French, bears a curious resemblance to Grimm's story of "The
Iron Stove," except that the latter retains a brevity and
German simplicity, not found here. This family likeness may
be traced in the fairy tales of all countries. I merely
refer to it to show that the repetition of incidents was not
unobserved or unintentional.--EDITOR.
THE YELLOW DWARF.
There was once a queen, who had been the mother of several children,
but all were dead, except one daughter, of whom she was excessively
fond, humouring and indulging her in all her ways and wishes. This
princess was so extremely beautiful, that she was called All-Fair, and
twenty kings were, at one time, paying their addresses to her. She had
so many lovers, indeed, that she did not know which to choose, and
refused them all. Her mother, being advanced in years, was anxious to
see her married and settled before she died; but as no entreaties
could prevail, she determined to go to the Desert Fairy to ask advice
concerning her stubborn daughter.
Now, this fairy being guarded by two fierce lions, the queen made a
cake of millet, sugar-candy, and crocodiles' eggs, in order to appease
their fury, and pass by them; and having thus provided herself, she
set out. After travelling some time she found herself weary, and lying
down under a tree fell asleep. When she awoke, she heard the roaring
of the lions which guarded the fairy, and on looking for her cake she
found it was gone. This threw her into the utmost agony, as she felt
sure she should be devoured; when, hearing somebody approach, she
raised her eyes, and saw in a tree a little yellow man half a yard
high, picking and eating oranges.
"Ah! queen," said the Yellow Dwarf, for so he was called on account of
his complexion, and the orange-tree in which he lived, "how will you
escape the lions? There is but one way; I know what business brought
you here; promise me your daughter in marriage and I will save you."
The queen, though she could not look without horror upon so frightful
a figure, was forced to consent; and having agreed to the terms
proposed, she instantly found herself in her own palace, and all that
had passed seemed much like a dream: nevertheless, she was so
thoroughly persuaded of the reality of it, that she became melancholy.
The young princess being unable to learn the cause of her mother's
dejection, resolved in her turn to go and inquire of the Desert Fairy;
and, accordingly, having prepared a cake for the lions, she also set
off on the same journey. It happened that All-Fair took exactly the
route her mother had done before her; and coming to the fatal tree
which was loaded with oranges, she felt inclined to pick some;
therefore, laying down her basket, in which she carried the cake, she
plentifully indulged herself with the delicious fruit.
The lions now began to roar; All-Fair, looking for her cake, was
thrown into the utmost despair to find it gone; and as she was
lamenting her deplorable situation, the Yellow Dwarf presented himself
to her with these words:--"Lovely princess, dry your tears, and hear
what I am going to say. You need not proceed to the Desert Fairy, to
know the reason of your mother's indisposition--it is this: she is
ungenerous enough to repent having promised you, her only daughter, to
me in marriage--"
"How!" interrupted the princess; "my mother promised me to you in
marriage;--you such a fright as you!"
"None of your scoffs," returned the Yellow Dwarf; "I warn you not to
rouse my anger. If you will promise to marry me, I will be the
tenderest and most loving husband in the world; if not, save yourself
from the lions, if you can."
The princess, overcome with terror, gave the promise; but such was the
agony of her mind, that she fell into a swoon, and, when she
recovered, she found herself in her own bed, finely adorned with
ribands, with a ring of a single red hair so fastened round her finger
that it could not be got off.
This adventure had the same effect upon All Fair as the former one had
had upon her mother. She grew melancholy, which was remarked and
wondered at by the whole court. The best way to divert her, they
thought, would be to urge her to marry; which the princess, who was
now become less obstinate on that point than formerly, consented to.
Trusting that such a pigmy as the Yellow Dwarf would not dare to
contend with so gallant a person as the King of the Golden Mines, she
fixed upon that prince for her husband. He was exceedingly rich and
powerful, and loved her to distraction. The most superb preparations
were made for the nuptials, and the happy day was fixed when, as they
were proceeding to the ceremony, they saw moving towards them a box,
upon which sat an old woman remarkable for her ugliness.
"Hold, queen and princess!" cried she, knitting her brows; "remember
the promises you have both made to my friend the Yellow Dwarf. I am
the Desert Fairy; and unless All-Fair consent to marry him, I solemnly
swear to burn my crutch."
The queen and princess were struck almost motionless by this
unexpected address of the fairy; but the Prince of the Golden Mines
was exceeding angry, and holding his sword to her throat, he said,
"Fly, wretch! or thy malice shall cost thee thy life."
No sooner had he uttered these words, than the top of the box flying
off, out came the Yellow Dwarf, mounted upon a large Spanish cat.
Placing himself between the king and the fairy, he exclaimed, "Rash
youth! thy rage shall be levelled at me, not at the Desert Fairy. I am
thy rival, and claim thy princess, who is fast bound to me by her own
promise, her mother's, and the single red hair that you see round her
finger."
This so enraged the king, that he cried out, "Contemptible creature!
wert thou worthy of notice, I would sacrifice thee for thy
presumption."
The Yellow Dwarf, clapping spurs to his cat, and drawing a cutlass,
now defied the king to combat; and down they went into the courtyard.
The sun was immediately turned as red as blood, the air became dark,
it thundered heavily, and the flashes of lightning discovered two
giants vomiting fire on each side of the Yellow Dwarf. The king
behaved with such undaunted courage, as to give the dwarf great
trouble; but he was dismayed when he saw the Desert Fairy, mounted on
a winged griffin, and with her head covered with snakes, strike the
princess so hard with a lance, that she fell into the queen's arms,
covered with blood. He immediately left the combat, to go to the
relief of his beloved, but the dwarf was too quick for him; and flying
on his Spanish cat to the balcony where she was, he took her from her
mother's arms, leaped with her upon the top of the palace, and
immediately disappeared.
As the king stood confused and astonished at this strange adventure,
he suddenly found a mist before his eyes, and felt himself lifted up
in the air by some extraordinary power; for the Desert Fairy had
fallen in love with him. To secure him for herself, therefore, she
carried him to a frightful cavern, hoping he would there forget
All-Fair. But finding this scheme ineffectual, she resolved to carry
him to a place altogether as pleasant as the other was terrible; and
accordingly placed him in a chariot drawn by swans. In passing through
the air, he was unspeakably surprised to see his beloved princess in a
castle of polished steel, leaning her head on one hand, and wiping
away her tears with the other. She happened to look up, and had the
mortification to see the king sitting by the fairy who then, by her
art, made herself appear extremely beautiful. Had not the king been
sensible of the fairy's power, he would certainly have tried to free
himself from her by some means or other; but he knew it would be in
vain, and therefore made believe to have a liking for her. At last
they came to a stately palace, fenced on one side by walls of
emeralds, and on the other by a boisterous sea. The king, by
pretending an attachment to the fairy, obtained the liberty to walk by
himself on the shore. There, one day, he heard a voice, and presently
after was surprised by the appearance of a mermaid, who, swimming up
to him with a pleasing smile, spoke to this effect:--"O King of the
Golden Mines, I well know all that has befallen you and the Princess
All-Fair. Do not suspect this to be a contrivance of the fairy to try
you, for I am an inveterate enemy both to her and the Yellow Dwarf;
therefore, if you will place confidence in me, I will lend you my
assistance to procure the release, not only of yourself, but of
All-Fair also."
The overjoyed king promised to do whatever the mermaid should direct,
and seating himself by her desire upon her fish's tail, they sailed
away together over the rolling sea.
When they had sailed some time, "Now," said the mermaid to the king,
"we are approaching the place where your princess is kept prisoner by
the Yellow Dwarf. You will have many enemies to fight before you can
come to her, take, therefore, this sword, with which you may overcome
everything, provided you never let it go out of your hand."
The king returned her all the thanks that the most grateful heart
could suggest; and the mermaid landed and took leave of him, promising
him farther assistance when necessary. The king boldly advanced, and,
meeting with two terrible sphinxes, laid them dead at his feet with
the sword. Next he attacked six dragons that opposed him, and
despatched them also. Then he met four-and-twenty nymphs, crowned with
garlands of flowers, at the sight of whom he stopped, being unwilling
to destroy so much beauty; when he heard a voice say, "Strike! strike!
or you lose your princess for ever!" So he threw himself into the
midst of the nymphs, smiting right and left, and soon dispersed them.
Presently he came to the castle, where was imprisoned the princess
All-Fair. "O my princess," exclaimed he, "behold your faithful lover!"
"Faithful lover!" she replied, drawing herself back: "Did I not see
you passing through the air with a beautiful nymph? were you faithful
then?"
"Yes," replied the king, "I was. That was the detested Desert Fairy,
who was carrying me to a place where I must have languished out all my
days, had it not been for a kind mermaid, by whose assistance it is
that I am now come to release you." Having uttered these words, he
threw himself at her feet; but, catching hold of her gown he
unfortunately let go the magic sword, which the Yellow Dwarf no sooner
discovered, than, leaping from behind a shrub, where he had been
concealed, he ran and seized it. By two cabalistical words he then
conjured up a couple of giants, who laid the king in irons.
"Now," said the Dwarf, "my rival's fate is in my own hands; however,
if he will consent to my marriage with the princess All-Fair, he shall
have his life and liberty."
"No," said the king, "I scorn thy favour on such terms."
The dwarf was so exasperated by this reply, that he instantly stabbed
the king to the heart. The disconsolate princess stood a moment
petrified, and then exclaimed, "Thou hideous creature! since
entreaties could not avail thee, perhaps thou now reliest upon force;
but thou shalt be disappointed. I will die for the love I have for the
King of the Golden Mines!" and so saying she sank down upon his body,
and expired without a sigh.
Thus ended the fate of these two faithful lovers, whom the mermaid
very much regretted; but as all her power lay in the sword, she could
only change them into two palm-trees, which, preserving a constant and
mutual affection, still fondly unite their branches together.
THE SIX SWANS.
Once upon a time, a king, hunting in a great forest, chased a wild
boar so eagerly, that none of his people could follow him. When
evening came, he stopped to look about him, and saw that he had lost
himself. He sought everywhere for a way out of the wood, but could
find none. Then he perceived coming towards him an old woman, whose
head kept constantly shaking. She was a witch.
"My good woman," said he to her, "cannot you show me the way through
the wood?"
"O yes, your majesty," answered she, "that I can, but only on one
condition, and if you do not agree to it, you will never get out, and
must die here of hunger."
"What is the condition?" asked the king.
"I have an only daughter," said the old woman, "she is as beautiful as
any one you could find in the wide world, and well deserves to be your
wife; if you will make her your queen, I will show you the way out of
the wood."
The king, in the fear of his heart, consented, and the old woman led
him to her house, where her daughter sat by the fire. She received the
king as if she had expected him, and he saw that she was very
beautiful; but still she did not please him, and he could not look at
her without a secret shudder. After he had lifted up the maiden
beside him on his horse, the old woman showed him the way, and the
king arrived again at his royal castle, where the wedding was
celebrated.
He had been married once before, and had by his first wife seven
children, six boys and a girl, whom he loved more than anything in the
world. But, because he was afraid that the stepmother might not treat
them well, or might even do them some harm, he took them to a lonely
castle which stood in the middle of a wood. It was so hidden, and the
road was so difficult to find, that he himself would not have found
it, if a wise woman had not given him a wonderful skein of thread;
which, when he threw it down before him, unrolled of itself and showed
him the way. The king went out so often to his dear children, that the
queen noticed his absence, and was full of curiosity to know what
business took him thus alone to the wood. So she gave his servants a
sum of money, and they told her the secret, and also told her of the
skein, which was the only thing that could show the way. After that
she never rested till she had found out where the king kept the skein.
Then she made some little white silk shirts, and as she had learned
witchcraft from her mother, she sewed a spell into every one of them.
And one day when the king was gone out to hunt, she took the little
shirts and went into the wood, and the skein showed her the way.
The six brothers, who saw some one in the distance, thought their
dear father was coming, and ran to meet him, full of joy. As they
approached, the queen threw one of the shirts over each of them, and
when the shirts touched their bodies, they were changed into swans,
and flew away over the wood. The witch's daughter went home quite
happy, and thought she had got rid of all her stepchildren; but the
one little girl had not run out with her brothers, and the queen knew
nothing about her.
Next day, the king came joyfully to visit his children, but he found
nobody except the little sister.
"Where are your brothers?" asked he.
"Oh, dear father," she answered, "they are gone, and have left me
alone," and then she told him all that she had seen out of her window;
how her brothers were turned into swans, and had flown away over the
wood; she also showed him the feathers which they had dropped into the
courtyard, and which she had picked up.
The king was grieved, but he never thought that the queen had done
this wicked deed; however, because he dreaded lest the little girl
would be stolen from him likewise, he wished to take her away with
him. But she was afraid of the stepmother, and begged the king to let
her stay one night more in the castle in the wood.
The poor little girl thought, "I cannot rest here any longer, I will
go and look for my brothers."
And when the night came, she ran away, and went straight into the
wood. She went on all through the night, and the next day too, till
she was so tired that she could go no further. Then she saw a little
house, and went in, and found a room with six little beds; she did not
dare to lie down in any, but crept under one of them, laid herself on
the hard floor, and meant to pass the night there. But when the sun
was just going to set, she heard a rustling, and saw six swans come
flying in at the window. They sat down on the floor, and blew at one
another, and blew all their feathers off, and took off their
swan's-skins like shirts. Then the little girl saw them and recognised
her brothers, and was very glad, and crept out from under the bed.
The brothers were not less rejoiced when they saw their little sister,
but their joy did not last long.
"You cannot stop here," said they to her, "this is a house belonging
to robbers; if they come home, and find you, they will kill you."
"Cannot you protect me?" asked the little sister.
"No," answered they, "we can only take off our swan's-skins for a
quarter of an hour every evening, and have our natural shape for that
time, but afterwards we are turned into swans again."
The little sister cried and said, "Cannot you be released?"
"Oh, no!" answered they, "the conditions are too hard. You must not
speak or laugh for six years, and must make for us six shirts out of
stitchweed during that time. If while you are making them a single
word comes from your mouth, all your work will be of no use." When her
brothers had said this, the quarter of an hour was over, and they
turned into swans again, and flew out of the window.
But the little girl made a firm resolution to release her brothers,
even if it cost her her life. She left the house, and went into the
middle of the wood, and climbed up in a tree and spent the night
there. Next morning she got down, collected a quantity of stitchweed,
and began to sew. She could not speak to any one, and she did not want
to laugh; so she sat, and only looked at her work.
When she had been there a long time, it happened that the king of the
country was hunting in the wood, and his hunters came to the tree on
which the little girl sat. They called to her, and said, "Who are
you?"
But she gave them no answer.
"Come down to us," said they, "we will not do you any harm."
But she only shook her head. As they kept teasing her with their
questions, she threw them down her gold necklace, and thought they
would be satisfied with that. But they did not leave off, so she threw
her sash down to them, and as that was no good, she threw down her
garters, and at last everything that she had on, and could spare; so
that she had nothing left but her shift. But the hunters would not be
sent away, and climbed up the tree and brought down the little girl
and took her to the king.
The king asked, "Who are you? what were you doing up in the tree?"
But she did not answer. He asked it in all the languages that he knew,
but she remained as dumb as a fish. But, because she was so beautiful,
the king's heart was moved, and he fell deeply in love with her. He
wrapped his cloak round her, took her before him on his horse, and
brought her to his castle. Then he had her dressed in rich clothes,
and she shone in her beauty like bright sunshine; but they could not
get a word out of her. He set her by him at the table, and her modest
look and proper behaviour pleased him so much, that he said, "I will
marry her, and no one else in the world," and after a few days he was
married to her.
But the king had a wicked mother, who was not pleased with this
marriage, and spoke ill of the young queen. "Who knows where the girl
comes from," said she, "she cannot speak; she is not good enough for a
king."
A year after, when the queen brought her first child into the world,
the old mother took it away, and smeared her mouth with blood while
she was asleep. Then she went to the king, and accused her of eating
her child. The king would not believe it, and would not let anyone do
her any harm. And she always sat and sewed the shirts, and took no
notice of anything else. Next time, when she had another beautiful
baby, the wicked stepmother did the same as before; but the king could
not resolve to believe what she said.
He said, "My wife is too pious and good to do such a thing; if she
were not dumb, and if she could defend herself, her innocence would be
made clear."
But when for the third time the old woman took away the new-born
child, and accused the queen, who could not say a word in her own
defence, the king could not help himself; he was forced to give her up
to the court of justice, and she was condemned to suffer death by
fire.
When the day came upon which the sentence was to be executed, it was
exactly the last day of the six years, in which she might not speak or
laugh; and she had freed her dear brothers from the power of the
spell. The six little shirts were finished, except that on the last
one a sleeve was wanting. When she came to the place of execution, she
laid the shirts on her arm, and when she stood at the stake, and the
fire was just going to be lit, she looked round, and there came six
swans flying through the air. Then her heart leaped with joy, for she
saw that her deliverance was near.
The swans flew to her, and crouched down, so that she could throw the
shirts over them; as soon as the shirts were touched by them, their
swan's-skins fell off, and her brothers stood before her. They were
all grown up, strong and handsome; only the youngest had no left arm,
but instead of it a swan's wing.
They hugged and kissed their sister many times, and then the queen
went to the king, and began to speak, and said, "Dearest husband, now
I may speak, and declare to you that I am innocent and falsely
accused;" and she told him about the deceit of the old mother, who had
taken away her three children, and hidden them.
However they were soon fetched safely back, to the great joy of the
king; and the wicked mother-in-law was tied to the stake, and burnt to
ashes. But the king and queen, with their six brothers, lived many
years in peace and happiness.
THE PRINCE WITH THE NOSE.
There was once a king who was passionately in love with a beautiful
princess, but she could not be married because a magician had
enchanted her. The king went to a good fairy to inquire what he should
do. Said the fairy, after receiving him graciously; "Sir, I will tell
you a secret. The princess has a great cat whom she loves so well that
she cares for nothing and nobody else; but she will be obliged to
marry any person who is adroit enough to walk upon the cat's tail."
"That will not be very difficult," thought the king to himself, and
departed, resolving to trample the cat's tail to pieces rather than
not succeed in walking upon it. He went immediately to the palace of
his fair mistress and the cat; the animal came in front of him,
arching its back in anger as it was wont to do. The king lifted up his
foot, thinking nothing would be so easy as to tread on the tail, but
he found himself mistaken. Minon--that was the creature's
name--twisted itself round so sharply that the king only hurt his own
foot by stamping on the floor. For eight days did he pursue the cat
everywhere: up and down the palace he was after it from morning till
night, but with no better success; the tail seemed made of
quicksilver, so very lively was it. At last the king had the good
fortune to catch Minon sleeping, when tramp, tramp! he trod on the
tail with all his force.
Minon woke up, mewed horribly, and immediately changed from a cat into
a large, fierce-looking man, who regarded the king with flashing eyes.
"You must marry the princess," cried he, "because you have broken the
enchantment in which I held her; but I will be revenged on you. You
shall have a son with a nose as long as--that;" he made in the air a
curve of half a foot; "yet he shall believe it is just like all other
noses, and shall be always unfortunate till he has found out it is
not. And if you ever tell anybody of this threat of mine, you shall
die on the spot." So saying, the magician disappeared.
The king, who was at first much terrified, soon began to laugh at this
adventure. "My son might have a worse misfortune than too long a
nose," thought he. "At least it will hinder him neither in seeing nor
hearing. I will go and find the princess, and marry her at once."
He did so, but he only lived a few months after, and died before his
little son was born, so that nobody knew anything about the secret of
the nose.