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diff --git a/old/52596-0.txt b/old/52596-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 4433bb7..0000000 --- a/old/52596-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4462 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Czech Folk Tales, by Josef Baudiš - -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'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Czech Folk Tales - -Author: Josef Baudiš - -Release Date: July 17, 2016 [EBook #52596] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CZECH FOLK TALES *** - - - - -Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project -Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously -made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - - - - - CZECH FOLK TALES - - SELECTED AND TRANSLATED BY - - DR. JOSEF BAUDIS, M.R.I.A. - - LECTURER IN COMPARATIVE PHILOLOGY - AT THE PRAGUE UNIVERSITY - - - WITH 8 ILLUSTRATIONS - - - LONDON: GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD. - RUSKIN HOUSE 40 MUSEUM STREET, W.C. 1 - - - - - - - - -PREFACE - - -The present collection has been selected from the following sources:-- - - - Josef Kubín, Povídky kladské, i., ii. (in "Národopisný vestník - ceskoslovanský"). V. Vondrák, Nekolik pohádek z Dubu u Vodnan - (S. Bohemia), in "Ceský Lid," xiii. - - V. Tille, Povídky sebrané na Valassku (S. Moravia). "Národopisný - sborník ceskoslovanský," Svazek vii. Prague, 1901. - - Elpl, Rada pohádek a povestí nasbíraných v Lísni u Brna (Moravia). - - B. M. Kulda, Moravské národní pohádky a povesti, i. (Prague, - 1874). From Moravia. - - The first two stories ("Twelve Months," "Vítazko") have been retold - by the novelist Bozena Nemcová (from the Slovak). - - -My translation could not be, of course, a literal one, because many -phrases in the original might seem strange to the English reader's ear. - -Finally, I wish to express my thanks to Miss Eleanor Hull and Mr. Robin -Flower for revising my English. - - -JOSEF BAUDIS. - -London, October 1917. - - - - - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - PREFACE vii - INTRODUCTION xiii - THE TWELVE MONTHS. From B. Nemcová 2 - VÍTAZKO. From B. Nemcová 16 - BOOTS, CLOAK, AND RING. From B. M. Kulda 39 - SILLY JURA. From B. M. Kulda 55 - SLEEPY JOHN. From B. M. Kulda 61 - THREE DOVES. From B. M. Kulda 71 - THE BEAR, THE EAGLE, AND THE FISH. From Elpl 98 - KOJATA. From V. Tille 103 - SHEPHERD HYNEK. From Kubín 111 - THE THREE ROSES. From Kubín 123 - THE ENCHANTED PRINCESSES. From Kubín 129 - THE TWIN BROTHERS. From "Ceský Lid," xiii. p. 84 142 - THE WATERNICK. From Kubín 151 - THE MAN WHO MET MISERY. From Kubín 157 - NINE AT A BLOW. From "Ceský Lid," xiii. p. 130 161 - A CLEVER LASS. From Kubín 165 - THE SOLDIER AND THE DEVIL. From "Ceský Lid," xiii. - p. 167 170 - OLD NICK AND KITTY. From Kubín 179 - THE KNIGHT BAMBUS. From Kubín 182 - FRANCIS AND MARTIN. From "Ceský Lid," xiii. p. 213 186 - WITCHES AT THE CROSS. From Kubín 190 - THE WITCH AND THE HORSESHOES. From Kubín 191 - THE HAUNTED MILL. From Kubín 195 - - - -The first two illustrations are copies of pictures by Josef Mánes; -the others have been drawn by Mr. E. Stanek, who in some cases has -adapted drawings by Mikulás Ales. - - - - - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -The present collection is intended to exemplify the spirit of the -Czech race. It may perhaps be objected that folk-tale themes are part -of a common stock belonging to all European races, and even to many -primitive peoples: but though this is perfectly true, it is also no -less certain that the spirit of the nation manifests itself in the -manner of their telling. The selection has been made from all sorts -of folk tales, artistic and primitive alike; and yet two things are -common to all of them: the moral tendency and a sense of humour. By -this I do not mean morality in the vulgar sense of retribution for -evil, or of filial devotion, or the sentimental insistence upon -"every one living happily ever afterwards," and above all upon Jack -marrying his Molly. I mean that higher sort of morality which was the -mainspring of Protestantism. It is often supposed that Protestantism is -very unfavourable to the development and preservation of folk tales; -but those of Bohemia are certainly an exception to this rule. The -Czech nation was the first to adopt the Protestant faith, and even -to-day is still Protestant at heart, though the Habsburgs forced it -back into the Catholic fold. - -The Czechs, then, have preserved their love for folk tales, -adapting them to the higher morality and to the national sentiment, -and discarding many of their supernatural features, or where the -supernatural was allowed to remain for a moment, reverting very soon to -the strict limits of probability. It is the very same method which, for -example, Mr. Wells employs in some of his novels. That the Slav nations -have a certain tendency to lay stress upon the ethical side in their -folk tales has already been pointed out by the Czech poet Erben, whose -tales have been translated into English in Wratislaw's Collection. - -As for their humour, the Czechs have a natural tendency to satire. The -best works in Old Czech literature are satires, and in modern times -one of the most brilliant of Czech politicians, Karel Havlicek, was -also the greatest Czech satirist. This spirit may also be seen in -the present collection; but in every case the story-teller, instead -of assuming the attitude of the morality preacher or of indulging -in theatrical invective against the wickedness of the times, rests -content with a good-humoured gibe at the folly of the world, at the -frailty of his fellow-men, and, it may be, at his own. - -These two traits are inherent in the nature of the Czech people; -and those who know their love of such tales and of the literature -which has grown out of them, can realize their search for a haven of -refuge from the cruel present and their fond dream-pictures of a land -where all was good, where at last everything was bound to end well, -where truth and justice at last had conquered. Alas! to the victims of -Habsburg rule and Austrian bayonets the bare possibility seemed utterly -excluded. And yet why should they not dream of such a land? Amo quia -absurdum! But at the very moment their humorous ego could not suppress -a sneer. Yes, even in that wonderland which their fancy painted are -foolish kings, ever prone to break their word: even there people are -bad and stupid! But our tale says that the bad were vanquished and -the foolish put to shame: let, then, the tale be told! And even as he -tells it, his heart nurses the inward hope that the foreign tyrants -who oppress him may one day be vanquished and annihilated. - -That such were the wishes of the Czech people, the Great War has -shown. They have proved by their deeds their love of freedom; and -to-day Czechs are fighting bravely in every Allied army and in their -own national units formed in Russia. May their Austrian oppressors be -brought to the ground, and may Bohemia regain the freedom for which -she has longed for three centuries! - - - - - - - - -THE TWELVE MONTHS - - -Once upon a time there lived a mother who had two daughters. One was -her own child, the other her stepdaughter. She was very fond of her own -daughter, but she would not so much as look at her stepdaughter. The -only reason was that Marusa, the stepdaughter, was prettier than her -own daughter, Holena. The gentle-hearted Marusa did not know how -beautiful she was, and so she could never make out why her mother -was so cross with her whenever she looked at her. She had to do all -the housework, tidying up the cottage, cooking, washing, and sewing, -and then she had to take the hay to the cow and look after her. She -did all this work alone, while Holena spent the time adorning herself -and lazing about. But Marusa liked work, for she was a patient girl, -and when her mother scolded and rated her, she bore it like a lamb. It -was no good, however, for they grew crueller and crueller every day, -only because Marusa was growing prettier and Holena uglier every day. - -At last the mother thought: "Why should I keep a pretty stepdaughter -in my house? When the lads come courting here, they will fall in love -with Marusa and they won't look at Holena." - -From that moment the stepmother and her daughter were constantly -scheming how to get rid of poor Marusa. They starved her and they -beat her. But she bore it all, and in spite of all she kept on growing -prettier every day. They invented torments that the cruellest of men -would never have thought of. - -One day--it was in the middle of January--Holena felt a longing for -the scent of violets. - -"Go, Marusa, and get me some violets from the forest; I want to wear -them at my waist and to smell them," she said to her sister. - -"Great heavens! sister. What a strange notion! Who ever heard of -violets growing under the snow?" said poor Marusa. - -"You wretched tatterdemalion! how dare you argue when I tell you to -do something? Off you go at once, and if you don't bring me violets -from the forest I'll kill you!" said Holena threateningly. - -The stepmother caught hold of Marusa, turned her out of the door, and -slammed it to after her. She went into the forest weeping bitterly. The -snow lay deep, and there wasn't a human footprint to be seen. Marusa -wandered about for a long time, tortured by hunger and trembling with -cold. She begged God to take her from the world. - -At last she saw a light in the distance. She went towards the glow, -and came at last to the top of a mountain. A big fire was burning -there, and round the fire were twelve stones with twelve men sitting -on them. Three of them had snow-white beards, three were not so old, -and three were still younger. The three youngest were the handsomest of -them all. They were not speaking, but all sitting silent. These twelve -men were the twelve months. Great January sat highest of all; his -hair and beard were as white as snow, and in his hand he held a club. - -Marusa was frightened. She stood still for a time in terror, but, -growing bolder, she went up to them and said: "Please, kind sirs, -let me warm my hands at your fire. I am trembling with the cold." - -Great January nodded, and asked her: "Why have you come here, my dear -little girl? What are you looking for?" - -"I am looking for violets," answered Marusa. - -"This is no time to be looking for violets, for everything is covered -with snow," answered Great January. - -"Yes, I know; but my sister Holena and my stepmother said that I must -bring them some violets from the forest. If I don't bring them, they'll -kill me. Tell me, fathers, please tell me where I can find them." - -Great January stood up and went to one of the younger months--it -was March--and, giving him the club, he said: "Brother, take the -high seat." - -March took the high seat upon the stone and waved the club over the -fire. The fire blazed up, the snow began to melt, the trees began to -bud, and the ground under the young beech-trees was at once covered -with grass and the crimson daisy buds began to peep through the -grass. It was springtime. Under the bushes the violets were blooming -among their little leaves, and before Marusa had time to think, so -many of them had sprung up that they looked like a blue cloth spread -out on the ground. - -"Pick them quickly, Marusa!" commanded March. - -Marusa picked them joyfully till she had a big bunch. Then she thanked -the months with all her heart and scampered merrily home. - -Holena and the stepmother wondered when they saw Marusa bringing the -violets. They opened the door to her, and the scent of violets filled -all the cottage. - -"Where did you get them?" asked Holena sulkily. - -"They are growing under the bushes in a forest on the high mountains." - -Holena put them in her waistband. She let her mother smell them, -but she did not say to her sister: "Smell them." - -Another day she was lolling near the stove, and now she longed for -some strawberries. So she called to her sister and said: "Go, Marusa, -and get me some strawberries from the forest." - -"Alas! dear sister, where could I find any strawberries? Who ever -heard of strawberries growing under the snow?" said Marusa. - -"You wretched little tatterdemalion, how dare you argue when I tell -you to do a thing? Go at once and get me the strawberries, or I'll -kill you!" - -The stepmother caught hold of Marusa and pushed her out of the door -and shut it after her. Marusa went to the forest weeping bitterly. The -snow was lying deep, and there wasn't a human footprint to be seen -anywhere. She wandered about for a long time, tortured by hunger and -trembling with cold. At last she saw the light she had seen the other -day. Overjoyed, she went towards it. She came to the great fire with -the twelve months sitting round it. - -"Please, kind sirs, let me warm my hands at the fire. I am trembling -with cold." - -Great January nodded, and asked her: "Why have you come again, and -what are you looking for here?" - -"I am looking for strawberries." - -"But it is winter now, and strawberries don't grow on the snow," -said January. - -"Yes, I know," said Marusa sadly; "but my sister Holena and my -stepmother bade me bring them some strawberries, and if I don't -bring them, they will kill me. Tell me, fathers, tell me, please, -where I can find them." - -Great January arose. He went over to the month sitting opposite -to him--it was June--and handed the club to him, saying: "Brother, -take the high seat." - -June took the high seat upon the stone and swung the club over the -fire. The fire shot up, and its heat melted the snow in a moment. The -ground was all green, the trees were covered with leaves, the birds -began to sing, and the forest was filled with all kinds of flowers. It -was summer. The ground under the bushes was covered with white -starlets, the starry blossoms were turning into strawberries every -minute. They ripened at once, and before Marusa had time to think, -there were so many of them that it looked as though blood had been -sprinkled on the ground. - -"Pick them at once, Marusa!" commanded June. - -Marusa picked them joyfully till she had filled her apron full. Then -she thanked the months with all her heart and scampered merrily -home. Holena and the stepmother wondered when they saw Marusa bringing -the strawberries. Her apron was full of them. They ran to open the door -for her, and the scent of the strawberries filled the whole cottage. - -"Where did you pick them?" asked Holena sulkily. - -"There are plenty of them growing under the young beech-trees in the -forest on the high mountains." - -Holena took the strawberries, and went on eating them till she could -eat no more. So did the stepmother too, but they didn't say to Marusa: -"Here is one for you." - -When Holena had enjoyed the strawberries, she grew greedy for other -dainties, and so on the third day she longed for some red apples. - -"Marusa, go into the forest and get me some red apples," she said to -her sister. - -"Alas! sister dear, how am I to get apples for you in -winter?" protested Marusa. - -"You wretched little tatterdemalion, how dare you argue when I tell -you to do a thing? Go to the forest at once, and if you don't bring -me the apples I will kill you!" threatened Holena. - -The stepmother caught hold of Marusa and pushed her out of the door and -shut it after her. Marusa went to the forest weeping bitterly. The -snow was lying deep; there wasn't a human footprint to be seen -anywhere. But she didn't wander about this time. She ran straight to -the top of the mountain where the big fire was burning. The twelve -months were sitting round the fire; yes, there they certainly were, -and Great January was sitting on the high seat. - -"Please, kind sirs, let me warm my hands at the fire. I am trembling -with cold." - -Great January nodded, and asked her: "Why have you come here, and -what are you looking for?" - -"I am looking for red apples." - -"It is winter now, and red apples don't grow in winter," answered -January. - -"Yes, I know," said Marusa sadly; "but my sister and my stepmother, -too, bade me bring them some red apples from the forest. If I don't -bring them, they will kill me. Tell me, father, tell me, please, -where I could find them." - -Great January rose up. He went over to one of the older months--it -was September. He handed the club to him and said: "Brother, take -the high seat." - -Month September took the high seat upon the stone and swung the club -over the fire. The fire began to burn with a red flame, the snow began -to melt. But the trees were not covered with leaves; the leaves were -wavering down one after the other, and the cold wind was driving them -to and fro over the yellowing ground. This time Marusa did not see -so many flowers. Only red pinks were blooming on the hillside, and -meadow saffrons were flowering in the valley. High fern and thick -ivy were growing under the young beech-trees. But Marusa was only -looking for red apples, and at last she saw an apple-tree with red -apples hanging high among its branches. - -"Shake the tree at once, Marusa!" commanded the month. - -Right gladly Marusa shook the tree, and one apple fell down. She -shook it a second time, and another apple fell down. - -"Now, Marusa, run home quickly!" shouted the month. - -Marusa obeyed at once. She picked up the apples, thanked the months -with all her heart, and ran merrily home. - -Holena and the stepmother wondered when they saw Marusa bringing -the apples. They ran to open the door for her, and she gave them -two apples. - -"Where did you get them?" asked Holena. - -"There are plenty of them in the forest on the high mountain." - -"And why didn't you bring more? Or did you eat them on the way -home?" said Holena harshly. - -"Alas! sister dear, I didn't eat a single one. But when I had shaken -the tree once, one apple fell down, and when I shook it a second time, -another apple fell down, and they wouldn't let me shake it again. They -shouted to me to go straight home," protested Marusa. - -Holena began to curse her: "May you be struck to death by -lightning!" and she was going to beat her. - -Marusa began to cry bitterly, and she prayed to God to take her -to Himself, or she would be killed by her wicked sister and her -stepmother. She ran away into the kitchen. - -Greedy Holena stopped cursing and began to eat the apple. It tasted -so delicious that she told her mother she had never tasted anything -so nice in all her life. The stepmother liked it too. When they had -finished, they wanted some more. - -"Mother, give me my fur coat. I'll go to the forest myself. That ragged -little wretch would eat them all up again on her way home. I'll find -the place all right, and I'll shake them all down, however they shout -at me." - -Her mother tried to dissuade her, but it was no good. She took her -fur coat, wrapped a cloth round her head, and off she went to the -forest. Her mother stood on the threshold, watching to see how Holena -would manage to walk in the wintry weather. - -The snow lay deep, and there wasn't a human footprint to be seen -anywhere. Holena wandered about for a long time, but the desire of -the sweet apple kept driving her on. At last she saw a light in the -distance. She went towards it, and climbed to the top of the mountain -where the big fire was burning, and round the fire on twelve stones -the twelve months were sitting. She was terrified at first, but she -soon recovered. She stepped up to the fire and stretched out her -hands to warm them, but she didn't say as much as "By your leave" -to the twelve months; no, she didn't say a single word to them. - -"Why have you come here, and what are you looking for?" asked Great -January crossly. - -"Why do you want to know, you old fool? It's no business of yours," -replied Holena angrily, and she turned away from the fire and went -into the forest. - -Great January frowned and swung the club over his head. The sky grew -dark in a moment, the fire burned low, the snow began to fall as thick -as if the feathers had been shaken out of a down quilt, and an icy -wind began to blow through the forest. Holena couldn't see one step -in front of her; she lost her way altogether, and several times she -fell into snowdrifts. Then her limbs grew weak and began slowly to -stiffen. The snow kept on falling and the icy wind blew more icily -than ever. Holena began to curse Marusa and the Lord God. Her limbs -began to freeze, despite her fur coat. - -Her mother was waiting for Holena; she kept on looking out for her, -first at the window, then outside the door, but all in vain. - -"Does she like the apples so much that she can't leave them, or -what is the matter? I must see for myself where she is," decided the -stepmother at last. So she put on her fur coat, she wrapped a shawl -round her head, and went out to look for Holena. The snow was lying -deep; there wasn't a human footprint to be seen; the snow fell fast, -and the icy wind was blowing through the forest. - -Marusa had cooked the dinner, she had seen to the cow, and yet -Holena and her mother did not come back. "Where are they staying so -long?" thought Marusa, as she sat down to work at the distaff. The -spindle was full already and it was quite dark in the room, and yet -Holena and the stepmother had not come back. - -"Alas, Lord! what has come to them?" cried Marusa, peering anxiously -through the window. The sky was bright and the earth was all -glittering, but there wasn't a human soul to be seen.... Sadly she -shut the window; she crossed herself, and prayed for her sister and -her mother.... In the morning she waited with breakfast, she waited -with dinner; but however much she waited, it was no good. Neither -her mother nor her sister ever came back. Both of them were frozen -to death in the forest. - -So good Marusa inherited the cottage, a piece of ploughland and -the cow. She married a kind husband, and they both lived happily -ever after. - - - - - - - - -VÍTAZKO - - -Once there was a mother, and, being a mother, she had a son. She -suckled him for twice seven years. After that she took him into a -forest and told him to pull up a fir-tree, roots and all. But the -lad could not pull up the fir-tree. - -"You are not strong enough yet," said the mother. So she suckled him -for another seven years. When she had suckled him for thrice seven -years, she took him to the forest again and told him to pull up a -beech-tree, roots and all. He seized hold of the beech and pulled -it up. - -"Now you are strong enough. So you are Victor (Vítazko). Now you can -provide for me." - -"Yes, I will. Only tell me what I can do for you." - -"You must get me a good house first, and then you can take me there," -said the mother, and she went home. - -Vítazko took the beech-tree which he had pulled up, and, carrying -it in his hand like a club, he started in search of a house for his -mother. Following the wind, he walked by old roads and paths until -he came to a castle. This castle was inhabited by griffins. - -When Vítazko reached the castle, the griffins would not let him in. But -he did not wait long for their permission: he smashed the gate and -went into the castle and killed the griffins; their bodies he flung -over the wall, and then he went for a walk through the castle. He was -pleased with everything he saw. The rooms were nice, nine in number, -but the tenth was closed. When he had gone through the nine he went -into the tenth, and there he saw a griffin chained to the wall by -three iron bands. - -"What are you doing here?" asked Vítazko. - -"I am sitting here, as you see. My brothers have chained me here. Untie -my bonds and I will give you a splendid reward." - -"You must be a wicked old rascal if your own brothers tied you there. I -won't unfasten your bonds either," said Vítazko. - -So he slammed the door, and went off to fetch his mother to the -castle. When he had brought her there, he showed her everything, but -he did not open the tenth room, and he forbade her to enter that room, -for otherwise there would be trouble. As soon as Vítazko left the -house, the mother could not rest, and she kept on walking near the -door of that tenth room, till at last she went in, and, of course, -she found the griffin there. - -"What are you doing here, and who are you?" - -"I am a griffin. My own brothers chained me here. They would have -unfastened my bonds again, but your son has killed them all. Untie -my bonds and I will reward you, and, if you like, I will marry you," -said the griffin. - -"And what would Vítazko say?" answered the mother. - -"What could he say? We will put him out of the world, and you will -be your own mistress." - -The mother hesitated long enough, but at last she consented, and then -she asked the griffin how she could untie his bonds. - -"Go into the cellar and fetch me a cup of wine from the last cask." - -The mother went into the cellar and brought him a glass of wine -from the last cask. As soon as he had drained the first cup, -crash! the first chain fell down. The mother brought him another cup -and--well! the second chain snapped. So he begged her to bring him -a third cup, and when she brought him the third cup the third chain -broke too and the griffin was free again. - -"But what am I to tell my son when he comes back?" said the mother -anxiously. - -"Oh! you must feign illness, and when he asks you what will save you, -say that nothing can save you but a suckling of the earth sow. When -he goes to get it, the sow will tear him in pieces." - -Well (but not particularly well!), when Vítazko returned from the -chase, bringing a buck for his mother, she groaned and complained: -"Alas! my dear son, your toil has been in vain. It is no use your -bringing me this good food; I cannot eat it, for I am deadly sick." - -"Alas! mother, you must not die. Only tell me what would cure you, -and I will bring it for you, even though it were from hell," cried -the good Vítazko, for he loved his mother well. - -"I can only be cured if I get the suckling of the earth sow." - -Vítazko did not wait; he took his beech-tree and set off in quest of -the earth sow. He wandered through the country, poor soul! for he did -not know where to go, till at last he came to a tower, and there he -found Holy Sunday. - -"Where are you going?" asked Holy Sunday. - -"I am going to the earth sow to get one of her sucklings. My mother -is ill, but this will cure her." - -"My dear boy, it will be a hard task for you to get that -piglet. However, I will help you. Only you must follow my advice -exactly." - -Vítazko promised that he would follow it exactly. So first she gave -him a long, sharp spit, and then she said: - -"Go to the stable and take my horse. He will bring you to the place -where the earth sow lies buried in the earth. When you have come there -you must prick one of her pigs. The pig will squeak, and the sow, -hearing it, will start up and run round the earth in a moment. But -she won't see you or anybody else, and so she will tell the pigs that -if they squeak again she will tear them to pieces. Then she will -lie down to sleep, and then you must spit the pig and run quickly -away. The pig will be afraid to squeak, the sow won't stir, and my -horse will carry you away." - -Vítazko promised to carry out her directions exactly. He took the -spit, mounted the magic horse, and it brought him swiftly to the -place--far, very far it was--where the earth sow lay buried in the -earth. Vítazko pricked one of the pigs, and it squeaked terribly. The -sow started wildly up and ran round the earth in one moment. But the -magic horse did not move, so the sow did not see him or anybody else, -and she said angrily to the pigs: - -"If one of you squeaks, I will tear you all to pieces at once." - -Having said this, she buried herself again. - -At once Vítazko spitted the pig. It kept quiet and didn't squeak at -all, and the magic horse began to fly, and it wasn't long till they -were home again. - -"Well, Vítazko, how did it go?" asked Holy Sunday. - -"Well, it went just as you said, and here is the pig." - -"Very well. Take it to your mother." - -Vítazko gave her back the spit; he led the magic horse back to its -stall, thanked Holy Sunday, and, hanging the pig from the beech-tree, -made haste to go home to his mother. - -The mother and the griffin were feasting; they did not expect Vítazko, -and here he was. They ran away and discussed what they should do -with him. - -"When he has given you the pig, you must still pretend to be ill," -said the griffin; "and when he asks you what will save you, tell him -that only the Water of Life and the Water of Death can cure you. If -he goes in quest of that, he is bound to perish." - -Vítazko came running to the castle full of joy. He gave the pig to -his mother, but she still went on groaning and complaining that she -was going to die, and that the pig would not cure her. - -"Alas! mother, don't die, but tell me what will cure you, so that I -may bring it for you at once," said Vítazko anxiously. - -"Ah! my dear son, I can only be cured by the Water of Life and the -Water of Death, and where would you get that?" sighed the mother. - -Vítazko did not waste time thinking about it. He grasped his beech, -and off he went to Holy Sunday. - -"Where are you going, Vítazko?" asked Holy Sunday. - -"I am coming to you to ask where I could find the Water of Life and -the Water of Death, for my mother is still ill, and only those will -cure her." - -"It will be a hard task for you to get them, but I will help you as -well as I can. Here are two jugs; mount my magic horse, and he will -bring you to two banks. Beneath those two banks spring forth the -Water of Life and the Water of Death. The right bank opens at noon, -and from beneath it gushes the Water of Life. The left bank opens at -midnight, and beneath it is the Water of Death. As soon as the bank -opens, run up to it and fill your jug with water, and so you must do -in the other case too. When you have the water, come back. Follow my -instructions carefully." - -Saying this, she gave him two jugs. He took them and mounted the magic -horse, and in a moment they were gone like the wind. The two banks were -in a far distant land, and thither the magic horse brought Vítazko. At -noon he raised the right bank and the Water of Life gushed forth, then, -crash! the bank fell down again, and it was a wonder that it did not -take Vítazko's heels off. Quickly Vítazko mounted the magic horse and -made haste for the left bank. There they waited till midnight. When -the bank lifted, beneath it was the Water of Death. He hurried to it -and filled the jug, and, crash! down fell the bank again; and it was -a marvel it didn't take Vítazko's hand off. Quickly he mounted the -magic horse, the horse flew off, and soon they were home again. - -"Well, Vítazko, how have you fared?" asked Holy Sunday. - -"Oh! everything went all right, Holy Sunday; and here is the water," -said Vítazko, giving her the water. - -Holy Sunday kept the water, and gave him two jugs full of spring -water and told him to take them to his mother. Vítazko thanked her -and went home. - -The mother and the griffin were carousing as before, for they did not -expect that he would ever return--and there he was just outside. They -were terribly frightened, and considered how they could get rid of him. - -"You must pretend to be sick still, and tell him you won't recover -unless you get the Pelican bird, and he will perish on the quest," -said the griffin. - -Vítazko brought the water joyfully, but the mother was still groaning -and complaining; even that was no good, she was sure she was going -to die. - -"Ah! don't die, sweet mother. Tell me what will cure you, and I shall -be glad to get it all for you," said the good lad. - -"There is no help for me unless I can see the Pelican bird. Where -could you get it for me?" groaned the mother. - -Vítazko took his beech again, and it was no trouble to him to go to -Holy Sunday once more. - -"Where are you going?" asked Holy Sunday. - -"Well, I am coming to you to ask for advice. Mother is still sick; -the water did not cure her either, and she says she must see the -Pelican bird. And where is the Pelican bird?" - -"My dear child, it would be very hard for you to get the Pelican -bird. But I will help you all I can. The Pelican bird is a gigantic -bird. His neck is very long, and, whenever he shakes his wings, -he raises such a wind that the trees begin to shake. Here is a gun; -mount my magic horse, and he will bring you to the place where the -Pelican bird lives. But be careful. Point the gun against the wind -from whatever quarter it blows, and when the hammer falls, ram the gun -with the ramrod and come quickly back. You must not look into the gun." - -Vítazko took the gun and mounted the magic horse, and the horse spread -his wings, and they were flying through the air a long way until -they came to a vast desert, where dwelt the Pelican bird. There the -magic horse stopped. Now Vítazko perceived that the wind was blowing -strongly on his left cheek, so he pointed the gun in that direction, -and, clap! the hammer fell. Vítazko rammed the gun quickly with the -ramrod and flung it over his shoulder, and the horse started flying, -and very soon they were home again. - -"Well, how did things go?" - -"I don't know whether they went well or ill, but I did what you -commanded," answered Vítazko, handing down the gun to Holy Sunday. - -"All right. You did quite right. Here he is!" she said. And then -she took out the Pelican bird. Then she gave Vítazko another gun -to shoot an eagle with. He went out into the forest, and returned -before long with an eagle. She gave him this eagle for his mother, -in place of the Pelican bird. - -The griffin and the mother were making merry again, hoping that Vítazko -would never come back, but he was already near. They were terrified, -and began to consider what new task they were to set him. - -"You must pretend to be sick still, and tell him nothing can do you -any good but the golden apples from the garden of the Griffin. If -he goes there the Griffin will tear him in pieces, for he is enraged -because Vítazko has killed his brothers." - -Joyfully Vítazko gave the bird to his mother, but she still kept -on groaning; nothing was any good, only the golden apples from the -garden of the Griffin could save her. - -"You shall have them," said Vítazko, and without resting, he started -again and came to Holy Sunday. - -"Where are you going, Vítazko?" - -"Well," he replied, "not even that did her any good. Mother is still -sick, for only the golden apples from the garden of the Griffin will -cure her." - -"Well, you'll have to fight, my boy," said Holy Sunday; "but, even -though you were stronger than you are, it would be a bad look-out -for you. Still, I will help you all I can. Here is a ring for you; -put it on your finger, and, when you are in need, think of me, turn -the ring round on your finger, and you will have the strength of a -hundred men. Now mount the magic horse; he will take you there." - -Vítazko thanked her heartily, mounted the magic horse, and was carried -by him a far journey, till they came to a garden hedged about by -a high rampart. Had it not been for the magic horse Vítazko could -never have got into the garden, but the horse flew like a bird over -the rampart. Vítazko leapt down from the horse, and instantly began -to look for a tree with golden apples. A beautiful girl met him and -asked him what he was looking for. Vítazko said that he was looking -for golden apples to cure his sick mother, and begged her to tell -him where to look for them. - -"The apple-tree is under my charge, and I must not give the apples -to anybody, or the Griffin would tear me to pieces. I am a king's -daughter, and the Griffin carried me off and brought me to this garden -and put me in charge of the apples. Go back, good youth, go back, -for the Griffin is very strong, and, if he sees you, he will kill -you like a fly," said the girl. - -But Vítazko was not to be turned back, and he hastened on into the -garden. So the princess pulled off a priceless ring and handed it to -Vítazko, saying: "Take this ring, and when you think of me and turn -this ring round on your finger, you will have the strength of a hundred -men, otherwise you could not gain the victory over the Griffin." - -Vítazko took the ring and put it on his finger. He thanked her and went -off to the centre of the garden. In the middle of the garden stood -an apple-tree full of golden apples, and underneath it a horrible -Griffin was lying. - -"What do you want here, murderer of my brothers?" shouted the Griffin. - -"I have come to get some apples from this tree," answered Vítazko -undauntedly. - -"You shall not have any of the apples unless you wrestle with me," -exclaimed the Griffin angrily. - -"I will if you like. Come on!" said Vítazko, and he turned the ring -on his right hand and thought of Holy Sunday. He set his legs wide -apart and they began to wrestle. In the first round the Griffin moved -Vítazko a little, but Vítazko drove him into the ground above his -ankles. Just at this moment they heard a swirl of wings above them, -and a black raven shouted to them: - -"Which am I to help, the Griffin or Vítazko?" - -"Help me," said the Griffin. - -"And what will you give me?" - -"I will give you gold and silver as much as you like." - -"Help me," cried Vítazko, "and I will give you all those horses -grazing on yonder meadow." - -"I will help you, then," said the raven. "But how am I to help you?" - -"Cool me when I grow hot," said Vítazko. He felt hot indeed, for -the Griffin was breathing out fire against him. So they went on -wrestling. The Griffin seized Vítazko and drove him into the ground up -to his ankles. Vítazko turned the ring, and again he thought of Holy -Sunday. He put his arms round the Griffin's waist and drove him down -into the ground above his knees. The black raven dipped his wings -in a spring, and then he alighted on Vítazko's head and sprinkled -cool drops over Vítazko's hot cheeks, and thus he cooled him. Then -Vítazko turned the other ring and thought of the beautiful maiden, -and they began wrestling again. So the Griffin drove Vítazko into the -ground up to his ankles, but Vítazko took hold of him and drove him -into the ground up to his shoulders, and quickly he seized his sword, -the gift of Holy Sunday, and cut the Griffin's head off. - -The princess came to him at once and plucked the golden apples for -him. She thanked him too for delivering her, and said that she liked -him well and she would marry him. - -"I like you well too," confessed Vítazko, "and, if I could, I would go -with you at once. But if you really love me, and if you will consent -to wait a year for me, I will come to you then." - -The princess pledged herself by shaking hands with him, and she said -she would wait a year for him. And so they said good-bye to each -other. Vítazko mounted his horse, cleared the rampart at a leap, -killed the horses on the meadow for the black raven, and hastened home. - -"Well, how have you fared?" asked Holy Sunday. - -"Very well, but if it hadn't been for a ring which was given me by -a princess I should have fared very badly," answered Vítazko, and he -told her everything. She told him to go home with the golden apples -and to take the magic horse with him too. Vítazko obeyed. - -The griffin and the mother were carousing again. They were greatly -startled when Vítazko came riding home; they had never expected that -he would return alive even from the garden of the Griffin. The mother -asked what she should do; but the griffin had no more shifts; he made -off to the tenth room at once and hid himself there. When Vítazko had -given the apples to his mother, she pretended that the mere sight of -them had cured her, and, rising from the bed, she put the finest of -food before Vítazko and then began to caress him as she used to do -sometimes when he was a tiny baby. Vítazko was delighted to see his -mother in good health again. The mother took a strong cotton cord and -said jestingly: "Lie down, dear son; I will wind this cord round you -as I used to wind it round your father, to see if you are as strong -as he was, and if you can break it." - -Vítazko smiled and laid himself down, and allowed his mother to wind -the cord round him. When she had finished, he stretched his limbs -and snapt the cord in pieces. - -"You are strong," she said. "But wait! I will wind this thin silk -cord round you to see if you can break it also." - -So she did. Vítazko tried to stretch his limbs, but the more he -stretched, the deeper the cord cut into him. So he was helpless, -and had to lie like a baby in its swaddling-clothes. Now the griffin -hastened to cut his head off; he hewed the body in pieces and hung -the heart from the ceiling. The mother packed the body in a cloth, -and put the bundle on the back of the magic horse, which was waiting -in the courtyard, saying: - -"You carried him alive, so you can carry him dead too, wherever -you like." - -The horse did not wait, but flew off, and soon they reached home. - -Holy Sunday had been expecting him, for she knew what would probably -happen to him. Without delay she rubbed the body with the Water of -Death, then she put it together and poured the Water of Life over -it. Vítazko yawned, and rose to his feet alive and well. "Well, -I have had a long sleep," he said to himself. - -"You would have been sleeping till doomsday if I hadn't awakened -you. Well, how do you feel now?" - -"Oh! I am all right! Only, it's funny: it's as though I had not got -any heart." - -"That is true; you haven't got a heart," answered Holy Sunday. - -"Where can it be, then?" - -"Where else should it be, but in the castle, hanging from the -crossbeam?" said Holy Sunday, and she told him all that had happened -to him. - -But Vítazko could not be angry, neither could he weep, for he had -no heart. So he had to go and get it. Holy Sunday gave him a fiddle -and sent him to the castle. He was to play on the fiddle, and, as a -reward, was to ask for the heart, and, when he got it, he must return -at once to Holy Sunday--those were her orders. - -Vítazko went to the castle, and when he saw that his mother was -looking out of the window, he began playing beautifully. The mother -was delighted with the music below, so she called the old fiddler -(for Holy Sunday had put that shape upon him) into the castle and -asked him to play. He played, and the mother danced with the griffin; -they danced hard, and did not stop until they were tired. Then the -mother gave the fiddler meat and drink, and she offered him gold, -but he would not take it. - -"What could I do with all that money? I am too old for it," he -answered. - -"Well, what am I to give you, then? It is for you to ask," said -the mother. - -"What are you to give me?" said he, looking round the room. "Oh! give -me that heart, hanging there from the crossbeam!" - -"If you like that, we can give it to you," said the griffin, and the -mother took it down and gave it to Vítazko. He thanked them for it, -and hastened from the castle to Holy Sunday. - -"It is lucky that we have got it again," said Holy Sunday; and -she took the heart in her hands, washed it first in the Water of -Death and afterwards in the Water of Life, and then she put it in -the bill of the Pelican bird. The bird stretched out his long neck -and replaced the heart in Vítazko's breast. At once Vítazko felt it -joyfully leaping. And for this service Holy Sunday gave the Pelican -bird his freedom again. - -And now she said to Vítazko: "You must go once more to the castle and -deal out justice. Take the form of a pigeon and, when you think of me, -you will regain your own shape." - -No sooner had she said this than Vítazko was changed into a pigeon, and -away he flew to the castle. The mother and the griffin were caressing -each other when suddenly a pigeon alighted on the window-sill. As -soon as the mother saw the pigeon she sent the griffin to shoot him, -but before the griffin could get hold of his crossbow the pigeon -flew down into the hall, took human form, seized the sword and cut -the griffin's head off at a stroke. - -"And what am I to do with thee, thou good-for-nothing mother?" he -said, turning to his mother, who in terror fell at his feet begging -for mercy. "Do not be afraid--I will not do you any harm. Let God -judge between us." He took her hand and led her to the castle yard, -unsheathed his sword, and said: "Behold, mother! I will throw this -sword into the air. If I am guilty, it will strike me; if you are -guilty, it is you it will strike. Let God decide." - -The sword whirled through the air, it darted past Vítazko's head, -and smote straight into his mother's heart. - -Vítazko lamented over her and buried her. Then he returned to Holy -Sunday and thanked her well for all her kindness. He girded on the -sword, took his beech-tree in his hand, and went to his beautiful -princess. He found her with her royal father, who had tried to make her -marry various kings and princes, but she would marry none of them. She -would wait a year, she said. The year was not yet over when one day -Vítazko arrived in the royal palace to ask for the maiden's hand. - -"This is my betrothed," exclaimed the princess joyfully, as soon as -she saw him, and she went straight up to him. - -A splendid feast was made ready, the father gave his kingdom into -their hands, and that is the end of this story. - - - - - - - - -BOOTS, CLOAK, AND RING - - -Once there was a blacksmith, and he had only one son, John by -name. They sent him to school, but fortune changed and his parents fell -into poverty, so they were forced to take their son home again. John -had already passed through the higher standard, but he could not -support his parents. So one day he said: - -"Father and mother! What can I do at home? There is no business here, -so I can't be a clerk, and I am too old now to learn a trade. So I -will go out into the world and find myself a job, and, whenever I can, -I will send you some money. And when I get a good job, you must sell -your cottage and come and live with me." - -His father and mother wept, because he wanted to leave them, but they -knew that he was right, for there was no chance for him if he stayed -at home. So they let him go. They gave him their blessing before he -went out into the world. John wept till his heart nearly broke at -parting with his aged parents. - -He walked on till noon. At noon he sat down beneath a lime-tree beside -a well, and had his meal and a drink. Then, strengthened and refreshed, -he walked on till nightfall. The country was quite unknown to him, -so he had to spend the night in the forest. The next day he went on -again till he came into a wild mountain country. There he stopped -and thought over what he should do next. He stood awhile, and then -he went on again. He reached a pleasant valley, and there he found -three brothers. They were quarrelling and on the point of coming to -blows. John asked them what the matter was. The eldest answered: - -"Our father has died, and he bequeathed to us these boots, this cloak, -and this hat. And each of us would like to own the boots." - -"Why?" asked John. - -"Because they have the property that whoever puts them on can cover -ten miles in the moment he wishes it. The cloak has the property that -its owner can fly as far and as high as he likes. And the property -of the hat is that it makes its wearer invisible." - -John said: "You are brothers, and you ought not to quarrel. You must -love one another. So that you won't quarrel any more, I will decide -the matter for you. Give me those things." - -They gave him the boots, the cloak, and the hat. He put the hat on, -and they couldn't see him any more; he wrapped himself in the cloak, -took the boots, and flew away. - -He flew some distance before he alighted upon a log and put the boots -on. As he sat on the log, it turned over, and he saw a big hole under -it. He went down the hole and came to some stairs, and went down them -to the bottom without any difficulty. There he found a big room without -any human being in it. The table was laid for one person. He thought: -"I am hungry. Shall I eat this meal?" Finally he decided to risk it; -he took off his hat and began to eat. - -When he had finished, an old crone entered the room, and asked: -"Did you like your meal?" - -"Oh, it was very nice indeed," answered John; "and, by the way, -could you give me lodging for the night?" - -"I will, if you can stand it; for at midnight twenty-four ghosts will -come, and they will try to make you play cards with them and dance -with them. But you must sit still and not so much as look at them." - -So the first night came. John was sitting eating his meal. When he had -finished, he remained at table. After eleven o'clock two dozen ghosts -entered the room and asked him to play cards with them. He refused, -so they began preparations for playing skittles, and again asked -him to join them, but he would not. Then a delightful music began -to play, and they asked him to dance with them. No, he wouldn't; -he did not so much as look at them. They kept on dragging him about, -tearing and biting him, till he began to think it was all over with -him. But just then it struck twelve, and the ghosts vanished. - -In the morning the old crone came back and waked him, for he was -still asleep on the ground. She asked him: "How did you sleep?" - -"Very well," said John. - -"Did you, now?" answered the old woman. "Well, next night will be -still worse, if you can stand it. Two score of ghosts will come, and -they'll urge you to play cards and skittles with them and to dance -with them. But you must sit quiet; don't so much as look at them." - -He stayed there that day, and had a good time. Then the second night -came. After eleven o'clock twoscore ghosts rushed in. They urged -him to play cards and skittles with them and to dance with them. But -John wouldn't. He sat still, without so much as looking at them. So -they began to torture him again, and dragged him about even worse -than before. But when it struck twelve they left him on the ground -and disappeared. - -In the morning the old crone came. She washed him with some lotion -till he recovered. She asked him: "How did you sleep?" - -"Splendidly," said he. - -"Did you, now?" said she. "It was a bad lodging for you, but the third -night will be even worse, if you can stand it. Three score of ghosts -will come, and will urge you to play cards and skittles and to dance -with them. But you must sit still and not so much as look at them." - -All that day he had a good time again. The third night came, and -after eleven o'clock three score of ghosts rushed in. They gathered -round him, and urged, prayed, and besought him to play and dance with -him. When he refused, they seized him and began knocking him against -the ground, tearing and biting him, so that he lost his senses and -did not see them go away. - -In the morning the old crone came and anointed him with a precious -salve till he recovered. The old woman said: "You wouldn't have had -such a bad time if you had not stolen the boots, the cloak, and the -hat. The ghosts would simply have pressed you; they would have had no -power over you. As you followed my advice and did not play with them, -you have delivered an enchanted town and a beautiful princess. She -will come to you at once. Now you are rich, return the stolen goods." - -Then there came a girl in a white robe. It was the beautiful princess, -and she thanked him for delivering her and the whole town. He went -to the window, and outside he saw streets full of people and soldiers -and a great bustle going on. The princess said: - -"My father is a king, and you will marry me and succeed him. But my -father dwells far from here, and we will go to him. Do you take this -ring here." - -So they went off. When the wedding was to take place, John wanted his -parents to be present, so he asked the princess: "May I go to see my -parents? I would like them to be at our wedding." - -The princess answered: "They live a great way from us, but you will -be able to get to them. The ring I gave you has the property that, -when you turn it on your finger and wish to go a hundred miles, you -will cover that distance in a moment. On your way you will come to a -king who has a beautiful daughter. But you must not think of her nor -of me, for then you will lose the ring, and you will not be able to -go any farther." - -John started. He turned the ring, and in a moment he was a hundred -miles off, and found himself with a king who had several sons. They -entertained him splendidly. Then he came to another king who had an -only daughter, and she was very vulgar. The king insisted that John -should marry her. John thought: "What are you thinking of, my man? My -bright one is so beautiful that there is not her equal in the wide -world, while your daughter is only a vulgar creature." At the moment he -thought of his bride the ring slipped from his finger and disappeared. - -John left them then. He was very sad, and considered what he should -do. "My bride is far away now," he thought. "I cannot find my way -either to her or to my parents." - -As he was walking along in this sad mood, he thought of his cloak, -and it came into his mind that, if he could reach the Sun's abode -the same day, he could ask where his bride's castle was. As soon -as he thought of this he was at the Sun's house. The Sun was not -in; only his housekeeper was at home. He asked her for a lodging, -and said that he would like to ask the Sun whether he knew the -castle where his bride dwelt. She gave him the lodging. When the -Sun returned home in the evening, John asked him whether he had any -knowledge of the castle in which his wife dwelt. The Sun answered: -"I don't know. I never shone there. But go and ask the Moon." - -The next day, as soon as he woke, he flew off on his cloak to the -Moon's castle. When he got there, the Moon was not in, and John asked -the housekeeper for a night's lodging. He said he would like to ask -the Moon's advice. - -The housekeeper said: "You must wait till the Moon comes home, but -you will be very cold, for my mistress is an extremely cold person." - -"I will crouch in a corner and wait till the mistress comes; in any -case, my cloak is warm enough." - -When the morning drew near, the Moon returned home, and John asked -her whether she knew where his bride's castle was. - -The Moon said: "I never shone there. But go to the Wind. He is a -fellow who penetrates everywhere, and so he is likely to know where -that castle is." - -So John went to the Wind's house. The Wind was not in, but Melusine, -his wife, was alone at home. John asked her to let him stay there -for the night. She tried to dissuade him. - -"It is impossible, good sir. My lord is used to blow terribly. It -will be exceedingly cold." - -He answered: "I will cover myself up and crouch somewhere. I can -endure cold, and, anyhow, my cloak is warm enough." So he stayed -there for the night. - -After midnight the Wind came home and asked: "Who is here with you, -wife? I smell a man." - -"Who should be here?" she said. "Your nose is still full of the -human smell." - -But the Wind persisted: "There is somebody here! Tell me!" - -So she confessed. "Don't be angry, dear husband! There is a man staying -here for the night, and he wants to ask you whether you will be kind -enough to take him to his bride's castle." - -The Wind answered: "It is very far from here, and I must ask the -Lord how strongly I am to blow, if we are to get there. I was there -yesterday; they are going to celebrate a wedding there, and they have -been drying some shirts ready for it, and I have been helping them." - -The Wind went to ask the Lord; and when he came back, he said to John: -"I can blow strongly enough, but I don't know whether you will be -able to keep step with me." - -John answered: "I have got good boots, and I am sure I can." - -So he wrapped himself in his cloak, covered his head with his hat, -and put his boots on, and he went ahead so quickly that the Wind -could hardly keep step with him. As they drew near to the castle, -the Wind said: "Here it is," and disappeared in a whirl. - -The other bridegroom had already arrived, and was at the wedding -feast. John passed through the castle, and came to the table at which -they were dining. Nobody could see him. He remained standing near the -bride, and whenever she lifted the food to her mouth, he ate it before -it could reach her mouth, so that the spoon reached her mouth empty. - -After the banquet she said: "My plates were well filled, and yet it -is as though I had been eating nothing at all. Who is it that has -eaten my food? My glass was full too. I have not drunk, and yet it -is empty. Who has drunk my wine?" - -Then she went to the kitchen, and John followed close at her -heels. When she was alone he revealed himself. He took his hat off, -and she knew him. She was greatly rejoiced at this, and ran to the -room and said: - -"Gentlemen, I would like to ask you a question. I had a golden key -and I lost it. So I had a silver key made for me, and, now that it is -made, I have found the golden key. Would you be so kind as to advise -me which of them I ought to keep?" - -The bridegroom stepped forward and said: "Keep the golden key." - -Off she went. She dressed John in beautiful garments, and then -presented him to the guests, saying: "This is my golden key. He -delivered me from torment, and I was to marry him. He went to see -his parents, but he could not reach them. Now he has come back to me -just as I was going to marry another man, the silver key of my story, -though I had given up all hope of his return. Yet he has come back, -and I shall keep him, the golden key, for the silver key has himself -decided so." - -The wedding was celebrated the next day, and John took charge of the -old king's kingdom. Then they both went to visit his old parents, -and brought them back with them to the palace. On their way back they -called on the three brothers, and John gave them back the boots, -the cloak, and the hat. And if they haven't died since, they are -still alive enjoying their kingdom. - - - - - - - - -SILLY JURA - - -Once there were two brothers. They were lazy fellows, and thieves -into the bargain. They were expected to give a feast. They said to -one another: "We haven't got anything. Wherever shall we find food -for the feast?" - -So the first said: "I'll go to our neighbour's. He has some fine -apples, and I'll pluck some of them." - -The second said: "I'll go to the shepherd's. He has some fine -rams. I'll steal a ram from him." - -These two brothers hated the third, and so they abused him: "Silly -Jura! You won't get anything yourself, but you'll be ready enough to -eat what we get." - -So Jura said: "I'll go to the burgomaster's and get some nuts." - -In the evening they went their ways. When he had finished plucking -the nuts, Jura went into the charnel-house at the back of the church -and began to crack the nuts there. The watchmen heard the cracking -in the charnel-house, and they thought the place was haunted. As -there was no priest in the village (he lived in the next village), -they went to the burgomaster and asked him to go with them to the -charnel-house, saying that the place was haunted. - -The burgomaster said: "I am so ill that I can't stand on my feet; -no doctor can help me." - -But the watchmen insisted, and so the burgomaster told his servant to -take him on his back and carry him to the place. The servant carried -him along, and the watchmen called at the churchwarden's to ask for -some holy water. - -When they came near to the charnel-house, Jura thought it was his -brother bringing the ram, so he called out: "Are you bringing him?" - -The servant was frightened, and let the burgomaster fall and ran -away. The burgomaster was terrified too. He jumped up and ran after -the servant. He cleared a wooden fence with one leap in his flight, -and it wasn't long till he reached home. His family wondered to see -him cured so quickly without the help of a doctor. - -Next day the burgomaster proclaimed that he would give a pound to the -man who had stolen his nuts the day before, if he would only come to -see him. So Jura went to him, and the burgomaster said: "I ought to -punish you for stealing, but since you have cured my illness which -nobody was able to cure, I'll give you the pound I promised, but -you mustn't steal any more." So Jura promised not to steal any more, -and went home. - -The brothers grew very fond of him now that he had money. They borrowed -the money from him and bought themselves new clothes, and said: "We'll -go to see the world and to get wives for ourselves. As for you, Silly -Jura, you must stay at home; you'd never get a good wife for yourself." - -So off they went. But Jura went too. He went to the forest and he -was utterly dazzled. He had often heard that there was an enchanted -castle in that forest. When he came to the place where the ruins of the -castle were, night overtook him, and so he could see nothing except -what looked like a light in a cellar. So he went into the cellar to -make his night's lodging there. There was nobody in the cellar but a -cat. The cat greeted him: "Welcome, dear Jura! How did you come here?" - -Jura was frightened when he heard the cat speak, and was going to -run away. But the cat told him not to go; there was no need to be -frightened. He must come back, and no harm would be done to him. If -he wanted to eat, he could go into the storeroom and take what he -wanted. She would take him for her servant. - -So he stayed there a year and had a good time. He never saw a cook, -but he always found meals ready prepared in the storeroom. He had -nothing to do but get firewood, and at the end of the year he was told -to make a great pile of it. Then the cat said: "You must light the -pile to-day, and throw me into the fire. You must not help me out, -however I entreat you, but you must let me be consumed." - -Jura answered: "I can't do that. I have had a good time with you. Why -should I repay you in such an evil way?" - -The cat said: "If you don't do as I have said, you will be very -unhappy. If you do it, you will be happy." - -So Jura kindled the pile, and, when it was well alight, he picked up -the cat and threw her into the fire. She wanted to escape from the -fire, but he wouldn't let her go. At last he was so weary that he was -forced to lie down, and soon he fell asleep. When he awoke, he opened -his eyes, and behold! there was no ruin; he heard delightful music -and saw a beautiful palace with crowds of servants. He was wondering -at all this, when a splendidly dressed lady came up to him and asked -him if he did not know her. - -Jura said: "How should I know your ladyship? I never saw you before -in my life." - -The lady said: "I am that cat. Witches had put me under enchantment -in the shape of a cat. Now we will go after your brothers who hated -you so much and see how they are getting on." - -She ordered her people to dress him in fine clothes, a fine carriage -was prepared, and they drove off. As they were approaching the village, -the lady said to her bridegroom: "Put your old clothes on." Then she -called an old, ragged beggarwoman and sent him with her. She herself -remained outside of the village. - -When the brothers saw Jura coming with the ragged beggarwoman, they -shouted: "He is bringing home an old ragged bride, and he's in rags -too." The other brothers were married too, and they were pretty badly -off, so they turned him out and wouldn't have him at home. - -So Jura went out of the village; he changed his clothes and drove back -with the lady to his brothers' cottage. When the carriage stopped -before the cottage, the brothers said: "What a fine carriage! Who -is that noble lord and the beautiful lady who have come to our -cottage?" They did not recognize their brother. - -So she said: "Look here. You were always hard on your brother, always -sneering at him, and now you are badly off enough, while he is getting -on splendidly. If you mend your ways, you will get on too." - -Afterwards she gave them some money and went away with Jura. - - - - - - - - -SLEEPY JOHN - - -Once there was a lad named John, and he used to go to sleep always -and everywhere. One day he came to an inn where some farmers were -feeding their horses. So he crept into the cart, lay down on the -straw, and went to sleep. When the farmers had driven some distance, -they noticed John asleep in the cart. They thought: "What are we to -do with him? We have a beer cask here. We'll put him in it and leave -him in the forest." So they shut him in the cask, and off they drove. - -John went on sleeping in the cask for a long time. Suddenly he woke -up and found himself in the cask, but he did not know how he had got -into it, neither did he know where he was. There was something running -to and fro near the cask, so he looked through the bunghole and saw -a great number of wolves gathered under the rocks. They had flocked -round, attracted by the human smell. One of the wolves pushed his -tail through the hole, and Sleepy John began to think that the hour -of his death was approaching. But he wound the wolf's tail round his -hand. The wolf was terrified, and, dragging the cask after him, he -ran after the rest of the wolves, who set off in all directions. Their -terror grew greater and greater as the cask bumped after them. At last -the cask struck against a rock and was smashed. John let go the wolf, -who took himself off as fast as he could. - -Now John found himself in a wild mountain region. He began walking -about among the mountains and he met a hermit. The hermit said to him: -"You may stay here with me. I shall die in three days. Bury me then, -and I will pay you well for it." - -So John stayed with him, and, when the third day came, the hermit, -who was about to die, gave him a stick, saying: "In whatever direction -you point this stick, you will find yourself there." Then he gave -him a knapsack, saying: "Anything you want you will find in this -knapsack." Then he gave him a cap, saying: "As soon as you put this -cap on, nobody will be able to see you." - -Then the hermit died, and John buried him. - -John gathered his things together, pointed the stick, and said: -"Let me be instantly in the town where the king lives." He found -himself there on the instant, and he was told that the queen would -every night wear out a dozen pairs of shoes, yet nobody was able -to follow her track. The lords were all flocking to offer to follow -the queen's traces, and John went too. He went into the palace and -had himself announced to the king. When he came before the king, -he said that he would like to trace the queen. The king asked him: -"Who are you?" - -He answered "Sleepy John." - -The king said: "And how are you going to trace her, when you are -sleeping all the time? If you fail to trace her you will lose your -head." - -John answered that he would try to trace her all the same. - -When the evening was come the queen went to bed in one room and John -went to bed in the next room, through which the queen had to pass. He -did not go to sleep, but when the queen was going by he pretended to -be in a deep slumber. So the queen lit a candle and scorched the soles -of his feet to make sure that he was asleep. But John didn't stir, -and so she was certain that he was asleep. Then she took her twelve -pairs of new shoes and off she went. - -John got up, put his cap on, and pointed with his stick and said: -"Let me be where the queen is." - -Now, when the queen came to a certain rock, the earth opened before -her and two dragons came to meet her. They took her on their backs -and carried her as far as the lead forest. Then John said: "Let me -be where the queen is," and instantly he was in the lead forest. So -he broke off a twig for a proof and put it in his knapsack. But -when he broke off the twig it gave out a shrill sound as if a bell -were ringing. The queen was frightened, but she rode on again. John -pointed with his stick and said: "Let me be where the queen is," and -instantly he was in the tin forest. He broke off a twig again and -put it in his knapsack, and it rang again. The queen turned pale, -but she rode on again. John pointed with his stick again and said: -"Let me be where the queen is," and instantly he was in the silver -forest. He broke off a twig again and put it into his knapsack. As -he broke it, it gave out a ringing sound and the queen fainted. The -dragons hastened on again till they came to a green meadow. - -A crowd of devils came to meet them here, and they revived the -queen. Then they had a feast. Sleepy John was there too. The cook was -not at home that day, so John sat down in his place, and, as he had his -cap on, nobody could see him. They put aside a part of the food for the -cook, but John ate it all. They were all surprised to see all the food -they put aside disappearing. They couldn't make out what was happening, -but they didn't care very much. And when the banquet was at an end the -devils began to dance with the queen, and they kept on dancing until -the queen had worn out all her shoes. When her shoes were worn out, -those two dragons took her on their backs again and brought her to -the place where the earth had opened before her. John said: "Let me be -where the queen is." By this time she was walking on the earth again, -and he followed her. When they came near the palace he went ahead of -the queen and went to bed; and, as the queen was going in, she saw -him sleeping, and so she went to her own room and lay down and slept. - -In the morning the lords gathered together and the king asked whether -any of them had tracked the queen. But none of them could say "Yes." - -So he summoned Sleepy John before him. John said: - -"Gracious Lord King, I did indeed track her, and I know that she used -up those twelve pairs of shoes upon the green meadows in Hell." - -The queen stood forth at once, and John took from his knapsack the -leaden twig and said: "The queen was carried by two dragons towards -Hell, and she came to the leaden forest; there I broke off this twig -and the queen was frightened." - -The king said: "That's no good. You might have made the twig yourself." - -So John produced the tin twig from his knapsack and said: "After that -the queen drove through the tin forest, and there I broke off this -twig. That time the queen grew pale." - -The king said: "You might have made even this twig." - -So John produced the silver twig and said: "Afterwards the queen drove -through the silver forest, and when I broke off this twig she fainted, -and so she was until the devils brought her to life again." - -The queen, seeing that all was known, cried out: "Let the earth -swallow me!" and she was swallowed by the earth. - -Sleepy John got the half of the kingdom, and, when the king died, -the other half too. - - - - - - - - -THREE DOVES - - -A certain merchant died. His son was nineteen years old at the -time. He said to his mother: "Mother dear, I'm going to try my luck -in the world." - -His mother answered: "Go, dear son, but don't stay long there, for -I am old, and should like some help in my old age." She fitted him -out for the journey, and said good-bye to him. - -Out into the world went the son, and he travelled on till he came -into a forest. He had been going through it for three days, and -no end appeared. On the third day he kept on and came at last to a -cottage. He went into the cottage and he saw a horrible being seated -on a stool. The fellow asked him where he was going. - -"I don't know where I am going. I'm seeking my fortune in some -service." - -"Well, if you like, you can enter my service." - -The lad was very hungry, so he took service with the other. - -His master said to him: "You must serve me for a year at least." - -So he served him for a year. He was treated very well, and he was -a faithful servant to his master. The master was a sorcerer, but he -didn't do any harm to the lad. He had a big pond, and three doves used -to come there to bathe. Each of them had three golden feathers. These -three doves were three enchanted princesses. - -When the year's service was ended, the sorcerer said: "What wages -shall I give you?" - -The lad said he left it to him. - -"You're a good lad," said the sorcerer. "Come with me to my cellar -and take as much money as you like, gold or silver, just as you wish." - -So the lad took as much as he could carry, and the sorcerer gave him -one of the three doves too, saying: - -"When you get home, if you haven't got a house of your own, have one -built, and then pluck those three feathers out of the dove, and hide -them away so carefully that no human eye can see them. The dove will -turn into a lovely princess and you may marry her." - -So he took the dove and returned home. He had a house built and made -a secret place in one of the walls for the three feathers. When he -plucked out the feathers the dove became a beautiful princess, but she -did not know where the feathers were. But his mother knew quite well, -for he had told her all and showed her where the feathers were hidden. - -When they had been living together for three years he went a-hunting -one day with another lord, and his mother stayed at home with her -daughter-in-law. The mother said to her: "Dear daughter-in-law, -I can't tell you how beautiful I think you. If one were to search -the whole world through, one couldn't find so beautiful a woman." - -The daughter-in-law answered: "Dear lady, the beauty I have now is -nothing to what I should have had I but one of my golden feathers." - -The mother went straight off, fetched one of the feathers, and gave -it to her. - -She thrust it into her skin, and she was immediately far more beautiful -than before. The mother kept looking at her, and said: "If you had the -others as well, you would be even more beautiful." Then she fetched -the other two feathers and gave them to her. - -She thrust them into her skin, and behold! she was a dove again. She -flew off through the window, thanking her mother-in-law: "Thank you, -dearest mother, for giving me these three feathers. I will wait a -little for my husband, to say good-bye to him." - -So she perched on the roof to wait till her husband should return -from the forest. - -Now, the husband's nose fell to bleeding violently. He grew frightened, -and began to wonder what great misfortune had befallen him at home. He -mounted his horse and hastened home. As he was approaching the door -the dove called out: "Good-bye, dear husband. I thank you for your -true love, but you will never see me more." - -Then the dove flew away, and the husband began to weep and to wail. Of -course, he was very angry with his mother, and he decided to go away -again and follow wherever his eyes might lead him. So he started -off, and he went back to the sorcerer in whose service he had been -before. As soon as he entered the sorcerer said: - -"Aha! you have not followed my advice. I won't help you this time; -the three doves are gone from here. But go to my brother, for all -the birds and animals are under his power, and perhaps some of them -might know where the doves are. I will give you a ball, and when you -roll it three times, you will get there this evening. You must ask -him whether he knows anything about the doves, and you must tell him, -too, that I sent you to him." - -The lad thanked him heartily and went on his way. He rolled the -ball thrice and reached the other brother's by evening. He told him -that his brother had asked to be remembered kindly to him, and then -he asked whether he knew where the doves that used to bathe in his -brother's pond were. - -The brother answered: "My good lad, I know nothing at all about -them. You must wait till morning. All the birds and animals are under -my power, and if they know anything about it, it will be all right." - -In the morning they went to the forest. The brother blew a whistle, -and instantly swarms of birds gathered round, asking what was their -master's will. - -He said: "Tell me, does any one of you know about those three golden -doves which used to bathe in my brother's pond?" - -None of them knew, so he blew his whistle again and all manner of -animals gathered round him: bears, lions, squirrels, wolves, every -kind of wild animal, and they asked what was their master's will. - -He said: "I would know whether any one of you knows anything about -three golden doves which used to bathe in my brother's pond." - -None of them knew. So he said: - -"My dear lad, I cannot help you any more in this matter, but I have -another brother, and, if he cannot tell you anything about them, -then you will never hear of them any more. He dwells twice seventy -miles from here, and all the devils of Hell are subjected to him. I -will give you another ball like the one you had yesterday, and, -when you have rolled it thrice, you will get there before evening." - -He rolled the ball thrice and got there the same evening. The sorcerer -was sitting in his garden on the grass. His hair was all dishevelled -like a mop, his paunch was bare like a pail, his nose reached to -his middle, and was as bare as a stick--in fact, his appearance -was terrible. - -The lad was terrified, but the sorcerer said: "Don't be frightened, -my boy; though I look so hideous, yet I have a good heart. What do -you want?" - -"I have come from your brother to ask whether you can tell me about -the three doves which used to bathe in your brother's pond." - -"My dear lad, I know nothing about them, but as soon as you get up -in the morning I will call my apprentices, to find if any one of them -knows anything about the doves." - -In the morning they got up and went into the forest. The sorcerer -blew a whistle, and at once hosts of devils appeared, such a multitude -that they darkened the whole forest. - -The lad was frightened, but the sorcerer said: "Don't be afraid; -not a hair of your head shall be harmed." - -The devils asked what was their master's will. - -He said: "Does any one of you know anything, about the three doves -which used to bathe in my brother's pond?" - -None of them knew anything. The sorcerer looked about him and asked: -"Where is the lame one?" - -The lame one had been left behind, but he was hurrying up for fear he -should be too late. He came and asked what was his master's will. The -sorcerer answered: "I want to find out whether you know anything -about those three doves that used to bathe in my brother's pond." - -"Of course I know about them, for I have been driving them before -me. They are bathing in the Red Sea now." - -The sorcerer said: "You must take up this man and carry him as far -as their gold-roofed palace," and he took the lad aside and whispered -in his ear: - -"When the devil asks you how quick he is to take you, if he says: -'As quickly as the wind blows?' say 'No'; and if he says, 'As quickly -as the step goes?' say 'No' again. But if he says, 'As quickly as the -air goes?' say 'Even so.' If your cap falls, do not look after it, -and don't tell the devil about it, or he will let you fall and won't -carry you to the palace. When you are seven miles from the palace you -will see it, and the devil will ask you if you see it; but shut your -eyes tight and say that you can't see it. When you are three miles from -it, you will see it quite plainly, and he will ask you again whether -you see it. But you must shut your eyes tight and say that you can't -see it. Then you will be above the palace roof, and he will ask you -again whether you see it. You must say again that you can't see it, -or he will let you drop on the roof and you won't be able to get down." - -The devil took the man and flew with him as the air goes. When they -were seven miles from the palace, the devil asked: "Do you see the -palace now? It is quite plain to see now." - -The lad shut his eyes tight and said that he couldn't see it. So they -flew on, and when they were three miles from the castle the devil -asked him did he see it now. He shut his eyes tight and said that he -couldn't see it. When they were right over the roof, the devil asked: -"Surely you must see it now; we are just over the roof." - -But he shut his eyes tight and said: "I don't see it." - -The devil said angrily: "You must be blind if you can't see it; we -are just above the roof." And he seized him in anger, and set him on -the golden table in that royal castle. - -The three princesses were sitting at the table, knitting with golden -thread. His own wife was the middle one, and she knew him at once. She -sprang up right gladly and welcomed him with joy. She nearly fainted, -she was so pleased that he had been able to come so many miles in -such a short time. - -"Welcome, dear husband, welcome! Welcome, our deliverer! You will -save us from the enchantment under which we are in this castle." - -The time passed very slowly there. So one day his wife brought him -the keys and showed him through all the rooms and closets, letting -him see everything except one room, which she would not open for him. - -The three princesses had to take the shape of doves for two hours -in the morning and three hours before the evening, and they had to -go to the Red Sea to bathe there. One day when they had gone out to -bathe he thought: "Why don't you want to open that room for me?" So -he went and searched among the other keys for the key, and opened -the room for himself. - -In the room he saw a three-headed dragon, and each of its heads was -stuck upon a hook so that it hung down from it. Under the dragon were -placed three glasses of water. The lad was terrified and started to run -away. But the dragon kept on calling out: "Don't be frightened, don't -run away, but come back again and give me that glass of water. Your -life shall be spared this once." - -So he gave him the glass of water; the dragon drained it up, and -instantly one of the heads fell from the hook. He begged again: "Now -give me that other glass of water, and your life shall be spared a -second time." - -He gave it him; the dragon drank it up, and immediately the second -head fell from the hook. Then the dragon said: "Now do as you like. But -you must give me the third glass of water, whether you like it or not!" - -In terror he gave him the third glass; the third head drank it up and -fell from its hook. Now the dragon was quite free, and instantly he -made for the Red Sea, and began to chase after the three doves until -he caught one of them. It was the lad's wife. - -The other two princesses came back again and began to weep and to wail. - -"Thou luckless fellow! we were happy in the hope that thou wouldst -deliver us, and now we are worse off than ever--now our torments will -last till doomsday!" - -He, too, burst into tears, for he was sad at heart that the dragon -had carried off his wife, whom he had won at the risk of his life. - -The princesses' three brothers were under enchantment too. One of -them was in the castle, changed into the shape of a horse. One day -the horse said to the sorrowing husband: "The dragon is away from -home now. Let us go and steal the princess." - -So they went to the dragon's castle, carried off the princess, and -ran for home. The other brother of the three princesses was in the -dragon's castle under enchantment in the shape of a horse. - -When the dragon came home, he said to the horse: "Where is my -princess?" - -The horse answered: "They came and carried her away." - -The dragon mounted the horse at once and said: "Now we'll ride as -fast as we can. We must overtake them." - -The horse answered: "We cannot possibly overtake them." - -But the dragon said: "Only let us start; we shall overtake them." - -They started, and they overtook them near the castle. The dragon -snapped the princess away at once, saying to the lad: "I promised to -spare your life in return for that glass of water; now I have spared -it, but don't dare to come to my castle ever again." - -And with that the dragon rode home, carrying the princess with him. - -Some time after that the horse said to the sorrowing husband: "The -dragon is away from home again. Let us go and steal the princess." - -So they went and stole her again. - -The dragon came home and asked the horse: "Where is my princess?" - -The horse answered: "Hibad! They have stolen her again, but we cannot -overtake them this time." - -The dragon said: "We must overtake them." - -He mounted the horse, and they went flying after them till at last they -overtook them. The dragon snapped away the princess, saying to the lad: -"There's your life spared for the second glass. But if you come again, -I'll tear you to pieces." - -The lad was sorrowful, and wept and bewailed his fate because he had -lost his wife for ever. But the horse said: - -"I will give you one more counsel. I know a place where there are -some young ravens. We will go there, and you must take the young -ravens from their nest on the tree. The old ones will fly at you -and peck you--they won't want to let you have their young chicks; -but tell them that you won't give them back their chicks unless they -bring you the healing water and the water of life. - -"When they bring the water, take one of the young ravens and pull its -head off; then dip it in the healing water and put the head to the -body again. That's how you will be certain that they have brought you -the real water of life. If the wound grows together again, you may -be sure it is the real water of life. As soon as the wound has grown -together, take the water of life and pour some of it into the raven's -bill, and when the bird revives, you will know quite certainly that -it is the water of life." - -The lad did all this. The old ravens brought him the water in leather -bottles. He took one of the chicks, pulled its head off, dipped it -into the healing water, and the wound grew together again. Then he -poured some of the water of life into its bill, and it came alive -again. Then he put the young ravens back into the nest again, took -the water, and went home. - -When he got there, the horse said to him: "The dragon is away from -home to-day. Let us go and see if we can get the princess." - -So off they went and carried away the princess. They ran off as fast -as they could. - -The dragon came home and asked the horse: "Where is my princess?" - -The horse replied: "She's gone from us. They've carried her off again, -and this time we shall never catch up with them." - -The dragon said in a rage: "What should prevent us from getting her -back? Let's go at once." - -So they flew after them, and they reached the castle just as the -fugitives were going in through the gate. - -The dragon snapped the princess away, saying to the lad: "You rascal! I -told you I would tear you to pieces if you came a third time for her." - -So he caught hold of him, and took a foot in each claw, and tore him -in two. Then he went off with the princess and the horse. - -The lad's horse took the healing water, dipped the two halves into -it, put the one against the other, and they grew together. Then he -took the water of life and poured it into the lad's mouth, and he -was alive again. Then they went into the castle. - -The lad was weeping bitterly and crying out that all was over, that -now he would be separated from his wife for ever. But the horse gave -him comfort, saying: - -"Well, I really don't know what advice I ought to give you now. We -have been three times, and he caught up with us every time. And -the last time you were torn in pieces. I don't know how things will -turn out. But I have another brother across the Red Sea, and he is -stronger than I or the dragon. If we could only get him, we should -be sure to kill the dragon. But it's a hard thing to do, for he is -in service with the Devil's grandmother. We will try it together, -if only we can manage to cross the Red Sea. And, if you follow the -advice I give you, you will get the horse. - -"You must serve the Devil's grandmother for three days, and, when -you have served the three days, you must ask for that lean horse as -wages. You will have to herd twelve horses for three days. Nobody -has ever managed to do it yet. When the first day's service is done, -on the next day the Devil's grandmother always cuts off the servant's -head and hangs it on a hook. Now, listen carefully. While you are -herding the horses, anything the hag gives you to eat at home, eat -your fill of it. But, if she gives you anything to eat in the field, -do not eat it, but throw it away. If you were to eat it, sleep would -come down on you, your horses would stray, and the Devil's grandmother -would cut off your head and hang it upon a hook." - -So off they went together till they came to the Red Sea. As they were -drawing near to the sea, they saw a huge fly entangled in a cobweb -and struggling to free itself. So the lad went up to it and said: -"Poor fly! You can't get out of that cobweb; wait a bit, and I will -help you." - -The cobweb was as big as a sheet, but he tore it in two and the fly -crept out. - -The fly said: "Thank you for helping me out of the cobweb. Tear one -of my feet from under my belly, and, whenever you are in need, think -of me, and I will help you." - -The lad thought: "Poor fly! how could you help me?" Nevertheless, -he tore off one of her feet and kept it. - -Then he went on his way, and he saw a wolf with his tail trapped under -a heavy log, and he was unable to help himself, for wolves have stiff -backs, and no wolf has ever been able to turn. The lad rolled the -log away and released the wolf. - -The wolf said: "Thank you for helping me. Take one of my claws, and, -whenever you are in sore need, think of me, and I will help you." So -the lad took one of his claws and kept it. - -When he got quite close to the sea, he saw a crab as big as a -barrel. The crab was lying on the sand with his belly upwards, and -he couldn't manage to turn himself over again. So the lad went and -turned the crab over again. The crab asked him where he was going. He -said he was going to the Devil's grandmother across the Red Sea. - -The crab said: "My dear lad, I'll make a bridge for you across the -sea, so that you will be able to get across. But, besides that, you -must pluck off one of my claws from under my belly, and when you are -in sore need, think of me, and I will help you." - -So he plucked off one of the claws and kept it. The crab sidled into -the sea, and immediately all the crabs of the sea came together, -and they closed in on one another so that they made a bridge -across the sea. The lad crossed the bridge and came to the Devil's -grandmother. She was standing waiting for him in the doorway of her -house, and welcomed him. He'd just come at the right time; she wanted -him to herd her horses. She gave him plenty of good food to eat, -and sent him out to the fields. She put twelve horses in his charge, -and said to him: - -"Look to it that you herd them well, for if you lose one of them -you will lose your head. Just look here at these twenty-four posts, -with a hook on each one of them. There are heads on twenty-three of -them. The last hook is waiting for your head. If you herd my horses -badly, that hook is waiting for your head." - -Then she fitted him out for herding the horses. She gave him a piece -of bread, so that he might have enough to eat and not starve. He -meant to follow the horse's advice, and threw the bread away. But a -fierce hunger came upon him, and he had to go and look for the bread -and eat it up. - -The moment he had eaten it he fell asleep and all the horses were -lost. When he awoke there wasn't a single horse there. Sorrowfully -he said: "The Devil's grandmother was right; my head will hang from -that hook." In his grief he thought of the fly, and it came flying -up and called out: "Why are you weeping and wailing?" - -He said that he had been hungry, and had been forced to eat the bread, -so that he fell asleep and all the horses were lost. - -The fly tried to comfort him, saying: "Don't be troubled, dear lad; -I will help you." - -So she called together all the flies, and they flew everywhere looking -for the horses, and when they found them, they buzzed round them and -plagued them till they drove them up to the herdsman. He drove them -joyfully home. - -The Devil's grandmother welcomed them, and when she saw that all -the horses were there, she said: "You've herded them well enough, -for you have brought them all back." Then she seized a hatchet and -began to beat the horses with it, and most of all the lean one, -till the flesh hung in strips from its body. The lad was sorry for -the horse, for the hag was beating it hardest and it was the leanest -of them all. But the Devil's grandmother took a salve and anointed -the horses' wounds, and they were healed by morning. - -The next day she fitted him out again for herding the horses, and -gave him some more of the bread, telling him to eat it all. But -when he came to the pasture he crumbled the bread and trampled the -crumbs into the ground, so that it should be uneatable. But it was no -good. He was forced to dig it up and eat it, earth and all, so great -was the hunger that the Devil's grandmother had sent against him. In -a moment he fell asleep and all the horses were lost. - -When he woke he saw that there were no horses there. He wept and -wailed. But he thought of the wolf, and the wolf came running up -and asked him: "Why are you weeping and wailing? Don't be troubled; -I will help you." - -He went and summoned all the wolves. A great flock of wolves ran up, -and they scattered everywhere, looking for the horses. When they found -them, they drove them to the herdsman, each horse with a wolf at its -side leading it by the ear. The herdsman was overjoyed, and took the -horses and drove them home. - -The Devil's grandmother was waiting for him in front of the house. She -said: "Indeed you have herded them well; this is the second day that -you have brought them all home." But she beat the horses with the -hatchet far worse than the day before; then she anointed their wounds -with the salve, so that they should be healed by morning. - -On the third day she sent him out again to herd the horses, and gave -him some more of the bread, telling him to eat it and not to throw it -away. But when he came to the pasture he threw the bread down on the -sand and trampled it in, so that it should be uneatable. But he had to -search it out again, so great was the hunger the Devil's grandmother -sent against him. The moment he had finished it he fell asleep and -the horses were lost. When he woke he burst into tears. This time -it was all up with him; the fly and the wolf had helped him before, -but the crab had already made a bridge for him, so there was nobody -to help him. The horses didn't know where to hide themselves to save -themselves from being beaten by the Devil's grandmother, so they -leapt into the sea, where nobody could find them. - -The herdsman was in agony, and he kept on wailing that now his head -must hang upon that hook. At last he thought of the crab. The crab -turned round in the sea, and instantly all the crabs collected and -began searching the sea for the horses, and they pinched them until -they drove them out of the sea. But the lean one, since he couldn't -think of a better hiding-place, crouched under the crab's belly. The -other crabs set to work to look for him, and at last they found -him. The big crab had to turn over, and then they drove the lean -horse out. The herdsman took the horses and drove them home joyfully, -because his three days of service were now over. - -The Devil's grandmother was waiting for him, and she beat the horses -with the hatchet so fiercely that their flesh hung in strips from -their bodies. Then she anointed them with the salve, and the wounds -healed by morning. In the morning she asked the herdsman what wages -he wanted. He answered: "I want nothing but that lean old horse." - -She said: "It would be a sorry thing to give you such a wretched -horse in return for such good service; I will give you the best horse." - -He answered: "I won't take any horse but the lean one." - -She asked him why he wanted the leanest one. He replied: "Because I -am sorry for him, for he always gets the worst beating. I will have -that one, and no other." - -So she said: "Well, I will give him to you, if you must have him, -but I will give you this fat one too. You can ride on his back home -and lead the lean one with you." - -He mounted the fat horse and rode off. But when they were drawing -near to the gate, the lean horse said: "Get down from that horse and -mount me, or you will be the worse for it." - -So he jumped down from the fat horse and mounted the lean one. - -The fat horse growled: "It's the Devil gave you that advice." - -And the lean horse said: "If you had gone under the gate on that -horse's back, he would have dashed you against the vault of the gate, -so that your head would have been knocked off, and you would have -been killed." - -So they came safely home. When the princesses saw him come back they -were delighted. - -The other horse said: "Now, brother, let us go. The dragon is away -from home, and the princess will be ours." So they went and carried -off the princess. - -When the dragon came home, he asked his horse: "Where is my princess?" - -The horse replied: "She has gone, and this time we shan't get her -back. The horse from the Red Sea has come, and he will get the better -of us all." - -The dragon took no heed of that, but flew after them and caught them -up just by the gate. He was going to snap the princess away, but this -time he could not do it. For the horse from over the Red Sea kicked -his nose with his hoof, so that the dragon fell down from his horse, -and the other two horses fell upon him, and between them they killed -the dragon. - -They came to the castle with the princess, and they were congratulating -one another on their victory over their enemy. Then the horse which -had been giving good advice to his rider all the time said: "Now, -dear brother-in-law, take my sword there hanging from the ceiling -and cut my head off." - -He was sad and said: "How could I do that, after all the acts of -kindness you have done for me?" - -The horse said: "My good friend, I cannot tell you why you must behead -me, but you would do me a great wrong if you did not do it." - -So he hesitated no longer, but cut his head off. The blood spurted -up twelve feet high, and instantly the horse became a beautiful -youth. Seeing that, the lad was quick to behead the other horses, -and they all turned into handsome princes like the first one. - -They all thanked him for delivering them, and they made him king of -that castle, and there he lived with his wife and her two sisters -in all happiness and harmony till they died. The three brothers took -possession of the dragon's castle. - - - - - - - - -THE BEAR, THE EAGLE, AND THE FISH - - -Once there was a count and he had three daughters. All of them were -young and as pretty as peacocks, but the youngest was the loveliest -of them all. The count had little money to spend, for he had lost it -all by gambling. And so--since he had to spend the time in some way -or other--he used to go hunting. One day, when he was out hunting -he lost his way in a forest, and he could not find his way out of -it. Suddenly a big bear rushed out at him, shouting at the top of -his voice. He said he would show him the way out of the forest and, -besides, he would give him as much gold and silver as he wanted on -one condition, and that condition was that the count should give him -one of his daughters in marriage. The count was terrified. But after -thinking it over for a time, he consented at last. The bear showed -him the way out of the forest and gave him everything he had promised, -and so the count was pleased. - -He spent his time eating and drinking and gambling, till all the money -melted away. He never so much as gave a thought to the bear, until -one day, when the eldest daughter was marriageable, a carriage came -rolling up. The carriage was drawn by a pair of raven-black horses, -and in it sat a prince with cheeks of white and red, whose robes -blazed with gold. He came and took the eldest daughter and drove -off. The countess wept, but the count did not mind a bit, but being -short of money, he began hunting again. - -One day he lost his way again, and this time an eagle flew down to -him and promised to show him the way out of the forest, and to give -him heaps of money into the bargain, if he would only give him his -second daughter in return. The bargain was made and the eagle fetched -away the second daughter, and only the youngest was left at home. Yet -even her the count sold, and it was a fish that got her. - -So the count and the countess were left alone. They were very sad, -but after a time a boy was born to them, and they watched over him -like the apple of their eye. When the boy was grown up, he saw that -the countess looked sad sometimes, and he gave her no rest till she -had told him everything. When he had heard the story, he put his best -clothes on, took his sword, mounted his horse, and said good-bye to his -parents, telling them that he was going to search for his lost sisters. - -So he rode on till he came to the eldest sister. Her he found playing -with three little bear cubs, for these were her babies. He met his -brother-in-law, who gave him three hairs and told him to rub those -hairs with his fingers if he found himself in any difficulty. Then -he went to the second sister, and found her with two eaglets and the -old eagle, his brother-in-law, as well. The eagle gave him three -feathers, saying they would be of help to him in time of need. He -thanked the eagle for that and went on his way, and at last he came -to his youngest sister. It was not so easy to get to her, for she -dwelt under the water, and he had to drop into her house through -the chimney. He would have missed the chimney if it hadn't been for -the smoke from it: it was bluish smoke, hardly visible. His sister -welcomed him heartily and showed him her baby, a pretty little fish, -and her husband, a giant fish. The lad got three fish-scales from -the husband to use in time of trouble. - -He learned that the bear and the eagle were the brothers of the -fish. They were sons of a powerful king, but they had been enchanted -by an envious magician and turned into these shapes. The sorcerer could -take different forms. But the brother must not let that dismay him. He -must get hold of a golden egg which was hidden in the sorcerer and -throw it on the ground. If he began to grow faint and did not know -what to do, he must call one of his brothers-in-law, and he would -advise him what to do. - -And so it was. The young count attacked the magician, who turned into -a bull. But the young count was not afraid: he rubbed the bear's hair; -the bear came running up and tore the bull in pieces. But out of the -bull flew a wild duck and tried to escape. Then the count thought of -the eagle feathers, and immediately the eagle flew up, and he tore -the duck to pieces. But a golden egg fell from the duck and it rolled -into the pond. But that too was of no avail, for the count rubbed -the fish scales, and after a while the fish threw the egg upon the -bank. The count caught it and flung it to the ground so that it was -smashed into many pieces. - -At once all around was changed. The pond turned into a meadow upon -which a beautiful castle was shining. The castle was full of servants -and the three princes, with their wives and children, were just walking -out of it. All were overjoyed to be so happily delivered, and, when -they had enough of rejoicing, they started off to find their parents. - -Their first journey was to the old count and countess, so that they -might enjoy the sight of their children and grandchildren. Afterwards -they hastened to the old king. He ordered many cannon to be fired, -and prepared a splendid banquet. And he gave the kingdom to his -eldest son. The second son went to the land of the count, and it -was divided between him and his brother-in-law. And the youngest -went to the disenchanted castle. All of them reigned prosperously -and wisely in their several realms and, if they haven't died since, -they are reigning still. - - - - - - - - -KOJATA - - -Once there was a king who had an only son. One day the king went -to inspect his estates. He came to the first farm and found it -all right. Before he had finished going the round of his estates, -thirteen big farms in all, he forgot that his wife was about to have -a child. On his way home he came to a forest, and such a thirst came -upon him that he bade his driver stop and look for some water. The -driver looked everywhere for water, but he couldn't find any. So the -king himself went to look for it, and he found a well. - -Now, just as he was going to drink, he kneeled down and he saw -something in the well which had claws like a crab and red eyes. It -seized him by the beard with one of its claws--he had a pretty long -beard--and it refused to let him go unless he promised to give it the -thing that he had at home unknown to himself. So he said to himself: "I -know everything at home." But he forgot about his wife's condition. By -this time his wife had been delivered of a prince, and so the king, -without knowing it, had promised his son to the thing in the well. And -on that it let him go. - -When he got home he saw the new-born prince, and of course he was -very sad. He remained so for twelve years. The prince asked him why he -was so sad. And the king answered: "Because you are sold." The prince -told him not to worry about it; he would be able to help himself. - -The prince called for his horse and started out. He had been riding -five days' journey from his home, when he came to a lake. There -he tethered his horse. He saw thirteen ducks swimming on the lake, -and there were thirteen shifts lying on the bank. So he carried off -one of the shifts and hid himself. When they saw this, twelve of the -ducks flew away, but the thirteenth was running hither and thither, -looking for her shift. So when he saw her running hither and thither -looking for her shift, he came out of his hiding-place. Now the father -of those ducks was the being which had seized the king by the beard. He -was a sorcerer, and his name was Kojata. - -This girl was his youngest daughter. And she said to the prince: - -"Now I will give you a good counsel. You will save me and I will save -you. My father will set you a difficult task. I will perform it for -you, but you must not let him know that I am helping you. Leave your -horse here and hurry on to my father's. He will give you a lodging, -and he will give you three days to consider over the task. You will -be in your room alone, and in the evening I will come humming to your -window, for I shall come to you in a bee's shape, because I can't -come in any other way. And you must follow my advice. My father has -thirteen daughters, and we all resemble one another exactly and we -all wear the same sort of clothes. You will have to find out which is -the youngest, but you will have no other means of recognizing me than -by noticing a tiny fly under my left eye, so be very careful about it." - -So it was. The sorcerer called him in and the thirteen daughters -were standing in a row. The sorcerer asked him whether he could -make out which was the youngest; if he could do so, his life would -be spared. So he went the round of them three times, but it was as -much as he could do to recognize her. But he pointed her out. She was -the third from the end. So the sorcerer asked him who had been giving -him advice. But the prince answered that it was none of his business. - -The next day the sorcerer gave him another task: to build a palace of -pure gold and silver without using hammer or trowel. The prince was -very worried about it. But in the evening the youngest daughter came -flying to him again, and she gave him a wand. At a single stroke of -the wand the palace rose up ready-built, and it was more perfect than -the old one. In the morning he was strolling about the palace looking -round him. When King Kojata saw him, he came up to him and stopped: -"Who has given you this counsel?" he asked. The prince answered that -it was the person who had given him advice the time before. - -So the sorcerer set him the third task, and this time the daughter -was not able to advise him. She came to him in the evening and said: -"I have no other advice than for both of us to flee at once, otherwise -you will be lost and I too." - -Now, in the evening she turned herself into a horse, and he mounted her -and rode as far as the lake. There he found his own horse, and they -both mounted it and rode off at full speed. Soon she heard a great -noise behind her, so she turned herself into a church and the prince -became a monk. The sorcerer's apprentices were riding in pursuit of -them. When they got as far as the church they turned and went back to -Kojata. When they came to him they said that they had not overtaken -anybody; they had only seen a church and a monk in it. And he said: -"Those were they!" - -Next day he sent them again to pursue the runaways. Though they -were riding faster than the day before, again they heard a trampling -behind them. So she turned herself into a great river and him into -an old broken bridge. Their pursuers came as far as the river and the -bridge, and then they turned back and reported to their king, Kojata, -that they had seen nothing but a river and a bridge. He said at once: -"Well, those were they!" - -On the third day the runaways started again and made for the border -as fast as they could, and soon they were in their own land. When -they reached the third church, the sorcerer had no more power over -them. He began to tear his hair and knock his head against the ground -and to curse his daughter for tricking him. - -So the young king came home, bringing a lovely young princess with -him. His father was very pleased at that! - - - - - - - - -SHEPHERD HYNEK - - -To cut a long story short, there was a prince and he had three -sons. The first two followed in their father's footsteps, but the third -did not. He said he would like to be a forester. The father was angry -and turned him out of the house. What was he to do with the fellow, -when he was so obstinate and would be a forester? - -"Well, be whatever you like," said the prince, and he gave him a -shepherd's dress and Hynek went out into the world. - -He had been walking through a forest for three days. He was hungry -and cold, and everything seemed to be against him. He was tired -too, and at last he fell asleep under a tree. As he was sleeping, -a black man came to him. He would not leave him to sleep, but waked -him up. Hynek was frightened. But he told him there was no need to -be afraid. He was a good man, though his skin was black. So Hynek -stayed with him for seven years and learnt the seven languages, -zither playing, and all that sort of thing. - -Now the seven years were over. In that land there was a king who had -an only daughter. And there was a fierce dragon which was ravaging -the whole of that kingdom, and everybody was forced to give him -one sheep and one human being to appease him. So the lot fell upon -the princess too. The black man told Hynek that something ought to -be done to deliver the people and to save the princess from being -devoured by that dragon. - -"Go to the next homestead," he said, "and ask to be taken on as a -shepherd, and in the morning you will have to drive the sheep into -this forest." - -So they took leave of one another. Hynek was engaged as shepherd, and -in the morning he drove the sheep into the forest, where the black -man was waiting for him. When he came with the sheep, the black man -gave him a wand and a ring, and said: - -"When you turn this ring, you will be brought to a castle where a -giant dwells, and you will have to tackle the giant. This wand will -help you to do it. Then you must take his robe, his horse, and his -sword. Then you will be brought to the town, and it will be about -the time that the princess will be brought out." - -So Hynek took his leave and found everything just as he had said. As -he came near to the castle, the giant was looking out and said: - -"You earthworm, what are you looking for?" - -"Oh! I should like to have a try for that big head of yours." - -The giant fell into a rage. He was holding a great club in his hand, -and he flung it at Hynek, but Hynek dodged aside and the club sank -deep into the ground, it had been flung with such force. So Hynek -went right up to him, and, crack! he struck him with the wand. So -the giant tumbled over. Hynek took his sword and struck his head -off. Then he took an iron key out of the giant's pocket. He opened -the lock, took the robe and the horse, and dressed himself as became a -knight. Then he turned the ring, and in a moment he found himself on -the road along which they were bringing the princess to be devoured -by the dragon. When he saw the procession, he asked: - -"What's going on here, and why are the people in such grief?" - -"Because the princess is to be devoured by a dragon to-day." - -Hynek said: "For the sake of her beauty, show me his den where -he dwells." - -So he rode up to the rock and called out loudly: "Now, dragon, come -on; your meal is ready here, waiting for you." - -But the dragon answered: "I don't want it to-day; come to-morrow, -at eleven." - -So Hynek returned. He rode towards them and said that the dragon would -not leave his den to-day. So they all went back to the town with the -knight, and the king would not let him go away on any account. But -Hynek began to make excuses. He had to deliver a letter for the field -marshal and he could not remain there. Then he turned the ring on his -finger, and instantly he was in the castle again. He left the clothes -and the horse there, putting the clothes tidily together. Then he put -on his shepherd's dress, turned the ring, and at once he was near the -forest, where the black man had been tending his sheep meanwhile. He -greeted him kindly: - -"You have done everything well. Always act like that." - -So he drove the sheep home and played the zither again. Everybody ran -up to the door to listen to the magic playing of the shepherd. But -he said nothing to anybody. - -The next day he drove the sheep to the forest still earlier. The -black man was there waiting for him, and said: "Follow my advice and -you will be happy." - -He said that he would do so. The black man was to mind the sheep -again. He gave Hynek the wand and the ring, and Hynek came to another -castle. - -The giant was looking out as he came up; he was standing in the -doorway. He asked the lad grimly what he was looking for. - -"Oh! it's nothing. I only want to try for that big head of yours." - -The giant was holding a hammer and he hurled it at him. No eye could -see where it fell. Hynek leapt towards him, and, crack! he struck -him with the wand, and the giant fell over and Hynek cut his head -off too. He took a silver key out of the giant's pocket and went -straight to the castle. There he chose a robe, girded on a sword, -took a horse, and turned the ring again. Once more he was on the road -where the princess was being brought to be devoured. He asked them -in a different language why they were wailing so. - -"Well, our princess is to be devoured by the dragon to-day. He would -not leave his den yesterday." - -"Show me his den: I will sacrifice myself for the sake of her beauty." - -They showed him the rock, and he rode straight up to it and called out: -"Now, dragon, come on; your meal is ready here." - -"I don't want it to-day, wait till eleven to-morrow." - -The king was still less willing to let him go this time, but he -found some excuse, turned his horse, and went back with everything -to the castle. - -Then he returned to the forest and the black man. The black man said: -"Drive your sheep home now, but come earlier to-morrow, for a heavy -task awaits you." - -Hynek could not rest that night: he was so afraid that he would be too -late. As soon as dawn came he let out the flock and drove it to the -forest. When he got there, the black man said to him: "There's only -to-day now. It will be the last time. But it will be a heavy task for -you to tackle the third giant and the dragon." Then he gave him the -wand and the ring, and said that the key to-day would be of gold. He -must choose the robe and take a black horse, and he must take with -him the sword with which he had killed the giant and the dragon. - -He turned the ring and was brought to the third castle. Here was a -giant again, much huger than the other two. He ran at Hynek, but, -crack! Hynek struck him with the wand. Then he took his sword and -killed him. Then he opened the castle with a golden key; he went -to the stable, then he put on a green robe and brought out a black -horse. There was a sword hanging there, and he girded it on. Then he -turned the ring, and in a moment he was on the road along which they -were bringing the princess to be devoured by the dragon. - -He asked them in yet another language why they were so sorrowful. He -was ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of her beauty. So they -showed him the den in which the dragon dwelt, and he called out: -"Well, come on, dragon; your meal is ready and waiting for you here." - -Now the rock began to shake; all the stones came rolling down, and the -dragon flew out of the rock, his seven heads burning with flame, and -he made straight for Hynek. Hynek began cutting at the seven heads -until he was weary that he could not do any more. Then the horse -began to crush the dragon, until after a while Hynek, being rested, -took his sword, and at once he cut all the seven heads off. - -He was so scorched by the fire that he could not run away, and he -fainted on the spot. The people had seen what was happening, so they -rode up and carried him away, lest he should perish of the dragon's -poison. They brought him and laid him in the princess's lap. She gave -him her ring and a golden neckchain, and so he recovered his senses -and found himself lying in the princess's lap. He was afraid that he -had stayed too long, for he was supposed to be with the marshal by -this time. They were all trying to hold him back from going, but he -found an excuse and promised he would come back within three days. So -at last they just had to let him go. - -He returned to the castle, where he put everything back in its place -again, except the sword, which he took with him and gave to the black -man. The black man said to him: "You have succeeded now, and it will -be well with both of us." - -So Hynek drove his sheep home rejoicing. He was playing the zither, -and all the people gathered outside to listen to his rare and sweet -music. He asked what had happened to the princess: had the dragon -devoured her? - -"Oh no! A knight delivered her, and the king is going to give her in -marriage to him." - -"Alas! silly shepherd that I am, why did I not tackle him myself with -my shepherd's staff!" - -But they all laughed at him: "You mind your sheep, that's what -befits you." - -In the royal castle the wedding-feast was ready. The sixth day had -come and they were still waiting for him. But the bridegroom did not -come and the princess was sad. On the sixth day he asked the marshal -if he could go to the castle to play his zither to the princess; -he would like to cheer her, since she was so sad. - -"You may go, and, if you succeed, you shall make some extra money." - -So Hynek went and played, and the music was so sweet that the lords -could listen to nothing but his beautiful playing. He played for -three hours, and then he must go home. They asked him what reward he -would like. - -"Nothing but to drink a cup of wine with the princess." - -He had ready the ring which the princess had given him when he was -in her lap. His request was granted, and the rest of the musicians -who were there were angry with him for claiming so insignificant a -reward. When they had filled the cup for him, he drank the wine and -dropped the ring into the cup. - -Now, the cupbearer who was filling the cup looked into it and saw the -glittering ring. So he hastened to the princess with it. She recognized -it as her own, so she ordered them to bring that shepherd before her. - -"Well," he said, "surely they won't beat me!" - -They brought him before the princess, and she made him tell her how -he had got that ring and how he had been clothed. - -So he said: "All those three days I was with you." - -Hynek did not go back to the marshal, though he complained of the -loss of his shepherd. He was clad in royal robes now, and they had a -splendid wedding in the castle. But the princess did not know what his -parentage was, although she could see that he was not a low-born man. - -So after a year he said he would like to visit his parents, and he -told her to prepare for the journey. She was to send a letter to -Prince So-and-So that the young queen was going to visit him. He -would go on ahead. - -So he put his shepherd's dress on once more and purposely tore it -in several places, and, when his princess arrived and everybody was -welcoming her, he went straight into the great hall. Now, when the old -Prince saw that it was his son all tattered and torn, he bade them -put him under lock and key. But he had no difficulty in escaping, -and while they were feasting, he came into the hall again and sat -down next to the princess. The father was furious that his son should -behave so shamefully. But the princess reassured him. It was all right, -she said. She did not mind at all; he might sit where he pleased. - -After dinner she called for a bath. They prepared it for her. But -Hynek was quicker, and slipped into the bathroom before her. She shut -the door and he put on his royal robes, and then they went before -his father. The Prince was frightened, since he had thought so ill -of his son, and he fell on his knees. But Hynek lifted him up and -himself kneeled before him and asked his forgiveness. - -Then came in the black man. He gave Hynek the sword and bade him cut -his head off. Hynek would not repay his kindness in this way. - -"Then we shall both be unhappy." - -So when he saw what he was to do, he cut the head off and, when he -had done that, an English prince appeared in his stead. He was only -eighteen years old. All his followers woke up too. Hynek accompanied -him to England, and then took leave of him. - -How are they all now? - -I don't know. - - - - - - - - -THE THREE ROSES - - -Once upon a time there was a mother who had three daughters. There -was to be a market in the next town, and she said she would go to -it. She asked the daughters what she should bring them back. Two of -them named a great number of things; she must buy all of them, they -said. You know the sort of women, and the sort of things they would -want. Well, when they had asked for more than enough, the mother -asked the third daughter: - -"And you, don't you want anything?" - -"No, I don't want anything; but, if you like, you can bring me three -roses, please." - -If she wanted no more than that, her mother was ready to bring them. - -When the mother knew all she wanted, she went off to market. She bought -all she could, piled it all on her back, and started for home. But -she was overtaken by nightfall, and the poor mother completely lost -her way and could go no farther. She wandered through the forest till -she was quite worn out, and at last she came to a palace, though she -had never before heard of any palace there. There was a large garden -full of roses, so beautiful that no painter alive could paint them, -and all the roses were smiling at her. So she remembered her youngest -daughter, who had wished for just such roses. She had forgotten it -entirely till then. Surely that was because she was so old! Now she -thought: "There are plenty of roses here, so I will take these three." - -So she went into the garden and took the roses. At once a basilisk -came and demanded her daughter in exchange for the roses. The mother -was terrified and wanted to throw the flowers away. But the basilisk -said that wouldn't be any use, and he threatened to tear her to -pieces. So she had to promise him her daughter. There was no help -for it, and so she went home. - -She took the three roses to her daughter and said: "Here are the -roses, but I had to pay dearly for them. You must go to yonder castle -in payment for them, and I don't even know whether you will ever -come back." - -But Mary seemed as though she didn't mind at all, and she said she -would go. So the mother took her to the castle. There was everything -she wanted there. Soon the basilisk appeared and told Mary that she -must nurse him in her lap for three hours every day. There was no -way out, do it she must, and so the basilisk came and she nursed him -for three hours. Then he went out, but he came next day and the day -after that. On the third day he brought a sword and told poor Mary -to cut his head off. - -She protested that she wasn't used to doing things like that, and do -it she could not. But the basilisk said in a rage that, if that was so, -he would tear her to pieces. As there was no choice, she went up to him -and cut his head off. And as the basilisk's head rolled on the ground, -there came forth from his body a long serpent, hissing horribly. He -asked her to cut his head off again. Mary did not hesitate this time, -but cut his head off at once. - -The serpent (by the way, he held the golden keys of that palace in -his mouth) was immediately changed into a beautiful youth, and he -said in a pleasant voice: "This castle belongs to me, and, as you -have delivered me, there is no help for it: I must marry you." - -So there was a great wedding, the castle was full of their attendants, -and they all had to play and dance. But the floor was of paper, -so I fell through it, and here I am now. - - - - - - - - -THE ENCHANTED PRINCESSES - - -In the days of King Bambita, his two noble daughters oppressed the -people, laying heavy taxes on them without the king's knowledge. The -people cursed them, and the curses did their work. The princesses -vanished. The king sent some of his servants to look for the -princesses. But the servants came back empty-handed. None of them -had been able to find the princesses. - -Now, a captain and a lieutenant heard of the king's trouble. So the -lieutenant went to the king, and "I see," says he, "that you are in -trouble. I will go and look for the princesses." - -"How much do you want for it?" asked the king. - -"Twenty pounds." - -The king agreed, and gave him the money. "If you find them," said he, -"half of my kingdom is yours." - -The lieutenant and the captain had plenty of money now, so they went -to an inn and passed the time drinking. On the third day the captain -said: "To-day I will go to the king. If he gave you twenty pounds, -he is certain to give me more." - -So he went to the king and said: "I see that your majesty is in -trouble. I should like to go and look for the princesses." - -"How much do you want for it?" said the king. - -"Thirty pounds." - -Well, the king gave him the money without any more ado, adding that, -if he found the princesses, he would get half of his kingdom. - -They fell to drinking again and had a splendid time. - -There was a drummer near them, and he heard them saying that they -were to look for the princesses. So he went to the king and said: -"I hear that your majesty is prostrated by sore trouble. I, too, -would like to look for the princesses." - -"How much do you want for it?" - -"Forty pounds, at least." - -The king gave him the money without more ado. The two officers and the -drummer left that inn for another, and so they went on spending their -money recklessly in one drinking-house after another. The drummer -went with the other two, but he was more careful than they were. He -was not such a spendthrift as the two officers. - -They asked him where he meant to go. - -"Wherever you go, I will go too," he replied. - -"Then why don't you join us and lead a gay life?" - -"That I can't do until I know where to find the princesses." - -They invited him to join them, but he refused to do it. - -At last they bought some bread and other food, and they all set out -together on their journey. They came to a dark forest, and for a -fortnight they searched it through and through, but they could find -nothing. They couldn't find their way out of the forest either, so they -agreed that one of them should climb to the top of the highest tree -to see which way they ought to go. The drummer, being the youngest, -climbed up a pine-tree. He called out: - -"I can see a cottage. Look, I will throw my hat towards it, and do -you follow the hat." - -Well, they went on until they reached the cottage. - -"Go into the room," says the drummer. - -"After you," said both the officers at once. - -So the drummer stepped inside, and an old crone welcomed him. - -"Welcome, Drummer Anthony," said she. "How did you get here?" - -"I have come to deliver the princesses, and only for that." - -"Well, you will find them, but those other two fellows will get them -from you by a trick." - -She gave him a rope three hundred fathoms long and told him to bind -it round his body. She also gave him some wine and a sponge. Then -she said: "Not far from here there is a well. When you come to it, -you must say that you will let yourself down into the well, if the -other fellows will drink the fountain dry." - -When they got to the well, the captain and the lieutenant began to -drink the fountain, but it was just as full as before. - -"If we kept on drinking this fountain till doomsday," they said, -"we could not drink it dry." - -So the drummer took the sponge, and at once the water began to -disappear, and soon the well was dry. They began to quarrel as to who -should go down the well. The one on the right side said the other -ought to go, but at last they agreed that the drummer, who was the -lightest, should go. - -So he went down, and, when he reached the bottom of the well, he found -a stone there. He drew it aside, and then he saw the light of the other -world. He lowered himself on the rope into the other world. There -he saw a beautiful palace. He went towards it. When he reached it, -he saw that the table was laid for two persons. He ate his meal and -then went into the second room. There he laid himself down to sleep, -and when he awoke in the morning, he found the Princess Anne in the -third room. - -"Welcome," she said; "what has brought you here?" - -He told her that he had come to deliver her. - -She said: "I don't know whether you will succeed in that. Here is a -sword; see if you can brandish it." - -The drummer took hold of the sword, but he could not even lift it, -it was so heavy. - -Then the princess gave him a ring. "Take this," she said, "and whenever -you think of me, you will become strong. I have to hold the dragon in -my lap for a whole hour. As soon as he comes, he will smell a man. But -you must cut him in two, for then I shall be delivered. Just at nine -o'clock he comes." - -Just at nine o'clock the palace began to tremble and the dragon -came in. But the drummer encountered him and struck him in two with -the sword. - -After that the princess took him into another room. "Now you have -delivered me," she said. "But my sister is in worse trouble still. She -has to hold a dragon in her lap for two hours, and that dragon is -even stronger than this one." - -Then they went into the fourth room, where was the Princess -Antonia. She, too, greeted him, and told him that he would be able -to deliver her if he could brandish the sword beside her. He tried, -but he could not even move it. Then she gave him a ring and told him -that, whenever he thought of her, he would have the strength of two -hundred men. She said, too, that if he succeeded in setting her free -she would marry him. - -Soon eleven o'clock came. The hall began to tremble and the dragon -appeared. But, as he was coming in, Anthony was ready for him near -the door, and he managed to cut the dragon in two. - -Now, when the two princesses had been set free, they gathered all the -precious stones they could to take with them, and went to the opening -that led into the world. But the drummer had quite forgotten the old -crone's warning about the other two fellows, and he sent the princesses -up before him. Each of the officers took a princess for himself, and -the drummer was left behind at the bottom of the well. When his turn -came, he was careful enough to tie a stone to the rope. His companions -on the top pulled it up a little way and then suddenly let it drop, -throwing down other stones into the well to kill the drummer. But -he had remembered the crone's warning that his friends would try to -trick him. So he jumped aside and remained there in the other world. - -He went back to the palace and entered the seventh room. On the table -were three boxes. He opened the first and found a whistle inside -it. He blew the whistle, and in came some generals and asked what was -his majesty's will. He said he had only whistled to find out if they -were attending to their duty. Then he looked into the second box, and -there he saw a bugle. He blew the bugle, and in came some officers, -who said just what the generals had said. In the third box he found a -drum. He beat the drum, and immediately he was surrounded by infantry -and cavalry, a great multitude of soldiers. He asked whether any of -them had ever been in Europe. Two men were found among them who had -been shipwrecked. - -"Where is the ship?" said the drummer. - -"Here on the seacoast," they replied. - -At that, Anthony decked himself out in a royal robe and started on -his travels for Europe. - -Meanwhile the two princesses had reached home. One was engaged to -be married to the lieutenant, the other to the captain. But when -the time for the wedding came, both the princesses, still thinking -of Anthony, asked for a delay of one year, and their royal father -granted their request. - -Anthony arrived safely in that land. He met a traveller and said to -him, "Look here, why should you not change clothes with me?" - -He was glad to do so, and Anthony went on to the town in which the -princesses lived and sought out a goldsmith. He asked the goldsmith -for work. - -"I haven't work enough for myself," said the goldsmith. - -"Well," said the drummer, "I have had an order for two rings, although -I was only walking the street." - -"You are a lucky fellow," said the goldsmith, and his wife, when -she heard of it, spoke in the drummer's favour, so he was taken on -as assistant. - -"Now," said he, "give me what I want and I will make the rings. But -nobody must enter my room: I will take my meals in at the door." - -On the third day one ring was finished, and this one was meant for -the Princess Anne. - -"You must take this ring to the Princess Anne, master," said he. - -"So I will," said the goldsmith; "but what is your price for it?" - -"A thousand pounds," said he. - -"If that's so, I won't go. They would put me in jail." - -"Be easy," said Anthony, "nothing will happen to you." - -So the goldsmith went to the palace, and sent in a message that his -assistant had made a ring for the Princess Anne. She sent a message -that she had not ordered a ring, but she would look at it. As soon -as she saw it, she asked: "How much do you want for this?" He replied -that he was almost afraid to say that it was worth a thousand pounds. - -"Oh! it is worth much more than that," she said, and she paid the -sum at once. - -The goldsmith returned home and told his wife what he had got for the -ring. She wondered what sort of person their new assistant was. The -master brought the money to him, but the assistant would not accept it. - -"You can keep the money for yourself," he said, "and I have just -finished the ring for the Princess Antonia. You will have to go to -the palace again with this." - -This time the master-goldsmith was ready enough to go. "How much am -I to ask for this ring?" he said. - -"Ask two thousand pounds." - -So he was brought to the princess, and he told her that his apprentice -had made a ring for her. She answered that she had not ordered a -ring. "However, show it to me." - -As soon as she glanced at it, she said: "How much do you want for -this?" - -"Two thousand pounds." - -"Oh! it's worth much more than that," she said. - -So she paid down the money and told the master-goldsmith to fetch -his assistant to her. As soon as the master came home, he told his -wife everything. She was still more astonished. - -"O Lord!" she said, "I cannot understand it at all." - -The master told Anthony that the princess bade him come and see her. - -"She can come to me," was his reply. - -When the princess heard that, she lost no time, but took some royal -garments for him, and drove to Anthony's house in the royal coach. She -went straight to him and said, "I am come to bring you home with me, -Anthony." - -She bade him put on the royal robe she had brought with her for -him, and they drove together to the palace, and their marriage was -celebrated not long after. - -The two officers thought the king would banish them or inflict -some punishment upon them, but he pardoned them and gave them -sufficient money to live at the court. Anthony himself did not care -for royalty. He and his wife arranged that they would return to the -place where he had first found the princesses. So they departed for -that land, but a storm drove them on shore near to the place where -he had met the old crone. She gave him welcome. - -"So you are back again," she said. - -They explained to her that what they wished was to go back to that -palace beneath the fountain. - -"Well," she said, "I will show you the way to the other world, and -I will let you down the well." - -They came to the opening, and Anthony was about to enter the well, -but the old hag begged him to wait with her and let the princess go -on before. - -So the princess was let down to the bottom of the well, and then -the crone said: "I won't let you follow her unless you first cut off -my head." - -"This is a strange way to repay the good you have done me," said -Anthony. - -"Well, unless you promise this you will never see your princess again." - -So he had to promise, and with that she waved her wand and a road -appeared, which led them straight to the princess. Then Anthony struck -off the crone's head, and they found themselves amid crowds of farmers -who were ploughing and soldiers standing at attention, and one and -all welcoming their new lords. For this land was an enchanted land, -and the old crone was a witch. - - - - - - - - -THE TWIN BROTHERS - - -Once there was a princess, and she was under a curse and enchantment, -so that she had to spend her life in the shape of a fish. One day a -woman happened to be working in the meadow by the river, and she saw -a flock of birds flying above the river and talking to the fish. The -woman wondered what it was that was there, so she went to the waterside -and looked in. All she saw was a fish swimming about. So she said: -"I should like to eat you, fish. I feel sure you would do me good." - -Now, when she said that, the fish answered: "You could save me. You -will have twin sons, although you have never had any children before." - -The woman said that, if she could help her in that, there was nothing -the fish could ask that she would not do to deliver her. - -The fish answered: "Catch me and take me to your field. There you must -bury me and plant a rose-tree over me. When the roses first come into -bloom you will bear twin sons. After three years, dig in the place -where you buried me and you will find two swords, and these you must -keep. Your mare will have two foals and your bitch will have two pups, -and each of your twins will have a sword, a horse, and a dog. Those -swords will have the virtue that they will help your sons to victory -over everybody. I shall be delivered as soon as my body has rotted." - -When the twin sons grew up they were very clever, and so they said: -"We must try our luck in the world. We are bold enough. One of us -will go to the East and one to the West. Each of us must look at his -sword every morning to see if the other needs his help. For the sword -will begin to rust as soon as one of us is in peril." - -So they cast lots which way they should go, and each of them took -his sword, his horse, and his dog, and away they went. - -The first rode through deep forests, and he met a fierce dragon and a -lion; so he attacked the dragon, which had nine heads. The lion stayed -quiet while the knight attacked the dragon, and at last he succeeded -in cutting one of the dragon's heads off. He felt tired then, and -the lion took his place; then the knight cut two more heads off the -dragon. And so it went on till he had all the heads cut off. Then -he cut out the tongues from all the nine heads and kept them, and so -went forward on his adventurous journey. - -Now, it chanced that there were some woodcutters in these forests, and -one of them collected all the dragon's heads, having come across them -by chance. That dragon used to come to the town and devour one person -every visit. This time the lot had fallen upon the princess, and so -she was to be devoured by the dragon. So the town was all hung with -black cloth. The woodcutter knew all about this, so he went with the -heads to the town to sue for the princess, for it had been proclaimed -that whoever killed the dragon should be her husband. When the princess -saw that such a low-born man was to be her husband she was taken aback, -and tried by all the means in her power to delay the wedding. - -The knight happened to come to the town just then, and he saw a good -inn, so he rode up to it. The innkeeper came at once to ask what he -could do for him. Now, there were other guests there, and it was a -busy place. The guests were all talking of the one matter: when the -princess was going to marry the man who had killed the dragon. The -wedding ought to have been long ago, but the bride and her parents -kept putting it off. The knight listened to all this talk, and then -he asked: - -"Are you sure that it was that woodcutter who killed the dragon?" - -They answered that it certainly was, for the heads were preserved in -the palace. - -The knight said nothing, but when he thought the proper time had come -he rode to the palace. The princess saw him from the window, and she -wondered who it might be. He was ushered in, and he went straight to -the princess and told her everything. He asked her whether he might -attend the wedding. - -She answered: "I am not at all pleased with my marriage. I would much -rather marry you, sir." - -He asked her why. - -"If he killed the dragon he must be a great man." - -"He is such a low-born man," said she, "that it is not likely that -he killed the dragon." - -"I should like to see him," said he. - -So they brought the woodcutter before him, and the knight asked to see -the heads. So they brought the heads. He looked at the heads and said: - -"There are no tongues in these heads. Where are the tongues?" - -Then he turned to the woodcutter: "Did you really kill the cruel -dragon?" he said. - -The woodcutter persisted in his story. - -"And how did you cut the heads off?" - -"With my hatchet." - -"Why, you couldn't do it with your hatchet. You are a liar." - -The woodcutter was taken aback and did not know what to say. He was -frightened already, but he said: "It happened that the dragon didn't -have any tongues." - -The knight produced the tongues and said: "Here are the tongues, -and it was I who killed the cruel dragon." - -The princess took hold of him and embraced and kissed him, and she was -ready to marry him on the spot. As for the woodcutter, he was kicked -out in disgrace, and they put him into jail for some time too. So -the princess married the knight and they lived happily together. - -One day, looking out of the window, he saw in the distance, among -the mountains, a black castle. He asked his wife what castle it was -and to whom it belonged. - -"That is an enchanted castle, and nobody who goes into it ever -returns." - -But he could not rest, and he was eager to explore the castle. So one -morning he ordered his horse to be saddled, and, accompanied by his -dog, he rode to the castle. When they reached it they found the gate -open. As he went in he saw men and animals all turned to stone. In -the hall an old hag was sitting by the fire. When she saw him she -pretended to tremble. - -"Dear lord," said she, "bind your dog. He might bite me." - -He said: "Do not be afraid. He will do you no harm." - -He bent down to pat the dog, and at that moment the hag took her -wand and struck him with it. He was turned to stone, and his horse -and dog too. - -The princess waited for her lord, but he did not return. She mourned -for him, and the citizens, who loved their lord, were grieved at -his loss. - -Now, the other brother looked at his sword, and the sword began to -rust; so he was sure that his brother was in trouble. He felt that -he must help him, so he rode off in that direction and came to the -town. The town was hung with black flags. As he rode through the -streets the citizens saw him, and they thought he was their lord, for -he had a horse and a dog just like their lord's horse and dog. When -the princess saw him, she embraced him and said: "Where have you been -so long, my dear husband?" - -He said that he had lost his way in the forest and that he had fallen -among robbers, and, since he had no choice, he had to pretend to be -a robber too, and to promise to stay with them and to show them good -hiding-places. The robbers, so he said, admitted him to be of their -company, and he had not been able to escape before this. - -Everybody was delighted, and the lord's brother was careful enough -not to say that he was only the brother. But, whenever they went to -bed, he put his sword between himself and the lady. The princess was -troubled at this, and she tried to find different explanations for the -conduct of her supposed husband. One morning, as he was looking out of -the window, he saw that same castle, and he asked what castle it was. - -She answered: "I have told you already that it is an enchanted castle, -and that nobody who goes there ever returns." - -So he thought: "It is surely there that my brother is." - -He ordered his horse to be saddled and, without saying a word to -anybody, he rode off to the castle. As soon as he entered the castle -he saw his brother and his dog turned to stone. He saw, too, all the -petrified knights and their horses, and the hag sitting and keeping -up the fire. - -He said: "You old hag, unless you bring my brother to life again I'll -hew you in pieces with this sword of mine." - -The hag knew that the sword had magical virtues, and so she said: - -"Pray, sir, do not be angry with me. Take that box there and rub the -ointment beneath his nose and he will come to life again." - -"Curse you, you evil old hag; do it yourself, and instantly." - -And he went and caught hold of her wand and struck her with it, -and at once she was turned into stone. He had not meant to do that, -for he did not know that the wand had such power. He took the box -and rubbed the ointment beneath his brother's nose, and the brother -came to life again. Then he anointed all the others who had been -turned to stone, and they all came to life again. As for the hag, -he left her there just as she was. - -Then the brothers rode off to the princess. When she saw them, she did -not know which of them was her husband, they were so like one another. - -So she said: "What am I to do now? Which of you is my lord?" - -They came before her and bade her choose the right one. But still -she hesitated. So her husband went up to her and took her by the hand -and said: "I am the right one and that is my brother." - -He told her everything, and she was glad that her real husband had -come again. So they lived happily together, and, as for the other -brother, he went to seek his fortune elsewhere. - - - - - - - - -THE WATERNICK - - -Once upon a time there were two children, a boy and a girl. They only -had a mother, who was a widow. One day their mother sent them to get -some wood for the fire. Off they went. The girl was just learning to -knit, so she put a ball of wool in her pocket. They went on as far -as they knew the way. Then suddenly they began to wonder whether they -could find their way home. - -The girl said: "I will bind the end of the thread to a tree, and so -we shall be able to find our way back." - -So they went on till the thread had all run out. Then they turned back, -but they found that wild creatures had broken the thread. What were -they to do? They wandered on till night fell, and then they saw that -they would have to spend the night in the forest. They came to a pond, -and they found that they could not go any farther. So they walked round -the pond till the Waternick got hold of them. He took them with him, -and there they were. - -When he got home with them, his wife was waiting for him. Round the -stove there were some shelves for vessels that they used for catching -poor souls in. The Waternick and his wife were delighted with the -children; they decided that they would employ them as servants, so -Mrs. Waternick took charge of them. The children spent some years in -this way and learned about everything under the water. - -One day the Waternick went away to catch some human souls, and he -gave orders to Mrs. Waternick not to leave the children alone. But -the old hag fell asleep, and the children walked some distance from -the hut, till they thought she would scold them, and so they returned -home. But they meant to go farther the next day, if only the old hag -went to sleep again. As soon as they were sure that she was asleep -they ran out of the hut and went as far as they could. - -The old hag woke up and cried out: "Where are you, children?" - -She jumped to her feet and ran after them. They were within a few steps -of getting safe away, when, alas! she overtook them. She took them -back and forced them to work, and they had to stay at home besides. - -When the Waternick came home, she told him all about it, and the -Waternick said: "Never mind, I'll set them to work, and they won't -have time to think about making their way home." - -So in the morning he took them to the forest and gave them a wooden -hatchet and a wooden saw and bade them, fell the trees. - -"When they are all cut down, you shall go back again." - -So the Waternick left them, and the children began the work at -once. They took the saw and tried to cut down a tree. But the saw -soon broke and they were done for. So they took the hatchet, and the -hatchet split in two after one stroke. They began to cry. - -"Things look bad for us," they said. - -Since they saw that they could not help themselves, they stayed where -they were, and presently they fell asleep. I don't know how long they -had been sleeping. But it was already time to go back. - -The Waternick came and asked: "Have you finished?" - -They said that the hatchet and saw were only made of wood, and that -both were broken. He took them home. - -Next day the Waternick went about his work, while Mrs. Waternick -was busy outside the hut. The children looked at the cups on the -shelves. The cups were tilted up. So the girl lifted one of them. And -she heard the words: "God speed you!" She lifted another, and the -same greeting came again. So she kept on lifting the cups till she -had lifted all of them. Human souls had been imprisoned under those -cups. Now the hag came into the room and she saw that all the cups -had been lifted. She began to curse, and she said that the children -would certainly get a good thrashing when the old man came home. - -The children often felt lonely; they thought of their mother and -wondered if she were still alive, and what they could do to get -away. So they decided that the next day, when the hag was sleeping, -they would try how far they could get. - -"If only we could get as far as home, it would be all right then." - -In the morning the girl had to comb Mrs. Waternick's hair and dress -her in her smart dress. When she had finished, Mrs. Waternick had a -sleep. Now the children took to their heels; they were as quick as -ravens, trying to get away before Mrs. Waternick should wake. Being -swift of foot, they reached the shore. They leapt out and ran straight -on again. Of course they heard the hag screeching behind them, but they -were on dry land, so they thought: "We needn't care for anything now." - -The hag soon stopped her pursuit. The children were tired, so they -lay down under a tree in the forest and fell asleep. As they were -sleeping, somebody woke them up. It was the forester. They told him -that they were afraid of falling into the Waternick's hands again. But -the forester told them not to be afraid, and asked how they came -there. The children told him everything just as it had happened. - -Now, the forester remembered that he had heard of a widow who had -lost her children. So he thought that these must be the children. He -said nothing, but he told his wife to get them some food, and asked -the children to sit down and eat. The children thought the food was -very nice, so he asked them what they were accustomed to eat. They -said they were accustomed to eat flowers. So they ate plenty. - -The forester decided to do all he could to get the children home. At -last it was discovered where their mother lived, and so the children -came back to her, and they lived with her until they died. - - - - - - - - -THE MAN WHO MET MISERY - - -Once upon a time there lived a rich man, so rich that you might almost -say he oozed gold. He had a son, and from his boyhood the lad was a -real spendthrift, for he knew nothing about hard times. Yet he had -often been told that there was Misery in the world. So when he was -grown up, he thought: "Well, I'm sick of staying at home, so I'll go -out into the world to see if I can meet Misery." - -He told this to his father, and his father said at once: "Yes, you can -go. If you stay at home, you'll soon turn into a lazy old woman. You'll -get experience in the world, and that can't do you any harm." - -So our Francis--that was his name, though really it doesn't matter -very much what his name was--took everything he wanted and started off -on his travels. So long as he had enough money, he was all right, he -couldn't meet with Misery. But when his money was all spent--that's -when everybody feels the pinch--he began to hang his head and his -travels lost a good deal of their charm. But he told people his name -and his father's name, and for a time they helped him. But at last -he came into a country that was quite strange to him. There was a -vast desert, through which he walked for a long time, and he began -to feel hungry and thirsty, but there was no water--no, not so much -as would moisten his tongue. - -Now, as he went on his way, he saw a flight of stairs going down into -a hole, and, without hesitating, down he went. - -He came into a cellar, and there he saw a man lying on a table. It -was an awfully big man, of the kind that used to be called ogres, -and he was snoring like a circular saw. - -Francis looked about him, and he saw all sorts of human bones lying -about. He thought: "That's a nice mess. I expect the fellow's a -man-eater, and he'll swallow me down like a currant. I'm done for now." - -He would have liked to go away, but he was afraid to move. But he -had a dagger, so he drew it from its sheath without making any noise, -and tried to steal up to the ogre quietly. The ogre's head was lying -on the table, so he pierced both his eyes with the dagger. The ogre -sprang up, cursing horribly. He groped about him and found that he -was totally blind. - -Francis cleared the stairs in two jumps and off he ran, trying to -get as far from the ogre as he could. But the ogre knew the place -well and kept close on his heels. - -"To think that a shrimp like that could make me suffer so!" he thought; -and yet he found that, run as he would, he couldn't catch the lad. So -he cried out: "Wait a bit, you worm! Since you're such a champion and -have managed to tackle me, I'll give you something to remember me by." - -As he said this, he flung a ring at the lad, and the jewel in it shone -like flame. The lad heard the ring tinkle as he ran by, so he picked it -up and put it on his finger. But as soon as the ring was on his finger, -the giant called out: "Where are you, ring?" And the ring answered: -"Here I am," and the ogre ran after the sound. Francis jumped on one -side, but the ogre called out again, "Where are you?" and the ring -answered: "Here!" - -So it went on for some time, until Francis was so tired that his only -thought was: "Well, if he kills me, he kills me." He tried to pull -the ring off, but it clung tight, really cutting into the flesh, and -the ogre was still following close on his heels. At last--there was -no other choice, for the ring kept on calling out "Here I am"--Francis -stretched out that finger, and the ogre broke it off with one grip. Off -ran Francis, glad enough to get off with his life. - -When he reached home, they asked him: "Did you meet Misery?" - -"Indeed I did. I know what it is now. It gave me a nice run for -it. It's an awful thing, and there's no joking with it." - - - - - - - - -NINE AT A BLOW - - -Once upon a time there was a tailor, and, whenever he hadn't a job, -he used to spend his time mending stockings. One day after dinner -the table was covered with flies. The tailor struck at them with a -stocking and killed nine of them at a blow. - -As he hadn't any job in hand, he started out to see the world, and -his belt had written on it "Nine at a blow." On his way he met a -boy, who asked him to buy a finch from him. He bought it, put it in -his knapsack, and went on his way. Then he came to a farm where the -farmer's wife was making cheese. He asked her for something to eat, -so she gave him some sour milk and a piece of Yorkshire cheese. The -tailor drank the milk and put the cheese in his knapsack and went on -his way. At last he reached a town. It was a hot day, so he lay down -and fell asleep. Now, a giant happened to pass that way, and he saw -written in golden letters: "Nine at a blow." - -So he waked the tailor and asked him: "Have you really killed nine -at a blow?" - -The tailor answered that he had, and the giant said: "Let's have a -trial which of us is the stronger. I'll cast a stone, and it will be -an hour before it comes down." - -The tailor said: "I'll cast a stone that won't come down at all." - -So the giant cast a stone, and it was a full hour before it came down -again. Instead of casting a stone, the tailor let the finch go, and, -of course, it didn't come back again. - -So the giant said: "Let's have another try. I'll crush a stone -to powder." - -The tailor said: "I'll squeeze water from a stone." - -So the giant took a pebble and crushed it to powder. The tailor took -the cheese and squeezed it till the water oozed out of it. - -The giant gave in, and acknowledged that the tailor was the stronger -of the two. So they went on together till they came to a cherry-tree -growing near a meadow, and the cherries were ripe. They wanted to pick -some of the cherries for themselves. So the tailor climbed the tree, -but the giant simply bent down the top of the tree and began to pluck -the cherries. When he had finished he let go, and the tailor was flung -onto a heap of dry grass piled up in the meadow. So the tailor said: -"If it hadn't been for my skill in flying, I should have broken my -neck," and he promised to teach the giant how to fly. - -So they went on their way again, and they came to a town. The town -was all in mourning. They asked the reason, and they were told that -a dragon had taken up his headquarters in the church and was killing -the people. The king would give a thousand pounds to whoever could -kill the dragon. So they told the king that they would kill the dragon. - -They ordered a big hammer and a big pair of tongs to be made for -them. When they were made, the giant took the tongs and he gave the -hammer to the tailor to carry. But the tailor said: "Wouldn't it shame -you if people should see us, each carrying such a trifle? Take both -the things yourself." - -When they came near the church door, the giant gave the hammer to -the tailor, who stuck fast to it. Then the dragon came dashing out, -and flung the tailor behind him, but the giant split him in twain. But -the tailor protested: - -"A nice mess you've made of it. I meant to take the dragon alive. We -should have got more money for him so." Then he said: "Now I will -teach you how to fly." - -So they climbed up the church steeple, and the tailor said: "When I -say 'One, two, three,' you must jump." And the giant jumped and broke -his neck. - -The tailor told the king that the dragon had killed the giant, so he -pocketed the thousand pounds for himself. - - - - - - - - -A CLEVER LASS - - -Once upon a time there was a shepherd. He used to pasture his sheep -upon a hill, and one day he saw something glittering on the opposite -hill. So he went there to see what it was. It was a golden mortar. He -took it up and said to his daughter: "I will give this mortar to -our king." - -But she said: "Don't do that. If you give him the mortar, you won't -have the pestle, and he is sure to ask for it, and then you will get -into trouble." - -But the shepherd thought that she was only a silly girl. He took the -mortar, and, when he came before the king, he said: "Begging your -pardon, Mr. King, I want to give you this mortar." - -The king answered him roughly: "If you give me the mortar, I must -have the pestle as well. Unless the pestle is here within three days, -your life will be forfeit." - -The shepherd began to lament: "My daughter was right when she said -that when you had got the mortar you would want the pestle too. I -wouldn't listen to her, so it serves me right." - -"Have you such a clever daughter as that?" asked the king. - -"Indeed I have," said the shepherd. - -"Then tell your daughter that I will marry her, if she comes neither -walking nor riding, clothed nor unclothed, neither by day nor by -night, neither at noon nor in the morning. And I won't ask for the -pestle either." - -The shepherd went home and said: "You can get me out of this, if you -go to Mr. King neither clothed nor unclothed," and the rest of it. - -But the daughter wasn't a bit frightened. She came with the fall of -dusk (and that was neither at noon nor in the morning); she dressed -herself in fishing-nets; she took a goat, and she partly rode on the -goat and partly she walked. - -And when the king saw that she had only a fishing-net on, that she came -with the approach of dusk, and that she was partly walking, partly -riding on the goat, he was bound to marry her. But he said to her: -"You will be my wife so long as you don't give advice to anybody; -but if you do, you must part with me." - -Well, she didn't give advice to anybody until one day there was a -market in the town, and a farmer's mare had a foal at the market. The -foal ran away to another farmer, who was there with a gelding, and -the farmer said: "This foal belongs to me." - -They went to law about it, and at last the matter came before the -king. And the king, considering that every animal ought to run to -its mother, decided that a gelding had had a foal. - -The farmer who owned the mare went down the stairs, saying over and -over again: "The gelding has foaled! the gelding has foaled!" - -The queen heard him, and she said: "Man, you are talking nonsense." - -So he told her that he had been at the market, that his mare had -foaled, but the foal ran to another farmer who was there with a -gelding. "And now," he said, "it has been decided that the gelding -has foaled." So he thought there could be no mistake; at any rate, -he couldn't help it. - -When the queen heard this story she said: "To-morrow, my lord the king -will go out for a stroll. Take a fishing-net, and begin fishing on the -road in front of him. The king will ask you: 'Why are you fishing on a -dry road?' And you must answer: 'Why not? it's as hopeful as expecting -a gelding to foal.' But you must not say who gave you this advice." - -So it was. As the king was walking along he saw the farmer fishing -on the dry road. He asked him why he was fishing there. - -"Why not?" said he, "it's as hopeful as expecting a gelding to foal." - -The king at once began to rate the farmer. "That's not out of your own -head," he said, and he kept at the farmer until he let the secret out. - -So the king came home, summoned the queen, and said to her: "You have -been with me for a long time, and you have given advice in spite of -all, so you must go to-morrow. But I will allow you to take with you -the thing you like best." - -It was no good arguing. So the king invited all his courtiers and -prepared a splendid banquet. When the banquet was finished, the queen -said to the king: "Before we part, you must drink this glass of wine -to my health," and she had put some opium into the wine on the sly. - -The king drank it at a draught and fell asleep at once. A carriage was -got ready, and the queen put the king in it and drove to her father's -old hut. There she laid the king on the straw, and, when he woke up, -he asked where he was. - -"You are with me. Didn't you tell me that I could take the thing I -liked best with me?" - -The king saw how clever she was, and he said: "Now you can give advice -to anybody you like." - -And so they drove home again, and he was king and she queen again. - - - - - - - - -THE SOLDIER AND THE DEVIL - - -A discharged soldier was going home. He had only threepence in his -pocket. As he was going through a forest he met a beggar. The beggar -asked him for a penny. The soldier gave him one, and went on his -way. Then he met another beggar. This beggar was very ill, and he asked -the soldier for a penny. So the soldier gave him the other penny. Then -he met a third beggar. This beggar was half-dead. The soldier took -pity on him and gave him the third penny. Soon after he had left the -forest our Lord appeared to him, and in return for those three pennies -He granted him three boons. For the first boon the soldier chose a -pipe that should be full of tobacco whenever he wished, so that he -might always have a smoke handy. The second boon he asked was that, -if he wanted to put any one in his knapsack, they should be in it as -soon as he said: "Leap into that knapsack." The third boon was that -his purse should be full of gold coins whenever he knocked on it. - -Our Lord said: "So be it!" - -Soon afterwards he came to a mill and asked for a night's lodging. They -said that they only had one room for themselves; the other one was -haunted by a devil every midnight. But the soldier wasn't afraid. He -said that they could leave him there alone; he didn't mind a bit. - -He sat down at the table and played cards. When midnight came there -was a terrible noise, and the devil appeared, sure enough. When he saw -the soldier playing cards he grinned; he was sure he had him. So he sat -down opposite him and began to play too. It was nearly one o'clock at -last, time for him to go, so he caught hold of the soldier and tried -to tear him in pieces. But he had no success. For the soldier said: -"Leap into my knapsack," and the devil was in it. Then the soldier -threw the sack with the devil in it under the bed, and went to sleep -in the bed. - -In the morning, as soon as he had got up, the millers went to see if -the soldier was still alive. They were greatly surprised to find him -all right. They said they would give him anything he wanted, but he -wouldn't take anything. Off he went, and called at a blacksmith's. He -told the blacksmith to give the devil in the sack a good hammering, -and then he let the devil go. - -After that he came into a town. He heard that there was a count's -daughter there who was an accomplished cardplayer. She won everybody's -money from them. He went to her palace and asked her if she would -play with him. She was ready. So they played and played, but she -couldn't win all his money from him, for his purse was always fuller -than before. It was late by now and the lady was sick of the game, -so he went to bed. He put the three precious gifts on the table, but -when he got up in the morning they were gone; the lady had stolen -them from him. He grieved over his bad luck, but it was no use, -and he had to leave the palace. - -As he went on his way, he saw a fine apple-tree by the side of the -road with delicious apples on it. So he took an apple and ate half -of it. Then he went on his way, but he was surprised to see that -everybody who looked at him ran away from him. So he went to a well -and saw that he had horns on his head; that came from his eating the -apple. Back he went, and he found a pear-tree; he ate half of a pear -and the horns fell off. - -He thought that he would give the other half of the apple to the lady, -and perhaps she would get horns too. So he went and gave her the half -apple. She enjoyed it very well, but soon horns grew on her head. The -count called together all the doctors and asked them to operate on the -horns. But the more they cut at the horns the longer they grew. So the -king proclaimed that she would marry the man who should rid her of the -horns, but if he failed, his life should be forfeit. So the soldier -came back and told the lady that he would rid her of the horns if she -would give him his three treasures back. She agreed at once. So he gave -her the other half of the pear; she ate it, and the horns fell off. - -The soldier was quite happy now. One day he met Death, and he said -to him: "Leap into my knapsack." And Death was immediately imprisoned -in the knapsack. - -The soldier was carrying Death about for some time, until at last -the Lord appeared to him and told him he must not do that: he must -let Death go, for people could not die, and there would soon be too -many of them in the world. So he let Death go. He wanted to go to -Heaven himself. But he went to Hell, and as he drew near Hell the -devils closed the gate, they were so frightened of him. When he -reached the gate of Heaven, he knocked. St. Peter opened the gate, -but he wouldn't let him in. The soldier asked him to let him have -just one peep, so that at least he might know what Heaven looked like. - -Now, he remembered that he still had his soldier's cloak in his -knapsack, so he took it out of the knapsack and threw it into -Heaven. Then he jumped after it and sat down on it, and then he said -he was sitting on his own property. He sat there for a full hundred -years, though it only seemed a short time to him. But he couldn't -come to an agreement with St. Peter on the case, so our Lord told -him that he must first die, for no living people were admitted into -Heaven. So the soldier had to leave the premises. He returned to this -world, and afterwards he went to Heaven again, and there he is still, -as right as rain. - - - - - - - - -OLD NICK AND KITTY - - -Once upon a time there was an old maid-servant on a farm. She was a -score or two years old, but she wanted to get married, though nobody -would even touch her. She never missed a dance; she was sure to turn -up at every one of them, though nobody ever asked her to dance. So -at last she said: - -"I'd dance with Old Nick if only he'd come." - -The clock struck eleven and a youth clothed in green entered the -room. He went straight up to our Kitty and began to dance with -her. All the girls couldn't keep from laughing, but they daren't laugh -openly. So they held their aprons over their faces. Kitty was very -angry, but she kept on dancing like the wind. She thought: "Let the -fools laugh; they'd be glad enough to dance with the lad themselves." - -It was hard upon twelve now, and Old Nick--for Old Nick it was--had -to start for home. But Kitty wouldn't let him go. What was he to do -with her? He was absolutely at a loss what to do, for she was clinging -on to him behind. - -He went to the pond, thinking he'd be able to throw her in. He tried -to do it, but she clasped him round the neck and he couldn't manage -it. So off he went to Hell with her. But the people of Hell made an -outcry against her and wouldn't let her stay at any price. - -"Hang it all!" says Old Nick, "I can't go all round the world with -her." - -At last he met a shepherd: "I say, shepherd," says he, "would you -like this maiden here?" - -"A nice maiden that is, the ugly old spinster! Keep her for -yourself. You can pickle her." - -Now, when the devil saw that he was going to fail again, he promised -the shepherd a heap of money, only to rid himself of the hideous old -crone. But the shepherd refused. - -"I'll make it so much," says Old Nick. - -"Well, if you will, I agree." - -Now, the shepherd was a good-looking fellow, and Kitty was easily -persuaded to stay with him. He had lots of money now, and he had -the same idea as the devil, to throw her into the pond. What else -could he do with such a hideous old hag? He had a great fur coat, -and he put it on so high over his head that she couldn't catch hold -of his neck, and, plump! off she went into the pond. But, you know, -a bad one's a bad one, and you can't get rid of them so easily. So -it was with Kitty. She wasn't drowned. - -A short time after this, Old Nick had an appointment with a man. I -don't exactly know how the case stood, but anyhow the devil was to -get him. The man asked the shepherd to save him; he was quite ready -to pay him well for it. - -"All right," says the shepherd, "I can do that much for you. Old Nick -and I are the best of friends." - -Now, a crowd of people had collected and they were all wondering how it -was going to end. In comes Old Nick. The shepherd runs to meet him and: -"Old Kitty's here asking for you," says he. - -The devil left things as they were, and before you could say "Jack -Robinson" he was off. So it all turned out all right. - - - - - - - - -THE KNIGHT BAMBUS - - -There was a poor gamekeeper once, who had suffered from hard times -all his life, so as he grew older, he wanted to get rich. He was -only an under-forester. One day the forester said: "Near those old -ruins, you know the ones I mean, a fox or a roe, or some creature of -that sort, often crosses my path, and I can never manage to hit it, -though I have shot at it a hundred times. If you happen to be going -in that direction, look out for it." - -When the gamekeeper heard this, the first thing he did was to go to -the ruins. Just as he got there, a huge fox appeared with a rustling -noise. The gamekeeper felt uneasy, but the fox disappeared at once, so -he sat down, put five big charges in his gun, and waited. It wasn't -long till the fox appeared again, and this time he was carrying -a young fawn in his mouth. The gamekeeper shot at him--boom! The -fox cried out, and ran off into the bushes. But the gamekeeper saw -that the fawn had run away and hidden itself in a cave. He thought: -"The fox cried out, so he has some of my shots in his fur coat. I'll -get him some other time." - -So he went into the ruins through the gate. Within, there was -a courtyard all deserted, and with its wall fallen down. So the -gamekeeper passed through the courtyard and came into a spacious -cellar. There he saw three lamps burning, and looking round, he was -filled with amazement. But all this was as nothing, for in the corner -were three glittering heaps of golden coins and one heap of big gold -pieces. The gamekeeper reflected: "If I had all that, I should give -up gamekeeping and have a splendid time." - -No sooner had he said this than a grey old man appeared and asked: -"What are you looking for, gamekeeper?" - -"Well, I shot at a fox and he ran in somewhere here, and so I'm -wandering about looking for him." - -"You won't get the fox you're looking for, for I am he." - -"And why are you here in a fox's shape? What's the reason of that?" - -"I am the Knight Bambus, and all these forests belong to this castle. I -was a robber-knight, and so as a punishment I have to keep watch -here now." - -"And how long is it to last?" - -"When three poor people come here, and each of them takes away two -sackfuls of gold, I shall be delivered. I am bound to give all this -gold away for nothing. Already I have outlived three generations of -my kinsmen here." - -Then he bade him fetch two leather sacks from the other room and -collect the gold into them, filling them up to the brim. He must keep -it all for himself and must not tell any one what he had seen. The -gamekeeper promised that he wouldn't even tell his wife, Háticka, -how he had got the money. So he filled the two sacks up to the brim, -and the old man helped him to hoist them on to his shoulders and -saw him out of the door. All the time he kept warning him to keep -his mouth shut: "For what a woman knows all the world knows; that's -gospel truth, sure enough." - -So the gamekeeper left the castle, carrying those two sacks, and the -man shook hands with him before he left. At the border of the forest, -near a beech-tree, his wife, Háta, was standing looking for him. She -ran up to him. - -"Great Heavens, Florian! where have you been all this long time? I -have been looking everywhere for you for three days." - -Now Florian was delighted that his wife had come to meet him, so -he blurted out: "Háticka, wife, Count Bambus has given me these two -sacks of gold pieces. Have a look here--see what heaps of the stuff -there are!" and he let one of the sacks fall on the ground. But -behold! instead of gold there were only rustling leaves in it. Then -he remembered that he was not to say anything about it. He frowned, -and his wife burst into tears; and they had to spend the rest of -their life, until they died, in poverty just as before. - - - - - - - - -FRANCIS AND MARTIN - - -Once there was a father who had only one son, Francis by name. They had -a farmhand called Martin. One day Martin and Francis were ploughing -behind the barn. Francis's mother brought their meal for them, and -Francis said: "Well, mother, the old man must have a lot more money -than he lets on to have. We are not in debt, and yet he's always -complaining that he hasn't any money." - -"Well, my son, you see, he's built that large building." - -Next day Francis and Martin were ploughing together again. They -decided that they must get on the old man's track to see whether he -had any money, and where he hid it. Francis promised Martin that, -if he could find it out, he would build a cottage for him at the back -of the barn. So they agreed that Martin should stay away from church -to try to find out if the farmer had any money hidden away at home. - -When Sunday came, Francis went to church, but Martin kept on saying -he wouldn't go, until the farmer forced him to go. So he dressed for -church and went out through the farm gate. But he came back on the -other side, climbed over the fence, and hid himself in the barn. Soon -after this the farmer came into the barn, carrying a basket full of -coins. He dug a hole in the threshing-floor, put the money in it, -and said: "Black Barabbas! preserve this money for me! Thou black -bird! I put it in thy power!" Then he went and fetched a second basket -and put it in the hole. But while he was gone to fetch the money, -Martin slipped out of his hiding-place, took some of the money, and -put it in his boots. Now, the farmer came back again with a third -basket, and said once more: "Thou black bird! keep this money for -me, and let nobody else have it, unless he gets it by ploughing this -threshing-floor with three black goats!" - -As he was saying these words, a blackbird was soaring above his head -and crying out: "Master, what about the money in the boots?" - -But the farmer did not understand what it meant, and so he went to -look at his own boots, which were in the room. But he found no money -there, so he was angry and said: "What, you devil! it's rubbish you -are talking. I've looked in my boots and there's nothing there." Then -he buried the money, stamped down the threshing-floor hard again, -and went out. - -Martin went to the stable, and there he found Francis waiting for -him to tell him what the parson's sermon had been about that day, -so that he would know what to say if the farmer asked him about it. - -Soon afterwards the old man was taken ill and died. The two lads -were pleased at this, for they hoped that they wouldn't be long about -getting the money. Martin got three black goats, he put them in the -plough, and sent Francis to plough there. The wind began to blow -violently, and the whole barn looked as though it were on fire. He -was frightened and stopped ploughing, and immediately the whole barn -was just as it had been before. So he went out of the barn and asked -Martin to plough for him. Martin started, and, although the wind blew -violently enough, he kept on ploughing until he got the money. - -When Francis had the money, he began to build just as he wanted until -he had spent it all. Then he gave Martin the sack. - -Martin said sorrowfully: "This is the world's gratitude." - - - - - - - - -WITCHES AT THE CROSS - - -Though the witches used to be pretty lively in other places, they -were fond of climbing up and down the cross that stands by the road -to Malá Cermá (near Slaný). Joe Hilma heard tell of this, so he took -his horse and off he rode to see. He took with him a piece of chalk -which had been blessed, and made a circle with it. Then he went into -the circle and waited till midnight. Then, sure enough, he saw the -witches, a great swarm of them, climbing up and down the cross. They -didn't see him while this was going on, but when he rode out of the -circle, off went the witches after him. He galloped home at full -speed. When he rode into the yard they were close on his heels. They -couldn't go any farther, for they had no power to do it. I don't know -how it happened, but one of them flung a burning broom after him. The -broom hit the door, and the door was burned. Joe had quite enough of -seeing the witches. - - - - - - - - -THE WITCH AND THE HORSESHOES - - -Once there was a farmer's wife--I can't tell you which one--who was -a witch. Now these folks used to have a feast every Eve of St. Philip -and St. James. As soon as they began to burn the brooms she couldn't -rest: go she must. So she stripped her clothes off, and, standing -under the chimney, she anointed herself with some ointment. When she -had finished, she said: "Fly, but don't touch anything." And away -she flew in the twinkling of an eye. Yes, that was just how it was. - -But the farmhand was watching all this from the stables, and he -watched carefully where she put the ointment. So he went in too, -stripped his clothes off, and anointed himself. He said: "Fly, -but don't touch anything." And off he flew till he came to the -place where the witches were having their feast. Now, when he came -there, the farmer's wife knew him, and, to hide herself from him, -she turned herself into a white horse. But he did not lose sight of -the horse. He mounted it and went to the smith with it, and told him -to shoe it. Next day the woman had four horseshoes on, two on her -hands and two on her feet. And she had to stay like that always! - - - - - - - - -THE HAUNTED MILL - - -There was a haunted mill, and, dear me, what was it like! A rope-dancer -came there with some monkeys. In the evening the Waternick came with -a basketful of fishes. He made a fire and fried the fishes. Meanwhile -the monkeys had been sitting behind the stove, but when the Nick -put the fishes in the pan and was tasting whether they were done, -the monkeys came from behind the stove, and one of them put its paw -into the pan. The man smacked him over the paw and said: "Get away, -pussy! You didn't catch them, so don't eat them." And the monkey -ran away. - -After awhile comes another monkey and puts his paw in the pan. He -smacked him too and said the same. But the rope-dancer had a bear, -too, which was lying under the table all the time; and, when he heard -the Waternick speak, he came from under the table, ran straight to the -pan, and put his paw into it. The Waternick did the same to him as he -had done to the monkeys. But the bear couldn't stand that. He sprang -upon the poor Waternick and gave him a good beating. The Waternick -had to run off, leaving the fishes behind. He didn't haunt the mill -any more, and that's how they got rid of him. - - - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Czech Folk Tales, by Josef Baudiš - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CZECH FOLK TALES *** - -***** This file should be named 52596-0.txt or 52596-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/5/9/52596/ - -Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project -Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously -made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - -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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