There was once a merry young Huntsman, who went into the forest to
hunt. He was gay and light-hearted, and whistled a tune upon a leaf as
he went along.
Suddenly an ugly old Crone spoke to him, and said: 'Good morning, dear
Huntsman; you are merry and happy enough, while I am hungry and
thirsty. Pray give me an alms.'
The Huntsman pitied the poor Old Woman, put his hand in his pocket,
and made her a present according to his means.
Then he wanted to go on. But the Old Woman held him back, and said:
'Hark ye, dear Huntsman, I will make you a present because of your
good heart. Go on your way, and you will come to a tree, on which nine
birds are sitting. They will have a cloak in their claws, over which
they are fighting. Take aim with your gun, and shoot into the middle
of them. They will drop the cloak, and one of the birds will fall down
dead. Take the cloak with you, it is a wishing-cloak. When you throw
it round your shoulders you only have to wish yourself at a place to
be there at once. Take the heart out of the dead bird and swallow it
whole, then you will find a gold coin under your pillow every single
morning when you wake.'
The Huntsman thanked the Wise Woman, and thought: 'She promises fine
things, if only they turn out as well.'
When he had gone about a hundred paces, he heard above him, in the
branches of a tree, such a chattering and screaming that he looked up.
There he saw a flock of birds tearing a garment with their beaks and
claws; snatching and tearing at it as if each one wanted to have it
for himself.
'Well,' said the Huntsman, 'this is extraordinary, it is exactly what
the Old Woman said.'
He put his gun to his shoulder, took aim and fired right into the
middle of them, making the feathers fly about.
The birds took flight with a great noise, all except one, which fell
down dead, and the cloak dropped at his feet.
He did as the Old Woman had told him, cut the heart out of the bird
and swallowed it whole. Then he took the cloak home with him.
When he woke in the morning, he remembered the Old Woman's promise,
and looked under his pillow to see if it was true.
There, sure enough, lay the golden coin shining before him, and the
next morning he found another, and the same every morning when he got
up.
He collected quite a heap of gold, and at last he thought: 'What is
the good of all my gold if I stay at home here? I will go and look
about me in the world.'
So he took leave of his parents, shouldered his gun, and started off
into the world.
[Illustration: But the Old Woman was a witch.]
It so happened that one day he came to a thick forest, and when he got
through it, he saw a fine castle lying in the plain beyond.
He saw an Old Woman standing in one of the windows looking out, with a
beautiful Maiden beside her.
But the Old Woman was a witch, and she said to the Maiden: 'Here comes
some one out of the forest. He has a wonderful treasure inside him; we
must try to get it from him, my darling, it will suit us better than
him. He has a bird's heart about him, and therefore he finds a gold
coin every morning under his pillow when he wakes.'
She told the girl how he had got it, and at last said: 'If you don't
get it from him, it will be the worse for you.'
When the Huntsman got nearer, he saw the Maiden, and said: 'I have
been wandering about for a long time, I will go into this castle and
take a rest. I have plenty of money.'
But the real reason was that he had caught sight of the pretty picture
at the window. He went in, and he was kindly received and hospitably
treated.
Before long, he was so enamoured of the Witch-Maiden that he thought
of nothing else, and cared for nothing but pleasing her.
The Old Woman said to the Maiden: 'Now we must get the bird's heart,
he will never miss it.'
They concocted a potion, and when it was ready they put it into a
goblet.
And the Maiden took it to him, and said: 'Now, my beloved, you must
drink to me.'
He took the cup and drank the potion, and when he was overpowered by
it the bird's heart came out of his mouth.
The Maiden took it away secretly and swallowed it herself, for the Old
Woman wanted to have it.
From this time the Huntsman found no more gold under his pillow; but
the coin was always under the Maiden's instead, and the Old Woman used
to fetch it away every morning.
But he was so much in love, that he thought of nothing but enjoying
himself in the Maiden's company.
Then the Old Woman said: 'We have got the bird's heart, but we must
have his wishing-cloak too.'
The Maiden said: 'Let us leave him that; we have taken away his
wealth.'
The Old Woman was very angry, and said: 'A cloak like that is a very
wonderful thing, and not often to be got. Have it I must, and will!'
So she obeyed the Witch's orders, placed herself at the window, and
looked sadly out at the distant hills.