crept into it. When the fox came home, he was met by two great eyes
shining out of the darkness, and was terrified and ran away. A bear
met him, and as the fox looked quite disturbed, he said, “What is the
matter with you, brother Fox, why do you look like that?”
“Ah,” answered Redskin, “a fierce beast is in my cave and stared at me
with its fiery eyes.”
“We will soon drive him out,” said the bear, and went with him to the
cave and looked in. But when he saw the fiery eyes, fear seized him
likewise. He would have nothing to do with the furious beast, and took
to his heels.
The bee met him, and as she saw that he was ill at ease, she said,
“Bear, you are really pulling a very pitiful face. What has become of
all your jollity?”
“It is all very well for you to talk,” replied the bear, “a furious
beast with staring eyes is in Redskin’s house, and we can’t drive him
out.”
The bee said, “Bear, I pity you! I am a poor weak creature, whom you
would not turn aside to look at. Yet I believe I can help you.” She
flew into the fox’s cave, lighted on the goat’s clean, shaved head, and
stung her so hard that she sprang up crying, “_Ma! ma!_” and ran forth
into the world like mad; and to this hour no one knows where she has
gone.
[Illustration]
IRON JOHN
Once on a time there was a King who had a great forest near his palace,
full of all kinds of wild animals. One day he sent out a huntsman to
shoot him a roe, but he did not come back.
“Perhaps some accident has befallen him,” said the King, and the next
day he sent out two more huntsmen who were to search for him, but they
too stayed away.
Then on the third day, he sent for all his huntsmen, and said, “Scour
the whole forest through, and do not give up until ye have found all
three.” But of these also, none came home again, and of the pack of
hounds which they had taken with them, none were seen more.
From that time forth, no one would any longer venture into the forest,
and it lay in deep stillness and solitude. Nothing was seen but
sometimes an eagle or a hawk flying over it. This lasted for many
years, when a strange huntsman came to the King asking for work, and
offered to go into the dangerous forest. The King, however, would not
give his consent, and said, “It is not safe in there. I fear it would
fare with you no better than with the others, and you would never come
out again.”
The huntsman replied, “Lord, I will venture it at my own risk; of fear
I know nothing.”
The huntsman therefore betook himself with his dog to the forest. It
was not long before the dog fell in with some game, and wanted to
pursue it. But hardly had the dog run two steps when he stood before a
deep pool and could go no farther. Then a naked arm stretched itself
out of the water, seized him, and drew him under.
When the huntsman saw that, he went back and fetched three men to come
with buckets and bale out the water. When they could see the bottom,
there lay a Wild Man whose body was brown like rusty iron, and whose
hair hung over his face down to his knees. They bound him with cords,
and led him away to the castle.
There was great astonishment over the Wild Man. The King had him put
in an iron cage in his courtyard, and forbade the door to be opened
on pain of death, and the Queen herself was to take the key into her
keeping. And from this time forth, every one could once more go into
the forest with safety.
The King had a son, eight years old, who one day was playing in the
courtyard, and while he was playing, his golden ball fell into the
cage. The boy ran thither and said, “Give me my ball.”
“Not till you have opened the door for me,” answered the man.
“No,” said the boy, “I will not do that. The King has forbidden it,”
and ran away.
The next day he again went and asked for his ball. The Wild Man said,
“Open my door,” but the boy would not.
On the third day when the King had ridden out hunting, the boy went
once more and said, “I cannot open the door even if I wished, for I
have not the key.”
Then the Wild Man said, “It lies under your mother’s pillow. You can
get it there.”
The boy, who wanted to have his ball back, cast all thought to the
winds, and brought the key. The door opened with difficulty, and the
boy pinched his fingers. When it was open, the Wild Man stepped out,
gave him the golden ball, and hurried away.
But the boy was afraid. He called and cried after him, “Oh, Wild Man,
do not go away, or I shall be beaten!”
The Wild Man turned back, took him up, set him on his shoulder, and
went with hasty steps into the forest.
When the King came home, he saw the empty cage, and asked the Queen how
that had happened. She knew nothing about it, and sought the key, but
it was gone. She called the boy, but no one answered. The King sent out
people to seek for him in the fields, but they did not find him. Then
he could easily guess what had happened, and much grief reigned in the
Royal Court.
When the Wild Man had reached once more the dark forest, he took the
boy down from his shoulder, and said to him, “You will never see your
father and mother again, but I will keep you with me for you have set
me free, and I pity you. If you do all I bid you, you shall fare well.
Of treasure and gold have I enough, and more than any one in the world.”
He made a bed of moss for the boy on which he slept. And the next
morning, the man took him to a well, and said, “Behold, the gold well
is as bright and clear as crystal; you shall sit beside it, and take
care that nothing falls into it, or it will be polluted. I will come
every evening to see if you have obeyed my order.”
The boy placed himself by the margin of the well, and often saw a
golden fish or a golden snake show itself therein, and he took care
that nothing fell in. As he was sitting thus, his finger hurt him so
violently that without thinking he put it in the water. He drew it
quickly out again, but saw that it was quite gilded. And whatsoever
pains he took to wash the gold off again, all was to no purpose.
In the evening, Iron John came back, looked at the boy, and said, “What
has happened to the well?”
“Nothing, nothing,” he answered, and held his finger behind his back,
that the man might not see it.
But he said, “You have dipped your finger into the water. This time it
may pass, but take care you do not again let anything get in.”
At daybreak the boy was already sitting by the well and watching it.
His finger hurt him again, and he passed it over his head, and then
unhappily a hair fell down into the well. He took it quickly out, but
it was quite gilded.
Iron John came, and already knew what had happened. “You have let a
hair fall into the well,” said he. “I will allow you to watch by it
once more, but if this happens the third time, then the well will be
polluted, and you can no longer remain with me.”
On the third day, the boy sat by the well, and did not stir his finger,
however much it hurt him. But the time was long to him, and he looked
at the reflection of his face on the surface of the water. And as he
still bent down more and more trying to look straight into the eyes,
his long hair fell down from his shoulders into the water. He raised
himself up quickly, but the whole of the hair of his head was golden,
and shone like the sun.
You may imagine how terrified the poor boy was! He took his
pocket-handkerchief and tied it round his head, in order that the man
might not see it.
When he came, he already knew everything, and said, “Take off the
handkerchief.” Then the golden hair streamed forth, and let the boy
excuse himself as he might, it was of no use. “You have not stood the
trial, and can no longer stay here. Go forth into the world. There you
will learn what poverty is. But as you have not a bad heart, and as I
mean well by you, there is one thing I will grant you. If you fall into
any difficulty, come to the forest and cry, ‘Iron John,’ and then I
will come and help you. My power is great, greater than you think, and
I have gold and silver in abundance.”
Then the King’s Son left the forest, and walked by beaten and unbeaten
paths ever onward, until at length he reached a great city. There he
looked for work, but could find none, and he had learnt nothing by
which he could help himself.
At length, he went to the palace, and asked if they would take him in.
The people about Court did not know what use to make of him, but they
liked him, and told him to stay. At last, the cook took him into his
service, and said he might carry wood and water, and rake the cinders
together.
Once when it happened that no one else was at hand, the cook ordered
him to carry the food to the royal table, but as he did not like to
let his golden hair be seen, he kept his little hat on. Such a thing
as that had never come under the King’s notice, and he said, “When you
serve at the royal table you must take off your hat.”
He answered, “Ah, Lord, I cannot.”
Then the King had the cook called before him. He scolded him, and asked
how he could take such a boy as that into his service; and said that he
was to turn him off at once. The cook, however, had pity on him, and
exchanged him for the gardener’s boy.
And now, the boy had to plant and water the garden, hoe and dig, and
bear the wind and bad weather.
One day in summer when he was working alone in the garden, the day was
so warm he took his little hat off that the air might cool him. As the
sun shone on his hair it glittered and flashed so that the rays fell
into the bedroom of the King’s Daughter. Up she sprang to see what it
could be. Then she saw the boy, and cried to him, “Boy, bring me a
wreath of flowers.”
[Illustration: THE KING’S DAUGHTER PULLED OFF HIS HAT]
He put his hat on with all haste, and gathered wild field-flowers and
bound them together. When he was ascending the stairs with them, the
gardener met him, and said, “How can you take the King’s Daughter a
garland of such common flowers? Go quickly, and get another, and
seek out the prettiest and rarest.”
“Oh, no,” replied the boy, “the wild ones have more scent, and will
please her better.”
When he went into the room, the King’s Daughter said, “Take your cap
off, it is not seemly to keep it on in my presence.”
He again said, “I cannot.”
She, however, caught at his hat and pulled it off, and then his golden
hair rolled down on his shoulders. And it was splendid to behold.
He wanted to run out, but she held him by the arm, and gave him a
handful of ducats. With these he departed, but he cared nothing for the
gold pieces. He took them to the gardener, and said, “I give them to
your children, they may play with them.”
The following day, the King’s Daughter again called to him that he was
to bring her a wreath of field-flowers. When he went in with it, she
snatched at his hat, and wanted to take it away from him, but he held
it fast with both hands. She again gave him a handful of ducats. But he
would not keep them, and presented them to the gardener as playthings
for his children.
On the third day, things went just the same. She could not get his hat
away from him, and he would not have her money.
Not long afterward, the country was overrun by war. The King gathered
together his people, and did not know whether or not he could overcome
the enemy, who was superior in strength and had a mighty army.
Then said the gardener’s boy, “I am grown up, and will go to the wars
also, only give me a horse.”
The others laughed, and said, “Seek one for yourself when we are gone.
We will leave one behind us in the stable for you.”
When they had gone forth, he went into the stable, and got the horse.
It was lame of one foot, and limped _hobblety jig, hobblety jig_.
Nevertheless he mounted it, and rode away to the dark forest. When he
came to the outskirts, he called “Iron John” three times so loudly that
it echoed through the trees.
Thereupon the Wild Man appeared immediately, and said, “What do you
desire?”
“I want a strong steed, for I am going to the wars.”
“That you shall have, and still more than you ask.” Then the Wild Man
went back into the forest, and it was not long before a stable-boy
came out of it, who led a horse that snorted, and could hardly be
restrained. Behind them followed a great troop of soldiers entirely
equipped in iron, and their swords flashed in the sun. The youth made
over his three-legged horse to the stable-boy, mounted the other, and
rode at the head of the soldiers.
When he drew near the battle-field, a great part of the King’s men
had already fallen, and little was wanting to make the rest give way.
Then the youth galloped thither with his iron soldiers, broke like a
hurricane over the enemy, and beat down all who opposed him. They began
to fly, but the youth pursued, and never stopped, until there was not a
single man left.
Instead, however, of returning to the King, he conducted his troop by
side-roads to the forest, and called Iron John.
“What do you desire?” asked the Wild Man.
“Take back your horse and troops, and give me my three-legged horse
again.” All that he asked was done, and soon he was riding on his
three-legged horse.
When the King returned to his palace, his daughter went to meet him,
and wished him joy of his victory. “I am not the one who carried away
the victory,” said he, “but a stranger Knight who came to my assistance
with his soldiers.” The daughter wanted to hear who the strange Knight
was, but the King did not know, and said, “He followed the enemy, and I
did not see him again.”
She inquired of the gardener where his boy was, but he smiled, and
said, “He has just come home on his three-legged horse, and the others
have been mocking him, and crying, ‘Here comes our hobblety jig back
again!’ They asked, too, ‘Under what hedge have you been lying sleeping
all the time?’ He, however, answered, ‘I did the best of all, and it
would have gone badly without me.’ And then he was ridiculed still
more.”
The King said to his daughter, “I will proclaim a great feast that
shall last for three days, and you shall throw a Golden Apple. Perhaps
the unknown will come to it.”
When the feast was announced, the youth went out to the forest, and
called Iron John.
“What do you desire?” asked he.
“That I may catch the King’s Daughter’s Golden Apple.”
“It is as safe as if you had it already,” said Iron John. “You shall
likewise have a suit of red armor for the occasion, and ride on a
spirited chestnut horse.”
When the day came, the youth galloped to the spot, took his place
amongst the Knights, and was recognized by no one. The King’s Daughter
came forward, and threw a Golden Apple to the Knights. None of them
caught it but he; only as soon as he had it, he galloped away.
On the second day, Iron John equipped him as a white Knight, and gave
him a white horse. Again he was the only one who caught the apple, and
he did not linger an instant, but galloped off with it.
The King grew angry, and said, “That is not allowed. He must appear
before me and tell his name.” He gave the order that if the Knight who
caught the apple should go away again, they should pursue him, and, if
he would not come back willingly, they should cut him down and stab him.
On the third day, he received from Iron John a suit of black armor and
a black horse. Again he caught the apple. But when he was riding off
with it, the King’s attendants pursued him, and one of them got so near
that he wounded the youth’s leg with the point of his sword. The youth
nevertheless escaped from them, but his horse leapt so violently that
the helmet fell from his head, and they could see that he had golden
hair. They rode back and announced this to the King.
The following day, the King’s Daughter asked the gardener about his
boy. “He is at work in the garden. The queer creature has been at the
festival too, and only came home yesterday evening. He has likewise
shown my children three Golden Apples which he has won.”
The King had him summoned into his presence. He came and again had his
hat on his head. But the King’s Daughter went up to him and took it
off. Then his golden hair fell down over his shoulders, and he was so
handsome that all were amazed.
“Are you the Knight who came every day to the festival, always in
different colors, and who caught the three Golden Apples?” asked the
King.
“Yes,” answered he, “and here are the apples,” and he took them out
of his pocket, and returned them to the King. “If you desire further
proof, you may see the wound which your people gave me when they
followed me. But I am likewise the Knight who helped you win your
victory over your enemies.”
“If you can perform such deeds as that, you are no gardener’s boy. Tell
me, who is your father?”
“My father is a mighty King, and gold have I in plenty as much as I
require.”
“I well see,” said the King, “that I owe thanks to you. Can I do
anything to please you?”
“Yes,” answered he, “that indeed you can. Give me your daughter to
wife.”
The maiden laughed, and said, “He does not stand much on ceremony, but
I have already seen by his golden hair that he is no gardener’s boy,”
and then she went and kissed him.
His father and mother came to the wedding, and were in great delight,
for they had given up all hope of ever seeing their dear son again. And
as they were sitting at the marriage-feast, the music suddenly stopped,
the doors opened, and a stately King came in with a great retinue.
He went up to the youth, embraced him and said, “I am Iron John, and
was by enchantment a Wild Man, but you have set me free. All the
treasures which I possess, shall be yours.”
[Illustration]
CLEVER ELSIE
There was once a man who had a daughter who was called Clever Elsie.
And when she had grown up her father said, “We will get her married.”
“Yes,” said the mother, “if only any one would come who would have her.”
At length a man came from a distance, and wooed her, who was called
Hans. But he made one condition, that Clever Elsie should be really
wise.
“Oh,” said the father, “she’s sharp enough.”
And the mother said, “Oh, she can see the wind coming up the street,
and hear the flies coughing.”
“Well,” said Hans, “if she is not really wise, I won’t have her.”
When they were sitting at dinner, and had eaten, the mother said,
“Elsie, go into the cellar and fetch some beer.”
Then Clever Elsie took the pitcher from the wall, went into the cellar,
and tapped the lid briskly as she went that the time might not appear
long. When she was below she fetched herself a chair, and set it before
the barrel, so that she had no need to stoop, and did not hurt her
back or do herself any unexpected injury.
Then she placed the can before her, and turned the tap, and while the
beer was running, she would not let her eyes be idle, but looked up at
the wall. And after much peering here and there, saw a pickaxe exactly
above her, which the masons had left there by mistake.
Then Clever Elsie began to weep and said, “If I get Hans, and we have a
child, and he grows big, and we send him into the cellar here to draw
beer, then the pickaxe will fall on his head and kill him.” Then she
sat and wept and screamed with all the strength of her body, over the
misfortune which lay before her.
Those upstairs waited for the drink, but Clever Elsie still did not
come. Then the woman said to the servant, “Just go down into the cellar
and see where Elsie is.”
The maid went and found her sitting in front of the barrel, screaming
loudly.
“Elsie, why do you weep?” asked the maid.
“Ah,” she answered, “have I not reason to weep? If I get Hans, and we
have a child, and he grows big, and has to draw beer here, the pickaxe
may fall on his head, and kill him.”
Then said the maid, “What a clever Elsie we have!” and sat down beside
her and began loudly to weep over the misfortune.
After a while, as the maid did not come back, and those upstairs were
thirsty for the beer, the man said to the boy, “Just go down into the
cellar and see where Elsie and the girl are.”
The boy went down, and there sat Clever Elsie and the girl both
weeping together. Then he asked, “Why are you weeping?”
“Ah,” said Elsie, “have I not reason to weep? If I get Hans, and we
have a child, and he grows big, and has to draw beer here, the pickaxe
will fall on his head and kill him.”
Then said the boy, “What a clever Elsie we have!” and sat down by her,
and likewise began to howl loudly.
Upstairs they waited for the boy, but as he did not return, the man
said to the woman, “Just go down into the cellar and see where Elsie
is!”
The woman went down, and found all three in the midst of their
lamentations, and inquired what was the cause. Then Elsie told her
also, that her future child was to be killed by the pickaxe, when it
grew big and had to draw beer, and the pickaxe fell down.
Then said the mother likewise, “What a clever Elsie we have!” and sat
down and wept with them.
The man upstairs waited a short time, but as his wife did not come back
and his thirst grew ever greater, he said, “I must go into the cellar
myself and see where Elsie is.”
But when he got into the cellar, and they were all sitting together
crying, and he heard the reason, and that Elsie’s child was the cause,
and that Elsie might perhaps bring one into the world some day, and
that it might be killed by the pickaxe, if it should happen to be
sitting beneath it, drawing beer just at the very time when it fell, he
cried, “Oh, what a clever Elsie!” and sat down, and likewise wept with
them.
The Bridegroom stayed up-stairs alone for a long time; then as no one
came back he thought, “They must be waiting for me below. I, too, must
go there and see what they are about.”
When he got down, all five of them were sitting screaming and lamenting
quite piteously, each outdoing the other.
“What misfortune has happened then?” asked he.
“Ah, dear Hans,” said Elsie, “if we marry each other and have a child,
and he is big, and we perhaps send him here to draw something to drink,
then the pickaxe which has been left up there might dash his brains
out, if it were to fall down, so have we not reason to weep?”
“Come,” said Hans, “more understanding than that is not needed for my
household, as you are such a clever Elsie, I will have you,” and he
seized her hand, took her upstairs with him, and married her.
After Hans had had her some time, he said, “Wife, I am going out to
work and earn money for us. Go into the field and cut the corn, that we
may have some bread.”
“Yes, dear Hans, I will do that.”
After Hans had gone away, she cooked herself some good broth, and took
it into the field with her. When she came to the field she said to
herself, “What shall I do? Shall I shear first, or shall I eat first?
Oh, I will eat first.”
Then she emptied her basin of broth, and when she was fully satisfied,
she once more said, “What shall I do? Shall I shear first, or shall I
sleep first? I will sleep first.” Then she lay down among the corn and
fell asleep.
Hans had been at home for a long time, but Elsie did not come. Then
said he, “What a clever Elsie I have. She is so industrious, that she
does not even come home to eat.”
As, however, she still stayed away, and it was evening, Hans went out
to see what she had cut. But nothing was cut, and she was lying among
the corn, asleep. Then Hans hastened home and brought a fowler’s net
with little bells and hung it round about her, and she still went on
sleeping. Then he ran home, shut the house-door, and sat down in his
chair and worked.
At length, when it was quite dark, Clever Elsie awoke and when she got
up there was a jingling all round about her, and the bells rang at each
step which she took. Then she was frightened, and became uncertain
whether she really was Clever Elsie or not, and said, “Is it I, or is
it not I?”
But she knew not what answer to make to this, and stood for a time in
doubt. At length she thought, “I will go home and ask if it be I, or if
it be not I. They will be sure to know.”
She ran to the door of her own house, but it was shut. Then she knocked
at the window and cried, “Hans, is Elsie within?”
“Yes,” answered Hans, “she is within.”
Hereupon she was terrified, and said, “Ah, heavens! Then it is not I,”
and went to another door.
But when the people heard the jingling of the bells, they would not
open it, and she could get in nowhere. Then she ran out of the village,
and no one has seen her since.
[Illustration]
THE BREMEN TOWN-MUSICIANS
A certain man had a Donkey, which had carried the corn-sacks to the
mill faithfully for many a long year; but his strength was going, and
he was growing more and more unfit for work.
Then his master began to consider how he might best save his keep; but
the Donkey, seeing that no good wind was blowing, ran away and set out
on the road to Bremen.
“There,” he thought, “I can surely be town-musician.”
When he had walked some distance, he found a Hound lying on the road,
gasping like one who had run till he was tired.
“What are you gasping so for, you big fellow?” asked the Donkey.
“Ah,” replied the Hound, “as I am old, and daily grow weaker and no
longer can hunt, my master wants to kill me. So I have taken to flight.
But now how am I to earn my bread?”