"No man," answered Mirko.
"Well, my dear son, if no man told thee, thou art wise; but if some
man told thee, he does not wish thee harm. I will tell thee where to
find the horn; the rust has eaten it up, perhaps, by this time. In the
seventh cellar it is enclosed in the wall; look for it, take it out,
and make use of it if thou art able."
Mirko called a mason, went with him to the seventh cellar, found the
hollow place in the wall, took out the horn, and carried it away. Then
standing on the square before the palace, he sounded towards the east,
the west, the south, and the north, and having waited a little,
behold! he hears the golden horse bells ringing so that the whole city
is full of the sound. The steeds came in, one more beautiful than the
other in appearance and in breed. At a distance he saw the
shaggy-haired, crooked-legged mare; and when she came to the gate, as
true as I live, she struck the pillars with her tail so that the whole
palace trembled.
When the steeds had stopped in the court-yard, Mirko went up to the
mare, led her away to the stable, and then said that he had taken her
to try his fortune. The magic mare answered: "That is well, my lord
king's son; but first thou must feed me, for without that it will be
hard to endure the long road."
"What kind of food dost thou wish?--for whatever my father has, I will
give thee with a good heart."
"Very well, kind master; but a steed must be fed before starting, not
while on the road."
"I know not what I can do," said Mirko, "except to give what I have
with a good heart."
"Bring me straightway a measure of peas, and turn them into the
manger."
Mirko obeyed, and when the peas were eaten, he brought a measure of
beans; when these were eaten the mare turned to Mirko and said: "Now
bring me half a measure of glowing coals."
The coals were brought; and when she had eaten the glowing coals, she
became such a golden-haired steed as the Star of Dawn, and spoke
further to Mirko. "Go now, my master, to the king, and ask of him that
saddle which he used when he coursed the meadow with me in his youth."
Mirko went to the old king and asked for the saddle. The king answered
that it was useless, for it had been thrown about a long time in the
carriage-house, but if he could find it, he might take it. Mirko went
to the carriage-house and found the saddle all befouled by the hens
and turkeys. He took it, however, to his steed, which said that it was
not proper for a king's son to sit on such a saddle. Mirko was about
to carry it away and have a fresh cover put on, when she said: "Place
it before me." He obeyed. Straightway she blew on it, and in an
instant it became such a golden saddle that its like could not be
found in seven kingdoms.
With this he saddled the magic mare, and she said: "Go now, my dear
master, to thy father, and ask him for the weapons and the sword with
which he fought when he journeyed with me."
Mirko asked his father; the old king said they were on the shelf if he
wanted them. Mirko took them to the mare, who blew on them, and
instantly they became the most beautiful gold-mounted sword and
weapons. Mirko girded on the sword and took the weapons. Then the
bridle was brought, and when blown upon became of the most beautiful
gold.
Mirko bridled the mare, led her out of the stable, and wished to sit
in the saddle, but she said: "Wait, my dear master; lead me out of the
city first, and then sit on me." He hearkened to these words, and led
her out of the city; then she stood still, and he sat in the saddle.
The magic steed now asked: "How shall I bear thee, dear master; with
the speed of the fleet whirlwind, or of quick thought?"
"Carry me as may please thee," answered the prince; "only manage so
that I shall endure the swift flight."
"Well, close thy eyes," said the steed, "and hold fast."
Mirko closed his eyes; the steed shot on like a rushing whirlwind, and
after a short time struck the earth with her foot, and said to Mirko:
"Open thy eyes! What dost thou see?"
"I see," said he, "a great river and a copper bridge."
"That, my dear master, is the bridge the top of which thy first
brother brought home; but look for the open place."
"I see it," said Mirko; "but where are we going from here?"
"Only close thy eyes; I will take thee straight there."
With that she moved as quick as thought, and in a few moments struck
the earth, stood still, and said to Mirko: "Open thy eyes! What dost
thou see?"
"I see a great river, and across it a silver bridge."
"That is the bridge the top of which thy second brother took home;
look for the open place."
"I see it," said Mirko; "but where do we go from here?"
"Only close thy eyes," said the steed; "I will take thee at once."
With that she moved on like lightning, and in a flash stamped on the
ground, and said to the prince: "Open thy eyes! What dost thou see?"
"I see," said Mirko, "an enormously wide and deep river, across it a
golden bridge, and at both ends of the bridge, at this side and that,
are four unmercifully large lions. Must we cross this bridge?"
"Never mind," said the steed, "I'll manage; only shut thy eyes."
The mare sped on like a swift falcon, and thus flew across the bridge.
After a short time she struck the ground, and said: "Open thy eyes!
What dost thou see?"
"I see," replied Mirko, "a summitless, high glass mountain, as steep
as the side of a house."
"We must cross that very mountain, my master."
"That, I think, is impossible," said Mirko.
"Fear not," said the steed; "for I have on my feet the shoes which thy
father fastened to me with diamond nails, seven hundred years ago.
Only shut thy eyes and hold to me firmly."
Now the steed sprang up, and in an instant was on the glass mountain.
She stamped, and said, "Open thy eyes! What dost thou see?"
"I see," said Mirko, "when I look behind, something dark, as large as
a great plate."
"Oh, my master, that is the round of the earth. But what dost thou see
before thee?"
"I see a narrow glass road, rising like a half circle. On both sides
of it is emptiness of bottomless depth."
"My dear master, we must pass over that road; but the passage is so
delicate that if one of my feet slip the least bit to one side or the
other, there is an end to our lives. But trust thyself to me, and
close thy eyes. Hold fast, I will manage."
With that she swept on, and in an instant stamped again. "Open thy
eyes! What dost thou see?"
"I see behind me," said Mirko, "a faint light, in front of me is
darkness so dense that when I hold my finger before my eyes I cannot
see it."
"Well, we must go through that also; shut thy eyes and hold firmly."
She sped on anew, and again stamped. "Open thy eyes! What dost thou
see now?"
"I see," said Mirko, "the most glorious, light, beautiful,
snow-covered mountains, and in the midst of them a silken meadow; in
the centre of the silken meadow something dark."
"This silken meadow," said the steed, "belongs to the Hero of the
Plain; and the dark object in the middle is his tent, woven from black
silk. Now close thy eyes or not as may please thee. We shall go there
directly." Mirko spurred the steed, and they were at the tent in a
twinkle.
Mirko sprang from his steed and left her at the tent by the side of
that of the Hero of the Plain, and entered himself. Within lay a
warrior stretched on the silken grass, sleeping; but a sword above him
was cutting around in every direction, so that a fly could not light
on his body. "Well," thought Mirko to himself, "though he be a good
warrior I could slay him in slumber; but it would not be honorable to
slay a sleeping man. I will wait till he rises." Then he went out and
tied his steed fast to the tent, near the other, stretched himself on
the silken grass, and called: "Sword out of thy sheath!" and the sword
cut around above him, as his sword above the Hero of the Plain, so
that a fly could not touch his body.
When the Hero of the Plain woke up and saw that a horse was tied near
his own, he marvelled, and said: "What does this mean? I am here seven
hundred years, and I have not seen a strange horse near mine before.
Whose can this be?" He rose, went out, and saw Mirko sleeping near the
tent with the sword cutting above him. "That," said he, "is an honest
warrior; he has not slain me while sleeping. It would not become me to
touch him now."
Then he pushed the foot of the sleeping hero with his own. Mirko
jumped up straightway, and the Hero of the Plain asked: "Who art thou,
and on what journey?" Mirko told whose son he was, and what his
journey. "God has brought thee, dear younger brother," said the Hero;
"thy father is my old friend, and thou, I see, art as good as thy
father. But I have need of thee. This great silken meadow which thou
seest, is every day filled with enemies, and every day I cut them
down; but to-day as thou art with me, we shall not hurry. Come, let us
eat and drink; let them crowd." Then the two went in, ate and drank
till the enemy had so increased that they reached almost to the tent.
The Hero of the Plain sprang then to his feet and said: "Up, my
comrade, we'll soon finish." Both leaped into their saddles and rushed
to the centre of the enemy, crying out, "Sword from the sheath!" The
swords hewed off the heads of the countless multitude, so there was
scarcely room to move for bodies. Twelve of the opposing warriors now
flee from the rear, the Hero of the Plain and Mirko pursuing. They
come to a glass mountain; the twelve warriors rushing ahead. Mirko
pursues in hot haste. On the top of the mountain there is a nice,
level space; he sees them running upon it. He gallops after them; but
all at once they are as if the ground had swallowed them. Mirko
springs to the place where they disappear, finds a breach and a deep
opening with winding steps. His steed rushes into the opening and down
the stairs; they are soon in the lower world.
Mirko looks around the lower world and sees a shining diamond castle,
which serves instead of the sun down there. The twelve fleeing
warriors rush towards the castle, he after them, and ordering his
sword out of the sheath, cuts off their heads in a moment. The next
instant Mirko stands before the diamond castle. Within, there is such
a clatter and pounding that the whole interior trembles and shivers.
He dismounts and enters. Inside is an old witch weaving, and the
racket is deafening. The building is full of armed men. The infernal
old witch weaves them. When she throws her shuttle to the right, two
hussars spring out on horseback; when she throws it to the left, two
men on foot jump out armed.
Meanwhile Sword out of the Sheath cuts down the newly made soldiers,
but the old witch weaves more. "Well," thinks Mirko to himself, "I
shall never get out of here, at this rate;" but he commands the sword,
and it cuts the old witch into small pieces. Then he carries the loom
into the yard, where there is a pile. He throws everything on the pile
and sets fire to it; but when all is burned one of the old witch's
ribs springs out, begins to turn round in the dust, and she rises up
again entire. Again Mirko is going to command the sword to cut her to
pieces, but she speaks up, "Spare my life, Mirko, and await one good
deed for another, if thou wilt let me go. Thou dost not know how to
escape from here; I will give thee four diamond horse-shoe nails. Do
as I say; thou wilt profit by it."
Mirko takes the nails and puts them away, but says to himself: "If I
leave the old witch alive, she will put up her loom again, and the
Hero of the Plain will never be able to free himself from his
enemies." Again he orders his sword to cut the old witch in pieces; he
throws the pieces into the fire, where they are consumed, so that she
can never rise again. He mounts his steed and searches the underground
world, but nowhere does he find a living soul.
Then he puts spurs to his steed, springs up the circular stairs, and
issues forth into the upper world. Straightway he comes down from the
glass mountain, and passing over the silken meadow, returns to the
Hero of the Plain, who thought Mirko had left him. But when he saw his
friend returning, he went out to meet him with great joy, and took him
into the tent, where they feasted together gloriously. And when the
prince rose to go, he offered him his silken meadow and all the royal
domains; but Mirko answered: "My dear elder brother, I have finished
thy enemies; they will never attack thy kingdom again. I have this now
to ask, that thou come with me to my father the king, who has long
been waiting for thee."
Thereupon they mounted their steeds, and set out for the realms of the
old king. They went on easily till they reached the glass mountain,
where the Hero of the Plain stopped, and said: "My dear younger
brother, I cannot go on, for the diamond nails are long since worn
from my horse's shoes, and his feet have no grip."
Mirko called to mind that the cursed old witch had given him the
diamond nails, and said: "Grieve not, elder brother, I have nails;
I'll shoe thy horse this minute."
So he took out the nails, and shod the Hero's horse. Then they
continued their journey over the glass mountain with ease and comfort,
like two jolly comrades, and sped homeward as swiftly as thought.
At that time the old king was sitting at the window of his palace
next the rising sun, and lo! he beholds two horsemen riding towards
him. Straightway he takes his field-glass, and sees that it is his
trusty old comrade, the Hero of the Plain, together with his son
Mirko. He runs out, and from the tower commands that a twelve-year old
ox be killed; and when Mirko and the Hero arrive, the great feast is
ready. He receives them with joy, kisses and embraces them; this time
both his eyes are laughing. Then they sat down to the feast, ate and
drank with gladness. Meanwhile the Hero of the Plain spoke of Mirko's
doings, and among other things said to the old king: "Well, comrade,
thy son Mirko will be a better hero than we were; he is already a
gallant youth. Thou hast cause to rejoice in him."
"Indeed, I begin to be satisfied with him," said the king, "especially
since he has brought thee. But I do not think he would venture yet to
measure strength with Doghead."
Mirko heard the conversation, but said nothing. After dinner, however,
he spoke to the Hero of the Plain apart, and inquired who Doghead was,
and in what direction he lived. The Hero of the Plain told him that
Doghead lived in the north, and was such a hero that his like was not
under the sun.
Mirko made preparations for his journey, took provisions, and next day
set out for Doghead's. According to his wont, he sat on his steed,
held fast, and closed his eyes. The steed sped on, flying like the
swift whirlwind. At length she stopped, struck the ground, and said to
Mirko: "Open thy eyes! What dost thou see?"
"I see," said the prince, "a seven-story diamond castle, so bright
that I can look on the sun, but not on it."
"Well, Doghead lives there; that is the royal castle."
Mirko sprang towards it, stopped right under the window, and called
out in a loud voice: "Art thou here, Doghead? I have an account to
settle with thee."
Doghead was not at home, but his daughter was, and such a beautiful
princess that her like could not be found on the whole round of the
earth. As she sat by the window embroidering, and heard the loud,
piercing voice, she looked out so angrily with her wondrous black,
beautiful eyes that Mirko and his horse were turned into stone in an
instant from the flash. Then she thought: "Maybe this young man is a
king's son." She went to look at him, was sorry she had turned him to
stone so quickly, and approached, taking a golden rod, walked around
the stone statue and struck it on all sides with the rod. The stone
began to move, and in a moment Mirko and his horse stood alive before
her. Then the maiden asked, "Who art thou, and on what journey?"
Mirko answered that he was a king's son, and had come to see
Doghead's daughter.
The maiden was so displeased that she called out to her father very
angrily; but presently she thought better of it, fell in love with
Mirko, and led him up into the seven-story diamond palace, where she
saw him with a good heart. During conversation at the table, Mirko
confessed that he had come to try his strength with Doghead.
The maiden advised him not to do that, since there was no man on the
round of the earth whom her father could not conquer. Seeing, however,
that Mirko would not desist from his purpose, she took compassion on
him, and told how her father might, perhaps, be overcome. "Go down,"
said she "into the seventh cellar of the castle. There thou wilt find
an unsealed cask, in which my father keeps his strength. Here is a
silver flask; fill it from the cask. Do not stop the flask, but keep
it always hanging from thy neck uncorked; and when thy strength begins
to fail, dip thy little finger in. Every time thou shalt do so, thy
strength will be increased with the strength of five thousand men.
Drink of the wine, for every drop contains the strength of five
thousand men."
Mirko listened to her advice attentively, hung the flask upon his
neck, went into the cellar, and found the wine. He took a good draught
of it; then thinking that he had enough, and lest Doghead might make
further use of the wine, he poured it all on the ground, to the last
drop. There were six measures of wheat-flour in the cellar, which he
sprinkled around to absorb the moisture. Having done this, he went up
to Doghead's daughter, and declared that he was ready, and thanking
her for the counsel, vowed to take her as wife for her kindness, and
swore eternal fidelity.
The beautiful princess consented, making one condition,--that if Mirko
should overcome her father, he would spare his life.
Mirko asked the maiden when her father might be expected to return,
and from what quarter.
She answered that he was then in the realms of the setting sun, that
he took delight in those regions, but would soon be home, for it was
the hour of his coming. But it was easy to know it beforehand, for
when he was forty miles distant, he was in the habit of hurling home a
forty-hundred-pound club before him; and wherever it fell a fountain
gushed out of the earth.
Mirko and the princess went on the balcony to wait for Doghead; all at
once (the Lord save us!) the sky grew dark, and a forty-hundred pound
club fell in the court-yard. A stream rushed out of the earth as if
from a force-pump.
Mirko ran down straightway to see how much his strength had increased.
He picked up the club, whirled it around his head, and let it go so
that it came down just in front of Doghead. Doghead's horse stumbled
over the club, whereupon his master flew into a rage, and cried out:
"May the wolves and dogs devour thee! Seven hundred years have I
ridden thee, and to this day thou hast never stumbled. Why begin now?"
"Oh, dear master," answered the magic steed, "there is mighty trouble
at home; for the club which thou hast sent ahead has been hurled back,
and I stumbled over it."
"Oh, that's nothing!" said Doghead. "Seven hundred years ago I saw in
a dream that I should have a struggle with Mirko, the king's son, some
day. He is now at the castle; but what is he to me? There is more
strength in my little finger than in his whole body." With that
Doghead sped homeward and was soon there.
Mirko, the king's son, was waiting in the court-yard, and when Doghead
saw the prince he made straight towards him and said: "Mirko, I know
that thou art waiting for me. Well, here I am; what dost thou wish,
that we should fight with swords or wrestle?"
"I care not," answered Mirko; "any way that may please thee."
"Well, let us try it first with swords," said Doghead.
He got off his horse; they stood face to face, and both commanded:
"Sword out of the sheath."
The swords sprang out in fighting, and so cut above the heads of the
two that the whole place was rattling with their blows. Sparks flew so
thickly from their fierce slashing that fire covered the ground, and
it was impossible to stand long in one place.
Then Doghead said: "Let us not spoil our swords, but put them up and
try wrestling."
They laid aside the swords and began to wrestle. Doghead seized Mirko
by the body, raised him up in the air, and so planted him on the
ground that he sank in it up to the girdle. Mirko, frightened at this,
thrust his little finger into the flask, and became so strong that he
sprang out of the earth in a moment, rushed at Doghead, and so
stretched him on the ground that he lay there like a flattened frog.
Then, seizing him by the hair, he dragged him toward the castle, where
a golden bridge was built across a bottomless lake. Having brought him
to the middle of the bridge, he held his head above the water and
commanded the sword to cut. The head fell into the bottomless lake,
and Mirko threw the body after.
Doghead's daughter saw all this, and was powerfully angry at Mirko,
the king's son. When he came before her she turned her face away and
would not come to speech with him. But Mirko explained that he could
not have done otherwise, for if he had spared Doghead's life, he would
have lost his own; but as he had pledged his faith to the princess, he
held to his word, and would marry her. The princess approved this,
and they agreed to make ready and set out for Mirko's kingdom. The
horses were brought,--Doghead's magic steed for the princess. They
mounted the horses, but when ready to start, Mirko became very
sorrowful.
"Why art thou sad Mirko?" inquired the princess.
"Because," said he, "I wish greatly to go home, but it is hard to
leave this glorious, seven-story diamond castle here, which was thy
father's, for there is none like it in our kingdom."
"Oh, my dear," said the princess, "I will turn it at once into a
golden apple. I will sit in the middle of the apple; thou mayst put it
in thy pocket, and thus carry home the castle and me. There thou canst
change it back again whenever the wish comes."
The beautiful princess came down from her horse, gave the reins to
Mirko, and taking out a diamond rod walked around the building and
struck it on the sides with the rod. The castle began to shrink
together, and became smaller and smaller until it was the size of a
watchman's booth. Then she jumped in and it became a golden apple, but
the diamond rod remained on the ground outside. Mirko, the king's son,
picked up the golden apple and the diamond rod, put them in his
pocket, sat on his steed, and leading Doghead's horse by the bridle,
travelled home comfortably.
When Mirko had come home and seen his horses in the stable he went to
the palace, where he found the old king with the Hero of the Plain,
satisfied and amused. He told them that he had conquered Doghead and
put him to death; but the old king and the Hero of the Plain shook
their heads.
Mirko, taking them both by the hands, said: "Come with me, and I will
show you, so that ye may see with your own eyes that I have beaten
Doghead; for not only have I brought his seven-story diamond castle
with me, but his loveliest daughter with the castle, as proof of my
work."
The old king and the Hero of the Plain marvelled at Mirko's speech,
and were in doubt; but they went with him, and he led them to the
flowery garden of the palace, in the middle of which Mirko took a
beautiful spacious place for the diamond castle, where he put down the
golden apple. He began to turn and strike it on the sides with the
diamond rod. The apple swelled out and began to extend with four
corners, and grew greater and greater, till it became a seven-story
diamond castle as high as the trees.
Then taking them by the hands he led them up the diamond staircase and
entered the halls of the castle, where the world-renowned beautiful
princess met and received them with a good heart. Then she sent for
the old king's other sons and the chief men of his court. In the
dining-hall was a great horse-shoe table. She commanded it; the table
opened of itself, and every kind of precious meat and drink appeared
upon it. Then the assembled guests feasted joyously. The old king was
satisfied at last with his son. He gave Mirko his kingdom and all his
possessions, but he withdrew himself to quiet private life, with the
Hero of the Plain, and many a pleasant day the old comrades had
together; and the old king's two eyes were always laughing. The royal
pair lived happily, and had beautiful children. They are still alive
if they are not dead.