have put them into your head.’ +‘Father,’ he replied, ‘do listen to me. I am quite innocent. He was +standing there by night like one intent on doing evil. I did not know +who it was, and I entreated him three times either to speak or to go +away.’ ‘Ah,’ said the father, ‘I have nothing but unhappiness with you. +Go out of my sight. I will see you no more.’ + +‘Yes, father, right willingly, wait only until it is day. Then will I +go forth and learn how to shudder, and then I shall, at any rate, +understand one art which will support me.’ ‘Learn what you will,’ spoke +the father, ‘it is all the same to me. Here are fifty talers for you. +Take these and go into the wide world, and tell no one from whence you +come, and who is your father, for I have reason to be ashamed of you.’ +‘Yes, father, it shall be as you will. If you desire nothing more than +that, I can easily keep it in mind.’ + +When the day dawned, therefore, the boy put his fifty talers into his +pocket, and went forth on the great highway, and continually said to +himself: ‘If I could but shudder! If I could but shudder!’ Then a man +approached who heard this conversation which the youth was holding with +himself, and when they had walked a little farther to where they could +see the gallows, the man said to him: ‘Look, there is the tree where +seven men have married the ropemaker’s daughter, and are now learning +how to fly. Sit down beneath it, and wait till night comes, and you will +soon learn how to shudder.’ ‘If that is all that is wanted,’ answered +the youth, ‘it is easily done; but if I learn how to shudder as fast as +that, you shall have my fifty talers. Just come back to me early in the +morning.’ Then the youth went to the gallows, sat down beneath it, and +waited till evening came. And as he was cold, he lighted himself a fire, +but at midnight the wind blew so sharply that in spite of his fire, he +could not get warm. And as the wind knocked the hanged men against each +other, and they moved backwards and forwards, he thought to himself: +‘If you shiver below by the fire, how those up above must freeze and +suffer!’ And as he felt pity for them, he raised the ladder, and climbed +up, unbound one of them after the other, and brought down all seven. +Then he stoked the fire, blew it, and set them all round it to warm +themselves. But they sat there and did not stir, and the fire caught +their clothes. So he said: ‘Take care, or I will hang you up again.’ The +dead men, however, did not hear, but were quite silent, and let their +rags go on burning. At this he grew angry, and said: ‘If you will not +take care, I cannot help you, I will not be burnt with you,’ and he hung +them up again each in his turn. Then he sat down by his fire and fell +asleep, and the next morning the man came to him and wanted to have +the fifty talers, and said: ‘Well do you know how to shudder?’ ‘No,’ +answered he, ‘how should I know? Those fellows up there did not open +their mouths, and were so stupid that they let the few old rags which +they had on their bodies get burnt.’ Then the man saw that he would not +get the fifty talers that day, and went away saying: ‘Such a youth has +never come my way before.’ + +The youth likewise went his way, and once more began to mutter to +himself: ‘Ah, if I could but shudder! Ah, if I could but shudder!’ A +waggoner who was striding behind him heard this and asked: ‘Who are +you?’ ‘I don’t know,’ answered the youth. Then the waggoner asked: ‘From +whence do you come?’ ‘I know not.’ ‘Who is your father?’ ‘That I may +not tell you.’ ‘What is it that you are always muttering between your +teeth?’ ‘Ah,’ replied the youth, ‘I do so wish I could shudder, but +no one can teach me how.’ ‘Enough of your foolish chatter,’ said the +waggoner. ‘Come, go with me, I will see about a place for you.’ The +youth went with the waggoner, and in the evening they arrived at an inn +where they wished to pass the night. Then at the entrance of the parlour +the youth again said quite loudly: ‘If I could but shudder! If I could +but shudder!’ The host who heard this, laughed and said: ‘If that is +your desire, there ought to be a good opportunity for you here.’ ‘Ah, +be silent,’ said the hostess, ‘so many prying persons have already lost +their lives, it would be a pity and a shame if such beautiful eyes as +these should never see the daylight again.’ + +But the youth said: ‘However difficult it may be, I will learn it. For +this purpose indeed have I journeyed forth.’ He let the host have +no rest, until the latter told him, that not far from thence stood a +haunted castle where anyone could very easily learn what shuddering was, +if he would but watch in it for three nights. The king had promised that +he who would venture should have his daughter to wife, and she was the +most beautiful maiden the sun shone on. Likewise in the castle lay great +treasures, which were guarded by evil spirits, and these treasures would +then be freed, and would make a poor man rich enough. Already many men +had gone into the castle, but as yet none had come out again. Then the +youth went next morning to the king, and said: ‘If it be allowed, I will +willingly watch three nights in the haunted castle.’ + +The king looked at him, and as the youth pleased him, he said: ‘You may +ask for three things to take into the castle with you, but they must +be things without life.’ Then he answered: ‘Then I ask for a fire, a +turning lathe, and a cutting-board with the knife.’ + +The king had these things carried into the castle for him during the +day. When night was drawing near, the youth went up and made himself +a bright fire in one of the rooms, placed the cutting-board and knife +beside it, and seated himself by the turning-lathe. ‘Ah, if I could +but shudder!’ said he, ‘but I shall not learn it here either.’ Towards +midnight he was about to poke his fire, and as he was blowing it, +something cried suddenly from one corner: ‘Au, miau! how cold we are!’ +‘You fools!’ cried he, ‘what are you crying about? If you are cold, come +and take a seat by the fire and warm yourselves.’ And when he had said +that, two great black cats came with one tremendous leap and sat down +on each side of him, and looked savagely at him with their fiery +eyes. After a short time, when they had warmed themselves, they said: +‘Comrade, shall we have a game of cards?’ ‘Why not?’ he replied, ‘but +just show me your paws.’ Then they stretched out their claws. ‘Oh,’ said +he, ‘what long nails you have! Wait, I must first cut them for you.’ +Thereupon he seized them by the throats, put them on the cutting-board +and screwed their feet fast. ‘I have looked at your fingers,’ said he, +‘and my fancy for card-playing has gone,’ and he struck them dead and +threw them out into the water. But when he had made away with these two, +and was about to sit down again by his fire, out from every hole and +corner came black cats and black dogs with red-hot chains, and more +and more of them came until he could no longer move, and they yelled +horribly, and got on his fire, pulled it to pieces, and tried to put +it out. He watched them for a while quietly, but at last when they were +going too far, he seized his cutting-knife, and cried: ‘Away with you, +vermin,’ and began to cut them down. Some of them ran away, the others +he killed, and threw out into the fish-pond. When he came back he fanned +the embers of his fire again and warmed himself. And as he thus sat, his +eyes would keep open no longer, and he felt a desire to sleep. Then he +looked round and saw a great bed in the corner. ‘That is the very thing +for me,’ said he, and got into it. When he was just going to shut his +eyes, however, the bed began to move of its own accord, and went over +the whole of the castle. ‘That’s right,’ said he, ‘but go faster.’ Then +the bed rolled on as if six horses were harnessed to it, up and down, +over thresholds and stairs, but suddenly hop, hop, it turned over upside +down, and lay on him like a mountain. But he threw quilts and pillows up +in the air, got out and said: ‘Now anyone who likes, may drive,’ and +lay down by his fire, and slept till it was day. In the morning the king +came, and when he saw him lying there on the ground, he thought the evil +spirits had killed him and he was dead. Then said he: ‘After all it is a +pity,--for so handsome a man.’ The youth heard it, got up, and said: ‘It +has not come to that yet.’ Then the king was astonished, but very glad, +and asked how he had fared. ‘Very well indeed,’ answered he; ‘one +night is past, the two others will pass likewise.’ Then he went to the +innkeeper, who opened his eyes very wide, and said: ‘I never expected to +see you alive again! Have you learnt how to shudder yet?’ ‘No,’ said he, +‘it is all in vain. If someone would but tell me!’ + +The second night he again went up into the old castle, sat down by the +fire, and once more began his old song: ‘If I could but shudder!’ When +midnight came, an uproar and noise of tumbling about was heard; at +first it was low, but it grew louder and louder. Then it was quiet for +a while, and at length with a loud scream, half a man came down the +chimney and fell before him. ‘Hullo!’ cried he, ‘another half belongs +to this. This is not enough!’ Then the uproar began again, there was a +roaring and howling, and the other half fell down likewise. ‘Wait,’ said +he, ‘I will just stoke up the fire a little for you.’ When he had done +that and looked round again, the two pieces were joined together, and a +hideous man was sitting in his place. ‘That is no part of our bargain,’ +said the youth, ‘the bench is mine.’ The man wanted to push him away; +the youth, however, would not allow that, but thrust him off with all +his strength, and seated himself again in his own place. Then still more +men fell down, one after the other; they brought nine dead men’s legs +and two skulls, and set them up and played at nine-pins with them. The +youth also wanted to play and said: ‘Listen you, can I join you?’ ‘Yes, +if you have any money.’ ‘Money enough,’ replied he, ‘but your balls are +not quite round.’ Then he took the skulls and put them in the lathe and +turned them till they were round. ‘There, now they will roll better!’ +said he. ‘Hurrah! now we’ll have fun!’ He played with them and lost some +of his money, but when it struck twelve, everything vanished from his +sight. He lay down and quietly fell asleep. Next morning the king came +to inquire after him. ‘How has it fared with you this time?’ asked he. +‘I have been playing at nine-pins,’ he answered, ‘and have lost a couple +of farthings.’ ‘Have you not shuddered then?’ ‘What?’ said he, ‘I have +had a wonderful time! If I did but know what it was to shudder!’ + +The third night he sat down again on his bench and said quite sadly: +‘If I could but shudder.’ When it grew late, six tall men came in and +brought a coffin. Then he said: ‘Ha, ha, that is certainly my little +cousin, who died only a few days ago,’ and he beckoned with his finger, +and cried: ‘Come, little cousin, come.’ They placed the coffin on the +ground, but he went to it and took the lid off, and a dead man lay +therein. He felt his face, but it was cold as ice. ‘Wait,’ said he, ‘I +will warm you a little,’ and went to the fire and warmed his hand and +laid it on the dead man’s face, but he remained cold. Then he took him +out, and sat down by the fire and laid him on his breast and rubbed his +arms that the blood might circulate again. As this also did no good, he +thought to himself: ‘When two people lie in bed together, they warm each +other,’ and carried him to the bed, covered him over and lay down by +him. After a short time the dead man became warm too, and began to move. +Then said the youth, ‘See, little cousin, have I not warmed you?’ The +dead man, however, got up and cried: ‘Now will I strangle you.’ + +‘What!’ said he, ‘is that the way you thank me? You shall at once go +into your coffin again,’ and he took him up, threw him into it, and shut +the lid. Then came the six men and carried him away again. ‘I cannot +manage to shudder,’ said he. ‘I shall never learn it here as long as I +live.’ + +Then a man entered who was taller than all others, and looked terrible. +He was old, however, and had a long white beard. ‘You wretch,’ cried he, +‘you shall soon learn what it is to shudder, for you shall die.’ ‘Not so +fast,’ replied the youth. ‘If I am to die, I shall have to have a say +in it.’ ‘I will soon seize you,’ said the fiend. ‘Softly, softly, do not +talk so big. I am as strong as you are, and perhaps even stronger.’ +‘We shall see,’ said the old man. ‘If you are stronger, I will let you +go--come, we will try.’ Then he led him by dark passages to a smith’s +forge, took an axe, and with one blow struck an anvil into the ground. +‘I can do better than that,’ said the youth, and went to the other +anvil. The old man placed himself near and wanted to look on, and his +white beard hung down. Then the youth seized the axe, split the anvil +with one blow, and in it caught the old man’s beard. ‘Now I have you,’ +said the youth. ‘Now it is your turn to die.’ Then he seized an iron bar +and beat the old man till he moaned and entreated him to stop, when he +would give him great riches. The youth drew out the axe and let him go. +The old man led him back into the castle, and in a cellar showed him +three chests full of gold. ‘Of these,’ said he, ‘one part is for the +poor, the other for the king, the third yours.’ In the meantime it +struck twelve, and the spirit disappeared, so that the youth stood in +darkness. ‘I shall still be able to find my way out,’ said he, and felt +about, found the way into the room, and slept there by his fire. +Next morning the king came and said: ‘Now you must have learnt what +shuddering is?’ ‘No,’ he answered; ‘what can it be? My dead cousin was +here, and a bearded man came and showed me a great deal of money down +below, but no one told me what it was to shudder.’ ‘Then,’ said the +king, ‘you have saved the castle, and shall marry my daughter.’ ‘That +is all very well,’ said he, ‘but still I do not know what it is to +shudder!’ + +Then the gold was brought up and the wedding celebrated; but howsoever +much the young king loved his wife, and however happy he was, he still +said always: ‘If I could but shudder--if I could but shudder.’ And this +at last angered her. Her waiting-maid said: ‘I will find a cure for him; +he shall soon learn what it is to shudder.’ She went out to the stream +which flowed through the garden, and had a whole bucketful of gudgeons +brought to her. At night when the young king was sleeping, his wife was +to draw the clothes off him and empty the bucket full of cold water +with the gudgeons in it over him, so that the little fishes would +sprawl about him. Then he woke up and cried: ‘Oh, what makes me shudder +so?--what makes me shudder so, dear wife? Ah! now I know what it is to +shudder!’ + + + + +KING GRISLY-BEARD + + +A great king of a land far away in the East had a daughter who was very +beautiful, but so proud, and haughty, and conceited, that none of the +princes who came to ask her in marriage was good enough for her, and she +only made sport of them. + +Once upon a time the king held a great feast, and asked thither all +her suitors; and they all sat in a row, ranged according to their +rank--kings, and princes, and dukes, and earls, and counts, and barons, +and knights. Then the princess came in, and as she passed by them she +had something spiteful to say to every one. The first was too fat: ‘He’s +as round as a tub,’ said she. The next was too tall: ‘What a maypole!’ +said she. The next was too short: ‘What a dumpling!’ said she. The +fourth was too pale, and she called him ‘Wallface.’ The fifth was too +red, so she called him ‘Coxcomb.’ The sixth was not straight enough; +so she said he was like a green stick, that had been laid to dry over +a baker’s oven. And thus she had some joke to crack upon every one: but +she laughed more than all at a good king who was there. ‘Look at +him,’ said she; ‘his beard is like an old mop; he shall be called +Grisly-beard.’ So the king got the nickname of Grisly-beard. + +But the old king was very angry when he saw how his daughter behaved, +and how she ill-treated all his guests; and he vowed that, willing or +unwilling, she should marry the first man, be he prince or beggar, that +came to the door. + +Two days after there came by a travelling fiddler, who began to play +under the window and beg alms; and when the king heard him, he said, +‘Let him come in.’ So they brought in a dirty-looking fellow; and when +he had sung before the king and the princess, he begged a boon. Then the +king said, ‘You have sung so well, that I will give you my daughter for +your wife.’ The princess begged and prayed; but the king said, ‘I have +sworn to give you to the first comer, and I will keep my word.’ So words +and tears were of no avail; the parson was sent for, and she was married +to the fiddler. When this was over the king said, ‘Now get ready to +go--you must not stay here--you must travel on with your husband.’ + +Then the fiddler went his way, and took her with him, and they soon came +to a great wood. ‘Pray,’ said she, ‘whose is this wood?’ ‘It belongs +to King Grisly-beard,’ answered he; ‘hadst thou taken him, all had been +thine.’ ‘Ah! unlucky wretch that I am!’ sighed she; ‘would that I had +married King Grisly-beard!’ Next they came to some fine meadows. ‘Whose +are these beautiful green meadows?’ said she. ‘They belong to King +Grisly-beard, hadst thou taken him, they had all been thine.’ ‘Ah! +unlucky wretch that I am!’ said she; ‘would that I had married King +Grisly-beard!’ + +Then they came to a great city. ‘Whose is this noble city?’ said she. +‘It belongs to King Grisly-beard; hadst thou taken him, it had all been +thine.’ ‘Ah! wretch that I am!’ sighed she; ‘why did I not marry King +Grisly-beard?’ ‘That is no business of mine,’ said the fiddler: ‘why +should you wish for another husband? Am not I good enough for you?’ + +At last they came to a small cottage. ‘What a paltry place!’ said she; +‘to whom does that little dirty hole belong?’ Then the fiddler said, +‘That is your and my house, where we are to live.’ ‘Where are your +servants?’ cried she. ‘What do we want with servants?’ said he; ‘you +must do for yourself whatever is to be done. Now make the fire, and put +on water and cook my supper, for I am very tired.’ But the princess knew +nothing of making fires and cooking, and the fiddler was forced to help +her. When they had eaten a very scanty meal they went to bed; but the +fiddler called her up very early in the morning to clean the house. Thus +they lived for two days: and when they had eaten up all there was in the +cottage, the man said, ‘Wife, we can’t go on thus, spending money and +earning nothing. You must learn to weave baskets.’ Then he went out and +cut willows, and brought them home, and she began to weave; but it made +her fingers very sore. ‘I see this work won’t do,’ said he: ‘try and +spin; perhaps you will do that better.’ So she sat down and tried to +spin; but the threads cut her tender fingers till the blood ran. ‘See +now,’ said the fiddler, ‘you are good for nothing; you can do no work: +what a bargain I have got! However, I’ll try and set up a trade in pots +and pans, and you shall stand in the market and sell them.’ ‘Alas!’ +sighed she, ‘if any of my father’s court should pass by and see me +standing in the market, how they will laugh at me!’ + +But her husband did not care for that, and said she must work, if she +did not wish to die of hunger. At first the trade went well; for many +people, seeing such a beautiful woman, went to buy her wares, and paid +their money without thinking of taking away the goods. They lived on +this as long as it lasted; and then her husband bought a fresh lot of +ware, and she sat herself down with it in the corner of the market; but +a drunken soldier soon came by, and rode his horse against her stall, +and broke all her goods into a thousand pieces. Then she began to cry, +and knew not what to do. ‘Ah! what will become of me?’ said she; ‘what +will my husband say?’ So she ran home and told him all. ‘Who would +have thought you would have been so silly,’ said he, ‘as to put an +earthenware stall in the corner of the market, where everybody passes? +but let us have no more crying; I see you are not fit for this sort of +work, so I have been to the king’s palace, and asked if they did not +want a kitchen-maid; and they say they will take you, and there you will +have plenty to eat.’ + +Thus the princess became a kitchen-maid, and helped the cook to do all +the dirtiest work; but she was allowed to carry home some of the meat +that was left, and on this they lived. + +She had not been there long before she heard that the king’s eldest son +was passing by, going to be married; and she went to one of the windows +and looked out. Everything was ready, and all the pomp and brightness of +the court was there. Then she bitterly grieved for the pride and folly +which had brought her so low. And the servants gave her some of the rich +meats, which she put into her basket to take home. + +All on a sudden, as she was going out, in came the king’s son in golden +clothes; and when he saw a beautiful woman at the door, he took her +by the hand, and said she should be his partner in the dance; but she +trembled for fear, for she saw that it was King Grisly-beard, who was +making sport of her. However, he kept fast hold, and led her in; and the +cover of the basket came off, so that the meats in it fell about. Then +everybody laughed and jeered at her; and she was so abashed, that she +wished herself a thousand feet deep in the earth. She sprang to the +door to run away; but on the steps King Grisly-beard overtook her, and +brought her back and said, ‘Fear me not! I am the fiddler who has lived +with you in the hut. I brought you there because I really loved you. I +am also the soldier that overset your stall. I have done all this only +to cure you of your silly pride, and to show you the folly of your +ill-treatment of me. Now all is over: you have learnt wisdom, and it is +time to hold our marriage feast.’ + +Then the chamberlains came and brought her the most beautiful robes; and +her father and his whole court were there already, and welcomed her home +on her marriage. Joy was in every face and every heart. The feast was +grand; they danced and sang; all were merry; and I only wish that you +and I had been of the party. + + + + +IRON HANS + + +There was once upon a time a king who had a great forest near his +palace, full of all kinds of wild animals. One day he sent out a +huntsman to shoot him a roe, but he did not come back. ‘Perhaps some +accident has befallen him,’ said the king, and the next day he sent out +two more huntsmen who were to search for him, but they too stayed away. +Then on the third day, he sent for all his huntsmen, and said: ‘Scour +the whole forest through, and do not give up until you have found all +three.’ But of these also, none came home again, none were seen again. +From that time forth, no one would any longer venture into the forest, +and it lay there in deep stillness and solitude, and nothing was seen +of it, but sometimes an eagle or a hawk flying over it. This lasted for +many years, when an unknown huntsman announced himself to the king as +seeking a situation, and offered to go into the dangerous forest. The +king, however, would not give his consent, and said: ‘It is not safe in +there; I fear it would fare with you no better than with the others, +and you would never come out again.’ The huntsman replied: ‘Lord, I will +venture it at my own risk, of fear I know nothing.’ + +The huntsman therefore betook himself with his dog to the forest. It was +not long before the dog fell in with some game on the way, and wanted to +pursue it; but hardly had the dog run two steps when it stood before a +deep pool, could go no farther, and a naked arm stretched itself out of +the water, seized it, and drew it under. When the huntsman saw that, he +went back and fetched three men to come with buckets and bale out the +water. When they could see to the bottom there lay a wild man whose body +was brown like rusty iron, and whose hair hung over his face down to his +knees. They bound him with cords, and led him away to the castle. There +was great astonishment over the wild man; the king, however, had him put +in an iron cage in his courtyard, and forbade the door to be opened +on pain of death, and the queen herself was to take the key into her +keeping. And from this time forth everyone could again go into the +forest with safety. + +The king had a son of eight years, who was once playing in the +courtyard, and while he was playing, his golden ball fell into the cage. +The boy ran thither and said: ‘Give me my ball out.’ ‘Not till you have +opened the door for me,’ answered the man. ‘No,’ said the boy, ‘I will +not do that; the king has forbidden it,’ and ran away. The next day he +again went and asked for his ball; the wild man said: ‘Open my door,’ +but the boy would not. On the third day the king had ridden out hunting, +and the boy went once more and said: ‘I cannot open the door even if I +wished, for I have not the key.’ Then the wild man said: ‘It lies under +your mother’s pillow, you can get it there.’ The boy, who wanted to have +his ball back, cast all thought to the winds, and brought the key. The +door opened with difficulty, and the boy pinched his fingers. When it +was open the wild man stepped out, gave him the golden ball, and hurried +away. The boy had become afraid; he called and cried after him: ‘Oh, +wild man, do not go away, or I shall be beaten!’ The wild man turned +back, took him up, set him on his shoulder, and went with hasty steps +into the forest. When the king came home, he observed the empty cage, +and asked the queen how that had happened. She knew nothing about it, +and sought the key, but it was gone. She called the boy, but no one +answered. The king sent out people to seek for him in the fields, but +they did not find him. Then he could easily guess what had happened, and +much grief reigned in the royal court. + +When the wild man had once more reached the dark forest, he took the boy +down from his shoulder, and said to him: ‘You will never see your father +and mother again, but I will keep you with me, for you have set me free, +and I have compassion on you. If you do all I bid you, you shall fare +well. Of treasure and gold have I enough, and more than anyone in the +world.’ He made a bed of moss for the boy on which he slept, and the +next morning the man took him to a well, and said: ‘Behold, the gold +well is as bright and clear as crystal, you shall sit beside it, and +take care that nothing falls into it, or it will be polluted. I will +come every evening to see if you have obeyed my order.’ The boy placed +himself by the brink of the well, and often saw a golden fish or a +golden snake show itself therein, and took care that nothing fell in. +As he was thus sitting, his finger hurt him so violently that he +involuntarily put it in the water. He drew it quickly out again, but saw +that it was quite gilded, and whatsoever pains he took to wash the gold +off again, all was to no purpose. In the evening Iron Hans came back, +looked at the boy, and said: ‘What has happened to the well?’ ‘Nothing +nothing,’ he answered, and held his finger behind his back, that the +man might not see it. But he said: ‘You have dipped your finger into +the water, this time it may pass, but take care you do not again let +anything go in.’ By daybreak the boy was already sitting by the well and +watching it. His finger hurt him again and he passed it over his head, +and then unhappily a hair fell down into the well. He took it quickly +out, but it was already quite gilded. Iron Hans came, and already knew +what had happened. ‘You have let a hair fall into the well,’ said he. +‘I will allow you to watch by it once more, but if this happens for the +third time then the well is polluted and you can no longer remain with +me.’ + +On the third day, the boy sat by the well, and did not stir his finger, +however much it hurt him. But the time was long to him, and he looked at +the reflection of his face on the surface of the water. And as he +still bent down more and more while he was doing so, and trying to look +straight into the eyes, his long hair fell down from his shoulders into +the water. He raised himself up quickly, but the whole of the hair of +his head was already golden and shone like the sun. You can imagine how +terrified the poor boy was! He took his pocket-handkerchief and tied it +round his head, in order that the man might not see it. When he came he +already knew everything, and said: ‘Take the handkerchief off.’ Then the +golden hair streamed forth, and let the boy excuse himself as he might, +it was of no use. ‘You have not stood the trial and can stay here no +longer. Go forth into the world, there you will learn what poverty is. +But as you have not a bad heart, and as I mean well by you, there is +one thing I will grant you; if you fall into any difficulty, come to the +forest and cry: “Iron Hans,” and then I will come and help you. My +power is great, greater than you think, and I have gold and silver in +abundance.’ + +Then the king’s son left the forest, and walked by beaten and unbeaten +paths ever onwards until at length he reached a great city. There he +looked for work, but could find none, and he learnt nothing by which he +could help himself. At length he went to the palace, and asked if they +would take him in. The people about court did not at all know what use +they could make of him, but they liked him, and told him to stay. At +length the cook took him into his service, and said he might carry wood +and water, and rake the cinders together. Once when it so happened that +no one else was at hand, the cook ordered him to carry the food to the +royal table, but as he did not like to let his golden hair be seen, he +kept his little cap on. Such a thing as that had never yet come under +the king’s notice, and he said: ‘When you come to the royal table you +must take your hat off.’ He answered: ‘Ah, Lord, I cannot; I have a bad +sore place on my head.’ Then the king had the cook called before him +and scolded him, and asked how he could take such a boy as that into his +service; and that he was to send him away at once. The cook, however, +had pity on him, and exchanged him for the gardener’s boy. + +And now the boy had to plant and water the garden, hoe and dig, and bear +the wind and bad weather. Once in summer when he was working alone in +the garden, the day was so warm he took his little cap off that the air +might cool him. As the sun shone on his hair it glittered and flashed so +that the rays fell into the bedroom of the king’s daughter, and up she +sprang to see what that could be. Then she saw the boy, and cried to +him: ‘Boy, bring me a wreath of flowers.’ He put his cap on with all +haste, and gathered wild field-flowers and bound them together. When he +was ascending the stairs with them, the gardener met him, and said: ‘How +can you take the king’s daughter a garland of such common flowers? Go +quickly, and get another, and seek out the prettiest and rarest.’ ‘Oh, +no,’ replied the boy, ‘the wild ones have more scent, and will please +her better.’ When he got into the room, the king’s daughter said: ‘Take +your cap off, it is not seemly to keep it on in my presence.’ He again +said: ‘I may not, I have a sore head.’ She, however, caught at his +cap and pulled it off, and then his golden hair rolled down on his +shoulders, and it was splendid to behold. He wanted to run out, but she +held him by the arm, and gave him a handful of ducats. With these he +departed, but he cared nothing for the gold pieces. He took them to the +gardener, and said: ‘I present them to your children, they can play with +them.’ The following day the king’s daughter again called to him that he +was to bring her a wreath of field-flowers, and then he went in with it, +she instantly snatched at his cap, and wanted to take it away from him, +but he held it fast with both hands. She again gave him a handful of +ducats, but he would not keep them, and gave them to the gardener for +playthings for his children. On the third day things went just the +same; she could not get his cap away from him, and he would not have her +money. + +Not long afterwards, the country was overrun by war. The king gathered +together his people, and did not know whether or not he could offer any +opposition to the enemy, who was superior in strength and had a mighty +army. Then said the gardener’s boy: ‘I am grown up, and will go to the +wars also, only give me a horse.’ The others laughed, and said: ‘Seek +one for yourself when we are gone, we will leave one behind us in the +stable for you.’ When they had gone forth, he went into the stable, and +led the horse out; it was lame of one foot, and limped hobblety jib, +hobblety jib; nevertheless he mounted it, and rode away to the dark +forest. When he came to the outskirts, he called ‘Iron Hans’ three +times so loudly that it echoed through the trees. Thereupon the wild man +appeared immediately, and said: ‘What do you desire?’ ‘I want a strong +steed, for I am going to the wars.’ ‘That you shall have, and still more +than you ask for.’ Then the wild man went back into the forest, and it +was not long before a stable-boy came out of it, who led a horse that +snorted with its nostrils, and could hardly be restrained, and behind +them followed a great troop of warriors entirely equipped in iron, and +their swords flashed in the sun. The youth made over his three-legged +horse to the stable-boy, mounted the other, and rode at the head of the +soldiers. When he got near the battlefield a great part of the king’s +men had already fallen, and little was wanting to make the rest give +way. Then the youth galloped thither with his iron soldiers, broke like +a hurricane over the enemy, and beat down all who opposed him. They +began to flee, but the youth pursued, and never stopped, until there +was not a single man left. Instead of returning to the king, however, he +conducted his troop by byways back to the forest, and called forth Iron +Hans. ‘What do you desire?’ asked the wild man. ‘Take back your horse +and your troops, and give me my three-legged horse again.’ All that he +asked was done, and soon he was riding on his three-legged horse. When +the king returned to his palace, his daughter went to meet him, and +wished him joy of his victory. ‘I am not the one who carried away the +victory,’ said he, ‘but a strange knight who came to my assistance with +his soldiers.’ The daughter wanted to hear who the strange knight was, +but the king did not know, and said: ‘He followed the enemy, and I did +not see him again.’ She inquired of the gardener where his boy was, but +he smiled, and said: ‘He has just come home on his three-legged horse, +and the others have been mocking him, and crying: “Here comes our +hobblety jib back again!” They asked, too: “Under what hedge have you +been lying sleeping all the time?” So he said: “I did the best of all, +and it would have gone badly without me.” And then he was still more +ridiculed.’ + +The king said to his daughter: ‘I will proclaim a great feast that shall +last for three days, and you shall throw a golden apple. Perhaps the +unknown man will show himself.’ When the feast was announced, the youth +went out to the forest, and called Iron Hans. ‘What do you desire?’ +asked he. ‘That I may catch the king’s daughter’s golden apple.’ ‘It is +as safe as if you had it already,’ said Iron Hans. ‘You shall likewise +have a suit of red armour for the occasion, and ride on a spirited +chestnut-horse.’ When the day came, the youth galloped to the spot, took +his place amongst the knights, and was recognized by no one. The king’s +daughter came forward, and threw a golden apple to the knights, but none +of them caught it but he, only as soon as he had it he galloped away. + +On the second day Iron Hans equipped him as a white knight, and gave him +a white horse. Again he was the only one who caught the apple, and +he did not linger an instant, but galloped off with it. The king grew +angry, and said: ‘That is not allowed; he must appear before me and tell +his name.’ He gave the order that if the knight who caught the apple, +should go away again they should pursue him, and if he would not come +back willingly, they were to cut him down and stab him. + +On the third day, he received from Iron Hans a suit of black armour and +a black horse, and again he caught the apple. But when he was riding off +with it, the king’s attendants pursued him, and one of them got so near +him that he wounded the youth’s leg with the point of his sword. The +youth nevertheless escaped from them, but his horse leapt so violently +that the helmet fell from the youth’s head, and they could see that he +had golden hair. They rode back and announced this to the king. + +The following day the king’s daughter asked the gardener about his +boy. ‘He is at work in the garden; the queer creature has been at the +festival too, and only came home yesterday evening; he has likewise +shown my children three golden apples which he has won.’ + +The king had him summoned into his presence, and he came and again had +his little cap on his head. But the king’s daughter went up to him and +took it off, and then his golden hair fell down over his shoulders, and +he was so handsome that all were amazed. ‘Are you the knight who came +every day to the festival, always in different colours, and who caught +the three golden apples?’ asked the king. ‘Yes,’ answered he, ‘and here +the apples are,’ and he took them out of his pocket, and returned them +to the king. ‘If you desire further proof, you may see the wound which +your people gave me when they followed me. But I am likewise the knight +who helped you to your victory over your enemies.’ ‘If you can perform +such deeds as that, you are no gardener’s boy; tell me, who is your +father?’ ‘My father is a mighty king, and gold have I in plenty as great +as I require.’ ‘I well see,’ said the king, ‘that I owe my thanks to +you; can I do anything to please you?’ ‘Yes,’ answered he, ‘that indeed +you can. Give me your daughter to wife.’ The maiden laughed, and said: +‘He does not stand much on ceremony, but I have already seen by his +golden hair that he was no gardener’s boy,’ and then she went and +kissed him. His father and mother came to the wedding, and were in great +delight, for they had given up all hope of ever seeing their dear +son again. And as they were sitting at the marriage-feast, the music +suddenly stopped, the doors opened, and a stately king came in with a +great retinue. He went up to the youth, embraced him and said: ‘I am +Iron Hans, and was by enchantment a wild man, but you have set me free; +all the treasures which I possess, shall be your property.’ + + + + +CAT-SKIN + + +There was once a king, whose queen had hair of the purest gold, and was +so beautiful that her match was not to be met with on the whole face of +the earth. But this beautiful queen fell ill, and when she felt that her +end drew near she called the king to her and said, ‘Promise me that you +will never marry again, unless you meet with a wife who is as beautiful +as I am, and who has golden hair like mine.’ Then when the king in his +grief promised all she asked, she shut her eyes and died. But the king +was not to be comforted, and for a long time never thought of taking +another wife. At last, however, his wise men said, ‘this will not do; +the king must marry again, that we may have a queen.’ So messengers were +sent far and wide, to seek for a bride as beautiful as the late queen. +But there was no princess in the world so beautiful; and if there had +been, still there was not one to be found who had golden hair. So the +messengers came home, and had had all their trouble for nothing. + +Now the king had a daughter, who was just as beautiful as her mother, +and had the same golden hair. And when she was grown up, the king looked +at her and saw that she was just like this late queen: then he said to +his courtiers, ‘May I not marry my daughter? She is the very image of my +dead wife: unless I have her, I shall not find any bride upon the whole +earth, and you say there must be a queen.’ When the courtiers heard this +they were shocked, and said, ‘Heaven forbid that a father should marry +his daughter! Out of so great a sin no good can come.’ And his daughter +was also shocked, but hoped the king would soon give up such thoughts; +so she said to him, ‘Before I marry anyone I must have three dresses: +one must be of gold, like the sun; another must be of shining silver, +like the moon; and a third must be dazzling as the stars: besides this, +I want a mantle of a thousand different kinds of fur put together, to +which every beast in the kingdom must give a part of his skin.’ And thus +she thought he would think of the matter no more. But the king made the +most skilful workmen in his kingdom weave the three dresses: one golden, +like the sun; another silvery, like the moon; and a third sparkling, +like the stars: and his hunters were told to hunt out all the beasts in +his kingdom, and to take the finest fur out of their skins: and thus a +mantle of a thousand furs was made. + +When all were ready, the king sent them to her; but she got up in the +night when all were asleep, and took three of her trinkets, a golden +ring, a golden necklace, and a golden brooch, and packed the three +dresses--of the sun, the moon, and the stars--up in a nutshell, and +wrapped herself up in the mantle made of all sorts of fur, and besmeared +her face and hands with soot. Then she threw herself upon Heaven for +help in her need, and went away, and journeyed on the whole night, till +at last she came to a large wood. As she was very tired, she sat herself +down in the hollow of a tree and soon fell asleep: and there she slept +on till it was midday. + +Now as the king to whom the wood belonged was hunting in it, his dogs +came to the tree, and began to snuff about, and run round and round, and +bark. ‘Look sharp!’ said the king to the huntsmen, ‘and see what sort +of game lies there.’ And the huntsmen went up to the tree, and when they +came back again said, ‘In the hollow tree there lies a most wonderful +beast, such as we never saw before; its skin seems to be of a thousand +kinds of fur, but there it lies fast asleep.’ ‘See,’ said the king, ‘if +you can catch it alive, and we will take it with us.’ So the huntsmen +took it up, and the maiden awoke and was greatly frightened, and said, +‘I am a poor child that has neither father nor mother left; have pity on +me and take me with you.’ Then they said, ‘Yes, Miss Cat-skin, you will +do for the kitchen; you can sweep up the ashes, and do things of that +sort.’ So they put her into the coach, and took her home to the king’s +palace. Then they showed her a little corner under the staircase, where +no light of day ever peeped in, and said, ‘Cat-skin, you may lie and +sleep there.’ And she was sent into the kitchen, and made to fetch wood +and water, to blow the fire, pluck the poultry, pick the herbs, sift the +ashes, and do all the dirty work. + +Thus Cat-skin lived for a long time very sorrowfully. ‘Ah! pretty +princess!’ thought she, ‘what will now become of thee?’ But it happened +one day that a feast was to be held in the king’s castle, so she said to +the cook, ‘May I go up a little while and see what is going on? I will +take care and stand behind the door.’ And the cook said, ‘Yes, you may +go, but be back again in half an hour’s time, to rake out the ashes.’ +Then she took her little lamp, and went into her cabin, and took off the +fur skin, and washed the soot from off her face and hands, so that her +beauty shone forth like the sun from behind the clouds. She next opened +her nutshell, and brought out of it the dress that shone like the sun, +and so went to the feast. Everyone made way for her, for nobody knew +her, and they thought she could be no less than a king’s daughter. But +the king came up to her, and held out his hand and danced with her; and +he thought in his heart, ‘I never saw any one half so beautiful.’ + +When the dance was at an end she curtsied; and when the king looked +round for her, she was gone, no one knew wither. The guards that stood +at the castle gate were called in: but they had seen no one. The truth +was, that she had run into her little cabin, pulled off her dress, +blackened her face and hands, put on the fur-skin cloak, and was +Cat-skin again. When she went into the kitchen to her work, and began +to rake the ashes, the cook said, ‘Let that alone till the morning, and +heat the king’s soup; I should like to run up now and give a peep: but +take care you don’t let a hair fall into it, or you will run a chance of +never eating again.’ + +As soon as the cook went away, Cat-skin heated the king’s soup, and +toasted a slice of bread first, as nicely as ever she could; and when it +was ready, she went and looked in the cabin for her little golden ring, +and put it into the dish in which the soup was. When the dance was over, +the king ordered his soup to be brought in; and it pleased him so well, +that he thought he had never tasted any so good before. At the bottom +he saw a gold ring lying; and as he could not make out how it had got +there, he ordered the cook to be sent for. The cook was frightened when +he heard the order, and said to Cat-skin, ‘You must have let a hair fall +into the soup; if it be so, you will have a good beating.’ Then he went +before the king, and he asked him who had cooked the soup. ‘I did,’ +answered the cook. But the king said, ‘That is not true; it was better +done than you could do it.’ Then he answered, ‘To tell the truth I did +not cook it, but Cat-skin did.’ ‘Then let Cat-skin come up,’ said the +king: and when she came he said to her, ‘Who are you?’ ‘I am a poor +child,’ said she, ‘that has lost both father and mother.’ ‘How came you +in my palace?’ asked he. ‘I am good for nothing,’ said she, ‘but to be +scullion-girl, and to have boots and shoes thrown at my head.’ ‘But how +did you get the ring that was in the soup?’ asked the king. Then she +would not own that she knew anything about the ring; so the king sent +her away again about her business. + +After a time there was another feast, and Cat-skin asked the cook to let +her go up and see it as before. ‘Yes,’ said he, ‘but come again in half +an hour, and cook the king the soup that he likes so much.’ Then she +ran to her little cabin, washed herself quickly, and took her dress +out which was silvery as the moon, and put it on; and when she went in, +looking like a king’s daughter, the king went up to her, and rejoiced at +seeing her again, and when the dance began he danced with her. After the +dance was at an end she managed to slip out, so slyly that the king did +not see where she was gone; but she sprang into her little cabin, and +made herself into Cat-skin again, and went into the kitchen to cook the +soup. Whilst the cook was above stairs, she got the golden necklace and +dropped it into the soup; then it was brought to the king, who ate it, +and it pleased him as well as before; so he sent for the cook, who +was again forced to tell him that Cat-skin had cooked it. Cat-skin was +brought again before the king, but she still told him that she was only +fit to have boots and shoes thrown at her head. + +But when the king had ordered a feast to be got ready for the third +time, it happened just the same as before. ‘You must be a witch, +Cat-skin,’ said the cook; ‘for you always put something into your soup, +so that it pleases the king better than mine.’ However, he let her go up +as before. Then she put on her dress which sparkled like the stars, and +went into the ball-room in it; and the king danced with her again, and +thought she had never looked so beautiful as she did then. So whilst +he was dancing with her, he put a gold ring on her finger without her +seeing it, and ordered that the dance should be kept up a long time. +When it was at an end, he would have held her fast by the hand, but she +slipped away, and sprang so quickly through the crowd that he lost sight +of her: and she ran as fast as she could into her little cabin under +the stairs. But this time she kept away too long, and stayed beyond the +half-hour; so she had not time to take off her fine dress, and threw her +fur mantle over it, and in her haste did not blacken herself all over +with soot, but left one of her fingers white. + +Then she ran into the kitchen, and cooked the king’s soup; and as soon +as the cook was gone, she put the golden brooch into the dish. When the +king got to the bottom, he ordered Cat-skin to be called once more, and +soon saw the white finger, and the ring that he had put on it whilst +they were dancing: so he seized her hand, and kept fast hold of it, and +when she wanted to loose herself and spring away, the fur cloak fell off +a little on one side, and the starry dress sparkled underneath it. + +Then he got hold of the fur and tore it off, and her golden hair and +beautiful form were seen, and she could no longer hide herself: so she +washed the soot and ashes from her face, and showed herself to be the +most beautiful princess upon the face of the earth. But the king said, +‘You are my beloved bride, and we will never more be parted from each +other.’ And the wedding feast was held, and a merry day it was, as ever +was heard of or seen in that country, or indeed in any other. + + + + +SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED + + +There was once a poor widow who lived in a lonely cottage. In front of +the cottage was a garden wherein stood two rose-trees, one of which bore +white and the other red roses. She had two children who were like the +two rose-trees, and one was called Snow-white, and the other Rose-red. +They were as good and happy, as busy and cheerful as ever two children +in the world were, only Snow-white was more quiet and gentle than +Rose-red. Rose-red liked better to run about in the meadows and fields +seeking flowers and catching butterflies; but Snow-white sat at home +with her mother, and helped her with her housework, or read to her when +there was nothing to do. + +The two children were so fond of one another that they always held each +other by the hand when they went out together, and when Snow-white said: +‘We will not leave each other,’ Rose-red answered: ‘Never so long as we +live,’ and their mother would add: ‘What one has she must share with the +other.’ + +They often ran about the forest alone and gathered red berries, and no +beasts did them any harm, but came close to them trustfully. The little +hare would eat a cabbage-leaf out of their hands, the roe grazed by +their side, the stag leapt merrily by them, and the birds sat still upon +the boughs, and sang whatever they knew. + +No mishap overtook them; if they had stayed too late in the forest, and +night came on, they laid themselves down near one another upon the moss, +and slept until morning came, and their mother knew this and did not +worry on their account. + +Once when they had spent the night in the wood and the dawn had roused +them, they saw a beautiful child in a shining white dress sitting near +their bed. He got up and looked quite kindly at them, but said nothing +and went into the forest. And when they looked round they found that +they had been sleeping quite close to a precipice, and would certainly +have fallen into it in the darkness if they had gone only a few paces +further. And their mother told them that it must have been the angel who +watches over good children. + +Snow-white and Rose-red kept their mother’s little cottage so neat that +it was a pleasure to look inside it. In the summer Rose-red took care +of the house, and every morning laid a wreath of flowers by her mother’s +bed before she awoke, in which was a rose from each tree. In the winter +Snow-white lit the fire and hung the kettle on the hob. The kettle +was of brass and shone like gold, so brightly was it polished. In the +evening, when the snowflakes fell, the mother said: ‘Go, Snow-white, and +bolt the door,’ and then they sat round the hearth, and the mother took +her spectacles and read aloud out of a large book, and the two girls +listened as they sat and spun. And close by them lay a lamb upon the +floor, and behind them upon a perch sat a white dove with its head +hidden beneath its wings. + +One evening, as they were thus sitting comfortably together, someone +knocked at the door as if he wished to be let in. The mother said: +‘Quick, Rose-red, open the door, it must be a traveller who is seeking +shelter.’ Rose-red went and pushed back the bolt, thinking that it was a +poor man, but it was not; it was a bear that stretched his broad, black +head within the door. + +Rose-red screamed and sprang back, the lamb bleated, the dove fluttered, +and Snow-white hid herself behind her mother’s bed. But the bear began +to speak and said: ‘Do not be afraid, I will do you no harm! I am +half-frozen, and only want to warm myself a little beside you.’ + +‘Poor bear,’ said the mother, ‘lie down by the fire, only take care that +you do not burn your coat.’ Then she cried: ‘Snow-white, Rose-red, come +out, the bear will do you no harm, he means well.’ So they both came +out, and by-and-by the lamb and dove came nearer, and were not afraid +of him. The bear said: ‘Here, children, knock the snow out of my coat a +little’; so they brought the broom and swept the bear’s hide clean; +and he stretched himself by the fire and growled contentedly and +comfortably. It was not long before they grew quite at home, and played +tricks with their clumsy guest. They tugged his hair with their hands, +put their feet upon his back and rolled him about, or they took a +hazel-switch and beat him, and when he growled they laughed. But the +bear took it all in good part, only when they were too rough he called +out: ‘Leave me alive, children, + + Snow-white, Rose-red, + Will you beat your wooer dead?’ + +When it was bed-time, and the others went to bed, the mother said to the +bear: ‘You can lie there by the hearth, and then you will be safe from +the cold and the bad weather.’ As soon as day dawned the two children +let him out, and he trotted across the snow into the forest. + +Henceforth the bear came every evening at the same time, laid himself +down by the hearth, and let the children amuse themselves with him as +much as they liked; and they got so used to him that the doors were +never fastened until their black friend had arrived. + +When spring had come and all outside was green, the bear said one +morning to Snow-white: ‘Now I must go away, and cannot come back for the +whole summer.’ ‘Where are you going, then, dear bear?’ asked Snow-white. +‘I must go into the forest and guard my treasures from the wicked +dwarfs. In the winter, when the earth is frozen hard, they are obliged +to stay below and cannot work their way through; but now, when the sun +has thawed and warmed the earth, they break through it, and come out to +pry and steal; and what once gets into their hands, and in their caves, +does not easily see daylight again.’ + +Snow-white was quite sorry at his departure, and as she unbolted the +door for him, and the bear was hurrying out, he caught against the bolt +and a piece of his hairy coat was torn off, and it seemed to Snow-white +as if she had seen gold shining through it, but she was not sure about +it. The bear ran away quickly, and was soon out of sight behind the +trees. + +A short time afterwards the mother sent her children into the forest +to get firewood. There they found a big tree which lay felled on the +ground, and close by the trunk something was jumping backwards and +forwards in the grass, but they could not make out what it was. When +they came nearer they saw a dwarf with an old withered face and a +snow-white beard a yard long. The end of the beard was caught in a +crevice of the tree, and the little fellow was jumping about like a dog +tied to a rope, and did not know what to do. + +He glared at the girls with his fiery red eyes and cried: ‘Why do you +stand there? Can you not come here and help me?’ ‘What are you up to, +little man?’ asked Rose-red. ‘You stupid, prying goose!’ answered the +dwarf: ‘I was going to split the tree to get a little wood for cooking. +The little bit of food that we people get is immediately burnt up with +heavy logs; we do not swallow so much as you coarse, greedy folk. I had +just driven the wedge safely in, and everything was going as I wished; +but the cursed wedge was too smooth and suddenly sprang out, and the +tree closed so quickly that I could not pull out my beautiful white +beard; so now it is tight and I cannot get away, and the silly, sleek, +milk-faced things laugh! Ugh! how odious you are!’ + +The children tried very hard, but they could not pull the beard out, it +was caught too fast. ‘I will run and fetch someone,’ said Rose-red. ‘You +senseless goose!’ snarled the dwarf; ‘why should you fetch someone? You +are already two too many for me; can you not think of something better?’ +‘Don’t be impatient,’ said Snow-white, ‘I will help you,’ and she pulled +her scissors out of her pocket, and cut off the end of the beard. + +As soon as the dwarf felt himself free he laid hold of a bag which lay +amongst the roots of the tree, and which was full of gold, and lifted it +up, grumbling to himself: ‘Uncouth people, to cut off a piece of my fine +beard. Bad luck to you!’ and then he swung the bag upon his back, and +went off without even once looking at the children. + +Some time afterwards Snow-white and Rose-red went to catch a dish +of fish. As they came near the brook they saw something like a large +grasshopper jumping towards the water, as if it were going to leap in. +They ran to it and found it was the dwarf. ‘Where are you going?’ said +Rose-red; ‘you surely don’t want to go into the water?’ ‘I am not such +a fool!’ cried the dwarf; ‘don’t you see that the accursed fish wants +to pull me in?’ The little man had been sitting there fishing, and +unluckily the wind had tangled up his beard with the fishing-line; a +moment later a big fish made a bite and the feeble creature had not +strength to pull it out; the fish kept the upper hand and pulled the +dwarf towards him. He held on to all the reeds and rushes, but it was of +little good, for he was forced to follow the movements of the fish, and +was in urgent danger of being dragged into the water. + +The girls came just in time; they held him fast and tried to free his +beard from the line, but all in vain, beard and line were entangled fast +together. There was nothing to do but to bring out the scissors and cut +the beard, whereby a small part of it was lost. When the dwarf saw that +he screamed out: ‘Is that civil, you toadstool, to disfigure a man’s +face? Was it not enough to clip off the end of my beard? Now you have +cut off the best part of it. I cannot let myself be seen by my people. +I wish you had been made to run the soles off your shoes!’ Then he took +out a sack of pearls which lay in the rushes, and without another word +he dragged it away and disappeared behind a stone. + +It happened that soon afterwards the mother sent the two children to the +town to buy needles and thread, and laces and ribbons. The road led them +across a heath upon which huge pieces of rock lay strewn about. There +they noticed a large bird hovering in the air, flying slowly round and +round above them; it sank lower and lower, and at last settled near a +rock not far away. Immediately they heard a loud, piteous cry. They ran +up and saw with horror that the eagle had seized their old acquaintance +the dwarf, and was going to carry him off. + +The children, full of pity, at once took tight hold of the little man, +and pulled against the eagle so long that at last he let his booty go. +As soon as the dwarf had recovered from his first fright he cried +with his shrill voice: ‘Could you not have done it more carefully! You +dragged at my brown coat so that it is all torn and full of holes, you +clumsy creatures!’ Then he took up a sack full of precious stones, and +slipped away again under the rock into his hole. The girls, who by +this time were used to his ingratitude, went on their way and did their +business in town. + +As they crossed the heath again on their way home they surprised the +dwarf, who had emptied out his bag of precious stones in a clean spot, +and had not thought that anyone would come there so late. The evening +sun shone upon the brilliant stones; they glittered and sparkled with +all colours so beautifully that the children stood still and stared +at them. ‘Why do you stand gaping there?’ cried the dwarf, and his +ashen-grey face became copper-red with rage. He was still cursing when a +loud growling was heard, and a black bear came trotting towards them out +of the forest. The dwarf sprang up in a fright, but he could not reach +his cave, for the bear was already close. Then in the dread of his heart +he cried: ‘Dear Mr Bear, spare me, I will give you all my treasures; +look, the beautiful jewels lying there! Grant me my life; what do you +want with such a slender little fellow as I? you would not feel me +between your teeth. Come, take these two wicked girls, they are tender +morsels for you, fat as young quails; for mercy’s sake eat them!’ The +bear took no heed of his words, but gave the wicked creature a single +blow with his paw, and he did not move again. + +The girls had run away, but the bear called to them: ‘Snow-white and +Rose-red, do not be afraid; wait, I will come with you.’ Then they +recognized his voice and waited, and when he came up to them suddenly +his bearskin fell off, and he stood there a handsome man, clothed all in +gold. ‘I am a king’s son,’ he said, ‘and I was bewitched by that wicked +dwarf, who had stolen my treasures; I have had to run about the forest +as a savage bear until I was freed by his death. Now he has got his +well-deserved punishment. + +Snow-white was married to him, and Rose-red to his brother, and they +divided between them the great treasure which the dwarf had gathered +together in his cave. The old mother lived peacefully and happily with +her children for many years. She took the two rose-trees with her, and +they stood before her window, and every year bore the most beautiful +roses, white and red. + + +***** + + +The Brothers Grimm, Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859), were born +in Hanau, near Frankfurt, in the German state of Hesse. Throughout +their lives they remained close friends, and both studied law at Marburg +University. Jacob was a pioneer in the study of German philology, +and although Wilhelm’s work was hampered by poor health the brothers +collaborated in the creation of a German dictionary, not completed until +a century after their deaths. But they were best (and universally) known +for the collection of over two hundred folk tales they made from oral +sources and published in two volumes of ‘Nursery and Household Tales’ in +1812 and 1814. Although their intention was to preserve such material as +part of German cultural and literary history, and their collection was +first published with scholarly notes and no illustration, the tales soon +came into the possession of young readers. This was in part due to Edgar +Taylor, who made the first English translation in 1823, selecting about +fifty stories ‘with the amusement of some young friends principally in +view.’ They have been an essential ingredient of children’s reading ever +since. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GRIMMS’ FAIRY TALES *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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