Chương Chương 134 · The Donkey

. The Donkey

Once on a time there lived a King and a Queen, who were rich, and had

everything they wanted, but no children. The Queen lamented over this

day and night, and said, “I am like a field on which nothing grows.” At

last God gave her her wish, but when the child came into the world, it

did not look like a human child, but was a little donkey. When the

mother saw that, her lamentations and outcries began in real earnest;

she said she would far rather have had no child at all than have a

donkey, and that they were to throw it into the water that the fishes

might devour it. But the King said, “No, since God has sent him he

shall be my son and heir, and after my death sit on the royal throne,

and wear the kingly crown.” The donkey, therefore, was brought up and

grew bigger, and his ears grew up beautifully high and straight. He

was, however, of a merry disposition, jumped about, played and had

especial pleasure in music, so that he went to a celebrated musician

and said, “Teach me thine art, that I may play the lute as well as thou

dost.” “Ah, dear little master,” answered the musician, “that would

come very hard to you, your fingers are certainly not suited to it, and

are far too big. I am afraid the strings would not last.” No excuses

were of any use. The donkey was determined to play the lute; he was

persevering and industrious, and at last learnt to do it as well as the

master himself. The young lordling once went out walking full of

thought and came to a well, he looked into it and in the mirror-clear

water saw his donkey’s form. He was so distressed about it, that he

went out into the wide world and only took with him one faithful

companion. They travelled up and down, and at last they came into a

kingdom where an old King reigned who had an only but wonderfully

beautiful daughter. The donkey said, “Here we will stay,” knocked at

the gate, and cried, “A guest is without open, that he may enter.” As,

however, the gate was not opened, he sat down, took his lute and played

it in the most delightful manner with his two fore-feet. Then the

door-keeper opened his eyes most wonderfully wide, and ran to the King

and said, “Outside by the gate sits a young donkey which plays the lute

as well as an experienced master!” “Then let the musician come to me,”

said the King. When, however, a donkey came in, every one began to

laugh at the lute-player. And now the donkey was asked to sit down and

eat with the servants. He, however, was unwilling, and said, “I am no

common stable-ass, I am a noble one.” Then they said, “If that is what

thou art, seat thyself with the men of war.” “No,” said he, “I will sit

by the King.” The King smiled, and said good-humouredly, “Yes, it shall

be as thou wilt, little ass, come here to me.” Then he asked, “Little

ass, how does my daughter please thee?” The donkey turned his head

towards her, looked at her, nodded and said, “I like her above measure,

I have never yet seen anyone so beautiful as she is.” “Well, then, thou

shalt sit next her too,” said the King. “That is exactly what I wish,”

said the donkey, and he placed himself by her side, ate and drank, and

knew how to behave himself daintily and cleanly. When the noble beast

had stayed a long time at the King’s court, he thought, “What good does

all this do me, I shall still have to go home again?” let his head hang

sadly, and went to the King and asked for his dismissal. But the King

had grown fond of him, and said, “Little ass, what ails thee? Thou

lookest as sour as a jug of vinegar, I will give thee what thou

wantest. Dost thou want gold?” “No,” said the donkey, and shook his

head. “Dost thou want jewels and rich dress?” “No.” “Dost thou wish for

half my kingdom?” “Indeed, no.” Then said the King, “if I did but know

what would make thee content. Wilt thou have my pretty daughter to

wife?” “Ah, yes,” said the ass, “I should indeed like her,” and all at

once he became quite merry and full of happiness, for that was exactly

what he was wishing for. So a great and splendid wedding was held. In

the evening, when the bride and bridegroom were led into their

bed-room, the King wanted to know if the ass would behave well, and

ordered a servant to hide himself there. When they were both within,

the bridegroom bolted the door, looked around, and as he believed that

they were quite alone, he suddenly threw off his ass’s skin, and stood

there in the form of a handsome royal youth. “Now,” said he, “thou

seest who I am, and seest also that I am not unworthy of thee.” Then

the bride was glad, and kissed him, and loved him dearly. When morning

came, he jumped up, put his animal’s skin on again, and no one could

have guessed what kind of a form was hidden beneath it. Soon came the

old King, “Ah,” cried he, “is the little ass merry? But surely thou art

sad?” said he to his daughter, “that thou hast not got a proper man for

thy husband?” “Oh, no, dear father, I love him as well as if he were

the handsomest in the world, and I will keep him as long as I live.”

The King was surprised, but the servant who had concealed himself came

and revealed everything to him. The King said, “That cannot be true.”

“Then watch yourself the next night, and you will see it with your own

eyes; and hark you, lord King, if you were to take his skin away and

throw it in the fire, he would be forced to show himself in his true

shape.” “Thy advice is good,” said the King, and at night when they

were asleep, he stole in, and when he got to the bed he saw by the

light of the moon a noble-looking youth lying there, and the skin lay

stretched on the ground. So he took it away, and had a great fire

lighted outside, and threw the skin into it, and remained by it himself

until it was all burnt to ashes. As, however, he was anxious to know

how the robbed man would behave himself, he stayed awake the whole

night and watched. When the youth had slept his sleep out, he got up by

the first light of morning, and wanted to put on the ass’s skin, but it

was not to be found. On this he was alarmed, and, full of grief and

anxiety, said, “Now I shall have to contrive to escape.” But when he

went out, there stood the King, who said, “My son, whither away in such

haste? what hast thou in mind? Stay here, thou art such a handsome man,

thou shalt not go away from me. I will now give thee half my kingdom,

and after my death thou shalt have the whole of it.” “Then I hope that

what begins so well may end well, and I will stay with you,” said the

youth. And the old man gave him half the kingdom, and in a year’s time,

when he died, the youth had the whole, and after the death of his

father he had another kingdom as well, and lived in all magnificence.