One day, whilst passing near a fountain in the garden, she noticed
that the sun’s rays fell on the water in such a manner as to produce a
brilliant rainbow. She stood still to admire it, when, to her great
surprise, she heard a voice addressing her which seemed to come from
the centre of its rays. The voice was that of a young man, and its
sweetness of tone and the agreeable things it uttered, led one to
infer that its owner must be equally charming; but this had to be a
mere matter of fancy, for no one was visible.
The beautiful Rainbow informed Fairer-than-a-Fairy that he was young,
the son of a powerful king, and that the Fairy, Lagree, who owed his
parents a grudge, had revenged herself by depriving him of his natural
shape for some years; that she had imprisoned him in the palace, where
he had found his confinement hard to bear for some time, but now, he
owned, he no longer sighed for freedom since he had seen and learned
to love Fairer-than-a-Fairy.
He added many other tender speeches to this declaration, and the
Princess, to whom such remarks were a new experience, could not help
feeling pleased and touched by his attentions.
The Prince could only appear or speak under the form of a Rainbow, and
it was therefore necessary that the sun should shine on water so as to
enable the rays to form themselves.
Fairer-than-a-Fairy lost no moment in which she could meet her lover,
and they enjoyed many long and interesting interviews. One day,
however, their conversation became so absorbing and time passed so
quickly that the Princess forgot to attend to the fire, and it went
out. Lagree, on her return, soon found out the neglect, and seemed
only too pleased to have the opportunity of showing her spite to her
lovely prisoner. She ordered Fairer-than-a-Fairy to start next day at
dawn to ask Locrinos for fire with which to relight the one she had
allowed to go out.
Now this Locrinos was a cruel monster who devoured everyone he came
across, and especially enjoyed a chance of catching and eating any
young girls. Our heroine obeyed with great sweetness, and without
having been able to take leave of her lover she set off to go to
Locrinos as to certain death. As she was crossing a wood a bird sang
to her to pick up a shining pebble which she would find in a fountain
close by, and to use it when needed. She took the bird’s advice, and
in due time arrived at the house of Locrinos. Luckily she only found
his wife at home, who was much struck by the Princess’s youth and
beauty and sweet gentle manners, and still further impressed by the
present of the shining pebble.
She readily let Fairer-than-a-Fairy have the fire, and in return for
the stone she gave her another, which, she said, might prove useful
some day. Then she sent her away without doing her any harm.
Lagree was as much surprised as displeased at the happy result of this
expedition, and Fairer-than-a-Fairy waited anxiously for an
opportunity of meeting Prince Rainbow and telling him her adventures.
She found, however, that he had already been told all about them by a
Fairy who protected him, and to whom he was related.
The dread of fresh dangers to his beloved Princess made him devise
some more convenient way of meeting than by the garden fountain, and
Fairer-than-a-Fairy carried out his plan daily with entire success.
Every morning she placed a large basin full of water on her
window-sill, and as soon as the sun’s rays fell on the water the
Rainbow appeared as clearly as it had ever done in the fountain. By
this means they were able to meet without losing sight of the fire or
of the two bottles in which the old Fairy kept her eye and her tooth
at night, and for some time the lovers enjoyed every hour of sunshine
together.
One day Prince Rainbow appeared in the depths of woe. He had just
heard that he was to be banished from this lovely spot, but he had no
idea where he was to go. The poor young couple were in despair, and
only parted with the last ray of sunshine, and in hopes of meeting
next morning. Alas! next day was dark and gloomy, and it was only late
in the afternoon that the sun broke through the clouds for a few
minutes.
Fairer-than-a-Fairy eagerly ran to the window, but in her haste she
upset the basin, and spilt all the water with which she had carefully
filled it overnight. No other water was at hand except that in the two
bottles. It was the only chance of seeing her lover before they were
separated, and she did not hesitate to break the bottle and pour their
contents into the basin, when the Rainbow appeared at once. Their
farewells were full of tenderness; the Prince made the most ardent and
sincere protestations, and promised to neglect nothing which might
help to deliver his dear Fairer-than-a-Fairy from her captivity, and
implored her to consent to their marriage as soon as they should both
be free. The Princess, on her side, vowed to have no other husband,
and declared herself willing to brave death itself in order to rejoin
him.
They were not allowed much time for their adieus; the Rainbow
vanished, and the Princess, resolved to run all risks, started off at
once, taking nothing with her but her dog, her cat, a sprig of myrtle,
and the stone which the wife of Locrinos gave her.
When Lagree became aware of her prisoner’s flight she was furious, and
set off at full speed in pursuit. She overtook her just as the poor
girl, overcome by fatigue, had lain down to rest in a cave which the
stone had formed itself into to shelter her. The little dog who was
watching her mistress promptly flew at Lagree and bit her so severely
that she stumbled against a corner of the cave and broke off her only
tooth. Before she had recovered from the pain and rage this caused
her, the Princess had time to escape, and was some way on her road.
Fear gave her strength for some time, but at last she could go no
further, and sank down to rest. As she did so, the sprig of myrtle she
carried touched the ground, and immediately a green and shady bower
sprang up round her, in which she hoped to sleep in peace.
[Illustration: Fairer-than-a-Fairy Summons the Rainbow.]
But Lagree had not given up her pursuit, and arrived just as
Fairer-than-a-Fairy had fallen fast asleep. This time she made sure of
catching her victim, but the cat spied her out, and, springing from
one of the boughs of the arbour she flew at Lagree’s face and tore out
her only eye, thus delivering the Princess for ever from her
persecutor.
One might have thought that all would now be well, but no sooner had
Lagree been put to flight than our heroine was overwhelmed with hunger
and thirst. She felt as though she should certainly expire, and it was
with some difficulty that she dragged herself as far as a pretty
little green and white house, which stood at no great distance. Here
she was received by a beautiful lady dressed in green and white to
match the house, which apparently belonged to her, and of which she
seemed the only inhabitant.
She greeted the fainting Princess most kindly, gave her an excellent
supper, and after a long night’s rest in a delightful bed told her
that after many troubles she should finally attain her desire.
As the green and white lady took leave of the Princess she gave her a
nut, desiring her only to open it in the most urgent need.
After a long and tiring journey Fairer-than-a-Fairy was once more
received in a house, and by a lady exactly like the one she had
quitted. Here again she received a present with the same injunctions,
but instead of a nut this lady gave her a golden pomegranate. The
mournful Princess had to continue her weary way, and after many
troubles and hardships she again found rest and shelter in a third
house exactly similar to the two others.
These houses belonged to three sisters, all endowed with fairy gifts,
and all so alike in mind and person that they wished their houses and
garments to be equally alike. Their occupation consisted in helping
those in misfortune, and they were as gentle and benevolent as Lagree
had been cruel and spiteful.
The third Fairy comforted the poor traveller, begged her not to lose
heart, and assured her that her troubles should be rewarded. She
accompanied her advice by the gift of a crystal smelling-bottle,
with strict orders only to open it in case of urgent need.
Fairer-than-a-Fairy thanked her warmly, and resumed her way cheered by
pleasant thoughts.
After a time her road led through a wood, full of soft airs and sweet
odours, and before she had gone a hundred yards she saw a wonderful
silver Castle suspended by strong silver chains to four of the largest
trees. It was so perfectly hung that a gentle breeze rocked it
sufficiently to send you pleasantly to sleep.
Fairer-than-a-Fairy felt a strong desire to enter this Castle, but
besides being hung a little above the ground there seemed to be
neither doors nor windows. She had no doubt (though really I cannot
think why) that the moment had come in which to use the nut which had
been given her. She opened it, and out came a diminutive hall porter
at whose belt hung a tiny chain, at the end of which was a golden key
half as long as the smallest pin you ever saw.
The Princess climbed up one of the silver chains, holding in her hand
the little porter who, in spite of his minute size, opened a secret
door with his golden key and let her in. She entered a magnificent
room which appeared to occupy the entire Castle, and which was lighted
by gold and jewelled stars in the ceiling. In the midst of this room
stood a couch, draped with curtains of all the colours of the rainbow,
and suspended by golden cords so that it swayed with the Castle in a
manner which rocked its occupant delightfully to sleep.
On this elegant couch lay Prince Rainbow, looking more beautiful than
ever, and sunk in profound slumber, in which he had been held ever
since his disappearance.
Fairer-than-a-Fairy, who now saw him for the first time in his real
shape, hardly dared to gaze at him, fearing lest his appearance might
not be in keeping with the voice and language which had won her heart.
At the same time she could not help feeling rather hurt at the
apparent indifference with which she was received.
She related all the dangers and difficulties she had gone through, and
though she repeated the story twenty times in a loud clear voice, the
Prince slept on and took no heed. She then had recourse to the golden
pomegranate, and on opening it found that all the seeds were as many
little violins which flew up in the vaulted roof and at once began
playing melodiously.
The Prince was not completely roused, but he opened his eyes a little
and looked all the handsomer.
Impatient at not being recognised, Fairer-than-a-Fairy now drew out
her third present, and on opening the crystal scent-bottle a little
syren flew out, who silenced the violins and then sang close to the
Prince’s ear the story of all his lady love had suffered in her search
for him. She added some gentle reproaches to her tale, but before she
had got far he was wide awake, and transported with joy threw himself
at the Princess’s feet. At the same moment the walls of the room
expanded and opened out, revealing a golden throne covered with
jewels. A magnificent Court now began to assemble, and at the same
time several elegant carriages filled with ladies in magnificent
dresses drove up. In the first and most splendid of these carriages
sat Prince Rainbow’s mother. She fondly embraced her son, after which
she informed him that his father had been dead for some years, that
the anger of the Fairies was at length appeased, and that he might
return in peace to reign over his people, who were longing for his
presence.
The Court received the new King with joyful acclamations which would
have delighted him at any other time, but all his thoughts were full
of Fairer-than-a-Fairy. He was just about to present her to his mother
and the Court, feeling sure that her charms would win all hearts, when
the three green and white sisters appeared.
They declared the secret of Fairer-than-a-Fairy’s royal birth, and the
Queen taking the two lovers in her carriage set off with them for the
capital of the kingdom.
Here they were received with tumultuous joy. The wedding was
celebrated without delay, and succeeding years diminished neither the
virtues, beauty, nor the mutual affection of King Rainbow and his
Queen, Fairer-than-a-Fairy.
_THE THREE BROTHERS_[17]
There was once upon a time a witch, who in the shape of a hawk used
every night to break the windows of a certain village church. In the
same village there lived three brothers, who were all determined to
kill the mischievous hawk. But in vain did the two eldest mount guard
in the church with their guns; as soon as the bird appeared high above
their heads, sleep overpowered them, and they only awoke to hear the
windows crashing in.
Then the youngest brother took his turn of guarding the windows, and
to prevent his being overcome by sleep he placed a lot of thorns under
his chin, so that if he felt drowsy and nodded his head, they would
prick him and keep him awake.
The moon was already risen, and it was as light as day, when suddenly
he heard a fearful noise, and at the same time a terrible desire to
sleep overpowered him.
His eyelids closed, and his head sank on his shoulders, but the thorns
ran into him and were so painful that he awoke at once. He saw the
hawk swooping down upon the church, and in a moment he had seized his
gun and shot at the bird. The hawk fell heavily under a big stone,
severely wounded in its right wing. The youth ran to look at it, and
saw that a huge abyss had opened below the stone. He went at once to
fetch his brothers, and with their help dragged a lot of pine-wood and
ropes to the spot. They fastened some of the burning pine-wood to the
end of the rope, and let it slowly down to the bottom of the abyss. At
first it was quite dark, and the flaming torch only lit up dirty grey
stone walls. But the youngest brother determined to explore the abyss,
and letting himself down by the rope he soon reached the bottom. Here
he found a lovely meadow full of green trees and exquisite flowers.
[Footnote 17: From the Polish. Kletke.]
In the middle of the meadow stood a huge stone castle, with an iron
gate leading to it, which was wide open. Everything in the castle
seemed to be made of copper, and the only inhabitant he could discover
was a lovely girl, who was combing her golden hair; and he noticed
that whenever one of her hairs fell on the ground it rang out like
pure metal. The youth looked at her more closely, and saw that her
skin was smooth and fair, her blue eyes bright and sparkling, and her
hair as golden as the sun. He fell in love with her on the spot, and
kneeling at her feet, he implored her to become his wife.
The lovely girl accepted his proposal gladly; but at the same time she
warned him that she could never come up to the world above till her
mother, the old witch, was dead. And she went on to tell him that the
only way in which the old creature could be killed was with the sword
that hung up in the castle; but the sword was so heavy that no one
could lift it.
Then the youth went into a room in the castle where everything was
made of silver, and here he found another beautiful girl, the sister
of his bride. She was combing her silver hair, and every hair that
fell on the ground rang out like pure metal. The second girl handed
him the sword, but though he tried with all his strength he could not
lift it. At last a third sister came to him and gave him a drop of
something to drink, which she said would give him the needful
strength. He drank one drop, but still he could not lift the sword;
then he drank a second, and the sword began to move; but only after he
had drunk a third drop was he able to swing the sword over his head.
Then he hid himself in the castle and awaited the old witch’s arrival.
At last as it was beginning to grow dark she appeared. She swooped
down upon a big apple-tree, and after shaking some golden apples from
it, she pounced down upon the earth. As soon as her feet touched the
ground she became transformed from a hawk into a woman. This was the
moment the youth was waiting for, and he swung his mighty sword in the
air with all his strength and the witch’s head fell off, and her blood
spurted up on the walls.
Without fear of any further danger, he packed up all the treasures of
the castle into great chests, and gave his brothers a signal to pull
them up out of the abyss. First the treasures were attached to the
rope and then the three lovely girls. And now everything was up above
and only he himself remained below. But as he was a little suspicious
of his brothers, he fastened a heavy stone on to the rope and let them
pull it up. At first they heaved with a will, but when the stone was
half way up they let it drop suddenly, and it fell to the bottom
broken into a hundred pieces.
‘So that’s what would have happened to my bones had I trusted myself
to them,’ said the youth sadly; and he began to cry bitterly, not
because of the treasures, but because of the lovely girl with her
swan-like neck and golden hair.
[Illustration: ‘Then the youth swung his mighty sword in the air, and
with one blow cut off the serpent’s head’]
For a long time he wandered sadly all through the beautiful
underworld, and one day he met a magician who asked him the cause of
his tears. The youth told him all that had befallen him, and the
magician said:
‘Do not grieve, young man! If you will guard the children who are
hidden in the golden apple-tree, I will bring you at once up to the
earth. Another magician who lives in this land always eats my children
up. It is in vain that I have hidden them under the earth and locked
them into the castle. Now I have hidden them in the apple-tree; hide
yourself there too, and at midnight you will see my enemy.’
The youth climbed up the tree, and picked some of the beautiful golden
apples, which he ate for his supper.
At midnight the wind began to rise, and a rustling sound was heard at
the foot of the tree. The youth looked down and beheld a long thick
serpent beginning to crawl up the tree. It wound itself round the stem
and gradually got higher and higher. It stretched its huge head, in
which the eyes glittered fiercely, among the branches, searching for
the nest in which the little children lay. They trembled with terror
when they saw the hideous creature, and hid themselves beneath the
leaves.
Then the youth swung his mighty sword in the air, and with one blow
cut off the serpent’s head. He cut up the rest of the body into little
bits and strewed them to the four winds.
The father of the rescued children was so delighted over the death of
his enemy that he told the youth to get on his back, and in this way
he carried him up to the world above.
With what joy did he hurry now to his brothers’ house! He burst into a
room where they were all assembled, but no one knew who he was. Only
his bride, who was serving as cook to her sisters, recognised her
lover at once.
His brothers, who had quite believed he was dead, yielded him up his
treasures at once, and flew into the woods in terror. But the good
youth forgave them all they had done, and divided his treasures with
them. Then he built himself a big castle with golden windows, and
there he lived happily with his golden-haired wife till the end of
their lives.
_THE BOY AND THE WOLVES, OR THE BROKEN PROMISE_[18]
Once upon a time an Indian hunter built himself a house in the middle
of a great forest, far away from all his tribe; for his heart was
gentle and kind, and he was weary of the treachery and cruel deeds of
those who had been his friends. So he left them, and took his wife and
three children, and they journeyed on until they found a spot near to
a clear stream, where they began to cut down trees, and to make ready
their wigwam. For many years they lived peacefully and happily in this
sheltered place, never leaving it except to hunt the wild animals,
which served them both for food and clothes. At last, however, the
strong man felt sick, and before long he knew he must die.
So he gathered his family round him, and said his last words to them.
‘You, my wife, the companion of my days, will follow me ere many moons
have waned to the island of the blest. But for you, O my children,
whose lives are but newly begun, the wickedness, unkindness, and
ingratitude from which I fled are before you. Yet I shall go hence in
peace, my children, if you will promise always to love each other, and
never to forsake your youngest brother.’
‘Never!’ they replied, holding out their hands. And the hunter died
content.
Scarcely eight moons had passed when, just as he had said, the wife
went forth, and followed her husband; but before leaving her children
she bade the two elder ones think of their promise never to forsake
the younger, for he was a child, and weak. And while the snow lay
thick upon the ground, they tended him and cherished him; but when the
earth showed green again, the heart of the young man stirred within
him, and he longed to see the wigwams of the village where his
father’s youth was spent.
[Footnote 18: A North American Indian Story.]
Therefore he opened all his heart to his sister, who answered: ‘My
brother, I understand your longing for our fellow-men, whom here we
cannot see. But remember our father’s words. Shall we not seek our own
pleasures, and forget the little one?’
But he would not listen, and, making no reply, he took his bow and
arrows and left the hut. The snows fell and melted, yet he never
returned; and at last the heart of the girl grew cold and hard, and
her little boy became a burden in her eyes, till one day she spoke
thus to him: ‘See, there is food for many days to come. Stay here
within the shelter of the hut. I go to seek our brother, and when I
have found him I shall return hither.’
[Illustration: ‘My brother, my brother, I am becoming a wolf!’]
But when, after hard journeying, she reached the village where her
brother dwelt, and saw that he had a wife and was happy, and when she,
too, was sought by a young brave, then she also forgot the boy alone
in the forest, and thought only of her husband.
Now as soon as the little boy had eaten all the food which his sister
had left him, he went out into the woods, and gathered berries and dug
up roots, and while the sun shone he was contented and had his fill.
But when the snows began and the wind howled, then his stomach felt
empty and his limbs cold, and he hid in trees all the night, and only
crept out to eat what the wolves had left behind. And by-and-by,
having no other friends, he sought their company, and sat by while
they devoured their prey, and they grew to know him, and gave him
food. And without them he would have died in the snow.
But at last the snows melted, and the ice upon the great lake, and as
the wolves went down to the shore, the boy went after them. And it
happened one day that his big brother was fishing in his canoe near
the shore, and he heard the voice of a child singing in the Indian
tone—
‘My brother, my brother!
I am becoming a wolf,
I am becoming a wolf!’
And when he had so sung he howled as wolves howl. Then the heart of
the elder sunk, and he hastened towards him, crying, ‘Brother, little
brother, come to me;’ but he, being half a wolf, only continued his
song. And the louder the elder called him, ‘Brother, little brother,
come to me,’ the swifter he fled after his brothers the wolves, and
the heavier grew his skin, till, with a long howl, he vanished into
the depths of the forest.
So, with shame and anguish in his soul, the elder brother went back to
his village, and, with his sister, mourned the little boy and the
broken promise till the end of his life.
_THE GLASS AXE_[19]
There was once upon a time a King and Queen who had everything they
could possibly wish for in this world except a child. At last, after
twelve years, the Queen gave birth to a son; but she did not live long
to enjoy her happiness, for on the following day she died. But before
her death she called her husband to her and said, ‘Never let the child
put his feet on the ground, for as soon as he does so he will fall
into the power of a wicked Fairy, who will do him much harm.’ And
these were the last words the poor Queen spoke.