Among the Fairy Tales of the Hindus we meet with a story entitled 'Brave
Seventee Bai,' which seems to contain the original key-note of the
German 'Trusty Ferdinand.'[68] Seventee Bai (_i.e._ "The Daisy Lady") is
the daughter of a Rajah. Bent upon roving about in the world, she
assumes the dress and manners of a youth. Her rambles lead her into the
garden of a beautiful enchantress whose name is Hera Bai (_i.e._ "The
Diamond's Daughter.") This beautiful enchantress is described as being a
child of the Great Cobra, a serpent which plays an important part in
many of the Hindu traditions. Here are to be found some striking
coincidences between the superstitions respecting serpents popular among
the country people in Germany and in Hindustan.
Well, Hera Bai, the beautiful enchantress, falls in love with Seventee
Bai, who successfully maintains her disguise as a youth, but who cannot
be prevailed upon to remain in the garden, averring that an important
mission must be accomplished before the marriage takes place. The
enchantress, finding persuasion unavailing, gives Seventee Bai a small
golden flute. "Take this flute," she says; "whenever you wish to see me,
or are in need of my aid, go into the jungle and play upon it, and
before the sound ceases I will be there; but do not play it in the
towns, nor yet amid a crowd." Seventee Bai puts the golden flute into
the folds of her dress and proceeds on her wanderings. Sometime
afterwards, when she is in need of assistance, she goes into the jungle,
draws out of her dress the golden flute and plays. The beautiful
enchantress appears, swinging in a silver tree, just as she appeared in
the garden.
Again, on another occasion the beautiful lady immediately comes at the
sound of the flute, inquiring, "Husband, what can I do for you?"[69]
In the Scandinavian Fairy Tales, collected by Asbjoernsen and Moe, we
have a story entitled 'East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon,' in which a
young country lass is taken into the cave of a shaggy White Bear, who
afterwards turns out to be a lovely prince. When the White Bear has
carried the lass to his home, which gleams with silver and gold, he
gives her a silver bell and politely tells her that whenever she wants
anything she has only to ring the bell, and her wishes shall be at once
fulfilled.[70]
How effectively the magic flute and magic bells have been introduced
into Mozart's opera 'Il Flauto Magico' is well known to lovers of good
music,--or, which is the same, to admirers of Mozart.