Bab Bab 6 · HOW SIX MEN TRAVELLED THROUGH THE WIDE WORLD

. HOW SIX MEN TRAVELLED THROUGH THE WIDE WORLD

There was once upon a time a man who understood all sorts of arts; he

served in the war, and bore himself bravely and well; but when the war

was over, he got his discharge, and set out on his travels with three

farthings of his pay in his pocket. ‘Wait,’ he said; ‘that does not

please me; only let me find the right people, and the King shall yet

give me all the treasures of his kingdom.’ He strode angrily into the

forest, and there he saw a man standing who had uprooted six trees as

if they were straws. He said to him, ‘Will you be my servant and travel

with me?’

‘Yes,’ he answered; ‘but first of all I will take this little bundle

of sticks home to my mother,’ and he took one of the trees and wound

it round the other five, raised the bundle on his shoulders and bore it

off. Then he came back and went with his master, who said, ‘We two ought

to be able to travel through the wide world!’ And when they had gone a

little way they came upon a hunter, who was on his knees, his gun on his

shoulder, aiming at something. The master said to him, ‘Hunter, what are

you aiming at?’

He answered, ‘Two miles from this place sits a fly on a branch of an

oak; I want to shoot out its left eye.’

‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we three are together we shall

easily travel through the wide world.’

The hunter agreed and went with him, and they came to seven windmills

whose sails were going round quite fast, and yet there was not a breath

of wind, nor was a leaf moving. The man said, ‘I don’t know what is

turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’ So

he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they

saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out

of the other.

‘Fellow, what are you puffing at up there?’ asked the man.

He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills;

see, I am blowing to drive them round.’

‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily

travel through the wide world.’

So the blower got down and went with him, and after a time they saw a

man who was standing on one leg, and had unstrapped the other and

laid it near him. Then said the master, ‘You have made yourself very

comfortable to rest!’

‘I am a runner,’ answered he; ‘and so that I shall not go too quickly,

I have unstrapped one leg; when I run with two legs, I go faster than a

bird flies.’

‘Oh, go with me; if we five are together, we shall easily travel through

the wide world.’ So he went with him, and, not long afterwards, they met

a man who wore a little hat, but he had it slouched over one ear.

‘Manners, manners!’ said the master to him; ‘don’t hang your hat over

one ear; you look like a madman!’

‘I dare not,’ said the other, ‘for if I were to put my hat on straight,

there would come such a frost that the very birds in the sky would

freeze and fall dead on the earth.’

‘Oh, go with me,’ said the master; ‘if we six are together, we shall

easily travel through the wide world.

Now the Six came to a town in which the King had proclaimed that whoever

should run with his daughter in a race, and win, should become her

husband; but if he lost, he must lose his head. This was reported to

the man who declared he would compete, ‘but,’ he said, ‘I shall let my

servant run for me.’

The King replied, ‘Then both your heads must be staked, and your head

and his must be guaranteed for the winner.’

When this was agreed upon and settled, the man strapped on the runner’s

other leg, saying to him, ‘Now be nimble, and see that we win!’ It was

arranged that whoever should first bring water out of a stream a long

way off, should be the victor. Then the runner got a pitcher, and the

King’s daughter another, and they began to run at the same time; but in

a moment, when the King’s daughter was only just a little way off,

no spectator could see the runner, and it seemed as if the wind had

whistled past. In a short time he reached the stream, filled his

pitcher with water, and turned round again. But, half way home, a great

drowsiness came over him; he put down his pitcher, lay down, and fell

asleep. He had, however, put a horse’s skull which was lying on the

ground, for his pillow, so that he should not be too comfortable and

might soon wake up.

In the meantime the King’s daughter, who could also run well, as well

as an ordinary man could, reached the stream, and hastened back with her

pitcher full of water. When she saw the runner lying there asleep, she

was delighted, and said, ‘My enemy is given into my hands!’ She emptied

his pitcher and ran on.

Everything now would have been lost, if by good luck the hunter had not

been standing on the castle tower and had seen everything with his sharp

eyes.

‘Ah,’ said he, ‘the King’s daughter shall not overreach us;’ and,

loading his gun, he shot so cleverly, that he shot away the horse’s

skull from under the runner’s head, without its hurting him. Then the

runner awoke, jumped up, and saw that his pitcher was empty and the

King’s daughter far ahead. But he did not lose courage, and ran back

to the stream with his pitcher, filled it once more with water, and was

home ten minutes before the King’s daughter arrived.

‘Look,’ said he, ‘I have only just exercised my legs; that was nothing

of a run.’

But the King was angry, and his daughter even more so, that she should

be carried away by a common, discharged soldier. They consulted together

how they could destroy both him and his companions.

‘Then,’ said the King to her, ‘I have found a way. Don’t be frightened;

they shall not come home again.’ He said to them, ‘You must now make

merry together, and eat and drink,’ and he led them into a room which

had a floor of iron; the doors were also of iron, and the windows were

barred with iron. In the room was a table spread with delicious food.

The King said to them, ‘Go in and enjoy yourselves,’ and as soon as

they were inside he had the doors shut and bolted. Then he made the cook

come, and ordered him to keep up a large fire under the room until the

iron was red-hot. The cook did so, and the Six sitting round the table

felt it grow very warm, and they thought this was because of their good

fare; but when the heat became still greater and they wanted to go out,

but found the doors and windows fastened, then they knew that the King

meant them harm and was trying to suffocate them.

‘But he shall not succeed,’ cried he of the little hat, ‘I will make a

frost come which shall make the fire ashamed and die out!’ So he put his

hat on straight, and at once there came such a frost that all the heat

disappeared and the food on the dishes began to freeze. When a couple of

hours had passed, and the King thought they must be quite dead from the

heat, he had the doors opened and went in himself to see.

But when the doors were opened, there stood all Six, alive and well,

saying they were glad they could come out to warm themselves, for the

great cold in the room had frozen all the food hard in the dishes. Then

the King went angrily to the cook, and scolded him, and asked him why he

had not done what he was told.

But the cook answered, ‘There is heat enough there; see for yourself.’

Then the King saw a huge fire burning under the iron room, and

understood that he could do no harm to the Six in this way. The King

now began again to think how he could free himself from his unwelcome

guests. He commanded the master to come before him, and said, ‘If you

will take gold, and give up your right to my daughter, you shall have as

much as you like.’

‘Oh, yes, your Majesty,’ answered he, ‘give me as much as my servant can

carry, and I will give up your daughter.’

The King was delighted, and the man said, ‘I will come and fetch it in

fourteen days.’

Then he called all the tailors in the kingdom together, and made them

sit down for fourteen days sewing at a sack. When it was finished, he

made the strong man who had uprooted the trees take the sack on his

shoulder and go with him to the King. Then the King said, ‘What a

powerful fellow that is, carrying that bale of linen as large as a house

on his shoulder!’ and he was much frightened, and thought ‘What a lot of

gold he will make away with!’ Then he had a ton of gold brought, which

sixteen of the strongest men had to carry; but the strong man seized it

with one hand, put it in the sack, saying, ‘Why don’t you bring me more?

That scarcely covers the bottom!’ Then the King had to send again and

again to fetch his treasures, which the strong man shoved into the sack,

and the sack was only half full.

‘Bring more,’ he cried, ‘these crumbs don’t fill it.’ So seven thousand

waggons of the gold of the whole kingdom were driven up; these the

strong man shoved into the sack, oxen and all.

‘I will no longer be particular,’ he said, ‘and will take what comes, so

that the sack shall be full.’

When everything was put in and there was not yet enough, he said, ‘I

will make an end of this; it is easy to fasten a sack when it is not

full.’ Then he threw it on his back and went with his companions.

Now, when the King saw how a single man was carrying away the wealth

of the whole country he was very angry, and made his cavalry mount

and pursue the Six, and bring back the strong man with the sack. Two

regiments soon overtook them, and called to them, ‘You are prisoners!

lay down the sack of gold or you shall be cut down.’

‘What do you say?’ said the blower, ‘we are prisoners? Before that, you

shall dance in the air!’ And he held one nostril and blew with the other

at the two regiments; they were separated and blown away in the blue sky

over the mountains, one this way, and the other that. A sergeant-major

cried for mercy, saying he had nine wounds, and was a brave fellow, and

did not deserve this disgrace. So the blower let him off, and he came

down without hurt. Then he said to him, ‘Now go home to the King, and

say that if he sends any more cavalry I will blow them all into the

air.’

When the King received the message, he said, ‘Let the fellows go; they

are bewitched.’ Then the Six brought the treasure home, shared it among

themselves, and lived contentedly till the end of their days.

THE WIZARD KING(14)

(14) From Les fees illustres.

In very ancient times there lived a King, whose power lay not only in

the vast extent of his dominions, but also in the magic secrets of which

he was master. After spending the greater part of his early youth in

pleasure, he met a Princess of such remarkable beauty that he at once

asked her hand in marriage, and, having obtained it, considered himself

the happiest of men.

After a year’s time a son was born, worthy in every way of such

distinguished parents, and much admired by the whole Court. As soon as

the Queen thought him strong enough for a journey she set out with him

secretly to visit her Fairy godmother. I said secretly, because the

Fairy had warned the Queen that the King was a magician; and as from

time immemorial there had been a standing feud between the Fairies and

the Wizards, he might not have approved of his wife’s visit.

The Fairy godmother, who took the deepest interest in all the Queen’s

concerns, and who was much pleased with the little Prince, endowed him

with the power of pleasing everybody from his cradle, as well as with

a wonderful ease in learning everything which could help to make him

a perfectly accomplished Prince. Accordingly, to the delight of his

teachers, he made the most rapid progress in his education, constantly

surpassing everyone’s expectations. Before he was many years old,

however, he had the great sorrow of losing his mother, whose last words

were to advise him never to undertake anything of importance without

consulting the Fairy under whose protection she had placed him.

The Prince’s grief at the death of his mother was great, but it

was nothing compared to that of the King, his father, who was quite

inconsolable for the loss of his dear wife. Neither time nor reason

seemed to lighten his sorrow, and the sight of all the familiar faces

and things about him only served to remind him of his loss. He therefore

resolved to travel for change, and by means of his magic art was able

to visit every country he came to see under different shapes, returning

every few weeks to the place where he had left a few followers.

Having travelled from land to land in this fashion without finding

anything to rivet his attention, it occurred to him to take the form of

an eagle, and in this shape he flew across many countries and arrived

at length in a new and lovely spot, where the air seemed filled with the

scent of jessamine and orange flowers with which the ground was thickly

planted. Attracted by the sweet perfume he flew lower, and perceived

some large and beautiful gardens filled with the rarest flowers, and

with fountains throwing up their clear waters into the air in a hundred

different shapes. A wide stream flowed through the garden, and on it

floated richly ornamented barges and gondolas filled with people dressed

in the most elegant manner and covered with jewels.

In one of these barges sat the Queen of that country with her only

daughter, a maiden more beautiful than the Day Star, and attended by

the ladies of the Court. No more exquisitely lovely mortal was ever seen

than this Princess, and it needed all an eagle’s strength of sight to

prevent the King being hopelessly dazzled. He perched on the top of a

large orange tree, whence he was able to survey the scene and to gaze at

pleasure on the Princess’s charms.

Now, an eagle with a King’s heart in his breast is apt to be bold,

and accordingly he instantly made up his mind to carry off the lovely

damsel, feeling sure that having once seen her he could not live without

her.

He waited till he saw her in the act of stepping ashore, when, suddenly

swooping down, he carried her off before her equerry in attendance had

advanced to offer her his hand. The Princess, on finding herself in an

eagle’s talons, uttered the most heart-breaking shrieks and cries; but

her captor, though touched by her distress, would not abandon his lovely

prey, and continued to fly through the air too fast to allow of his

saying anything to comfort her.

At length, when he thought they had reached a safe distance, he began

to lower his flight, and gradually descending to earth, deposited

his burden in a flowery meadow. He then entreated her pardon for his

violence, and told her that he was about to carry her to a great kingdom

over which he ruled, and where he desired she should rule with him,

adding many tender and consoling expressions.

For some time the Princess remained speechless; but recovering herself

a little, she burst into a flood of tears. The King, much moved, said,

‘Adorable Princess, dry your tears. I implore you. My only wish is to

make you the happiest person in the world.’

‘If you speak truth, my lord,’ replied the Princess, ‘restore to me the

liberty you have deprived me of. Otherwise I can only look on you as my

worst enemy.’

The King retorted that her opposition filled him with despair, but that

he hoped to carry her to a place where all around would respect her, and

where every pleasure would surround her. So saying, he seized her once

more, and in spite of all her cries he rapidly bore her off to the

neighbourhood of his capital. Here he gently placed her on a lawn, and

as he did so she saw a magnificent palace spring up at her feet. The

architecture was imposing, and in the interior the rooms were handsome

and furnished in the best possible taste.

The Princess, who expected to be quite alone, was pleased at finding

herself surrounded by a number of pretty girls, all anxious to wait on

her, whilst a brilliantly-coloured parrot said the most agreeable things

in the world.

On arriving at this palace the King had resumed his own form, and

though no longer young, he might well have pleased any other than this

Princess, who had been so prejudiced against him by his violence that

she could only regard him with feelings of hatred, which she was at

no pains to conceal. The King hoped, however, that time might not only

soften her anger, but accustom her to his sight. He took the precaution

of surrounding the palace with a dense cloud, and then hastened to his

Court, where his prolonged absence was causing much anxiety.

The Prince and all the courtiers were delighted to see their beloved

King again, but they had to submit themselves to more frequent absences

than ever on his part. He made business a pretext for shutting himself

up in his study, but it was really in order to spend the time with the

Princess, who remained inflexible.

Not being able to imagine what could be the cause of so much obstinacy

the King began to fear, lest, in spite of all his precautions, she might

have heard of the charms of the Prince his son, whose goodness, youth

and beauty, made him adored at Court. This idea made him horribly

uneasy, and he resolved to remove the cause of his fears by sending the

Prince on his travels escorted by a magnificent retinue.

The Prince, after visiting several Courts, arrived at the one where the

lost Princess was still deeply mourned. The King and Queen received him

most graciously, and some festivities were revived to do him honour.

One day when the Prince was visiting the Queen in her own apartments he

was much struck by a most beautiful portrait. He eagerly inquired whose

it was, and the Queen, with many tears, told him it was all that was

left her of her beloved daughter, who had suddenly been carried off, she

knew neither where nor how.

The Prince was deeply moved, and vowed that he would search the world

for the Princess, and take no rest till he had found and restored her to

her mother’s arms. The Queen assured him of her eternal gratitude,

and promised, should he succeed, to give him her daughter in marriage,

together with all the estates she herself owned.

The Prince, far more attracted by the thoughts of possessing the

Princess than her promised dower, set forth in his quest after taking

leave of the King and Queen, the latter giving him a miniature of her

daughter which she was in the habit of wearing. His first act was

to seek the Fairy under whose protection he had been placed, and he

implored her to give him all the assistance of her art and counsel in

this important matter.

After listening attentively to the whole adventure, the Fairy asked

for time to consult her books. After due consideration she informed the

Prince that the object of his search was not far distant, but that it

was too difficult for him to attempt to enter the enchanted palace where

she was, as the King his father had surrounded it with a thick cloud,

and that the only expedient she could think of would be to gain

possession of the Princess’s parrot. This, she added, did not

appear impossible, as it often flew about to some distance in the

neighbourhood.

Having told the Prince all this, the Fairy went out in hopes of seeing

the parrot, and soon returned with the bird in her hand. She promptly

shut it up in a cage, and, touching the Prince with her wand,

transformed him into an exactly similar parrot; after which, she

instructed him how to reach the Princess.

The Prince reached the palace in safety, but was so dazzled at first by

the Princess’s beauty, which far surpassed his expectations, that he

was quite dumb for a time. The Princess was surprised and anxious, and

fearing the parrot, who was her greatest comfort, had fallen ill, she

took him in her hand and caressed him. This soon reassured the Prince,

and encouraged him to play his part well, and he began to say a thousand

agreeable things which charmed the Princess.

Presently the King appeared, and the parrot noticed with joy how much

he was disliked. As soon as the King left, the Princess retired to her

dressing-room, the parrot flew after her and overheard her lamentations

at the continued persecutions of the King, who had pressed her to

consent to their marriage. The parrot said so many clever and tender

things to comfort her that she began to doubt whether this could indeed

be her own parrot.

When he saw her well-disposed towards him, he exclaimed: ‘Madam, I

have a most important secret to confide to you, and I beg you not to be

alarmed by what I am about to say. I am here on behalf of the Queen your

mother, with the object of delivering your Highness; to prove which,

behold this portrait which she gave me herself.’ So saying he drew forth

the miniature from under his wing. The Princess’s surprise was great,

but after what she had seen and heard it was impossible not to indulge

in hope, for she had recognised the likeness of herself which her mother

always wore.

The parrot, finding she was not much alarmed, told her who he was, all

that her mother had promised him and the help he had already received

from a Fairy who had assured him that she would give him means to

transport the Princess to her mother’s arms.

When he found her listening attentively to him, he implored the Princess

to allow him to resume his natural shape. She did not speak, so he drew

a feather from his wing, and she beheld before her a Prince of such

surpassing beauty that it was impossible not to hope that she might owe

her liberty to so charming a person.

Meantime the Fairy had prepared a chariot, to which she harnessed two

powerful eagles; then placing the cage, with the parrot in it,

she charged the bird to conduct it to the window of the Princess’s

dressing-room. This was done in a few minutes, and the Princess,

stepping into the chariot with the Prince, was delighted to find her

parrot again.

As they rose through the air the Princess remarked a figure mounted on

an eagle’s back flying in front of the chariot. She was rather alarmed,

but the Prince reassured her, telling her it was the good Fairy to

whom she owed so much, and who was now conducting her in safety to her

mother.

That same morning the King woke suddenly from a troubled sleep. He

had dreamt that the Princess was being carried off from him, and,

transforming himself into an eagle, he flew to the palace. When he

failed to find her he flew into a terrible rage, and hastened home to

consult his books, by which means he discovered that it was his son

who had deprived him of this precious treasure. Immediately he took the

shape of a harpy, and, filled with rage, was determined to devour his

son, and even the Princess too, if only he could overtake them.

He set out at full speed; but he started too late, and was further

delayed by a strong wind which the Fairy raised behind the young couple

so as to baffle any pursuit.

You may imagine the rapture with which the Queen received the daughter

she had given up for lost, as well as the amiable Prince who had rescued

her. The Fairy entered with them, and warned the Queen that the Wizard

King would shortly arrive, infuriated by his loss, and that nothing

could preserve the Prince and Princess from his rage and magic unless

they were actually married.

The Queen hastened to inform the King her husband, and the wedding took

place on the spot.

As the ceremony was completed the Wizard King arrived. His despair at

being so late bewildered him so entirely that he appeared in his natural

form and attempted to sprinkle some black liquid over the bride and

bridegroom, which was intended to kill them, but the Fairy stretched out

her wand and the liquid dropped on the Magician himself. He fell down

senseless, and the Princess’s father, deeply offended at the cruel

revenge which had been attempted, ordered him to be removed and locked

up in prison.

Now as magicians lose all their power as soon as they are in prison, the

King felt himself much embarrassed at being thus at the mercy of

those he had so greatly offended. The Prince implored and obtained his

father’s pardon, and the prison doors were opened.

No sooner was this done than the Wizard King was seen in the air under

the form of some unknown bird, exclaiming as he flew off that he would

never forgive either his son or the Fairy the cruel wrong they had done

him.

Everyone entreated the Fairy to settle in the kingdom where she now was,

to which she consented. She built herself a magnificent palace, to which

she transported her books and fairy secrets, and where she enjoyed the

sight of the perfect happiness she had helped to bestow on the entire

royal family.

THE NIXY(15)

(15) From the German. Kletke.

There was once upon a time a miller who was very well off, and had as

much money and as many goods as he knew what to do with. But sorrow

comes in the night, and the miller all of a sudden became so poor

that at last he could hardly call the mill in which he sat his own. He

wandered about all day full of despair and misery, and when he lay down

at night he could get no rest, but lay awake all night sunk in sorrowful

thoughts.

One morning he rose up before dawn and went outside, for he thought his

heart would be lighter in the open air. As he wandered up and down on

the banks of the mill-pond he heard a rustling in the water, and when he

looked near he saw a white woman rising up from the waves.

He realised at once that this could be none other than the nixy of the

mill-pond, and in his terror he didn’t know if he should fly away or

remain where he was. While he hesitated the nixy spoke, called him by

his name, and asked him why he was so sad.

When the miller heard how friendly her tone was, he plucked up heart and

told her how rich and prosperous he had been all his life up till now,

when he didn’t know what he was to do for want and misery.

Then the nixy spoke comforting words to him, and promised that she would

make him richer and more prosperous than he had ever been in his life

before, if he would give her in return the youngest thing in his house.

The miller thought she must mean one of his puppies or kittens, so

promised the nixy at once what she asked, and returned to his mill full

of hope. On the threshold he was greeted by a servant with the news that

his wife had just given birth to a boy.

The poor miller was much horrified by these tidings, and went in to

his wife with a heavy heart to tell her and his relations of the fatal

bargain he had just struck with the nixy. ‘I would gladly give up all

the good fortune she promised me,’ he said, ‘if I could only save my

child.’ But no one could think of any advice to give him, beyond taking

care that the child never went near the mill-pond.

So the boy throve and grew big, and in the meantime all prospered with

the miller, and in a few years he was richer than he had ever been

before. But all the same he did not enjoy his good fortune, for he could

not forget his compact with the nixy, and he knew that sooner or later

she would demand his fulfilment of it. But year after year went by, and

the boy grew up and became a great hunter, and the lord of the land took

him into his service, for he was as smart and bold a hunter as you would

wish to see. In a short time he married a pretty young wife, and lived

with her in great peace and happiness.

One day when he was out hunting a hare sprang up at his feet, and ran

for some way in front of him in the open field. The hunter pursued it

hotly for some time, and at last shot it dead. Then he proceeded to

skin it, never noticing that he was close to the mill-pond, which from

childhood up he had been taught to avoid. He soon finished the skinning,

and went to the water to wash the blood off his hands. He had hardly

dipped them in the pond when the nixy rose up in the water, and seizing

him in her wet arms she dragged him down with her under the waves.

When the hunter did not come home in the evening his wife grew very

anxious, and when his game bag was found close to the mill-pond she

guessed at once what had befallen him. She was nearly beside herself

with grief, and roamed round and round the pond calling on her husband

without ceasing. At last, worn out with sorrow and fatigue, she fell

asleep and dreamt that she was wandering along a flowery meadow, when

she came to a hut where she found an old witch, who promised to restore

her husband to her.

When she awoke next morning she determined to set out and find the

witch; so she wandered on for many a day, and at last she reached the

flowery meadow and found the hut where the old witch lived. The poor

wife told her all that had happened and how she had been told in a dream

of the witch’s power to help her.

The witch counselled her to go to the pond the first time there was a

full moon, and to comb her black hair with a golden comb, and then to

place the comb on the bank. The hunter’s wife gave the witch a handsome

present, thanked her heartily, and returned home.

Time dragged heavily till the time of the full moon, but it passed at

last, and as soon as it rose the young wife went to the pond, combed

her black hair with a golden comb, and when she had finished, placed the

comb on the bank; then she watched the water impatiently. Soon she heard

a rushing sound, and a big wave rose suddenly and swept the comb off the

bank, and a minute after the head of her husband rose from the pond and

gazed sadly at her. But immediately another wave came, and the head sank

back into the water without having said a word. The pond lay still and

motionless, glittering in the moonshine, and the hunter’s wife was not a

bit better off than she had been before.

In despair she wandered about for days and nights, and at last, worn out

by fatigue, she sank once more into a deep sleep, and dreamt exactly the

same dream about the old witch. So next morning she went again to the

flowery meadow and sought the witch in her hut, and told her of her

grief. The old woman counselled her to go to the mill-pond the next

full moon and play upon a golden flute, and then to lay the flute on the

bank.

As soon as the next moon was full the hunter’s wife went to the

mill-pond, played on a golden flute, and when she had finished placed it

on the bank. Then a rushing sound was heard, and a wave swept the flute

off the bank, and soon the head of the hunter appeared and rose up

higher and higher till he was half out of the water. Then he gazed sadly

at his wife and stretched out his arms towards her. But another rushing

wave arose and dragged him under once more. The hunter’s wife, who had

stood on the bank full of joy and hope, sank into despair when she saw

her husband snatched away again before her eyes.

But for her comfort she dreamt the same dream a third time, and betook

herself once more to the old witch’s hut in the flowery meadow. This

time the old woman told her to go the next full moon to the mill-pond,

and to spin there with a golden spinning-wheel, and then to leave the

spinning-wheel on the bank.

The hunter’s wife did as she was advised, and the first night the moon

was full she sat and spun with a golden spinning-wheel, and then left

the wheel on the bank. In a few minutes a rushing sound was heard in the

waters, and a wave swept the spinning-wheel from the bank. Immediately

the head of the hunter rose up from the pond, getting higher and higher

each moment, till at length he stepped on to the bank and fell on his

wife’s neck.

But the waters of the pond rose up suddenly, overflowed the bank where

the couple stood, and dragged them under the flood. In her despair the

young wife called on the old witch to help her, and in a moment the

hunter was turned into a frog and his wife into a toad. But they were

not able to remain together, for the water tore them apart, and when the

flood was over they both resumed their own shapes again, but the hunter

and the hunter’s wife found themselves each in a strange country, and

neither knew what had become of the other.

The hunter determined to become a shepherd, and his wife too became a

shepherdess. So they herded their sheep for many years in solitude and

sadness.

Now it happened once that the shepherd came to the country where the

shepherdess lived. The neighbourhood pleased him, and he saw that the

pasture was rich and suitable for his flocks. So he brought his sheep

there, and herded them as before. The shepherd and shepherdess became

great friends, but they did not recognise each other in the least.

But one evening when the moon was full they sat together watching their

flocks, and the shepherd played upon his flute. Then the shepherdess

thought of that evening when she had sat at the full moon by the

mill-pond and had played on the golden flute; the recollection was too

much for her, and she burst into tears. The shepherd asked her why she

was crying, and left her no peace till she told him all her story. Then

the scales fell from the shepherd’s eyes, and he recognised his wife,

and she him. So they returned joyfully to their own home, and lived in

peace and happiness ever after.

THE GLASS MOUNTAIN(16)

(16) From the Polish. Kletke.

Once upon a time there was a Glass Mountain at the top of which stood

a castle made of pure gold, and in front of the castle there grew an

apple-tree on which there were golden apples.

Anyone who picked an apple gained admittance into the golden castle, and

there in a silver room sat an enchanted Princess of surpassing fairness

and beauty. She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for the cellars of

the castle were full of precious stones, and great chests of the finest

gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.

Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in vain

they attempted to climb the mountain. In spite of having their horses

shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than half-way up, and

then they all fell back right down to the bottom of the steep slippery

hill. Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a leg, and many a brave man

had broken his neck even.

The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold knights

trying to reach her on their splendid horses. The sight of her always

gave men fresh courage, and they flocked from the four quarters of the

globe to attempt the work of rescuing her. But all in vain, and for

seven years the Princess had sat now and waited for some one to scale

the Glass Mountain.

A heap of corpses both of riders and horses lay round the mountain, and

many dying men lay groaning there unable to go any farther with their

wounded limbs. The whole neighbourhood had the appearance of a vast

churchyard. In three more days the seven years would be at an end,

when a knight in golden armour and mounted on a spirited steed was seen

making his way towards the fatal hill.

Sticking his spurs into his horse he made a rush at the mountain, and

got up half-way, then he calmly turned his horse’s head and came down

again without a slip or stumble. The following day he started in the

same way; the horse trod on the glass as if it had been level earth,

and sparks of fire flew from its hoofs. All the other knights gazed in

astonishment, for he had almost gained the summit, and in another moment

he would have reached the apple-tree; but of a sudden a huge eagle rose

up and spread its mighty wings, hitting as it did so the knight’s horse

in the eye.

The beast shied, opened its wide nostrils and tossed its mane, then

rearing high up in the air, its hind feet slipped and it fell with its

rider down the steep mountain side. Nothing was left of either of them

except their bones, which rattled in the battered golden armour like dry

peas in a pod.

And now there was only one more day before the close of the seven years.

Then there arrived on the scene a mere schoolboy--a merry, happy-hearted

youth, but at the same time strong and well-grown. He saw how many

knights had broken their necks in vain, but undaunted he approached the

steep mountain on foot and began the ascent.

For long he had heard his parents speak of the beautiful Princess who

sat in the golden castle at the top of the Glass Mountain. He listened

to all he heard, and determined that he too would try his luck. But

first he went to the forest and caught a lynx, and cutting off the

creature’s sharp claws, he fastened them on to his own hands and feet.

Armed with these weapons he boldly started up the Glass Mountain.

The sun was nearly going down, and the youth had not got more than

half-way up. He could hardly draw breath he was so worn out, and his

mouth was parched by thirst. A huge black cloud passed over his head,

but in vain did he beg and beseech her to let a drop of water fall on

him. He opened his mouth, but the black cloud sailed past and not as

much as a drop of dew moistened his dry lips.

His feet were torn and bleeding, and he could only hold on now with his

hands. Evening closed in, and he strained his eyes to see if he could

behold the top of the mountain. Then he gazed beneath him, and what a

sight met his eyes! A yawning abyss, with certain and terrible death at

the bottom, reeking with half-decayed bodies of horses and riders! And

this had been the end of all the other brave men who like himself had

attempted the ascent.

It was almost pitch dark now, and only the stars lit up the Glass

Mountain. The poor boy still clung on as if glued to the glass by his

blood-stained hands. He made no struggle to get higher, for all his

strength had left him, and seeing no hope he calmly awaited death.

Then all of a sudden he fell into a deep sleep, and forgetful of his

dangerous position, he slumbered sweetly. But all the same, although he

slept, he had stuck his sharp claws so firmly into the glass that he was

quite safe not to fall.

Now the golden apple-tree was guarded by the eagle which had overthrown

the golden knight and his horse. Every night it flew round the Glass

Mountain keeping a careful look-out, and no sooner had the moon emerged

from the clouds than the bird rose up from the apple-tree, and circling

round in the air, caught sight of the sleeping youth.

Greedy for carrion, and sure that this must be a fresh corpse, the bird

swooped down upon the boy. But he was awake now, and perceiving the

eagle, he determined by its help to save himself.

The eagle dug its sharp claws into the tender flesh of the youth, but he

bore the pain without a sound, and seized the bird’s two feet with his

hands. The creature in terror lifted him high up into the air and began

to circle round the tower of the castle. The youth held on bravely. He

saw the glittering palace, which by the pale rays of the moon looked

like a dim lamp; and he saw the high windows, and round one of them a

balcony in which the beautiful Princess sat lost in sad thoughts. Then

the boy saw that he was close to the apple-tree, and drawing a small

knife from his belt, he cut off both the eagle’s feet. The bird rose up

in the air in its agony and vanished into the clouds, and the youth fell

on to the broad branches of the apple-tree.

Then he drew out the claws of the eagle’s feet that had remained in his

flesh, and put the peel of one of the golden apples on the wound, and

in one moment it was healed and well again. He pulled several of the

beautiful apples and put them in his pocket; then he entered the castle.

The door was guarded by a great dragon, but as soon as he threw an apple

at it, the beast vanished.

At the same moment a gate opened, and the youth perceived a courtyard

full of flowers and beautiful trees, and on a balcony sat the lovely

enchanted Princess with her retinue.

As soon as she saw the youth, she ran towards him and greeted him as her

husband and master. She gave him all her treasures, and the youth became

a rich and mighty ruler. But he never returned to the earth, for only

the mighty eagle, who had been the guardian of the Princess and of the

castle, could have carried on his wings the enormous treasure down to

the world. But as the eagle had lost its feet it died, and its body was

found in a wood on the Glass Mountain.

. . . . . . .

One day when the youth was strolling about in the palace garden with the

Princess, his wife, he looked down over the edge of the Glass Mountain

and saw to his astonishment a great number of people gathered there. He

blew his silver whistle, and the swallow who acted as messenger in the

golden castle flew past.

‘Fly down and ask what the matter is,’ he said to the little bird, who

sped off like lightning and soon returned saying:

‘The blood of the eagle has restored all the people below to life. All

those who have perished on this mountain are awakening up to-day, as

it were from a sleep, and are mounting their horses, and the whole

population are gazing on this unheard-of wonder with joy and amazement.’