little animal in order to drag it to the slaughter-house, the deer
repeated his mournful song, upon hearing which the cook got frightened
and ran away and informed the king of what he had heard and seen.
Thereupon the king determined to personally satisfy himself as to
whether his tale was true. The little deer thereupon cried twice as
mournfully as before, and amid tears sang out the same song as before.
The king now stepped forward from his hiding-place, and the deer, upon
being questioned, told him the story how the witch and the gate-keeper
dragged his sister out of bed, and how they threw her into the well. As
soon as the pretty animal finished its tale, the huge whale was dragged
out from the bottom of the well; they slit open its stomach, and the
real queen appeared, now seven times prettier than before; her husband
himself assisted her and conducted her back to the palace in triumph.
Lucinda, her mother, and the gate-keeper were quartered, and their
bodies exhibited at the four corners of the castle as a warning to
everybody. The queen anointed her little brother with some ointment she
had found in the whale's stomach, and he regained his old form. And so
all three of them are alive to this very date, if they have not died
since. May they get into an egg shell and be your guests to-morrow.
THE WONDERFUL FROG.
There was once, I don't know where, a man who had three daughters. One
day the father thus spoke to the eldest girl: "Go, my daughter, and
fetch me some fresh water from the well." The girl went, but when she
came to the well a huge frog called out to her from the bottom, that he
would not allow her to draw water in her jug until she threw him down
the gold ring on her finger. "Nothing else? is that all you want?"
replied the girl, "I won't give away my rings to such an ugly creature
as you," and she returned as she came with the empty pitchers. So the
father sent the second girl, and she fared as the first; the frog would
not let her have any water, as she refused to throw down her gold ring.
Her father gave his two elder daughters a good scolding, and then thus
addressed the youngest: "You go, Betsie, my dear, you have always been a
clever girl: I'm sure you will be able to get some water, and will not
allow your father to suffer thirst; go, shame your sisters!" Betsie
picked up the pitchers and went, but the frog again refused the water
unless she threw her ring down; but she, as she was very fond of her
father, threw the ring in as demanded, and returned home with full
pitchers to her father's great delight.
In the evening, as soon as darkness set in, the frog crawled out of the
well, and thus commenced to shout in front of Betsie's father's door:
"Father-in-law! father-in-law! I should like something to eat." The man
got angry, and called out to his daughters; "Give something in a broken
plate to that ugly frog to gnaw." "Father-in-law! father-in-law! this
won't do for me; I want some roast meat on a tin plate," retorted the
frog. "Give him something on a tin plate then, or else he will cast a
spell on us," said the father. The frog began to eat heartily, and,
having had enough, again commenced to croak: "Father-in-law!
father-in-law! I want something to drink." "Give him some slops in a
broken pot," said the father. "Father-in-law! father-in-law! I won't
have this; I want some wine in a nice tumbler." "Give him some wine
then," angrily called out the father. He guzzled up his wine and began
again: "Father-in-law! Father-in-law! I would like to go to sleep."
"Throw him some rags in a corner," was the reply. "Father-in-law!
father-in-law! I won't have that; I want a silk bed," croaked the frog.
This was also given to him; but no sooner has he gone to bed than again
he began to croak, "Father-in-law! father-in-law! I want a girl,
indeed." "Go, my daughter, and lie by the side of him," said the father
to the eldest. "Father-in-law! father-in law! I don't want that, I want
another." The father sent the second girl, but the frog again croaked:
"Father-in-law! father-in-law! I don't want that, Betsie is the girl I
want." "Go, my Betsie," said the father, quite disheartened, "else this
confounded monster will cast a spell on us." So Betsie went to bed with
the frog, but her father thoughtfully left a lamp burning on the top of
the oven; noticing which, the frog crawled out of bed and blew the lamp
out.
The father lighted it again, but the frog put it out as before, and so
it happened a third time. The father saw that the frog would not yield,
and was therefore obliged to leave his dear little Betsie in the dark by
the side of the ugly frog, and felt great anxiety about her. In the
morning, when the father and the two elder girls got up, they opened
their eyes and mouths wide in astonishment, because the frog had
disappeared, and by the side of Betsie they found a handsome Magyar lad,
with auburn locks, in a beautiful costume, with gold braid and buttons
and gold spurs on his boots. The handsome lad asked for Betsie's hand,
and, having received the father's consent, they hastened to celebrate
the wedding, so that christening might not follow the wedding too soon.
The two elder sisters looked with invidious eyes on Betsie, as they also
were very much smitten with the handsome lad. Betsie was very happy
after, so happy that if anyone doubt it he can satisfy himself with his
own eyes. If she is still alive, let him go and look for her, and try to
find her in this big world.
THE DEVIL AND THE RED CAP.
There was once, I know not where, a soldier who was flogged many times,
and who one night had to stand on sentry. As he paced up and down, a man
with a red cap stopped in front of him and stared hard into his eyes.
The soldier said not a word, but the stranger began: "My dear son, I
know what happens in your heart, you don't like this soldier's life, and
your thoughts are at this very minute wandering to your sweetheart." The
soldier at once concluded that he had to do with the devil, and so made
his acquaintance. "Well, my dear son," said the devil, "undress quickly,
and let's change our clothes; I will stand here on guard for you if you
promise me that in a year hence, on this very day, at this very hour, to
the very minute, you will be back here. In the meantime, go home to your
native place, and don this red cap, as you can freely walk about and no
one will see you as long as you have it on your head." The soldier went
home to his native land, over seven times seven countries, and no one
saw him as he reached his village. He walked into the garden and opened
the door leading into his father's house and stood there listening. His
friends were just then speaking of him. He was delighted to hear it, and
gradually took the red cap from his head and suddenly appeared before
them, who were very pleased to see him back. His sweetheart was also
there; but no one would believe their own eyes, and thought that some
sprite played them a trick. But the soldier explained it all; and, in
order to prove the truth, he disappeared, and the next minute
reappeared. All went well with the poor soldier until the time came when
he had to start back. At the appointed hour and minute he took leave of
his friends and sweetheart amid tears.
He put on his red cap and walked back unseen by any. "Bravo, my son,"
said the devil. "I see now that you are an honest man. A Magyar always
keeps his word. You've returned to the very hour and minute. I've
received a good many floggings, though, during your absence; but don't
be afraid, we shall alter all this. You needn't be particular about your
good conduct; nobody will touch you henceforth, as I've cast a spell
and whenever they flog you the captain will feel the pain." The devil
then changed his uniform, took back the red cap, and disappeared. The
poor soldier--he couldn't help it, as he was tired of soldiering--again
committed something wrong, the punishment for which was one hundred
strokes. All the preparations to carry out the sentence had already been
made, but before he was even touched the captain began to yell as he
felt quite sure that he would suffer under it. Therefore he deemed it
more wise to recommend the dismissal of the useless fellow, instead of
worrying about him. And so it happened, the soldier was dismissed and
arrived home safely: but since this happened even the devil will not
take pity on a poor soldier.
JACK DREADNOUGHT.
A poor widow had a son who was so courageous that not even the devil's
mother would have frightened him, and therefore he was named in his
childhood Jack Dreadnought. His mother was in continual terror lest
something dreadful might happen to her son, as he was so plucky, nay
foolhardy, and determined to use all possible means to teach him to
fear. For this reason she sent him to the clergyman of the village as
"mendicant," and requested the minister to use all his knowledge in
trying to teach her son to fear. The clergyman left nothing untried to
make the boy frightened; he told him all sorts of ghostly and horrible
tales, but these, instead of frightening the lad, made him only more
anxious to make the acquaintance of ghosts similar to those mentioned in
the tales. The clergyman thereupon hit upon the idea of introducing some
sham ghosts in order to break Jack Dreadnought's intrepidity.
He fixed upon the three nights before Christmas; on these nights the lad
had to go to ring the bells at midnight in the tower that stood at the
very end of the village, and the clergyman thought that he could find
some opportunity of frightening Jack. He took an old cassock and stuffed
it with straw and placed it before the tower door with one hand on the
handle. Midnight came and Jack went to ring the bells and discovered the
dummy in the cassock. "Who are you?" he called out, but received no
reply. "Very well," said the boy, "if you won't answer I will tell you
this, that if you don't clear off from that door I'll kick you in the
stomach that you will turn twelve somersaults." As there was no reply,
Jack in his rage took hold of the dummy's collar and threw him on the
ground with such violence that it rolled away three fathoms, and then,
as if nothing had happened, went up into the tower, rang the bells, and
went home. The clergyman, as his first experiment did not succeed, made
two dummies the next day, which were exactly alike; one he placed in the
same position as before at the door of the tower, the other near the
bell ropes.
At midnight Jack again went to ring the bells and, as before, made short
work of the first dummy; as he did not receive any reply he took him by
the collar and threw him on the ground. When he went up into the tower
and saw that the rope was held by another, he thought it was the first
one, and thus addressed him, "Well, my friend, you've come here, have
you? You hadn't enough with the first fall? Answer me or I will dash you
on the ground so that you will not be able to get up again," and as the
dummy did not reply Jack took it by the throat and pitched it from the
window of the tower, and it whizzed through the air. The clergyman had
had two unsuccessful experiments but he had great confidence in the
third. He made three dummies this time, two were placed as before and
the third he stood on the bell so that it might prevent it ringing.
Jack Dreadnought dealt with the two first dummies as on the previous
night, but as he was about to ring, to his astonishment, he discovered
the dummy on the bell; he was not frightened, but when he saw that it
would not come down, after a polite request, took it angrily by one leg
and pitched it through the window like a cat. The clergyman had now come
to the conclusion that he was unable to teach Jack fear, and now
commenced to plan how he might get rid of him. The next morning he
called him, and thus spoke to him: "Jack, you are a fine courageous
fellow; go, take my grey horse, and as much provisions as you think will
last you three days, and go into the world and follow your nose; do not
stop all day, but take up your night quarters wherever darkness finds
you. Do this for three days, and settle down where you spend the third
night, and you will be prosperous."
The clergyman thought that Jack would perish on the way; but we shall
see whether he did. Jack started off the first day, and in the evening
came to a narrow, round timber hut, which was rather high, and he
decided to sleep there. As he found it empty he made a fire in its
centre and commenced to fry some bacon; all of a sudden he felt
something dripping, he looked up and saw something like a human form
dangling in the air. "Well, upon my word," shouted he, "the devil won't
leave me alone even here: get down from there, will you, or do you
expect me to take you down?" No reply came, and Jack, with a clever
jump, caught hold of one of his legs, and brought it down, but the head
was torn off and fell down. Only then he discovered that it was a hanged
man, but he did not think much of it, and stayed there all night. He
travelled the whole of the next day; in the evening he reached an inn
and asked for a room, and received in reply that they had an empty room
on the upper floor, the only one vacant; but that no one could sleep
there, as the place was haunted. "What!" shouted Jack; "Oh! I know those
ghosts; let me have a dish of good food, a mouthful of good wine, and a
burning candle in the upper room, and I will sleep there. I swear by
Beelzebub that the ghosts will come no more!" The innkeeper tried to
dissuade Jack from his foolhardy attempt, but he would not give way.
He was shown into the room; it was a large apartment on the upper floor.
Jack placed the lighted candle in the middle; a dishful of food and a
jug of wine by the side of it; and settled down in a chair, waiting for
the awful ghosts. No sooner had the clock struck midnight than, all of a
sudden, a fearful chorus of animal noises was to be heard, like the
howling of dogs, neighing of horses, bellowing of cattle, roaring of
wild beasts, bleating of sheep and of goats, and also crying, laughing,
and clanking of chains. Jack was quite delighted with the nocturnal
concert; but, all of a sudden a big skull rolled in through the door and
stopped by the side of the dish. Jack stared at it, and, instead of the
skull, he saw an old monk standing before him with long heavy chains.
"Good evening, brother friar!" shouted Jack, "pray have supper with me."
"I'm going from here," said the friar, "and I want you to come too; I
will show you something." "With pleasure," replied Jack, "will you lead
the way, you devil, or you reverend gentleman?" Thereupon Jack followed
the friar with the lighted candle. When they arrived at the stairs the
friar insisted upon his going first, but Jack would not; and the friar
was obliged to lead the way. Next they came to a narrow landing at the
top of the cellar stairs. Here, again, the friar invited him to go
first, but he would not; and so the apparition had to go first. But, as
soon as he went down a few steps, Jack gave the friar such a push with
such dexterity that he went head over heels down the steps and broke his
neck. In the morning the innkeeper had the friar buried. He made Jack a
handsome present, and the latter continued his journey.
Jack Dreadnought rode the whole next day, and in the evening again came
to an inn, where he could not get any room except up stairs, where no
one else would sleep, on account of ghostly visitors. Jack took the room
and was again enjoying his supper in the centre, when the old clock
struck midnight. The same sort of music struck his ear as on the
previous night, and, amid a great crash, a human hand dropped from the
ceiling to near his dish. Jack, in cold blood, took up the hand and
threw it behind the door. Another hand fell and went the same way. Now a
leg came, and this, too, went behind the door. Then came its fellow,
which was soon despatched to the rest. At last a big skull dropped right
into the middle of the dish and broke it. Jack got into a rage, and
threw the skull violently behind the door; and, on looking back, he
found, instead of the limbs, an immense ghost standing behind the door,
whom Jack at once taxed with the damage done to the dish, demanding
payment. The ghost replied, "Very well; I will pay for it, if you come
with me." Jack consented, and they went off together; as before, he
always insisted on the ghost going first. They came to a long winding
staircase, and down into a huge cellar. Jack opened his eyes and mouth
wide when he found in the cellar three vats full of gold, six vats of
silver, and twelve vats of copper coins. Then the ghost said to him,
"There, choose a vat full of coins for your dish, and take it whenever
you like." But Jack, however, did not touch the money, but replied, "Not
I; do you suppose that I will carry that money? Whoever brought it here,
let him take it away." "Well done," replied the ghost; "I see I've found
my man at last. Had you touched the treasure you would have died a
sudden death; but now, since you are such a fine courageous fellow, the
like of whom I have never seen before, settle down in this place and
use the treasure in peace; nobody will ever disturb or haunt you any
more." After these words the ghost disappeared.
Jack became the owner of the immense treasure, and married the
innkeeper's only daughter, who was very pretty, and lives with her to
this day, if he has not died since, enjoying life and spending the money
he found in the vats in the cellar.
THE SECRET-KEEPING LITTLE BOY AND HIS LITTLE SWORD.
There was once, I don't know where, beyond the seas, a little village,
and in the village a widow. The widow had a pretty little son whose
cheeks were as the rose; on the left side of the little boy a scabbard
had grown, and as the boy grew the scabbard grew with him. On the same
day on which the little boy was born the point of a sword appeared in
the soil in their little garden, which kept pace with the growth of the
scabbard on the little boy's side. When the boy was a year old he
discovered the sword in the garden, and every evening at sunset he tried
the sword in the scabbard. One evening after sunset the little boy lay
down and fell fast asleep. Next morning he awaited dawn squatting by the
side of the growing sword, which he passed seven times into the
scabbard. He ran quite delighted to his mother, who got up as the
morning bell began to ring. "Oh, my dear mother, I had such a nice
dream. I wouldn't give my dream for the whole world." "Then what have
you dreamt, my son?" queried the mother. "I wouldn't tell anyone till my
dream has been realised." "Yes, but I want to know it," said his mother
angrily, "and if you won't tell me, I will thrash you."
But the widow threatened her little son in vain; neither kind words nor
threats could induce him to tell his secret. At last she thrashed him,
but with no result; the little fellow went into the garden and knelt
down by the side of his little sword, which had the peculiar feature
that it continually revolved, and cut everyone's hand who touched it
with the exception of that of the little boy. The little sword as soon
as its point felt the touch of the scabbard stopped and slid into the
scabbard, and the little boy for a long time gazed at his weapon and
wept bitterly. As he was thus weeping in his mother's garden, the king
of the country passed outside the fencing; the king heard the sound of
crying and stopped his carriage, and thus spoke to his footman: "My dear
servant, go to see who is crying in that garden, and ask the cause of
it?" The footman obeyed, and on his return gave the following reply to
his royal master: "Your majesty, a child is kneeling among the flowers,
and cries because his mother has cruelly beaten him." "Bring him here,
my dear servant, tell him his king wants him, who has never cried in his
life, and cannot bear to hear anyone else cry." The footman brought the
child back with him, wiped away his tears, and the king asked the dear
little boy whether he would like to go with him as he was willing to
adopt him as his son. "I would like to go, majesty, if my mother would
let me." "Go, my servant, to this little fellow's mother," said the king
to his footman, "and tell her that the king will take her pretty son to
his palace and if he behave well will give him half of his realm, and
also his prettiest daughter."
The widow, who only a moment ago was so angry, commenced to cry for joy,
and placed her son with her own hands into the king's lap, and kissed
the monarch's hand. "Don't be so stubborn when you are at your royal
father's court as you were at your widow-mother's house," she said to
him, and with these words the old woman ran away from her pretty little
son, who again cried bitterly. Then the dear little prince begged leave
to get down from the carriage; he pulled the little sword up out of the
ground, and placed it in the scabbard, where it rattled unceasingly.
They had driven a good distance, and the boy had had his cry, when the
king said, "Why did you cry so bitterly in the little garden, my dear
son?" "Because" replied the little boy "my mother continually scolded
me, and also thrashed me cruelly." "And why did your mother thrash you
cruelly and scold you?" asked the king. "Because I wouldn't tell her my
dream." "And why would you not tell your dream to your poor mother?"
"Because I will not tell it to anyone till it is fulfilled." "And won't
you tell it to me either?" asked the king in astonishment. "No, nobody
shall know it but God, who knows it already." "I'm sure you will tell me
when we get home," said his royal father smiling. After three days'
journey they arrived at the king's town: the queen with her three
daughters were greatly delighted that their royal husband and father had
brought them such a pretty boy. The girls offered all sorts of things to
their pretty brother.
"Don't love him so much," said the wise king, "as he does not deserve
it; he harbours some secret in his heart which he will not tell anyone."
"He will tell me," said the eldest girl, but the little boy shook his
head. "He will tell it me," said the second. "Not I," said the little
boy angrily. "You won't keep it from me," said the youngest coaxingly.
"I will not tell my secret to anyone till it is realised, and I will
punish anyone who dares to inquire," threatened the little boy. The king
in his great sorrow looked at his wife and daughters; he summoned his
servants, handed the little boy to them, and said, "Take away this
stubborn child, take him to your house, he's not fit for a royal
palace." The sword at the little boy's side clanked loudly; the servants
obeyed their royal master's orders, and took the boy to the place where
they lived. The pretty child cried upon being taken away from the
gorgeous palace, and the servants' children consoled him, offered him
fruits and toys, and thus brought back his spirits in a few hours; the
children got used to each other, and the little boy lived with them
until he became seventeen years of age. The elder daughters of the king
married kings of countries beyond the seas, and the youngest one has
also grown old enough to be married. One day she ran from the lofty
palace into the servants' house, where she saw the little boy, who had
grown so handsome that there wasn't a more handsome lad to be seen over
seven times seven countries. The king's daughter was very much struck as
she had never before seen so fine a lad, and thus spoke to him: "If you,
handsome lad, will reveal your secret to me I will become yours, and you
will be mine, and not even the coffin shall separate us." The lad
thrashed the inquisitive princess as he had promised of yore; the pretty
girl wept bitterly and ran to her royal father and complained about the
lad's cruelty. The old king was very angry and uttered an oath, adding,
"If he had a thousand souls he will have to die; his very memory must
die out in my country."