year's growth, every night another year's growth, but in the dawn of
morning, when the stars were paling in the sky, three years' growth in
a single moment. When three days and three nights had passed, the two
aspens were lofty trees, lifting their boughs to the emperor's window,
and when the wind stirred the branches, he listened to their rustling
all day long.
The step-mother suspected what they were, and pondered all day trying
to find some way to get rid of the trees at any cost. It was a
difficult task, but a woman's will can squeeze milk from a stone, a
woman's cunning conquers heroes--what force can not accomplish, fair
words win, and when these fail, hypocritical tears succeed.
One morning the empress sat down on the side of her husband's bed and
began to overwhelm him with loving words and tender caresses. It was
a long time before the thread broke, but at last--even emperors are
mortal!
"Very well," he said, reluctantly, "have your own way; order the
aspens to be cut down, but one must be made into a bedstead for me,
the other for you."
This satisfied the empress. The aspens were cut down, and before night
the beds were standing in the emperor's room.
When he lay down, he felt as if he had become a hundred times heavier,
yet he had never rested so well; but it seemed to the empress as if
she were lying on thorns and nettles, so that she could not sleep all
night long.
When the emperor had fallen asleep, the beds began to creak, and amid
this creaking the empress fancied she heard words that no one else
understood.
"Is it hard for you, brother?" asked one of the beds.
"No, it isn't hard for me," replied the bed in which the emperor was
sleeping, "I am happy, for my beloved father rests upon me."
"It's hard for me," replied the other, "for on me lies a wicked soul."
So the beds talked on in the empress's ears until the dawn of morning.
When daylight came, the empress planned how she could destroy the
beds. At last she ordered two bedsteads exactly like them, and when
the emperor went hunting, placed them in his room without his
knowledge; but the aspen beds, down to the very smallest splinter, she
threw into the fire.
When they were burned so entirely that not even a bit of charcoal
remained, the empress collected the ashes and scattered them to the
winds, that they might be strewn over nine countries and seas, and not
an atom find another atom through all eternity.
But she had not noticed that just when the fire was burning brightest
two sparks rose, and soaring upward, fell again into the midst of the
deep river that flowed through the empire, where they were changed
into two little fishes with golden scales, so exactly alike that
nobody could help knowing they were twin brothers.
One day the imperial fishermen went out early in the morning, and
threw their nets into the water. Just at the moment the last stars
were fading, one of the men drew up his net and beheld what he had
never seen before: two tiny fishes with golden scales.
The other fishermen assembled to see the miracle, but when they had
beheld and admired it, determined to carry the fish alive to the
emperor for a gift.
"Don't take us there, we've just come from there, and it will be our
destruction," said one of the fishes.
"But what shall I do with you?" asked the fisherman.
"Go and gather the dew from the leaves, let us swim in it, put us in
the sun, and don't come back again till the sunbeams have dried the
dew," said the second little fish.
The fisherman did as he was told, gathered the dew from the leaves,
put the little fish into it, placed them in the sun, and did not come
back till the dew was all dried up.
But what had happened! What did he see?
Two boys, handsome princes with golden hair and a golden star on their
foreheads, so exactly alike that no one who saw them could help
knowing that they were twin brothers.
The children grew very rapidly. Every day enough for a year, and every
night enough for another year, but in the dawn of morning when the
stars paled in the sky, enough for three years in a single moment.
Besides, they grew as no other children ever had grown, three times as
fast in age, strength, and wisdom. When three days and nights had
passed, they were twelve years in age, twenty-four in strength, and
thirty-six in wisdom.
"Now let us go to our father," said one of the princes to the
fisherman.
The fisherman dressed the lads in beautiful clothing, and made each a
lambskin cap, which the boys drew low over their faces, that no one
might see their golden hair and the golden star on their foreheads,
and then took the princes to the imperial palace.
It was broad daylight when they arrived.
"We want to speak to the emperor," said one of the princes to the
guard, who stood armed at the door of the palace.
"That can't be done, he's at table," replied the soldier.
"Just because he _is_ at table," said the second prince, passing
through the door.
The guards ran up and tried to drive the boys out of the court-yard,
but the boys slipped through their fingers like quicksilver. Three
paces forward, three up, and they were standing before the great hall,
where the emperor was dining with all his court.
"We want to come in," said one of the princes sharply, to the servants
who stood at the door.
"That can't be done," one of the lackeys answered.
"Indeed! We'll see whether it can be done or not," cried the other
prince, pushing the men aside right and left.
But there were a great many lackeys, and only two princes. A tumult
and uproar arose outside, that resounded through the palace.
"What is going on out there?" asked the emperor angrily.
The princes stopped when they heard their father's voice.
"Two boys are trying to enter by force," said an attendant,
approaching the emperor.
"By force? Who seeks to enter my palace by force? Who are these boys?"
cried the emperor in the same breath.
"We know not, your majesty," replied the lackey, "but there must be
something uncommon about them, for the lads are as strong as young
lions, they overpowered the guard at the gate, and have given us
plenty to do. Besides, they are proud, they don't lift their caps from
their heads."
The emperor flushed scarlet with rage.
"Throw them out!" he cried. "Set the dogs on them."
"Never mind, we will go," said the princes, weeping at the harsh
words, as they went down the steps again.
As they reached the gate, they were stopped by a servant, who was out
of breath from running to overtake them.
"The emperor has commanded you to come back, the empress wants to see
you."
The princes hesitated, then turned, climbed the stairs, and still with
their caps on their heads appeared before the emperor.
There stood a long, wide table, at which sat all the imperial guests;
at the head was the emperor, and beside him the empress, reclining on
twelve silk cushions.
As the princes entered, one of these twelve cushions fell to the
floor, only eleven remaining under the royal lady.
"Take off your caps!" cried a courtier.
"To wear the head covered is a token of rank among men. We wish to be
what we are."
"Why, yes!" exclaimed the emperor, softened by the musical words that
fell from the boys' lips. "Remain what you are, but who are you?
Whence do you come, and what do you want?"
"We are twin brothers, members of a family that is broken in twain,
half in the earth, half at the head of the table; we come from whence
we went, and have reached the place whence we came; we have had a
long journey, have spoken in the sighing of the wind, given a voice to
wood, sang in the ripples of the water, but now we wish to chant in
human language a song you know without knowing it."
A second cushion fell from under the empress.
"Let them go home with their nonsense!" she said to her husband.
"Oh! no, let them sing," replied the emperor. "You only wanted to see
them, but I wish to hear them. Sing, boys!"
The empress was silent, and the princes began to sing the story of
their lives.
"There was once an emperor," they began, and a third cushion fell from
under the empress.
When they described the emperor's departure to the war, three cushions
fell at once, and when the princes had finished their song not a
single one remained. But when they took off their caps and showed
their golden hair and the golden star on their foreheads, guests,
courtiers and emperor closed their eyes, that they might not be
dazzled by so much radiance.
* * * * *
Afterward, what ought to have been from the beginning, happened.
Laptitza sat at the head of the table beside her husband, but the
step-mother's daughter served as the humblest maid in the palace, and
the wicked step-mother was fastened to the tail of a wild mare and
dragged around the earth seven times, that the whole world might know
and never forget, that whoever plans evil comes to a bad end.
Youth Without Age and Life Without Death.
Once upon a time something happened whose like never occurred
before--if it had not happened it would not be told--since the flea
had one foot shod with ninety-nine pounds of iron and jumped into the
skies to get us fairy tales.
There was once a mighty emperor and empress. Both were young and
handsome, and as they desired the blessing of children they did every
thing that was necessary to secure it, that is they went to the
witches and philosophers and asked them to read the stars to find out
whether they would have children or not. But it was all in vain.
Finally the emperor heard that a very wise old man lived in a
neighboring village, and sent for him. The messengers returned with
the answer: "Let him who needs me come to me." So the emperor and
empress set out for the wise man's house, taking with them several of
their courtiers, attendants, and soldiers. When the old man saw them
in the distance, he rose, went to meet them, and said at once:
"Welcome! But what do you want to know, oh, emperor! your wish will
bring you sorrow."
"I am not here to question you about that," replied the emperor, "but
to learn whether you have any plants you can give us that will bestow
the blessing of children."
"I have," the old man answered, "but you will possess only _one_
child. He will be a handsome, lovable boy, yet you will not be able to
keep him long."
After the emperor and empress had obtained the herbs they joyfully
returned to the palace. The whole empire, the courtiers, and all the
attendants rejoiced too. But when the hour of its birth came, the
child began to scream in a way no magic arts could silence. The
emperor commenced to promise it all the good things the world
contained, but it was impossible to quiet it.
"Hush, father's pet," said the emperor, "I will give you this or that
kingdom; hush, my son, I will give you this or that princess for your
wife." At last, when he saw the child would not stop, he added: "Hush,
my boy, I will give you youth without age and life without death."
Then the prince stopped crying; the courtiers beat drums and blew
trumpets, and there were great rejoicings throughout the empire for a
whole week.
The older the boy grew, the more thoughtful and reflective he became.
He went to the schools and the philosophers and gained every kind of
learning, so that the emperor died of joy and came to life again. The
whole realm was proud of having a prince so wise and learned, a
second King Solomon. But one day, when the lad had just reached his
fifteenth year and the emperor sat at a banquet with the nobles and
grandees of the country, the handsome prince rose, saying: "Father,
the time has come, you must now give me what you promised at my
birth!"
When the emperor heard this he grew very sorrowful and answered: "Why,
my son, how can I give you an impossible thing? If I promised it to
you then, it was only to hush you."
"If you can't give it to me, father, I shall be obliged to wander
through the whole world till I find what was promised to me, and for
which I was born."
Then all the nobles and the emperor fell at his feet and besought him
not to quit the country, because, as the courtiers said, his father
was growing old, and they would place him on the throne and give him
the most beautiful princess under the sun for his wife. But it was
impossible to shake his resolution, he remained as firm as a rock.
After his father had seen and duly considered all these things, he
gave his consent and prepared to supply the prince with provisions and
whatever else he might need for his journey.
The young hero went to the imperial stables, where the finest steeds
in the whole realm were standing, to choose one of them; but when he
laid his hand on the horse's tail he knocked it down, and so they all
fell, one after another. At last, just as he was going out, he let his
eyes wander around the building once more and saw in one corner a
sick, weak horse, covered with sores. He went up to it, and when he
grasped it by the tail, the animal turned its head, saying:
"What do you command, my master? I thank God that He has permitted a
hero's hand to touch me once more."
And, planting its feet firmly, it remained standing. The young prince
told it what he intended to do, and the horse replied:
"To obtain your wish, you must ask your father for the sword, lance,
bow, quiver of arrows, and garments he wore when a youth; but you must
take care of me with your own hands for six weeks and give me oats
boiled in milk."
When the prince begged the emperor for the articles the horse had
advised, the monarch called the major-domo of the palace and ordered
him to open all the chests of clothing, that his son might choose what
he pleased. The young hero, after rummaging them three whole days, at
last found in the very bottom of an old trunk the weapons and garments
his father had worn in his youth, but the arms were covered with rust.
He set to work to clean them with his own hands and in six weeks,
during the time he was taking care of the horse, he succeeded in
making the weapons as bright and shining as a mirror. When the horse
heard from the handsome prince that the clothes and arms were cleaned
and ready, it shook itself once. All the sores instantly fell off and
there it stood, a strong, well-formed animal, with four wings. When
the hero saw this, he said:
"We'll go in three days!"
"May you have a long life, master. From to-day I shall be at your
service," the horse answered.
On the morning of the third day there was great mourning throughout
the whole court and empire. The handsome prince, clad like a hero,
holding his sword in his hand and riding the horse he had chosen, took
leave of the emperor, the empress, the great nobles and lesser
grandees, the army, and all the attendants, who, with tears in their
eyes, implored him to give up the journey and not risk his life; but
setting spurs to his steed, he dashed through the gate like the wind,
followed by the carts loaded with provisions and money, and the two
hundred horsemen the emperor had commanded to accompany him.
After reaching the boundaries of his father's country and arriving at
the wilderness, the prince distributed all his property among the
escort, bade them farewell, and sent them back, keeping for himself
only as much food as the horse could carry. Then he turned toward the
east and rode for three days and three nights, till he came to a wide
plain where lay a great many human bones.
When he stopped here to rest, the horse said: "You must know, master,
that we are on the land of a Woodpecker Fairy who is so wicked that
nobody can enter her domain without being murdered. She was once a
woman, but the curse of her parents, whom she angered by her
disobedience, turned her into a woodpecker. She is with her children
now, but you will meet her to-morrow in yonder forest; she will come
to kill you. She is terribly big, but don't be frightened; hold the
bow ready to pierce her with an arrow, and keep your sword and lance
in hand, so that you can use them in case of need."
Then they went to rest, taking turns in watching.
At dawn the next morning they prepared to pass through the forest; the
prince saddled and bridled the horse, drew the girths tighter than
usual, and mounted. Suddenly he heard a tremendous crashing. "Make
ready, master," said the horse, "the Woodpecker Fairy is coming." As
she approached, she moved so fast that she tore the trees down; but
the horse leaped upward like the wind, so that it was almost over her,
and the prince shot off one of her feet with an arrow. Just as he was
about to discharge the second arrow, she cried:
"Stop, my young hero, I'll do you no harm." And seeing that he did not
believe her, she gave him the promise written with her own blood.
"Your horse can not be killed, my young hero," she added, "it is
enchanted; if it hadn't been for that, I would have roasted and eaten
you. Know that until to-day no mortal man has ventured to cross my
boundaries as far as this; a few bold wights who dared to make the
trial, reached the plain where you saw so many bones."
They now went to the fairy's house, where she entertained them as
guests. But while sitting at the table enjoying the banquet, the
Woodpecker Fairy moaned with pain, so the prince pulled the foot he
had shot off out of the traveling bag where he had put it, fastened it
on, and it instantly healed. The hostess, in her joy, kept open house
for three days, and begged the emperor's son to choose one of her
daughters, all three of whom were beautiful as fairies, for his wife.
He would not do that, but told her what he was seeking, and she
replied:
"With your horse and your heroic courage, I believe you will succeed."
After three days had passed, the prince prepared to continue his
journey and departed. He rode on, and on, and on; the road seemed to
grow longer and longer, but when he had finally crossed the frontiers
of the Woodpecker Fairy's kingdom, he entered a beautiful meadow, one
side of which was covered with blooming plants, but the other was
scorched.
The prince asked why the grass was singed, and the horse answered:
"We are now in the domain of the Scorpion Witch; she is the Woodpecker
Fairy's sister, but they are both so wicked that they can't live
together. Their parents' curse has fallen upon them, and so, as you
see, they have become monsters; their enmity goes beyond all bounds;
they are always trying to get possession of each other's lands. When
this one is very angry she spits fire and pitch; she must have had
some quarrel with her sister, and, to drive her out of her kingdom,
has burned the grass on which she was standing. She is even worse than
her sister, and has three heads. We will rest awhile now, and be ready
at the first peep of dawn to-morrow."
The next day they prepared themselves just as they did when they
expected to meet the Woodpecker fairy, and set out. Soon they heard a
howling and rustling unlike any thing ever known before.
"Make ready, master, the Scorpion Witch is coming."
The Scorpion Witch, with one jaw in the sky and the other on the
earth, approached like the wind, spitting fire as she came, but the
horse darted upward as swiftly as an arrow, and then rushed over her a
little on one side. The hero shot an arrow and one of her heads fell,
but when he was going to strike off another, the Scorpion Witch
entreated him to forgive her, she would do him no harm, and to
convince him of this she gave him her promise, written in her own
blood.
Like the Woodpecker Fairy, she entertained the prince, who returned
her head, which grew on again, and at the end of three days he resumed
his travels.
When the hero and his horse had reached the boundaries of the Scorpion
Witch's kingdom they hurried on without resting till they came to a
field covered with flowers, where reigned perpetual spring. Every
blossom was remarkably beautiful and filled with a sweet, intoxicating
fragrance; a gentle breeze fanned them all. They remained here to
rest, but the horse said:
"We have arrived so far successfully, master, but we still have one
great peril to undergo and, if the Lord helps us to conquer it, we
shall really be valiant heroes. A short distance further on is the
palace where dwell Youth without Age and Life without Death. It is
surrounded by a high, dense forest, where roam all the wild animals in
the world, watching it day and night. They are very numerous, and it
is almost beyond the bounds of possibility to get through the wood by
fighting them; we must try, if we can, to jump over them."
After resting about two days they prepared to continue their journey,
and the horse, holding its breath, said:
"Buckle my girth as tight as you can, and when you have mounted hold
fast to my mane and press your feet close to my neck, that you may not
hinder me." The prince mounted, and in a moment they were close to the
forest.
"Master," said the horse, "this is the time that the wild beasts are
fed; they are all collected together, now we'll jump over."
"Forward," replied the handsome prince, "and may the Lord have mercy
on us."
They flew upward and saw the palace, which glittered so that it would
have been easier to look at the sun. They passed over the forest, and,
just as they were descending at the palace steps, one of the horse's
hoofs lightly touched the top of a tree, which put the whole woods in
motion. The wild animals began to howl till it was enough to make
one's hair bristle. They hastily alighted, and if the mistress of the
palace had not been outside feeding her chickens (for that is what she
called the wild beasts), they would certainly have been killed. She
spared their lives out of pure pleasure, for she had never before seen
a human being. Restraining the savage beasts, she soothed them, and
sent them back to their haunts. She was a tall, slender, lovely
fairy, quite too beautiful. When the young hero saw her, he stood
still as though turned to stone. But as she gazed at him she pitied
him and said:
"Welcome, my handsome prince. What do you seek here?"
"We seek Youth without Age and Life without Death."
Then he dismounted from his horse and entered the palace, where he
found two other ladies, both of the same age, the elder sisters of the
first one. He began to thank the fairy for having delivered him from
danger, but she and her sisters, to show their joy, had a handsome
banquet served in golden dishes. They gave the horse liberty to graze
wherever it chose, and afterward made it acquainted with all the wild
beasts, so that it might rove about the forest in peace. The ladies
entreated the prince to stay with them, saying that it was so tiresome
to be alone. He did not wait to be asked a second time, but accepted
the offer with the satisfaction of a man who has found precisely what
he sought.
By degrees they became accustomed to live together; the prince told
them his story and related what he had suffered before meeting them,
and after some time he married the youngest sister. At their wedding
permission was granted to him to go wherever he liked in the
neighborhood; they only begged him not to enter one valley, which they
pointed out, otherwise some misfortune would befall him; it was
called, they said, the Valley of Lamentation.
The prince spent a very long time at the palace without being aware
of it, for he always remained just as young as he was when he arrived.
He wandered about the woods without ever having a headache. He amused
himself in the golden palace, lived in peace and quiet with his wife
and her sisters, enjoyed the beauty of the flowers, and the sweet,
pure air. He often went hunting; but one day, while pursuing a hare,
he shot two arrows at it without hitting the animal. Angrily chasing
it he discharged a third arrow, which struck it, but in his haste the
luckless man had not noticed that he had passed through the Valley of
Lamentation while following the game.
He picked it up and turned toward home, but was suddenly seized with a
longing for his father and mother. He did not venture to speak of this
wish to his wife, yet by his grief and restlessness both she and her
sisters instantly perceived his condition.
"Oh! luckless prince, you have passed through the Valley of
Lamentation," they said in terror.
"I did so, my dear ones, without meaning to be so imprudent, but now
the longing to see my parents is killing me! Yet I can not forsake
you. I have already spent several days with you and have no cause to
complain. So I'll go and see my parents once more, and then come back
to you, never to leave you again."
"Do not quit us, beloved prince! Your parents died two or three
hundred years ago, and if you go, we fear you yourself will never
return; stay with us, for a presentiment of evil tells us that you
will perish!"