In a certain town were encamped a regiment of cuirassiers, and they
had a very unpleasant life. Twelve men of them agreed to
desert,--three sergeants and nine from the ranks. They carried out
their plan; and when they had gone a good distance, one said to the
rest: "Let us look, brothers, and see if we are not pursued." Another
dismounted, and climbed a high tree,--"Oh! they are searching; but
they will not overtake us, for we are far in advance of them." Then he
came down, mounted his horse, and all rode rapidly on,--rode till
dusk. Then the chief man said: "Where shall we go for the night,
brothers? Around here we see nothing but mountains and forests."
One of them climbed a tree again to look for a light. He saw one, and
called to his comrades, "Look out! We will ride in the direction in
which I throw this sword, for I see a light there."
All rode toward the light, and came to a very large building in the
wild mountains. At the first glance they saw it was an enormous
castle, which was open. They entered the court, led their horses to
the stable,--where oats were ready for twelve horses,--and then went
themselves into a hall where a table was laid for twelve persons, so
that all might sit down and eat; but there was not a living soul to be
seen.
"Brothers," said one of them, "may we touch this food and drink?"
"Why not?" said the chief. "What if we have to pay a few ducats for
the entertainment?"
They sat down, and ate with good relish. After they had eaten and
drunk, an old sorceress slipped in and saluted them, saying: "Good
evening, gentlemen. I greet you in this our famous castle. Did the
supper taste well?"
"We ate with pleasure," answered one in the name of all, "only we were
a little afraid how it would end."
"Fear not, fear not, I am glad ye are strengthened after the long
ride," said the sorceress; and then she said further: "Now of course
ye will need good beds, so as to refresh yourselves with grateful
sleep. In the next chamber are twelve beds and twelve caskets. Lie on
the beds prepared for you, but let no man dare, on pain of great
punishment, to look at the caskets, which are unlocked."
All went to the next chamber; the sorceress gave them good-night and
went out through the opposite door. In the morning when they rose
everything was well prepared for them,--basins with water and towels,
and food for each man. After breakfast they spoke of the good cheer
which they had not expected to find in the castle. They spoke of
various subjects till they came to the caskets, and the splendid
things that must be therein. Some expressed great curiosity; some were
heard to say that they could not refrain till evening from looking in
the caskets; others warned their comrades not to do that which they
might regret.
They had a pleasant time all day at the castle, an excellent dinner, a
good lunch, a splendid supper. After supper they went to bed. The sun
was shining brightly through the windows next morning, but no man was
stirring.
The chief rose and called the others, saying, "It is time to be up."
Only two gave answer; the rest did not move. These three went to the
beds and found their comrades lifeless. All were terrified, and went
to the stable to look at their horses. In the stable they found the
nine dead horses, of the nine dead men.
"What shall we do?" asked one of them. "We must leave this place where
our comrades have perished; nothing can comfort us again."
They returned to the hall where breakfast was ready for only three.
They sat down and ate. After eating, the sorceress came again, and
said: "Ye see, my friends, that sinful curiosity has cost those nine
men their lives. They could withstand it no longer, rose at midnight,
opened the caskets, and looked at the contents; scarcely had they lain
down again when sudden death overtook them. Had they followed my
advice, as ye have, all might have had a pleasant time, and lived
joyously here a whole year. Now I see by your faces that nothing can
comfort you here, and that ye would gladly go away."
"Yes," answered one, "we fear to remain longer in this place, where
our comrades died a sudden death."
"There is nothing to fear," said the sorceress; "but since it is
unpleasant for you, I will not keep you. Go where ye like, but before
going each may look without fear or danger in his casket, and take the
things inside to remember me by; they may be useful."
The men were afraid at first to open the caskets, having before their
eyes the sad example of their comrades; but when the sorceress assured
them again and again that they might open them without fear and take
out the contents, they grew bold and opened them. The first took from
his casket a cap, which the sorceress said had such power that whoever
put it on his head no man could see him. The second drew from his
casket a mantle, and whoever put it on, the sorceress said, could fly
through the air as high as he wished. The third took a purse which had
the power that whenever it was shaken ten ducats were in it.
The sorceress bade them good-by. They thanked her for the hospitality
and useful presents, and saddling their horses, rode away from that
castle with the Lord God.
They travelled long, and on the road kept telling what a good time
they would have with their gifts. At last they came to a large town,
took up their lodging at an inn, and asked what there was strange in
the place. The innkeeper answered: "Nothing, unless it be that we have
a princess immeasurably fond of playing cards, and who says that no
one is able to play with her. She vanquishes every comer, and then has
him flogged out of the castle."
The man who had the purse thought, "Wait a while, I'll settle thy
play." He made ready straightway, and went to the castle. He had
himself announced, and declared that he wished to play with the
princess. Meanwhile the other two ate and drank well in the inn.
The princess was glad to find some one again with whom to play cards
and whom she might overcome. She had him brought in without delay. The
game began. The man lost; but he didn't mind that, for whenever he
lost he shook the purse and had ten ducats again. So he kept losing
and shaking the purse till the princess was astonished, and thought to
herself: "Where dost thou get all these ducats, good man? Thou hast
not a treasury at thy side, and still thou hast plenty of money. How
dost thou get it?"
She watched him and saw that he shook the purse on his knee, from
which he took the ducats. She had already won a great bag of ducats,
but still was not able to win all he had. She kept thinking how to get
that magic purse. "Now let us rest a little," said she, and went to
the next room, from which she brought two goblets of wine. One she
gave him and drank the other herself, for they were tired and needed
refreshment. Her wine was pure, but in his she put a sleeping-powder.
She drank to his health, and he emptied his goblet at a draught. After
a while he was so very drowsy that he slipped from the seat, dropped
under the table, and fell soundly asleep. That was his misfortune. The
princess took the magic purse and gave him one like it containing ten
ducats.
When he woke up the princess said to him: "Now let us play again."
They played while he had ducats. When the ducats were gone he shook
and shook the purse, but in vain. The princess said: "Well, my dear
man, since thou hast no money, go. But that disgrace which I have put
on others I will not put on thee. I will not have thee flogged out of
the castle because I have won much money from thee; go in peace."
He went to his friends in great trouble. They greeted him from afar,
and called out: "Well, how didst thou prosper?"
"Oh, badly, very badly, brothers; I no longer have the purse; I lost
that."
"Oh, comrade, that is bad; how shall we live now? We are in debt for
food and drink, and have nothing to pay with."
The one who had the magic mantle said: "Do ye know what, brothers?
I'll take a good vengeance on that wicked woman!"
"But how?" was the question.
He answered, "This is how I'll do it. Let me have thy cap so that no
one may see me, and I'll take my mantle. When the princess is going to
church I'll seize her, fly with her through the air to desert regions,
so far away that she will never be able to come home again."
"Yes, that will be a just punishment for her," said the two others.
The third one immediately took the cap, wrapped the mantle around him,
and waited for the princess. As she was going along the street he
seized her, flew far away with her to wild mountains, and let her down
there on the ground near a pear-tree. On that tree were beautiful
pears.
The princess begged the man to climb the tree and shake it, so that
she might have some of the fruit to eat. "I'll gratify thee just
once," said he. But he was so cunning that he did not leave the cap or
magic mantle on the ground, but took them up on the tree, hung them
both on a limb, and shook the tree with all his might. The cap and the
mantle fell to the ground before the pears. The princess put the cap
on her head at once, wrapped the mantle around her, and was off in an
instant,--sooner than the man on the tree had recovered from his
fright.
He was now alone in the wild mountains. What was he to do? He stood
motionless as the tree at his side, as if senseless from a
thunderbolt; he had no longer magic cap or magic mantle. "Oh, where
shall I go?" groaned he, and walked around on the mountains. In his
trouble and fright he picked up some pears and ate them. Then other
terrible miseries came upon him, for he had barely eaten the pears
when unheard of gigantic horns grew out of his head, so that he could
not walk through the woods nor turn around; the horns stopped him
everywhere; he could barely crawl forward.
With great care and much struggling, he dragged himself over a bit of
road and came to a deep ravine, in which a hermit lived whose name was
Wind.
"Oh, friend," said the man, "help me from the mountain, and take me
home."
Said Wind, "I am not strong enough to bear thee to thy home, but go to
my brother; he is the strongest of us. He will take thee home
quickly."
"I should like to go to him, but I cannot move."
"He is not far from here,--there, on that side; but go as well as thou
art able. He will rid thee of those horns."
The man pushed through as best he could, and came, covered with sweat,
to another cave, in which the eldest Wind brother was living. He fell
on his knees before Wind, and cried imploringly: "Be so kind as to
bear me home!"
"I should like to help thee, my friend; but it is not so easy as may
seem to thee. I must go to the Lord to ask with what force Wind may
blow. If Wind may blow so trees will be torn out with their roots,
thou canst reach home; if Wind blows but weakly, thou wilt not go
there, for 'tis far. Wait a while; I'll come back soon."
Wind went to ask the Lord how hard he might blow, and the Lord
commanded him to blow mightily.