and in payment receive the horse he himself should choose; but if he
should lose the drove he was to give up his head to the witch. The old
woman instantly stuck a pole in the ground and put the hero's hat on
it. Then the youth ate something, that he might not go with the drove
to the pasture hungry. While the boy was eating, the witch led the
mares behind the hut and began to beat them with the giant's shin
bone, telling them not to drink any water during the night, nor allow
the others to do so, because the water from the springs in the plain
would put them to sleep, and the old woman wanted the herd to graze
all night. The boy knew nothing about this.
When he came to the pasture with the drove he was attacked by so great
a thirst, that he would have walked from morning till night to find a
drop of water; so to quench it he lay down by a spring and drank, and
even while drinking he fell asleep.
When in the first gray dawn of the next morning he woke from his
slumber, the drove had vanished, leaving no trace anywhere! It is only
necessary to remember that the lad's cap was already hanging on the
pole to understand how great was his despair. But he gazed around him
in every direction without discovering even a sign of a horse; the
morning twilight was fast vanishing, and he stood utterly forsaken,
not knowing which way to turn. Then he recollected the service he had
once rendered the wasp, and thought that a wasp flies so fast that it
might discover the drove and bring him news of their hiding-place, so
he took the hair he had pulled from under the wasp's right wing and
shook it. Quick as thought a buzzing noise was heard from every
direction--it grew louder and louder, till one might have thought the
world was going to ruin. Good gracious! There came one wasp after
another, one swarm behind another, whole ranks, great clouds of wasps
of all sizes, all ready to circle the earth and obey the Poor Boy's
commands.
"Have no anxiety," said the Wasp Queen; "if the drove still remains on
the earth, we'll bring the horses back to you ere sunrise."
Then every thing became quiet, because the wasps flew off to every
quarter of the globe and scattered all over the world. Ere long a
cloud of dust appeared in the distance, swept with mad haste over the
wide plain in the midst of the moor, and the drove of horses, urged by
the wasps' stings, dashed up so swiftly that the earth fairly groaned
under their hoofs. The Poor Boy thanked the wasps for their help, and
then went to the hut as if nothing had happened.
The old woman looked askance at him, said he had done well, and then
beat the mares again, ordering them to hide carefully at night. That
evening the lad would eat nothing, because he thought the witch's food
had caused his terrible thirst the night before; but when he went with
the drove to the pasture, a burning, consuming thirst seized upon him
as soon as he saw the clear water, and wherever he went springs
bubbled from under his feet. At last he could no longer control
himself, and relying upon the aid of the wasps, lay down beside a
spring and had scarcely drunk when he instantly fell asleep. This time
he woke later than on the night before, because he had gone to sleep
later, so he was later in shaking the hair he had pulled out from
under the wasp's wing, and the swarms of wasps were later in coming to
seek and drive the horses home.
But what did the youth see? Ere long one swarm after another returned,
each bringing news that the drove could not be found on the surface of
the earth and must have hidden somewhere in the sea.
The sun was about to rise. The Poor Boy took the fish-scale, rubbed
it, and suddenly there appeared in the springs at his feet a school of
tiny fish, that filled every channel, and asked what were his wishes
and commands. He told them what he desired and instantly all the
waters on the earth, rivers, lakes, and seas, began to swell and dash,
while the wasps flew off to be ready to pounce upon the drove as soon
as the fish forced the horses to appear.
The Poor Boy had scarcely time to collect his horses and take them
home when the sun rose.
The old woman looked angrily at him, but said again that he had done
well, and gave the mares a still more terrible beating; for the year
consisted of three days, and if they did not hide successfully that
night the hero might demand his wages.
The Poor Boy knew this too. So he began to eat his meal-loaf as he
went with the drove to the pasture, and whenever he bit off a piece
his strength increased and his thirst was quenched. Yet, whenever he
saw the springs or heard the water rippling over the pebbles, he grew
thirsty again, and so devoured the whole of the meal-loaf. He ought
now to have taken the bran loaf, but did not venture to do so because
he still had a long journey before him, and was afraid of being
without food. Therefore he again relied on the aid of the wasps and
fishes, lay down by a spring, and as soon as he had drunk fell asleep.
When he awoke it was broad daylight, though the sun had not yet risen.
He shook the hair, but the wasps came with the tidings that the drove
was not on the surface of the earth, he rubbed the fish-scale, but the
fishes said the horses were not under the water either; so, in his
despair, he seized the mole's claw and scratched on the ground with
it.
Then you should have seen the wonder! The wasps buzzed, the fish
searched all the water in the world, and the moles began to rummage
the earth, furrowing it in every direction as if they meant to make it
into pap. When the first sunbeams touched the top of the poplar before
the hut, the drove dashed like hunted ghosts to the Poor Boy; if the
horses tried to go into the water the fish scared them back, if they
tried to hide themselves in the ground the claws of the moles drove
them out, and so they were forced to go wherever the wasps guided
them.
The Poor Boy thanked his friends for their help, and returned home
just as the sun shone upon the hut. The old woman looked angrily at
him, but said nothing.
But now trouble came. The year was over, and the Poor Boy began to
rack his brains because he did not know which horse in the drove he
ought to choose. That's the way with over-hasty people. The Wood Witch
could probably have told him this, too, if he had not left her so
quickly. Now he went to work hap-hazard. Still, he thought, whatever
he might hit upon he should not fare badly, for on a long journey it
was better at any rate to be on horseback than on foot. Besides, he
had seen the old witch's horses run and knew that they were fine
animals, no worthless jades. So he went through the drove, and as he
walked noticed a sick filly, which he pitied because it looked so
neglected, but he did not think of choosing it. But, no matter how
much he turned and twisted, he always stopped beside this animal, for
he was very kind-hearted and told himself that, even if he could not
make much use of it, he could at least do the poor creature some
service.
"Who knows," he said, "if I should comb, brush, and curry it, perhaps
it may yet make a good horse!"
So he chose it, and resolved to take with him the pouch containing the
comb, brush, and curry-comb, in order to carefully tend his horse.
The old witch turned green with spite when she heard that the youth
had chosen this steed, for it was the very one. But what could she do?
She was obliged to keep her promise. She merely advised him to select
another, better animal, telling him that he would soon be without a
horse, and that good work deserved good wages, but at last she gave
it to him.
Still, a witch always remains a witch, and when the Poor Boy had
mounted, taken leave of her, and ridden off, she went to the big
caldron, took it off and mounted the tripod, then she changed herself
in face and figure and hurried after with the speed of curses, to
catch him, kill him, and get her horse back. The Poor Boy felt that
something terrible was pursuing him, and set spurs to his steed.
"It's no use to spur me," said the horse, "we can't outrun her, so
long as we are on her lands. But throw the comb behind you, to put an
obstacle in her way."
Now the Poor Boy knew that he had chosen wisely when he took the sick
filly. So he drew the comb out of the bag, flung it behind him, and it
instantly became a long, high fence, which the witch could not climb
over, so she was obliged to go a long way round, and he thus gained a
start.
"Throw down the brush," said the horse, when it again heard the
trampling of the tripod near them.
The rider threw the brush, which turned into a dense growth of reeds,
through which the old hag forced her way with much difficulty and many
a groan.
"Throw the curry-comb," cried the horse for the third time. When he
had flung that down, the Poor Boy looked back and saw a whole forest
of knives and swords, and among them the witch trying to get through
and being cut into mince-meat.
When they reached the seventh forest, where the witch's kingdom ended,
the sick horse shook itself and became a handsome, winged steed, whose
like was never seen before or since.
"Now hold fast," said the horse, "I am going to carry you as never
hero went from this world to the other, for I, too, have a sister
there whom I seek."
The Poor Boy was dazed by the swiftness with which the horse flew over
the forest and alighted in the other world through a large opening in
another part of the woods. When he recovered his senses, he found
himself on the shore of the other world with the horse, which now
shook itself a second time, changed into a handsome prince with long,
curling locks, and said:
"Wherever you go, may good luck be your companion, for you have
released me from the spell the Wood Witch laid upon me. Learn that I
am the son of the Red Emperor and set out to seek my sister, but on
the edge of the forest I met the Wood Witch, who complained that she
could walk no further and begged me to carry her on my back; but when,
out of pity, I let her get on my shoulders, she changed me into a
horse and condemned me to retain that form until a hero took pity on
me and mounted me, that I might carry him to the other world, there I
was to regain my human form."
The Poor Boy was greatly overjoyed to find himself no longer alone. He
took the bran loaf, broke it in halves, and gave one portion to the
prince, that they might be brothers till death. The prince tasted the
bread, and as he ate his strength and his love increased. They told
each other their experiences, and then went on their way.
Far, far off, just at the end of the coast-line, rose shining
buildings, which must be the dragons' palaces. The country here was so
beautiful, that one would have gladly traveled through it forever, it
was so radiant with light, so green, so rich in flowers, birds of
beautiful plumage, and tame, sportive animals. And in this country men
never grew old, but remained exactly the same age as when they entered
it, for here there were no days, the sun neither rose nor set, but the
light came of itself, as if from a clear sky. The dragons, however,
were nowhere to be seen, and the two brothers for life continued their
way. After they had walked as far as a three-days' march, they reached
the beautiful palaces and paused before them, because they were so
marvelously lovely, with high towers, and walls built of stones as
soft as velvet, covered with plates of snow that had been dried in the
sun. But they seemed empty and deserted.
The Poor Boy and the prince entered, went through all the rooms filled
with costly ornaments, and, seeing no one, thought that the dragon
must surely have gone hunting and determined to wait for him. But they
were surprised that they did not find their sisters here. Each
stretched himself on one of the beautiful divans and was going to
rest, when suddenly both started up, amazed by what they heard.
Dear me! It was a song, so touching that it would have softened the
very stones; it made those who listened feel as if they were in
heaven, and the notes were in a woman's voice. The two companions did
not listen long, but hurried off in the direction from which the sound
came.
This is what they saw--in one part of the palace was a glass tower,
and in this tower sat a girl spinning, singing, and weeping, but her
tears, in falling, were instantly changed to pearls. This maiden was
so beautiful that, if she had been in the world, two men would have
killed each other for her sake. When the heroes beheld her, they stood
motionless and gazed longingly at her, but the girl stopped spinning,
and neither sang nor wept, but looked at them in amazement.
She was not the sister of either youth, but as usually happens in such
cases, the Poor Boy supposed she was the prince's sister, and the
prince thought she was the sister of the Poor Boy.
"I'll stay here," said the Poor Boy, "and you can go on, deliver my
sister, and marry her."
"No, I'll stay here," replied the prince, "you can go on and release
my sister, for this maiden shall be my wife."
Now came trouble! When they understood that the lovely girl was the
sister of neither, the handsome heroes seized their swords and were on
the point of fighting as men do fight when they are obliged to divide
any thing.
"Stop," said the fair girl, "don't attack each other. It is better
first to discover whether I am really what I seem to you, or, after
all, only a shadow! I am the Bodiless Maiden, who will not obtain
form in this world until the dragon has stolen me from the other
shore. I shall then be as you see me now, shall spin, sing, and weep,
because I shall think of my mother who is spinning, singing, and
weeping; and your sisters, who were stolen by the two older brothers
of the dragon who rules this palace spin, sing, and weep, too."
On hearing this, the two heroes wanted to set off at once, in order to
lose no more time on the way.
"Stop, don't be over hasty," said the Bodiless Maiden. "You probably
think that you will conquer the dragons by mere will? Great deeds
await you. The old she-dragon put me here, that I might constantly
spur on her youngest son, because it is written that all three
brothers are to be married at the same time. The two older brothers
keep your sisters prisoners, but can not wed them till the youngest
son has stolen me. Whenever he comes home from hunting, he stops there
where you are standing, gazes longingly at me, then arranges his
weapons and feeds his horse with red-hot coals, but can't set out yet
because my hour has not come. So stay and conquer him here, that he
may not steal me while you are on your way, for you would then be too
late in reaching your sisters. Yet mind one thing; you can not conquer
him outside of his court-yard, because he is invisible. So, when he
comes home, he throws his club at the gate with so much force that the
earth quakes, the walls fall down, and any mortals who might be inside
are buried alive. If you feel that you have strength enough to hold
the gates on their hinges, so that they can not give way when he hurls
the club against them, stay, otherwise go, in God's name, for it would
be a pity to lose your young lives."
The Poor Boy and the prince looked at each other, understood that the
deed must be done, and resolved to stay. While the Poor Boy went to
the gates to hold them, the prince drew his sword and awaited the
dragon in the middle of the court-yard. You can perceive that this was
no joke.
Very little time passed, when suddenly, crash! the club struck against
the iron-barred gates so that one might have believed the world was
falling to pieces. The Poor Boy thought the muscles of his heart would
crack in two under the terrible strain, and the walls would crumble to
their foundations--but he held the gates on their hinges. When the
dragon saw that the palace did not fall down, he stood still in
surprise.
"What does this mean?" he said. "I must have grown very weak since
yesterday." He did not suspect what awaited him.
When, with some difficulty, he opened the gate, he did not notice the
Poor Boy, but went straight toward the prince, who stood in mortal
terror in the middle of the court-yard, for, after all, what would you
expect? A dragon is a dragon, and not a girl in woman's clothes.
We won't linger over the story any longer, we know what always happens
when dragons and princes meet. They began the battle. The prince was a
hero, but the dragon was the youngest of three brothers! They fought
with swords, who knows how long? then, when they saw that neither
could conquer the other in that way, they fought hand to hand, while
the Poor Boy held up the palace, that it might not fall down on their
heads.
When the Poor Boy saw that his strength was failing and neither was
conquering the other, he called loudly: "Seize him and throw him on
the ground, I can hold out no longer."
The prince grasped the dragon, summoned up all his strength, and
hurled him on the ground so that his bones cracked and he lay
senseless; then he hastily took to flight, ran through the half-open
gate, and pulled the Poor Boy after him; the walls fell, the huge
splendid palaces toppled down, and, as it were, buried the dragon
alive. Nothing remained standing except the glass tower, now empty and
deserted. The Bodiless Maiden had vanished from it the very moment
that there was no longer any one who could have stolen her from the
other world.
The two comrades thanked the Lord that they had been able to
accomplish their task so far, and journeyed on, walking and walking,
till they reached the palace of the second dragon. Already in the
distance they saw the glass tower and heard the wailing song; but the
Poor Boy's heart beat higher, because the nearer he approached the
more distinctly he recognized his sister's voice. When they reached
the beautiful great palace and saw the girl in the glass tower, both
rushed up to break into the turret and clasp her in their arms.
But affairs could not be managed so easily. The girl in the glass
tower, who was really the Poor Boy's sister, looked at them in
surprise; but when he told her that he had come to rescue her from the
dragon's claws, she replied that she did not know him, and that
neither in face nor form did he bear any resemblance to her brother.
Great was the Poor Boy's grief when he saw that his sister wanted to
have nothing to do with him, though for her sake he had crossed so
many moors and encountered so many dangers, but his sorrow became
still greater when she began to complain that she was dying of love
for the dragon. Every day, she said, he came and gazed ardently at
her, yet day after day kept her a prisoner and did not marry her.
Still, this was endurable to the Poor Boy, because she was only his
sister; but when the prince saw the girl, heard her voice, and
perceived her love for the dragon, he became perfectly frantic.
"Well then, if you won't come, we'll carry you off by force!" he said,
ready to take the whole palace on his back and fly with it to the
other shore.
"Gently, gently," said the girl; "if it came to that, I need only pull
a nail out of this glass wall to bring the whole palace toppling down
upon your heads. But I pity your youth, and advise you not to stay
here long, because my betrothed husband might catch you, and you will
have no one to mourn for you."
The Poor Boy now took his ash-cake from his knapsack and said:
"Sister, just taste this bread, and then say that I am not your
brother."
She held out her hand and the glass walls opened; but after she had
taken the bread and tasted it she felt that it had been mixed with
her own mother's milk, and was seized with such terrible homesickness
that one might have wept for pity. "Forward!" she said hastily, "let
us fly, for if he finds us here, woe betide you."
The Poor Boy took her in his arms and kissed her, because she was his
sister, but the prince embraced and kissed her, too, because--because
he was the Poor Boy's sworn brother.
Then they agreed to serve this dragon as they had served his brother,
so they waited awhile, received the dragon as he deserved, conquered
him, and after thanking God that they had overcome this peril too,
journeyed on again to deliver the emperor's daughter.
But now came fresh trouble. The princess did not want to be rescued,
and the prince had no token with him by which she might have
recognized him as her brother. In vain the Poor Boy told her that if
she did not come willingly, he would carry her off by force; she kept
her hand on the dangerous nail and it was impossible to coax her.
I must mention that it would go hard with them if they waited for the
dragon; for there were only two champions, and if one held up the
palace by keeping the gates on their hinges and the other waited for
the dragon in the middle of the court-yard, there was no one who could
protect them from the nail.
"Let me attend to it," said the Poor Boy, who, since he had seen the
princess, had grown fairly frantic. "Either his life or mine!"
As we perceive, he had determined to fight the dragon in the open
ground, where he could not see him,--a thing never heard of since
fairy princes first began to fight the dragon's brood; for if it is
hard to conquer a dragon at all, it is doubly difficult to vanquish
one when he is invisible, and no one had ever thought of such an
exploit.
The prince and the Poor Boy's sister hid themselves in a ditch near
the palace, that the dragon might not see them; but the Poor Boy
stationed himself a little behind the gate and waited for the dragon
to hurl his club, in order to get near him, for when he no longer had
a club he would be obliged to fight either with his sword or with his
fists.
Ere long, crash! the club struck the iron-barred gate, but the Poor
Boy was not slow, he opened the other gate and ran out with it,
leaving the palace to fall in ruins behind him.
"Come on, if you have the courage to show yourself," he shouted,
believing that the dragon would make some reply and thus betray
himself.
But the dragon felt that he had found his match, and did not think of
speaking, but, invisible to the youth, approached, drew his sword, and
aimed straight at his enemy's head to hack it off, but the blow only
broke the lad's jaw. The wound hurt the Poor Boy, but it pleased him,
too, because he now knew where to look for his foe; so he rushed in
the direction from which the blow had come, struck out, and felt that
he hit flesh, struck again, and again felt that he had hit, and so
continued to deal short, swift thrusts, with, which he drove the
dragon before the point of his sword. Suddenly he perceived that he
no longer hit any thing and the dragon had escaped, so he stood
cowering, like a person who does not know from whence the next blow
will come.
The dragon again aimed straight at the Poor Boy's head, and as he
hacked, struck off his right ear.
"I'll pay you for that," shouted the youth, rushing upon him again.
But his strength was now greatly diminished, and he only hit the
dragon twice before he lost him from the point of his saber.
The princess was watching their battle from her tower, which had
remained standing, and as she watched wondered at the Poor Boy's
heroic courage; but when she saw the dragon aiming a third blow at the
youth's head, she called: "Dear hero, turn to the right and spit three
times, then you can see your foe."
When the Poor Boy heard this, he felt a hundred thousand times
stronger than he had been before, and as he turned to the right, spit,
and saw the dragon, he rushed upon him, seized him in his arms, and
squeezed him so that he crushed all his bones and flung him on the
ground as dead as a mouse.
The prince and the Poor Boy lost no time, but prepared to journey
home. The princess kissed the Poor Boy and his ear and his chin
instantly healed, so that he looked even handsomer than before. Then
the two comrades went to the dragon's stables, which were hidden under
the foundations of the fallen palace. Each took an enchanted horse,
mounted, lifted his betrothed bride upon it, and hurried homeward.
If the Red Emperor had been only an ordinary mortal he would have
rejoiced, but he was a sovereign to boot! He divided his empire
between his son and his daughter's husband; the Poor Boy went to his
poor mother's house to bring her to court and, when she had arrived, a
wedding was celebrated, dear me! a wedding that will be talked about
as long as the world stands.
Into the saddle then I sprung,
This tale to tell to old and young.
Mother's Darling Jack
Once upon a time something happened. If it had not happened it would
not be told.