'Only that I must be sure to add salt.'
'Well, add salt.'
'Yes, I have done so,' said she.
The ogre was soon sound asleep again, when the man's flesh called out a
second time:
'Hist! Hist!
A man lies in the kist!'
And the lamb's flesh answered:
'He is your brother,
And cousin of the other.'
'What did it say, Dschemila?' asked the ogre.
'Only that I must add pepper.'
'Well, add pepper.'
'Yes, I have done so,' said she.
The ogre had had a long day's hunting, and could not keep himself awake.
In a moment his eyes were tight shut, and then the man's flesh called
out for the third time:
'Hist! Hist!
A man lies in the kist.'
[Illustration: DSCHEMILA-OUTWITS-THE-OGRE]
And the lamb's flesh answered:
'He is your brother,
And cousin of the other.'
'What did it say, Dschemila?' asked the ogre.
'Only that it was ready, and that I had better take it off the fire.'
'Then if it is ready, bring it to me, and I will eat it.'
So she brought it to him, and while he was eating she supped of the
lamb's flesh herself, and managed to put some aside for her cousin.
When the ogre had finished, and had washed his hands, he said to
Dschemila: 'Make my bed, for I am tired.'
So she made his bed, and put a nice soft pillow for his head, and tucked
him up.
'Father,' she said suddenly.
'Well, what is it?'
'Dear father, if you are really asleep, why are your eyes always open?'
'Why do you ask that, Dschemila? Do you want to deal treacherously with
me?'
'No, of course not, father. How could I, and what would be the use of
it?'
'Well, why do you want to know?'
'Because last night I woke up and saw the whole place shining in a red
light, which frightened me.'
'That happens when I am fast asleep.'
'And what is the good of the pin you always keep here so carefully?'
'If I throw that pin in front of me, it turns into an iron mountain.'
'And this darning needle?'
'That becomes a sea.'
'And this hatchet?'
'That becomes a thorn hedge, which no one can pass through. But why do
you ask all these questions? I am sure you have something in your head.'
'Oh, I just wanted to know; and how could anyone find me out here?' and
she began to cry.
'Oh, don't cry, I was only in fun,' said the ogre.
He was soon asleep again, and a yellow light shone through the castle.
'Come quick!' called Dschemil from the chest; 'we must fly now while the
ogre is asleep.'
'Not yet,' she said, 'there is a yellow light shining. I don't think he
is asleep.'
So they waited for an hour. Then Dschemil whispered again: 'Wake up!
There is no time to lose!'
'Let me see if he is asleep,' said she, and she peeped in, and saw a red
light shining. Then she stole back to her cousin, and asked, 'But how
are we to get out?'
'Get the rope, and I will let you down.'
So she fetched the rope, the hatchet, and the pin and the needles, and
said, 'Take them, and put them in the pocket of your cloak, and be sure
not to lose them.'
Dschemil put them carefully in his pocket, and tied the rope round her,
and let her down over the wall.
'Are you safe?' he asked.
'Yes, quite.'
'Then untie the rope, so that I may draw it up.'
And Dschemila did as she was told, and in a few minutes he stood beside
her.
Now all this time the ogre was asleep, and had heard nothing. Then his
dog came to him and said, 'O, sleeper, are you having pleasant dreams?
Dschemila has forsaken you and run away.'
The ogre got out of bed, gave the dog a kick, then went back again, and
slept till morning.
When it grew light, he rose, and called, 'Dschemila! Dschemila!' but he
only heard the echo of his own voice! Then he dressed himself quickly;
buckled on his sword and whistled to his dog, and followed the road
which he knew the fugitives must have taken.
'Cousin,' said Dschemila suddenly, and turning round as she spoke.
'What is it?' answered he.
'The ogre is coming after us. I saw him.'
'But where is he? I don't see him.'
'Over there. He only looks about as tall as a needle.'
Then they both began to run as fast as they could, while the ogre and
his dog kept drawing always nearer. A few more steps, and he would have
been by their side, when Dschemila threw the darning needle behind her.
In a moment it became an iron mountain between them and their enemy.
'We will break it down, my dog and I,' cried the ogre in a rage, and
they dashed at the mountain till they had forced a path through, and
came ever nearer and nearer.
'Cousin!' said Dschemila suddenly.
'What is it?'
'The ogre is coming after us with his dog.'
'You go on in front then,' answered he; and they both ran on as fast as
they could, while the ogre and the dog drew always nearer and nearer.
'They are close upon us!' cried the maiden, glancing behind, 'you must
throw the pin.'
So Dschemil took the pin from his cloak and threw it behind him, and a
dense thicket of thorns sprang up round them, which the ogre and his dog
could not pass through.
'I will get through it somehow, if I burrow underground,' cried he, and
very soon he and the dog were on the other side.
'Cousin,' said Dschemila, 'they are close to us now.'
'Go on in front, and fear nothing,' replied Dschemil.
So she ran on a little way, and then stopped.
'He is only a few yards away now,' she said, and Dschemil flung the
hatchet on the ground, and it turned into a lake.
'I will drink, and my dog shall drink, till it is dry,' shrieked the
ogre, and the dog drank so much that it burst and died. But the ogre did
not stop for that, and soon the whole lake was nearly dry. Then he
exclaimed, 'Dschemila, let your head become a donkey's head, and your
hair fur!'
[Illustration: DSCHEMILA GETS AN ASS'S HEAD]
But when it was done, Dschemil looked at her in horror, and said, 'She
is really a donkey, and not a woman at all!'
And he left her, and went home.
For two days poor Dschemila wandered about alone, weeping bitterly. When
her cousin drew near his native town, he began to think over his
conduct, and to feel ashamed of himself.
'Perhaps by this time she has changed back to her proper shape,' he said
to himself, 'I will go and see!'
So he made all the haste he could, and at last he saw her seated on a
rock, trying to keep off the wolves, who longed to have her for dinner.
He drove them off and said, 'Get up, dear cousin, you have had a narrow
escape.'
Dschemila stood up and answered, 'Bravo, my friend. You persuaded me to
fly with you, and then left me helplessly to my fate.'
'Shall I tell you the truth?' asked he.
'Tell it.'
'I thought you were a witch, and I was afraid of you.'
'Did you not see me before my transformation? and did you not watch it
happen under your very eyes, when the ogre bewitched me?'
'What shall I do?' said Dschemil. 'If I take you into the town, everyone
will laugh, and say, "Is that a new kind of toy you have got? It has
hands like a woman, feet like a woman, the body of a woman; but its head
is the head of an ass, and its hair is fur."'
'Well, what do you mean to do with me?' asked Dschemila. 'Better take me
home to my mother by night, and tell no one anything about it.'
'So I will,' said he.
They waited where they were till it was nearly dark, then Dschemil
brought his cousin home.
'Is that Dschemil?' asked the mother when he knocked softly.
'Yes, it is.'
'And have you found her?'
'Yes, and I have brought her to you.'
'Oh, where is she? let me see her!' cried the mother.
'Here, behind me,' answered Dschemil.
But when the poor woman caught sight of her daughter, she shrieked, and
exclaimed, 'Are you making fun of me? When did I ever give birth to an
ass?'
'Hush!' said Dschemil, 'it is not necessary to let the whole world know!
And if you look at her body, you will see two scars on it.'
'Mother,' sobbed Dschemila, 'do you really not know your own daughter?'
'Yes, of course I know her.'
'What are her two scars then?'
'On her thigh is a scar from the bite of a dog, and on her breast is the
mark of a burn, where she pulled a lamp over her when she was little.'
'Then look at me, and see if I am not your daughter,' said Dschemila,
throwing off her clothes and showing her two scars.
And at the sight her mother embraced her, weeping.
'Dear daughter,' she cried, 'what evil fate has befallen you?'
'It was the ogre who carried me off first, and then bewitched me,'
answered Dschemila.
'But what is to be done with you?' asked her mother.
'Hide me away, and tell no one anything about me. And you, dear cousin,
say nothing to the neighbours, and if they should put questions, you can
make answer that I have not yet been found.'
'So I will,' replied he.
Then he and her mother took her upstairs and hid her in a cupboard,
where she stayed for a whole month, only going out to walk when all the
world was asleep.
Meanwhile Dschemil had returned to his own home, where his father and
mother, his brothers and neighbours, greeted him joyfully.
'When did you come back?' said they, 'and have you found Dschemila?'
'No, I searched the whole world after her, and could hear nothing of
her.'
'Did you part company with the man who started with you?'
'Yes; after three days he got so weak and useless he could not go on. It
must be a month by now since he reached home again. I went on and
visited every castle, and looked in every house. But there were no signs
of her; and so I gave it up.'
And they answered him: 'We told you before that it was no good. An ogre
or an ogress must have snapped her up, and how can you expect to find
her?'
'I loved her too much to be still,' he said.
But his friends did not understand, and soon they spoke to him again
about it.
'We will seek for a wife for you. There are plenty of girls prettier
than Dschemila.'
'I dare say; but I don't want them.'
'But what will you do with all the cushions and carpets, and beautiful
things you bought for your house?'
'They can stay in the chests.'
'But the moths will eat them! For a few weeks, it is of no consequence,
but after a year or two they will be quite useless.'
'And if they have to lie there ten years I will have Dschemila, and her
only, for my wife. For a month, or even two months, I will rest here
quietly. Then I will go and seek her afresh.'
'Oh, you are quite mad! Is she the only maiden in the world? There are
plenty of others better worth having than she is.'
'If there are I have not seen them! And why do you make all this fuss?
Every man knows his own business best.'
'Why, it is you who are making all the fuss yourself----'
But Dschemil turned and went into the house, for he did not want to
quarrel.
Three months later a Jew, who was travelling across the desert, came to
the castle, and laid himself down under the wall to rest.
In the evening the ogre saw him there and said to him, 'Jew, what are
you doing here? Have you anything to sell?'
'I have only some clothes,' answered the Jew, who was in mortal terror
of the ogre.
'Oh, don't be afraid of me,' said the ogre, laughing. 'I shall not eat
you. Indeed, I mean to go a bit of the way with you myself.'
'I am ready, gracious sir,' replied the Jew, rising to his feet.
'Well, go straight on till you reach a town, and in that town you will
find a maiden called Dschemila and a young man called Dschemil. Take
this mirror and this comb with you, and say to Dschemila, "Your father,
the ogre, greets you, and begs you to look at your face in this mirror,
and it will appear as it was before, and to comb your hair with this
comb, and it will be as formerly." If you do not carry out my orders, I
will eat you the next time we meet.'
'Oh, I will obey you punctually,' cried the Jew.
After thirty days the Jew entered the gate of the town, and sat down in
the first street he came to, hungry, thirsty, and very tired.
Quite by chance, Dschemil happened to pass by, and seeing a man sitting
there, full in the glare of the sun, he stopped, and said, 'Get up at
once, Jew; you will have a sunstroke if you sit in such a place.'
'Ah, good sir,' replied the Jew, 'for a whole month I have been
travelling, and I am too tired to move.'
'Which way did you come?' asked Dschemil.
'From out there,' answered the Jew, pointing behind him.
'And you have been travelling for a month, you say? Well, did you see
anything remarkable?'
'Yes, good sir; I saw a castle, and lay down to rest under its shadow.
And an ogre woke me, and told me to come to this town, where I should
find a young man called Dschemil, and a girl called Dschemila.'
'My name is Dschemil. What does the ogre want with me?'
'He gave me some presents for Dschemila. How can I see her?'
'Come with me, and you shall give them into her own hands.'
So the two went together to the house of Dschemil's uncle, and Dschemil
led the Jew into his aunt's room.
'Aunt!' he cried, 'this Jew who is with me has come from the ogre, and
has brought with him, as presents, a mirror and a comb which the ogre
has sent her.'
'But it may be only some wicked trick on the part of the ogre,' said
she.
'Oh, I don't think so,' answered the young man, 'give her the things.'
Then the maiden was called, and she came out of her hiding place, and
went up to the Jew, saying, 'Where have you come from, Jew?'
'From your father the ogre.'
'And what errand did he send you on?'
'He told me I was to give you this mirror and this comb, and to say
"Look in this mirror, and comb your hair with this comb, and both will
become as they were formerly."'
And Dschemila took the mirror and looked into it, and combed her hair
with the comb, and she had no longer an ass's head, but the face of a
beautiful maiden.
[Illustration: DSCHEMILA GETS RID OF THE ASS'S HEAD]
Great was the joy of both mother and cousin at this wonderful sight, and
the news that Dschemila had returned soon spread, and the neighbours
came flocking in with greetings.
'When did you come back?'
'My cousin brought me.'
'Why, he told us he could not find you!'
'Oh, I did that on purpose,' answered Dschemil. 'I did not want everyone
to know.'
Then he turned to his father and his mother, his brothers and his
sisters-in-law, and said, 'We must set to work at once, for the wedding
will be to-day.'
A beautiful litter was prepared to carry the bride to her new home, but
she shrank back, saying, 'I am afraid, lest the ogre should carry me off
again.'
'How can the ogre get at you when we are all here?' they said. 'There
are two thousand of us all told, and every man has his sword.'
'He will manage it somehow,' answered Dschemila, 'he is a powerful
king!'
'She is right,' said an old man. 'Take away the litter, and let her go
on foot if she is afraid.'
'But it is absurd!' exclaimed the rest; 'how can the ogre get hold of
her?'
'I will not go,' said Dschemila again. 'You do not know that monster; I
do.'
And while they were disputing the bridegroom arrived.
'Let her alone. She shall stay in her father's house. After all, I can
live here, and the wedding feast shall be made ready.'
And so they were married at last, and died without having had a single
quarrel.
[Märchen und Gedichte aus der Stadt Tripolis.]
_JANNI AND THE DRAKEN_
Once there was a man who shunned the world, and lived in the wilderness.
He owned nothing but a flock of sheep, whose milk and wool he sold, and
so procured himself bread to eat; he also carried wooden spoons, and
sold them. He had a wife and one little girl, and after a long time his
wife had another child. The evening it was born the man went to the
nearest village to fetch a nurse, and on the way he met a monk who
begged him for a night's lodging. This the man willingly granted, and
took him home with him. There being no one far nor near to baptize the
child, the man asked the monk to do him this service, and the child was
given the name of Janni.
In the course of time Janni's parents died, and he and his sister were
left alone in the world; soon affairs went badly with them, so they
determined to wander away to seek their fortune. In packing up, the
sister found a knife which the monk had left for his godson, and this
she gave to her brother.
Then they went on their way, taking with them the three sheep which were
all that remained of their flocks. After wandering for three days they
met a man with three dogs who proposed that they should exchange
animals, he taking the sheep, and they the dogs. The brother and sister
were quite pleased at this arrangement, and after the exchange was made
they separated, and went their different ways.
Janni and his sister in course of time came to a great castle, in which
dwelt forty Draken, who, when they heard that Janni had come, fled forty
fathoms underground.
So Janni found the castle deserted, and abode there with his sister, and
every day went out to hunt with the weapons the Draken had left in the
castle.
One day, when he was away hunting, one of the Draken came up to get
provisions, not knowing that there was anyone in the castle. When he saw
Janni's sister he was terrified, but she told him not to be afraid, and
by-and-by they fell in love with each other, for every time that Janni
went to hunt the sister called the Drakos up. Thus they went on making
love to each other till at length, unknown to Janni, they got married.
Then, when it was too late, the sister repented, and was afraid of
Janni's wrath when he found it out.
One day the Drakos came to her, and said: 'You must pretend to be ill,
and when Janni asks what ails you, and what you want, you must answer:
"Cherries," and when he inquires where these are to be found, you must
say: "There are some in a garden a day's journey from here." Then your
brother will go there, and will never come back, for there dwell three
of my brothers who will look after him well.'
Then the sister did as the Drakos advised, and next day Janni set out to
fetch the cherries, taking his three dogs with him. When he came to the
garden where the cherries grew he jumped off his horse, drank some water
from the spring, which rose there, and fell directly into a deep sleep.
The Draken came round about to eat him, but the dogs flung themselves on
them and tore them in pieces, and scratched a grave in the ground with
their paws, and buried the Draken so that Janni might not see their dead
bodies. When Janni awoke, and saw his dogs all covered with blood, he
believed that they had caught, somewhere, a wild beast, and was angry
because they had left none of it for him. But he plucked the cherries,
and took them back to his sister.
When the Drakos heard that Janni had come back, he fled for fear forty
fathoms underground. And the sister ate the cherries and declared
herself well again.
The next day, when Janni was gone to hunt, the Drakos came out, and
advised the sister that she should pretend to be ill again, and when her
brother asked her what she would like, she should answer 'Quinces,' and
when he inquired where these were to be found, she should say: 'In a
garden distant about two days' journey.' Then would Janni certainly be
destroyed, for there dwelt six brothers of the Drakos, each of whom had
two heads.
The sister did as she was advised, and next day Janni again set off,
taking his three dogs with him. When he came to the garden he
dismounted, sat down to rest a little, and fell fast asleep. First there
came three Draken round about to eat him, and when these three had been
worried by the dogs, there came three others who were worried in like
manner. Then the dogs again dug a grave and buried the dead Draken, that
their master might not see them. When Janni awoke and beheld the dogs
all covered with blood, he thought, as before, that they had killed a
wild beast, and was again angry with them for leaving him nothing. But
he took the quinces and brought them back to his sister, who, when she
had eaten them, declared herself better. The Drakos, when he heard that
Janni had come back, fled for fear forty fathoms deeper underground.
Next day, when Janni was hunting, the Drakos went to the sister and
advised that she should again pretend to be ill, and should beg for some
pears, which grew in a garden three days' journey from the castle. From
this quest Janni would certainly never return, for there dwelt nine
brothers of the Drakos, each of whom had three heads.
The sister did as she was told, and next day Janni, taking his three
dogs with him, went to get the pears. When he came to the garden he laid
himself down to rest, and soon fell asleep.
Then first came three Draken to eat him, and when the dogs had worried
these, six others came and fought the dogs a long time. The noise of
this combat awoke Janni, and he slew the Draken, and knew at last why
the dogs were covered with blood.
[Illustration: JANNI AND HIS DOGS FIGHT THE THREE-HEADED DRAKEN]
After that he freed all whom the Draken held prisoners, amongst others,
a king's daughter. Out of gratitude she would have taken him for her
husband; but he put her off, saying: 'For the kindness that I have been
able to do to you, you shall receive in this castle all the blind and
lame who pass this way.' The princess promised him to do so, and on his
departure gave him a ring.
So Janni plucked the pears and took them to his sister, who, when she
had eaten them, declared she felt better. When, however, the Drakos
heard that Janni had come back yet a third time safe and sound, he fled
for fright forty fathoms deeper underground; and, next day, when Janni
was away hunting, he crept out and said to the sister: 'Now are we
indeed both lost, unless you find out from him wherein his strength
lies, and then between us we will contrive to do away with him.'
When, therefore, Janni had come back from hunting, and sat at evening
with his sister by the fire, she begged him to tell her wherein lay his
strength, and he answered: 'It lies in my two fingers; if these are
bound together then all my strength disappears.'
'That I will not believe,' said the sister, 'unless I see it for
myself.'
Then he let her tie his fingers together with a thread, and immediately
he became powerless. Then the sister called up the Drakos, who, when he
had come forth, tore out Janni's eyes, gave them to his dogs to eat, and
threw him into a dry well.
Now it happened that some travellers, going to draw water from this
well, heard Janni groaning at the bottom. They came near, and asked him
where he was, and he begged them to draw him up from the well, for he
was a poor unfortunate man.
The travellers let a rope down and drew him up to daylight. It was not
till then that he first became aware that he was blind, and he begged
the travellers to lead him to the country of the king whose daughter he
had freed, and they would be well repaid for their trouble.
When they had brought him there he sent to beg the princess to come to
him; but she did not recognise him till he had shown her the ring she
had given him.
Then she remembered him, and took him with her into the castle.
When she learnt what had befallen him she called together all the
sorceresses in the country in order that they should tell her where the
eyes were. At last she found one who declared that she knew where they
were, and that she could restore them. This sorceress then went straight
to the castle where dwelt the sister and the Drakos, and gave something
to the dogs to eat which caused the eyes to reappear. She took them
with her and put them back in Janni's head, so that he saw as well as
before.
Then he returned to the castle of the Drakos, whom he slew as well as
his sister; and, taking his dogs with him, went back to the princess and
they were immediately married.
_THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE THIEF AND THE LIAR._
There was once upon a time a thief, who, being out of a job, was
wandering by himself up and down the seashore. As he walked he passed a
man who was standing still, looking at the waves.
'I wonder,' said the thief, addressing the stranger, 'if you have ever
seen a stone swimming?'
'Most certainly I have,' replied the other man, 'and, what is more, I
saw the same stone jump out of the water and fly through the air.'
'This is capital,' replied the thief. 'You and I must go into
partnership. We shall certainly make our fortunes. Let us start together
for the palace of the king of the neighbouring country. When we get
there, I will go into his presence alone, and will tell him the most
startling thing I can invent. Then you must follow and back up my lie.'
Having agreed to do this, they set out on their travels. After several
days' journeying, they reached the town where the king's palace was, and
here they parted for a few hours, while the thief sought an interview
with the king, and begged his majesty to give him a glass of beer.
'That is impossible,' said the king, 'as this year there has been a
failure of all the crops, and of the hops and the vines; so we have
neither wine nor beer in the whole kingdom.'
'How extraordinary!' answered the thief. 'I have just come from a
country where the crops were so fine that I saw twelve barrels of beer
made out of one branch of hops.'
'I bet you three hundred florins that is not true,' answered the king.
'And I bet you three hundred florins it is true,' replied the thief.
Then each staked his three hundred florins, and the king said he would
decide the question by sending a servant into that country to see if it
was true.
So the servant set out on horseback, and on the way he met a man, and he
asked him whence he came. And the man told him that he came from the
self-same country to which the servant was at that moment bound.
'If that is the case,' said the servant, 'you can tell me how high the
hops grow in your country, and how many barrels of beer can be brewed
from one branch?'
'I can't tell you that,' answered the man, 'but I happened to be present
when the hops were being gathered in, and I saw that it took three men
with axes three days to cut down one branch.'
Then the servant thought that he might save himself a long journey; so
he gave the man ten florins, and told him he must repeat to the king
what he had just told him. And when they got back to the palace, they
came together into the king's presence.