There was once a Queen, who had not been blessed with children. As she
walked in her garden, she prayed every morning that a son or daughter
might be given to her. Then one day an Angel came, and said to her:
'Be content: you shall have a son, and he shall be endowed with the
power of wishing, so that whatsoever he wishes for shall be granted to
him.' She hurried to the King, and told him the joyful news; and when
the time came a son was born to them, and they were filled with
delight.
Every morning the Queen used to take her little son into the gardens,
where the wild animals were kept, to bathe him in a clear, sparkling
fountain. It happened one day, when the child was a little older, that
as she sat with him on her lap she fell asleep.
The old Cook, who knew that the child had the power of wishing, came
by and stole it; he also killed a Chicken, and dropped some of its
blood on the Queen's garments. Then he took the child away to a secret
place, where he placed it out to be nursed. Then he ran back to the
King, and accused the Queen of having allowed her child to be carried
off by a wild animal.
When the King saw the blood on the Queen's garments he believed the
story, and was overwhelmed with anger. He caused a high tower to be
built, into which neither the sun nor the moon could penetrate. Then
he ordered his wife to be shut up in it, and the door walled up. She
was to stay there for seven years, without eating or drinking, so as
gradually to pine away. But two Angels from heaven, in the shape of
white doves, came to her, bringing food twice a day till the seven
years were ended.
Meanwhile the Cook thought, 'If the child really has the power of
wishing, and I stay here, I might easily fall into disgrace.' So he
left the palace, and went to the boy, who was then old enough to talk,
and said to him, 'Wish for a beautiful castle, with a garden, and
everything belonging to it.' Hardly had the words passed the boy's
lips than all that he had asked for was there.
After a time the Cook said, 'It is not good for you to be so much
alone; wish for a beautiful Maiden to be your companion.'
The Prince uttered the wish, and immediately a Maiden stood before
them, more beautiful than any painter could paint. So they grew very
fond of each other, and played together, while the old Cook went out
hunting like any grand gentleman. But the idea came to him one day
that the Prince might wish to go to his father some time, and he would
thereby be placed in a very awkward position. So he took the Maiden
aside, and said to her, 'To-night, when the boy is asleep, go and
drive this knife into his heart. Then bring me his heart and his
tongue. If you fail to do it, you will lose your own life.'
Then he went away; but when the next day came the Maiden had not yet
obeyed his command, and she said, 'Why should I shed his innocent
blood, when he has never done harm to any creature in his life?'
The Cook again said, 'If you do not obey me, you will lose your own
life.'
When he had gone away, she ordered a young hind to be brought and
killed; then she cut out its heart and its tongue, and put them on a
dish. When she saw the old man coming she said to the boy, 'Get into
bed, and cover yourself right over.'
The old scoundrel came in and said, 'Where are the tongue and the
heart of the boy?'
[Illustration: The scullions brought live coals, which he had to eat
till the flames poured out of his mouth.]
The Maiden gave him the dish; but the Prince threw off the coverings,
and said, 'You old sinner, why did you want to kill me? Now hear your
sentence. You shall be turned into a black Poodle, with a gold chain
round your neck, and you shall be made to eat live coals, so that
flames of fire may come out of your mouth.'
As he said the words, the old man was changed into a black Poodle,
with a gold chain round his neck; and the scullions brought live
coals, which he had to eat till the flames poured out of his mouth.
The Prince stayed on at the castle for a time, thinking of his mother,
and wondering if she were still alive. At last he said to the Maiden,
'I am going into my own country. If you like you can go with me; I
will take you.'
She answered: 'Alas! it is so far off, and what should I do in a
strange country where I know no one?'
As she did not wish to go, and yet they could not bear to be parted,
he changed her into a beautiful Pink, which he took with him.
Then he set out on his journey, and the Poodle was made to run
alongside till the Prince reached his own country.
Arrived there, he went straight to the tower where his mother was
imprisoned, and as the tower was so high he wished for a ladder to
reach the top. Then he climbed up, looked in, and cried, 'Dearest
mother, lady Queen, are you still alive?'
She, thinking it was the Angels who brought her food come back, said,
'I have just eaten; I do not want anything more.'
Then he said, 'I am your own dear son whom the wild animals were
supposed to have devoured; but I am still alive, and I shall soon come
and rescue you.'
Then he got down and went to his father. He had himself announced as a
strange Huntsman, anxious to take service with the King, who said,
'Yes; if he was skilled in game preserving, and could procure plenty
of venison, he would engage him. But there had never before been any
game in the whole district.'
The Huntsman promised to procure as much game as the King could
possibly require for the royal table.
Then he called the whole Hunt together, and ordered them all to come
into the forest with him. He caused a great circle to be enclosed,
with only one outlet; then he took his place in the middle, and began
to wish as hard as he could. Immediately over two hundred head of game
came running into the enclosure; these the Huntsmen had to shoot, and
then they were piled on to sixty country wagons, and driven home to
the King. So for once he was able to load his board with game, after
having had none for many years.
The King was much pleased, and commanded his whole court to a banquet
on the following day. When they were all assembled, he said to the
Huntsman, 'You shall sit by me as you are so clever.'
He answered, 'My lord and King, may it please your Majesty, I am only
a poor Huntsman!'