There was once upon a time a king who delighted in hunting wild
animals in forests. One day he chased a stag to a great distance and
lost his way. He was all alone; night came on, and the king was only
too glad to find a cottage in a clearing. A charcoal-burner lived
there. The king asked him whether he would guide him out of the
forest to the road, promising to pay him well for it. 'I would
gladly go with you,' said the charcoal-burner, 'but, you see, my
wife is expecting; I cannot go away. And whither would you go at
this time of night? Lie down on some hay on the garret floor, and
to-morrow morning I will be your guide.' Soon afterwards a baby boy
was born to the charcoal-burner. The king was lying on the floor and
couldn't sleep. At midnight he observed a kind of light in the
keeping-room below. He peeped through a chink in the boarding and
saw the charcoal-burner asleep, his wife lying in a dead faint, and
three old hags, all in white, standing by the baby, each with a
lighted taper in her hand. The first said: 'My gift to this boy is,
that he shall come into great dangers.' The second said: 'My gift to
him is, that he shall escape from them all and live long.' And the
third said: 'And I give him to wife the baby daughter who has this
day been born to that king who is lying upstairs on the hay.'
Thereupon the hags put out their tapers, and all was still again.
They were the Fates.
The king felt as if a sword had been thrust into his breast. He
didn't sleep till morning, thinking over what to do, and how to do
it, to prevent that coming to pass which he had heard. When day
dawned the child began to cry. The charcoal-burner got up and saw
that his wife had gone to sleep for ever. 'Oh, my poor little
orphan!' whimpered he; 'what shall I do with you now?' 'Give me the
baby,' said the king; 'I'll take care that it shall be well with it,
and will give you so much money that you needn't burn charcoal as
long as you live.' The charcoal-burner was delighted at this, and
the king promised to send for the baby. When he arrived at his
palace they told him, with great joy, that a beautiful baby-daughter
had been born to him on such and such a night. It was the very night
on which he saw the three Fates. The king frowned, called one of his
servants, and told him: 'Go to such a place in the forest; a
charcoal-burner lives there in a cottage. Give him this money, and
he will give you a little child. Take the child and drown it on your
way back. If you don't drown it, you shall drink water yourself.'
The servant went, took the baby and put it into a basket, and when
he came to a narrow foot-bridge, under which flowed a deep and broad
river, he threw the basket and all into the water. 'Good-night,
uninvited son-in-law!' said the king, when the servant told him what
he had done.
The king thought that the baby was drowned, but it wasn't. It
floated in the water in the basket as if it had been its cradle, and
slept as if the river were singing to it, till it floated down to a
fisherman's cottage. The fisherman was sitting by the bank mending
his net. He saw something floating down the river, jumped into his
boat, and went to catch it, and out of the water he drew the baby in
the basket. He carried it to his wife, and said: 'You've always
wanted a little son, and here you have one. The water has brought
him to us.' The fisherman's wife was delighted, and brought up the
child as her own. They named him 'Floatling' (_Plaváczek_), because
he had floated to them on the water.
The river flowed on and years passed on, and from a boy he became a
handsome youth, the like of whom was not to be found far and wide.
One day in the summer it came to pass that the king rode that way
all alone. It was hot, and he was thirsty, and beckoned to the
fisherman to give him a little fresh water. When Floatling brought
it to him, the king looked at him with astonishment. 'You've a fine
lad, fisherman!' said he; 'is he your son?' 'He is and he isn't,'
replied the fisherman; 'just twenty years ago he floated, as a
little baby, down the river in a basket, and we brought him up.' A
mist came before the king's eyes; he became as pale as a whitewashed
wall, perceiving that it was the child he had ordered to be drowned.
But he soon recollected himself, sprang from his horse, and said: 'I
want a messenger to my palace, and have nobody with me: can this
youth go thither for me?' 'Your majesty has but to command and the
lad will go,' said the fisherman. The king sat down and wrote a
letter to his queen: 'Cause this young man whom I send you to be run
through with a sword at once; he is a dangerous enemy of mine. Let
it be done before I return. Such is my will.' He then folded the
letter, fastened and sealed it with his signet.
Floatling started at once with the letter. He had to go through a
great forest, but missed the road and lost his way. He went from
thicket to thicket till it began to grow dark. Then he met an old
hag, who said to him: 'Whither are you going, Floatling?' 'I am
going with a letter to the king's palace, and have lost my way.
Can't you tell me, mother, how to get into the right road?' 'Anyhow,
you won't get there to-day,' said the hag; 'it's dark. Stay the
night with me. You won't be with a stranger. I am your godmother.'
The young man allowed himself to be persuaded, and they hadn't gone
many paces when they saw before them a pretty little house, just as
if it had grown all at once out of the ground. In the night, when
the lad was asleep, the hag took the letter out of his pocket and
put another in its place, in which it was written thus: 'Cause this
young man whom I send you to be married to our daughter at once; he
is my destined son-in-law. Let it be done before I return. Such is
my will.'
When the queen read the letter, she immediately ordered arrangements
to be made for the wedding, and neither she nor the young princess
could gaze enough at the bridegroom, so delighted were they with
him; and Floatling was similarly delighted with his royal bride.
Some days after, the king came home, and when he found what had
happened, he was violently enraged at his queen for what she had
done. 'Anyhow, you ordered me yourself to have him married to our
daughter before you returned,' answered the queen, and gave him the
letter. The king took the letter and looked it through--writing,
seal, paper, everything was his own. He had his son-in-law called,
and questioned him about what had happened on his way to the palace.
Floatling related how he had started and had lost his way in the
forest, and stayed the night with his old godmother. 'What did she
look like?' 'So and so.' The king perceived from his statement that
it was the same person that had, twenty years before, assigned his
daughter to the charcoal-burner's son. He thought and thought, and
then he said: 'What's done can't be altered; still, you can't be my
son-in-law for nothing. If you want to have my daughter, you must
bring me for a dowry three golden hairs of Grandfather Allknow.' He
thought to himself that he should thus be quit of his distasteful
son-in-law.
Floatling took leave of his bride and went--which way, and whither?
I don't know; but, as a Fate was his godmother, it was easy for him
to find the right road. He went far and wide, over hills and dales,
over fords and rivers, till he came to a black sea. There he saw a
boat, and in it a ferryman. 'God bless you, old ferryman!' 'God
grant it, young pilgrim! Whither are you travelling?' 'To
Grandfather Allknow, for three golden hairs.' 'Ho, ho! I have long
been waiting for such a messenger. For twenty years I've been
ferrying here, and nobody's come to set me free. If you promise me
to ask Grandfather Allknow when the end of my work will be, I will
ferry you over.' Floatling promised, and the ferryman ferried him
across.
After this he came to a great city, but it was decayed and sad. In
front of the city he met an old man, who had a staff in his hand,
and could scarcely crawl. 'God bless you, aged grandfather!' 'God
grant it, handsome youth! Whither are you going?' 'To Grandfather
Allknow, for three golden hairs.' 'Ah! ah! we've long been waiting
for some such messenger; I must at once conduct you to our lord the
king.' When they got there the king said: 'I hear that you are going
on an errand to Grandfather Allknow. We had an apple-tree here that
bore youth-producing apples. If anybody ate one, though he were on
the brink of the grave, he got young again, and became like a young
man. But for the last twenty years our apple-tree has produced no
fruit. If you promise me to ask Grandfather Allknow whether there is
any help for us, I will requite you royally.' Floatling promised,
and the king dismissed him graciously.
After that he came again to another great city, which was half
ruined. Not far from the city a son was burying his deceased father,
and tears, like peas, were rolling down his cheek. 'God bless you,
mournful grave-digger!' said Floatling. 'God grant it, good pilgrim!
Whither are you going?' 'I am going to Grandfather Allknow, for
three golden hairs.' 'To Grandfather Allknow? It's a pity you didn't
come sooner! But our king has long been waiting for some such
messenger; I must conduct you to him.' When they got there, the king
said: 'I hear that you are going on an errand to Grandfather
Allknow. We had a well here, out of which sprang living water; if
anybody drank it, even were he at the point of death, he would get
well at once; nay, were he already a corpse, if this water were
sprinkled upon him, he would immediately rise up and walk. But for
the last twenty years the water has ceased to flow. If you promise
me to ask Grandfather Allknow whether there is any help for us, I
will give you a royal reward.' Floatling promised, and the king
dismissed him graciously.
After this he went far and wide through a black forest, and in the
midst of that forest espied a large green meadow, full of beautiful
flowers, and in it a golden palace. This was Grandfather Allknow's
palace; it glittered as if on fire. Floatling went into the palace,
but found nobody there but an old hag sitting and spinning in a
corner. 'Welcome, Floatling!' said she; 'I am delighted to see you
again.' It was his godmother, at whose house he had spent the night
when he was carrying the letter. 'What has brought you here?' 'The
king would not allow me to be his son-in-law for nothing, so he sent
me for three golden hairs of Grandfather Allknow.' The hag smiled,
and said: 'Grandfather Allknow is my son, the bright Sun; in the
morning he is a little lad, at noon a grown man, and in the evening
an old grandfather. I will provide you with the three golden hairs
from his golden head, that I too mayn't be your godmother for
nothing. But, my boy! you can't remain as you are. My son is
certainly a good soul, but when he comes home hungry in the evening,
it might easily happen that he might roast and eat you for his
supper. Yonder is an empty tub; I will cover you over with it.'
Floatling begged her also to question Grandfather Allknow about the
three things concerning which he had promised on the road to bring
answers. 'I will,' said the hag, 'and do you give heed to what he
says.'
All at once a wind arose outside and in flew the Sun, an old
grandfather with a golden head, by the west window into the room. 'A
smell, a smell of human flesh!' says he; 'have you anybody here,
mother?' 'Star of the day! whom could I have here without your
seeing him? But so it is; you're all day long flying over God's
world, and your nose is filled with the scent of human flesh; so
it's no wonder that you still smell it when you come home in the
evening.' The old man said nothing in reply, and sat down to his
supper.
After supper he laid his golden head on the hag's lap and began to
slumber. As soon as she saw that he was sound asleep, she pulled out
a golden hair and threw it on the ground. It rang like a
harp-string. 'What do you want, mother?' said the old man. 'Nothing,
sonny, nothing! I was asleep, and had a marvellous dream.' 'What did
you dream about?' 'I dreamt about a city, where they had a spring of
living water; when anybody was ill and drank of it, he got well
again; and if he died and was sprinkled with this water, he came to
life again. But for the last twenty years the water has ceased to
flow; is there any help that it may flow again?' 'Quite easy;
there's a toad sitting on the spring in the well that won't let the
water flow. Let them kill the toad and clean out the well; the water
will flow as before.' When the old man fell asleep again, the hag
pulled out a second golden hair and threw it on the ground. 'What
ails you again, mother?' 'Nothing, sonny, nothing; I was asleep, and
again had a marvellous dream. I dreamt of a city where they had an
apple-tree which bore youth-restoring apples; when anybody grew old
and ate one he became young again. But for the last twenty years the
apple-tree has borne no fruit; is there any help?' 'Quite easy;
under the tree there lies a snake that exhausts its powers; let them
kill the snake and transplant the apple-tree; it will bear fruit as
before.' The old man then fell asleep again, and the hag pulled out
a third golden hair. 'Why won't you let me sleep, mother?' said the
old man crossly, and wanted to get up. 'Lie still, sonny, lie still!
Don't be angry, I didn't want to wake you. But a heavy sleep fell
upon me, and I had another marvellous dream. I dreamt of a ferryman
on a black sea; for twenty years he has been ferrying across it, and
no one has come to set him free. When will his work have an end?'
'He's the son of a stupid mother. Let him give the oar into another
person's hand and jump ashore himself; the other will be ferryman in
his stead. But let me be quiet now; I must get up early to-morrow
and go to dry the tears which the king's daughter sheds every night
for her husband, the charcoal-burner's son, whom the king has sent
for three golden hairs of mine.'
In the morning a wind again arose outside, and on the lap of its old
mother awoke, instead of the old man, a beautiful golden-haired
child, the divine Sun, who bade farewell to his mother and flew out
by the east window. The hag turned up the tub and said to Floatling:
'There are the three golden hairs for you, and you also know what
Grandfather Allknow has answered to those three things. Go; and
good-bye! You will see me no more; there is no need of it.'
Floatling thanked the hag gratefully, and departed.
When he came to the first city, the king asked him what news he
brought him. 'Good news,' said Floatling. 'Have the well cleaned
out, and kill the toad which sits on the spring, and the water will
flow again as aforetime.' The king had this done without delay, and
when he saw the water bubbling up with a full stream, he presented
Floatling with twelve horses white as swans, and on them as much
gold and silver as they could carry.
When he came to the second city the king asked him again what news
he brought. 'Good news!' said Floatling. 'Have the apple-tree dug
up; you will find a snake under the roots; kill it; then plant the
apple-tree again, and it will bear fruit as aforetime.' The king had
this done at once, and during the night the apple-tree was clothed
with bloom, just as if it had been bestrewn with roses. The king was
delighted, and presented Floatling with twelve horses as black as
ravens, and on them as much riches as they could carry.
Floatling travelled on, and when he came to the black sea, the ferryman
asked him whether he had learnt when he would be liberated. 'I have,'
said Floatling. 'But ferry me over first, and then I will tell you.'
The ferryman objected, but when he saw that there was nothing else to
be done, he ferried him over with his four-and-twenty horses. 'Before
you ferry anybody over again,' said Floatling, 'put the oar into his
hand and jump ashore, and he will be ferryman in your stead.'
The king didn't believe his eyes when Floatling brought him the three
golden hairs of Grandfather Allknow; and his daughter wept, not from
sorrow, but from joy at his return. 'But where did you get these
beautiful horses and this great wealth?' asked the king. 'I earned it,'
said Floatling; and related how he had helped one king again to the
youth-restoring apples, which make young people out of old ones; and
another to the living water, which makes sick people well and dead
people living. 'Youth-restoring apples! living water!' repeated the
king quietly to himself. 'If I ate one I should become young again; and
if I died I should be restored to life by that water.' Without delay
he started on the road for the youth-restoring apples and the living
water--and hasn't returned yet.
Thus the charcoal-burner's son became the king's son-in-law, as the
Fate decreed; and as for the king, maybe he is still ferrying across
the black sea.
* * * * *
This story is a variant of Grimm's 'Giant with the Three Golden
Hairs.' But, whereas in Grimm there is nothing to indicate who the
giant is, or whether he has three golden hairs and three only, in
the Bohemian tale it is plain that 'Grandfather Allknow' is the Sun,
and that the three golden hairs are three sunbeams.