'Yes, sire, it is,' answered the servant; 'and here is a man I have
brought with me from the country to confirm the tale.'
So the king paid the thief the three hundred florins; and the partners
once more set out together in search of adventures. As they journeyed,
the thief said to his comrade: 'I will now go to another king, and will
tell him something still more startling; and you must follow and back up
my lie, and we shall get some money out of him; just see if we don't.'
When they reached the next kingdom, the thief presented himself to the
king, and requested him to give him a cauliflower. And the king
answered: 'Owing to a blight among the vegetables we have no
cauliflower.'
'That is strange,' answered the thief. 'I have just come from a country
where it grows so well that one head of cauliflower filled twelve
water-tubs.'
'I don't believe it,' answered the king.
'I bet you six hundred florins it is true,' replied the thief.
'And I bet you six hundred florins it is not true,' answered the king.
And he sent for a servant, and ordered him to start at once for the
country whence the thief had come, to find out if his story of the
cauliflower was true. On his journey the servant met with a man.
Stopping his horse he asked him where he came from, and the man replied
that he came from the country to which the other was travelling.
'If that is the case,' said the servant, 'you can tell me to what size
cauliflower grows in your country? Is it so large that one head fills
twelve water-tubs?'
'I have not seen that,' answered the man. 'But I saw twelve waggons,
drawn by twelve horses, carrying one head of cauliflower to the market.'
And the servant answered: 'Here are ten florins for you, my man, for you
have saved me a long journey. Come with me now, and tell the king what
you have just told me.'
'All right,' said the man, and they went together to the palace; and
when the king asked the servant if he had found out the truth about the
cauliflower, the servant replied: 'Sire, all that you heard was
perfectly true; here is a man from the country who will tell you so.'
So the king had to pay the thief the six hundred florins. And the two
partners set out once more on their travels, with their nine hundred
florins. When they reached the country of the neighbouring king, the
thief entered the royal presence, and began conversation by asking if
his majesty knew that in an adjacent kingdom there was a town with a
church steeple on which a bird had alighted, and that the steeple was so
high, and the bird's beak so long, that it had pecked the stars till
some of them fell out of the sky.
'I don't believe it,' said the king.
'Nevertheless I am prepared to bet twelve hundred florins that it is
true,' answered the thief.
'And I bet twelve hundred florins that it is a lie,' replied the king.
And he straightway sent a servant into the neighbouring country to find
out the truth.
As he rode, the servant met a man coming in the opposite direction. So
he hailed him and asked him where he came from. And the man replied that
he came out of the very town to which the man was bound. Then the
servant asked him if the story they had heard about the bird with the
long beak was true.
'I don't know about that,' answered the man, 'as I have never seen the
bird; but I once saw twelve men shoving all their might and main with
brooms to push a monster egg into a cellar.'
[Illustration: "I once saw"
12 MEN SHOVING ALL THEIR MIGHT AND MAIN WITH BROOMS TO PUSH A
MONSTER EGG INTO A CELLAR]
'That is capital,' answered the servant, presenting the man with ten
florins. 'Come and tell your tale to the king, and you will save me a
long journey.'
So, when the story was repeated to the king, there was nothing for him
to do but to pay the thief the twelve hundred florins.
Then the two partners set out again with their ill-gotten gains, which
they proceeded to divide into two equal shares; but the thief kept back
three of the florins that belonged to the liar's half of the booty.
Shortly afterwards they each married, and settled down in homes of their
own with their wives. One day the liar discovered that he had been done
out of three florins by his partner, so he went to his house and
demanded them from him.
'Come next Saturday, and I will give them to you,' answered the thief.
But as he had no intention of giving the liar the money, when Saturday
morning came he stretched himself out stiff and stark upon the bed, and
told his wife she was to say he was dead. So the wife rubbed her eyes
with an onion, and when the liar appeared at the door, she met him in
tears, and told him that as her husband was dead he could not be paid
the three florins.
But the liar, who knew his partner's tricks, instantly suspected the
truth, and said: 'As he has not paid me, I will pay him out with three
good lashes of my riding whip.'
At these words the thief sprang to his feet, and, appearing at the door,
promised his partner that if he would return the following Saturday he
would pay him. So the liar went away satisfied with this promise.
But when Saturday morning came the thief got up early and hid himself
under a truss of hay in the hay-loft.
When the liar appeared to demand his three florins, the wife met him
with tears in her eyes, and told him that her husband was dead.
'Where have you buried him?' asked the liar.
'In the hay-loft,' answered the wife.
'Then I will go there, and take away some hay in payment of his debt,'
said the liar. And proceeding to the hay-loft, he began to toss about
the hay with a pitch-fork, prodding it into the trusses of hay, till, in
terror of his life, the thief crept out and promised his partner to pay
him the three florins on the following Saturday.
When the day came he got up at sunrise, and going down into the crypt of
a neighbouring chapel, stretched himself out quite still and stiff in an
old stone coffin. But the liar, who was quite as clever as his partner,
very soon bethought him of the crypt, and set out for the chapel,
confident that he would shortly discover the hiding-place of his friend.
He had just entered the crypt, and his eyes were not yet accustomed to
the darkness, when he heard the sound of whispering at the grated
windows. Listening intently, he overheard the plotting of a band of
robbers, who had brought their treasure to the crypt, meaning to hide it
there, while they set out on fresh adventures. All the time they were
speaking they were removing the bars from the window, and in another
minute they would all have entered the crypt, and discovered the liar.
Quick as thought he wound his mantle round him and placed himself,
standing stiff and erect, in a niche in the wall, so that in the dim
light he looked just like an old stone statue. As soon as the robbers
entered the crypt, they set about the work of dividing their treasure.
Now, there were twelve robbers, but by mistake the chief of the band
divided the gold into thirteen heaps. When he saw his mistake he said
they had not time to count it all over again, but that the thirteenth
heap should belong to whoever among them could strike off the head of
the old stone statue in the niche with one stroke. With these words he
took up an axe, and approached the niche where the liar was standing.
But, just as he had waved the axe over his head ready to strike, a voice
was heard from the stone coffin saying, in sepulchral tones: 'Clear out
of this, or the dead will arise from their coffins, and the statues will
descend from the walls, and you will be driven out more dead than
alive.' And with a bound the thief jumped out of his coffin and the liar
from his niche, and the robbers were so terrified that they ran
helter-skelter out of the crypt, leaving all their gold behind them, and
vowing that they would never put foot inside the haunted place again. So
the partners divided the gold between them, and carried it to their
homes; and history tells us no more about them.
_FORTUNATUS AND HIS PURSE_
Once upon a time there lived in the city of Famagosta, in the island of
Cyprus, a rich man called Theodorus. He ought to have been the happiest
person in the whole world, as he had all he could wish for, and a wife
and little son whom he loved dearly; but unluckily, after a short time
he always grew tired of everything, and had to seek new pleasures. When
people are made like this the end is generally the same, and before
Fortunatus (for that was the boy's name) was ten years old, his father
had spent all his money and had not a farthing left.
But though Theodorus had been so foolish he was not quite without sense,
and set about getting work at once. His wife, too, instead of
reproaching him sent away the servants and sold their fine horses, and
did all the work of the house herself, even washing the clothes of her
husband and child.
Thus time passed till Fortunatus was sixteen. One day when they were
sitting at supper, the boy said to Theodorus, 'Father, why do you look
so sad? Tell me what is wrong, and perhaps I can help you.'
'Ah, my son, I have reason enough to be sad; but for me you would now
have been enjoying every kind of pleasure, instead of being buried in
this tiny house.'
'Oh, do not let that trouble you,' replied Fortunatus, 'it is time I
made some money for myself. To be sure I have never been taught any
trade. Still there must be something I can do. I will go and walk on the
seashore and think about it.'
Very soon--sooner than he expected--a chance came, and Fortunatus, like
a wise boy, seized on it at once. The post offered him was that of page
to the Earl of Flanders, and as the Earl's daughter was just going to be
married, splendid festivities were held in her honour, and at some of
the tilting matches Fortunatus was lucky enough to win the prize. These
prizes, together with presents from the lords and ladies of the court,
who liked him for his pleasant ways, made Fortunatus feel quite a rich
man.
But though his head was not turned by the notice taken of him, it
excited the envy of some of the other pages about the Court, and one of
them, called Robert, invented a plot to move Fortunatus out of his way.
So he told the young man that the Earl had taken a dislike to him and
meant to kill him; Fortunatus believed the story, and packing up his
fine clothes and money, slipped away before dawn.
He went to a great many big towns and lived well, and as he was generous
and not wiser than most youths of his age, he very soon found himself
penniless. Like his father, he then began to think of work, and tramped
half over Brittany in search of it. Nobody seemed to want him, and he
wandered about from one place to another, till he found himself in a
dense wood, without any paths, and not much light. Here he spent two
whole days, with nothing to eat and very little water to drink, going
first in one direction and then in another, but never being able to find
his way out. During the first night he slept soundly, and was too tired
to fear either man or beast, but when darkness came on for the second
time, and growls were heard in the distance, he grew frightened and
looked about for a high tree out of reach of his enemies. Hardly had he
settled himself comfortably in one of the forked branches, when a lion
walked up to a spring that burst from a rock close to the tree, and
crouching down drank greedily. This was bad enough, but after all, lions
do not climb trees, and as long as Fortunatus stayed up on his perch, he
was quite safe. But no sooner was the lion out of sight, than his place
was taken by a bear, and bears, as Fortunatus knew very well, _are_
tree-climbers. His heart beat fast, and not without reason, for as the
bear turned away he looked up and saw Fortunatus!
Now in those days every young man carried a sword slung to his belt, and
it was a fashion that came in very handily for Fortunatus. He drew his
sword, and when the bear got within a yard of him he made a fierce
lunge forward. The bear, wild with pain, tried to spring, but the bough
he was standing on broke with his weight, and he fell heavily to the
ground. Then Fortunatus descended from his tree (first taking good care
to see no other wild animals were in sight) and killed him with a single
blow. He was just thinking he would light a fire and make a hearty
dinner off bear's flesh, which is not at all bad eating, when he beheld
a beautiful lady standing by his side leaning on a wheel, and her eyes
hidden by a bandage.
'I am Dame Fortune,' she said, 'and I have a gift for you. Shall it be
wisdom, strength, long life, riches, health, or beauty? Think well, and
tell me what you will have.'
But Fortunatus, who had proved the truth of the proverb that 'It's ill
thinking on an empty stomach,' answered quickly, 'Good lady, let me have
riches in such plenty that I may never again be as hungry as I am now.'
And the lady held out a purse and told him he had only to put his hand
into it, and he and his children would always find ten pieces of gold.
But when they were dead it would be a magic purse no longer.
[Illustration: THE GIFT-OF-FORTUNE]
At this news Fortunatus was beside himself with joy, and could hardly
find words to thank the lady. But she told him that the best thing he
could do was to find his way out of the wood, and before bidding him
farewell pointed out which path he should take. He walked along it as
fast as his weakness would let him, until a welcome light at a little
distance showed him that a house was near. It turned out to be an inn,
but before entering Fortunatus thought he had better make sure of the
truth of what the lady had told him, and took out the purse and looked
inside. Sure enough there were the ten pieces of gold, shining brightly.
Then Fortunatus walked boldly up to the inn, and ordered them to get
ready a good supper at once, as he was very hungry, and to bring him
the best wine in the house. And he seemed to care so little what he
spent that everybody thought he was a great lord, and vied with each
other who should run quickest when he called.
After a night passed in a soft bed, Fortunatus felt so much better that
he asked the landlord if he could find him some men-servants, and tell
him where any good horses were to be got. The next thing was to provide
himself with smart clothes, and then to take a big house where he could
give great feasts to the nobles and beautiful ladies who lived in
palaces round about.
In this manner a whole year soon slipped away, and Fortunatus was so
busy amusing himself that he never once remembered his parents whom he
had left behind in Cyprus. But though he was thoughtless, he was not
bad-hearted. As soon as their existence crossed his mind, he set about
making preparations to visit them, and as he was not fond of being alone
he looked round for some one older and wiser than himself to travel with
him. It was not long before he had the good luck to come across an old
man who had left his wife and children in a far country many years
before, when he went out into the world to seek the fortune which he
never found. He agreed to accompany Fortunatus back to Cyprus, but only
on condition he should first be allowed to return for a few weeks to his
own home before venturing to set sail for an island so strange and
distant. Fortunatus agreed to his proposal, and as he was always fond of
anything new, said that he would go with him.
The journey was long, and they had to cross many large rivers, and climb
over high mountains, and find their way through thick woods, before they
reached at length the old man's castle. His wife and children had almost
given up hopes of seeing him again, and crowded eagerly round him.
Indeed, it did not take Fortunatus five minutes to fall in love with the
youngest daughter, the most beautiful creature in the whole world, whose
name was Cassandra.
'Give her to me for my wife,' he said to the old man, 'and let us all go
together to Famagosta.'
So a ship was bought big enough to hold Fortunatus, the old man and his
wife, and their ten children--five of them sons and five daughters. And
the day before they sailed the wedding was celebrated with magnificent
rejoicings, and everybody thought that Fortunatus must certainly be a
prince in disguise. But when they reached Cyprus, he learned to his
sorrow that both his father and mother were dead, and for some time he
shut himself up in his house and would see nobody, full of shame at
having forgotten them all these years. Then he begged that the old man
and his wife would remain with him, and take the place of his parents.
For twelve years Fortunatus and Cassandra and their two little boys
lived happily in Famagosta. They had a beautiful house and everything
they could possibly want, and when Cassandra's sisters married the purse
provided them each with a fortune. But at last Fortunatus grew tired of
staying at home, and thought he should like to go out and see the world
again. Cassandra shed many tears at first when he told her of his
wishes, and he had a great deal of trouble to persuade her to give her
consent. But on his promising to return at the end of two years she
agreed to let him go. Before he went away he showed her three chests of
gold, which stood in a room with an iron door, and walls twelve feet
thick. 'If anything should happen to me,' he said, 'and I should never
come back, keep one of the chests for yourself, and give the others to
our two sons.' Then he embraced them all and took ship for Alexandria.
The wind was fair and in a few days they entered the harbour, where
Fortunatus was informed by a man whom he met on landing, that if he
wished to be well received in the town, he must begin by making a
handsome present to the Sultan. 'That is easily done,' said Fortunatus,
and went into a goldsmith's shop, where he bought a large gold cup,
which cost five thousand pounds. This gift so pleased the Sultan that he
ordered a hundred casks of spices to be given to Fortunatus; Fortunatus
put them on board his ship, and commanded the captain to return to
Cyprus and deliver them to his wife, Cassandra. He next obtained an
audience of the Sultan, and begged permission to travel through the
country, which the Sultan readily gave him, adding some letters to the
rulers of other lands which Fortunatus might wish to visit.
Filled with delight at feeling himself free to roam through the world
once more, Fortunatus set out on his journey without losing a day. From
court to court he went, astonishing everyone by the magnificence of his
dress and the splendour of his presents. At length he grew as tired of
wandering as he had been of staying at home, and returned to Alexandria,
where he found the same ship that had brought him from Cyprus lying in
the harbour. Of course the first thing he did was to pay his respects to
the Sultan, who was eager to hear about his adventures.
When Fortunatus had told them all, the Sultan observed: 'Well, you have
seen many wonderful things, but I have something to show you more
wonderful still;' and he led him into a room where precious stones lay
heaped against the walls. Fortunatus' eyes were quite dazzled, but the
Sultan went on without pausing and opened a door at the farther end. As
far as Fortunatus could see, the cupboard was quite bare, except for a
little red cap, such as soldiers wear in Turkey.
'Look at this,' said the Sultan.
'But there is nothing very valuable about it,' answered Fortunatus.
'I've seen a dozen better caps than that, this very day.'
'Ah,' said the Sultan, 'you do not know what you are talking about.
Whoever puts this cap on his head and wishes himself in any place, will
find himself there in a moment.'
'But who made it?' asked Fortunatus.
'That I cannot tell you,' replied the Sultan.
'Is it very heavy to wear?' asked Fortunatus.
'No, quite light,' replied the Sultan, 'just feel it.'
Fortunatus took the cap and put it on his head, and then, without
thinking, wished himself back in the ship that was starting for
Famagosta. In a second he was standing at the prow, while the anchor was
being weighed, and while the Sultan was repenting of his folly in
allowing Fortunatus to try on the cap, the vessel was making fast for
Cyprus.
When it arrived, Fortunatus found his wife and children well, but the
two old people were dead and buried. His sons had grown tall and strong,
but unlike their father had no wish to see the world, and found their
chief pleasure in hunting and tilting. In the main, Fortunatus was
content to stay quietly at home, and if a restless fit did seize upon
him, he was able to go away for a few hours without being missed, thanks
to the cap, which he never sent back to the Sultan.
By-and-by he grew old, and feeling that he had not many days to live, he
sent for his two sons, and showing them the purse and cap, he said to
them: 'Never part with these precious possessions. They are worth more
than all the gold and lands I leave behind me. But never tell their
secret, even to your wife or dearest friend. That purse has served me
well for forty years, and no one knows whence I got my riches.' Then he
died and was buried by his wife Cassandra, and he was mourned in
Famagosta for many years.
_THE GOAT-FACED GIRL_
There was once upon a time a peasant called Masaniello who had twelve
daughters. They were exactly like the steps of a staircase, for there
was just a year between each sister. It was all the poor man could do to
bring up such a large family, and in order to provide food for them he
used to dig in the fields all day long. In spite of his hard work he
only just succeeded in keeping the wolf from the door, and the poor
little girls often went hungry to bed.
One day, when Masaniello was working at the foot of a high mountain, he
came upon the mouth of a cave which was so dark and gloomy that even the
sun seemed afraid to enter it. Suddenly a huge green lizard appeared
from the inside and stood before Masaniello, who nearly went out of his
mind with terror, for the beast was as big as a crocodile and quite as
fierce looking.
But the lizard sat down beside him in the most friendly manner, and
said: 'Don't be afraid, my good man, I am not going to hurt you; on the
contrary, I am most anxious to help you.'
When the peasant heard these words he knelt before the lizard and said:
'Dear lady, for I know not what to call you, I am in your power; but I
beg of you to be merciful, for I have twelve wretched little daughters
at home who are dependent on me.'
'That's the very reason why I have come to you,' replied the lizard.
'Bring me your youngest daughter to-morrow morning. I promise to bring
her up as if she were my own child, and to look upon her as the apple of
my eye.'
When Masaniello heard her words he was very unhappy, because he felt
sure, from the lizard's wanting one of his daughters, the youngest and
tenderest too, that the poor little girl would only serve as dessert for
the terrible creature's supper. At the same time he said to himself, 'If
I refuse her request, she will certainly eat me up on the spot. If I
give her what she asks she does indeed take part of myself, but if I
refuse she will take the whole of me. What am I to do, and how in the
world am I to get out of the difficulty?'
As he kept muttering to himself the lizard said, 'Make up your mind to
do as I tell you at once. I desire to have your youngest daughter, and
if you won't comply with my wish, I can only say it will be the worse
for you.'
Seeing that there was nothing else to be done, Masaniello set off for
his home, and arrived there looking so white and wretched that his wife
asked him at once: 'What has happened to you, my dear husband? Have you
quarrelled with anyone, or has the poor donkey fallen down?'
'Neither the one nor the other,' answered her husband, 'but something
far worse than either. A terrible lizard has nearly frightened me out of
my senses, for she threatened that if I did not give her our youngest
daughter, she would make me repent it. My head is going round like a
mill-wheel, and I don't know what to do. I am indeed between the Devil
and the Deep Sea. You know how dearly I love Renzolla, and yet, if I
fail to bring her to the lizard to-morrow morning, I must say farewell
to life. Do advise me what to do.'
When his wife had heard all he had to say, she said to him: 'How do you
know, my dear husband, that the lizard is really our enemy? May she not
be a friend in disguise? And your meeting with her may be the beginning
of better things and the end of all our misery. Therefore go and take
the child to her, for my heart tells me that you will never repent doing
so.'
Masaniello was much comforted by her words, and next morning as soon as
it was light he took his little daughter by the hand and led her to the
cave.
The lizard, who was awaiting the peasant's arrival, came forward to meet
him, and taking the girl by the hand, she gave the father a sack full of
gold, and said: 'Go and marry your other daughters, and give them
dowries with this gold, and be of good cheer, for Renzolla will have
both father and mother in me; it is a great piece of luck for her that
she has fallen into my hands.'
[Illustration: The Lizard takes charge of Renzolla]
Masaniello, quite overcome with gratitude, thanked the lizard, and
returned home to his wife.
As soon as it was known how rich the peasant had become, suitors for the
hands of his daughters were not wanting, and very soon he married them
all off; and even then there was enough gold left to keep himself and
his wife in comfort and plenty all their days.
As soon as the lizard was left alone with Renzolla, she changed the cave
into a beautiful palace, and led the girl inside. Here she brought her
up like a little princess, and the child wanted for nothing. She gave
her sumptuous food to eat, beautiful clothes to wear, and a thousand
servants to wait on her.
Now, it happened, one day, that the king of the country was hunting in a
wood close to the palace, and was overtaken by the dark. Seeing a light
shining in the palace he sent one of his servants to ask if he could get
a night's lodging there.
When the page knocked at the door the lizard changed herself into a
beautiful woman, and opened it herself. When she heard the king's
request she sent him a message to say that she would be delighted to see
him, and give him all he wanted.
The king, on hearing this kind invitation, instantly betook himself to
the palace, where he was received in the most hospitable manner. A
hundred pages with torches came to meet him, a hundred more waited on
him at table, and another hundred waved big fans in the air to keep the
flies from him. Renzolla herself poured out the wine for him, and, so
gracefully did she do it, that his Majesty could not take his eyes off
her.
When the meal was finished and the table cleared, the king retired to
sleep, and Renzolla drew the shoes from his feet, at the same time
drawing his heart from his breast. So desperately had he fallen in love
with her, that he called the fairy to him, and asked her for Renzolla's
hand in marriage. As the kind fairy had only the girl's welfare at
heart, she willingly gave her consent, and not her consent only, but a
wedding portion of seven thousand golden guineas.
The king, full of delight over his good fortune, prepared to take his
departure, accompanied by Renzolla, who never so much as thanked the
fairy for all she had done for her. When the fairy saw such a base want
of gratitude she determined to punish the girl, and, cursing her, she
turned her face into a goat's head. In a moment Renzolla's pretty mouth
stretched out into a snout, with a beard a yard long at the end of it,
her cheeks sank in, and her shining plaits of hair changed into two
sharp horns. When the king turned round and saw her he thought he must
have taken leave of his senses. He burst into tears, and cried out:
'Where is the hair that bound me so tightly, where are the eyes that
pierced through my heart, and where are the lips I kissed? Am I to be
tied to a goat all my life? No, no! nothing will induce me to become the
laughing-stock of my subjects for the sake of a goat-faced girl!'
When they reached his own country he shut Renzolla up in a little turret
chamber of his palace, with a waiting-maid, and gave each of them ten
bundles of flax to spin, telling them that their task must be finished
by the end of the week.
The maid, obedient to the king's commands, set at once to work and
combed out the flax, wound it round the spindle, and sat spinning at her
wheel so diligently that her work was quite done by Saturday evening.
But Renzolla, who had been spoilt and petted in the fairy's house, and
was quite unaware of the change that had taken place in her appearance,
threw the flax out of the window and said: 'What is the king thinking of
that he should give me this work to do? If he wants shirts he can buy
them. It isn't even as if he had picked me out of the gutter, for he
ought to remember that I brought him seven thousand golden guineas as my
wedding portion, and that I am his wife and not his slave. He must be
mad to treat me like this.'
All the same, when Saturday evening came, and she saw that the
waiting-maid had finished her task, she took fright lest she should be
punished for her idleness. So she hurried off to the palace of the
fairy, and confided all her woes to her. The fairy embraced her
tenderly, and gave her a sack full of spun flax, in order that she might
show it to the king, and let him see what a good worker she was.
Renzolla took the sack without one word of thanks, and returned to the
palace, leaving the kind fairy very indignant over her want of
gratitude.
When the king saw the flax all spun, he gave Renzolla and the
waiting-maid each a little dog, and told them to look after the animals
and train them carefully.
The waiting-maid brought hers up with the greatest possible care, and
treated it almost as if it were her son. But Renzolla said: 'I don't
know what to think. Have I come among a lot of lunatics? Does the king
imagine that I am going to comb and feed a dog with my own hands?' With
these words she opened the window and threw the poor little beast out,
and he fell on the ground as dead as a stone.
When a few months had passed the king sent a message to say he would
like to see how the dogs were getting on. Renzolla, who felt very
uncomfortable in her mind at this request, hurried off once more to the
fairy. This time she found an old man at the door of the fairy's palace,
who said to her: 'Who are you, and what do you want?'
When Renzolla heard his question she answered angrily: 'Don't you know
me, old Goat-beard? And how dare you address me in such a way?'
'The pot can't call the kettle black,' answered the old man, 'for it is
not I, but you who have a goat's head. Just wait a moment, you
ungrateful wretch, and I will show you to what a pass your want of
gratitude has brought you.'
With these words he hurried away, and returned with a mirror, which he
held up before Renzolla. At the sight of her ugly, hairy face, the girl
nearly fainted with horror, and she broke into loud sobs at seeing her
countenance so changed.
[Illustration: RENZOLLA SEES HER FACE IN THE MIRROR]
Then the old man said: 'You must remember, Renzolla, that you are a
peasant's daughter, and that the fairy turned you into a queen; but you
were ungrateful, and never as much as thanked her for all she had done
for you. Therefore she has determined to punish you. But if you wish to
lose your long white beard, throw yourself at the fairy's feet and
implore her to forgive you. She has a tender heart, and will, perhaps,
take pity on you.'
Renzolla, who was really sorry for her conduct, took the old man's
advice, and the fairy not only gave her back her former face, but she
dressed her in a gold embroidered dress, presented her with a beautiful
carriage, and brought her back, accompanied by a host of servants, to
her husband. When the king saw her looking as beautiful as ever, he fell
in love with her once more, and bitterly repented having caused her so
much suffering.
So Renzolla lived happily ever afterwards, for she loved her husband,
honoured the fairy, and was grateful to the old man for having told her
the truth.
[From the Italian, _Kletke_.]
_WHAT CAME OF PICKING FLOWERS_
There was once a woman who had three daughters whom she loved very much.
One day the eldest was walking in a water-meadow, when she saw a pink
growing in the stream. She stooped to pick the flower, but her hand had
scarcely touched it, when she vanished altogether. The next morning the
second sister went out into the meadow, to see if she could find any
traces of the lost girl, and as a branch of lovely roses lay trailing
across her path, she bent down to move it away, and in so doing, could
not resist plucking one of the roses. In a moment she too had
disappeared. Wondering what could have become of her two sisters, the
youngest followed in their footsteps, and fell a victim to a branch of
delicious white jessamine. So the old woman was left without any
daughters at all.
She wept, and wept, and wept, all day and all night, and went on weeping
so long, that her son, who had been a little boy when his sisters
disappeared, grew up to be a tall youth. Then one night he asked his
mother to tell him what was the matter.
When he had heard the whole story, he said, 'Give me your blessing,
mother, and I will go and search the world till I find them.'
So he set forth, and after he had travelled several miles without any
adventures, he came upon three big boys fighting in the road. He stopped
and inquired what they were fighting about, and one of them answered:
'My lord! our father left to us, when he died, a pair of boots, a key,
and a cap. Whoever puts on the boots and wishes himself in any place,
will find himself there. The key will open every door in the world, and
with the cap on your head no one can see you. Now our eldest brother
wants to have all three things for himself, and we wish to draw lots for
them.'
'Oh, that is easily settled,' said the youth. 'I will throw this stone
as far as I can, and the one who picks it up first, shall have the three
things.' So he took the stone and flung it, and while the three brothers
were running after it, he drew hastily on the boots, and said, 'Boots,
take me to the place where I shall find my eldest sister.'
The next moment the young man was standing on a steep mountain before
the gates of a strong castle guarded by bolts and bars and iron chains.
The key, which he had not forgotten to put in his pocket, opened the
doors one by one, and he walked through a number of halls and corridors,
till he met a beautiful and richly-dressed young lady who started back
in surprise at the sight of him, and exclaimed, 'Oh, sir, how did you
contrive to get in here?' The young man replied that he was her brother,
and told her by what means he had been able to pass through the doors.
In return, she told him how happy she was, except for one thing, and
that was, her husband lay under a spell, and could never break it till
there should be put to death a man who could not die.
They talked together for a long time, and then the lady said he had
better leave her as she expected her husband back at any moment, and he
might not like him to be there; but the young man assured her she need
not be afraid, as he had with him a cap which would make him invisible.
They were still deep in conversation when the door suddenly opened, and
a bird flew in, but he saw nothing unusual, for, at the first noise, the
youth had put on his cap. The lady jumped up and brought a large golden
basin, into which the bird flew, reappearing directly after as a
handsome man. Turning to his wife, he cried, 'I am sure someone is in
the room!' She got frightened, and declared that she was quite alone,
but her husband persisted, and in the end she had to confess the truth.
[Illustration: What came of Picking Jessamine]
'But if he is really your brother, why did you hide him?' asked he. 'I
believe you are telling me a lie, and if he comes back I shall kill
him!'
At this the youth took off his cap, and came forward. Then the husband
saw that he was indeed so like his wife that he doubted her word no
longer, and embraced his brother-in-law with delight. Drawing a feather
from his bird's skin, he said, 'If you are in danger and cry, "Come and
help me, King of the Birds," everything will go well with you.'
The young man thanked him and went away, and after he had left the
castle he told the boots that they must take him to the place where his
second sister was living. As before, he found himself at the gates of a
huge castle, and within was his second sister, very happy with her
husband, who loved her dearly, but longing for the moment when he should
be set free from the spell that kept him half his life a fish. When he
arrived and had been introduced by his wife to her brother, he welcomed
him warmly, and gave him a fish-scale, saying, 'If you are in danger,
call to me, "Come and help me, King of the Fishes," and everything will
go well with you.'
The young man thanked him and took his leave, and when he was outside
the gates he told the boots to take him to the place where his youngest
sister lived. The boots carried him to a dark cavern, with steps of iron
leading up to it. Inside she sat, weeping and sobbing, and as she had
done nothing else the whole time she had been there, the poor girl had
grown very thin. When she saw a man standing before her, she sprang to
her feet and exclaimed, 'Oh, whoever you are, save me and take me from
this horrible place!' Then he told her who he was, and how he had seen
her sisters, whose happiness was spoilt by the spell under which both
their husbands lay, and she, in turn, related her story. She had been
carried off in the water-meadow by a horrible monster, who wanted to
make her marry him by force, and had kept her a prisoner all these years
because she would not submit to his will. Every day he came to beg her
to consent to his wishes, and to remind her that there was no hope of
her being set free, as he was the most constant man in the world, and
besides that he could never die. At these words the youth remembered his
two enchanted brothers-in-law, and he advised his sister to promise to
marry the old man, if he would tell her why he could never die. Suddenly
everything began to tremble, as if it was shaken by a whirlwind, and
the old man entered, and flinging himself at the feet of the girl, he
said: 'Are you still determined never to marry me? If so you will have
to sit there weeping till the end of the world, for I shall always be
faithful to my wish to marry you!' 'Well, I will marry you,' she said,
'if you will tell me why it is that you can never die.'
Then the old man burst into peals of laughter. 'Ah, ah, ah! You are
thinking how you would be able to kill me? Well, to do that, you would
have to find an iron casket which lies at the bottom of the sea, and has
a white dove inside, and then you would have to find the egg which the
dove laid, and bring it here, and dash it against my head.' And he
laughed again in his certainty that no one had ever got down to the
bottom of the sea, and that if they did, they would never find the
casket, or be able to open it. When he could speak once more, he said,
'Now you will be obliged to marry me, as you know my secret.' But she
begged so hard that the wedding might be put off for three days, that he
consented, and went away rejoicing at his victory. When he had
disappeared, the brother took off the cap which had kept him invisible
all this time, and told his sister not to lose heart as he hoped in
three days she would be free. Then he drew on his boots, and wished
himself at the seashore, and there he was directly. Drawing out the
fish-scale, he cried, 'Come and help me, King of the Fishes!' and his
brother-in-law swam up, and asked what he could do. The young man
related the story, and when he had finished his listener summoned all
the fishes to his presence. The last to arrive was a little sardine, who
apologised for being so late, but said she had hurt herself by knocking
her head against an iron casket that lay in the bottom of the sea. The
king ordered several of the largest and strongest of his subjects to
take the little sardine as a guide, and bring him the iron casket. They
soon returned with the box placed across their backs and laid it down
before him. Then the youth produced the key and said, 'Key, open that
box!' and the key opened it, and though they were all crowding round,
ready to catch it, the white dove within flew away.
[Illustration: HOW THE WHITE DOVE ESCAPED]
It was useless to go after it, and for a moment the young man's heart
sank. The next minute, however, he remembered that he had still his
feather, and drew it out crying, 'Come to me, King of the Birds!' and a
rushing noise was heard, and the King of the Birds perched on his
shoulder, and asked what he could do to help him. His brother-in-law
told him the whole story, and when he had finished the King of the Birds
commanded all his subjects to hasten to his presence. In an instant the
air was dark with birds of all sizes, and at the very last came the
white dove, apologising for being so late by saying that an old friend
had arrived at his nest, and he had been obliged to give him some
dinner. The King of the Birds ordered some of them to show the young man
the white dove's nest, and when they reached it, there lay the egg which
was to break the spell and set them all free. When it was safely in his
pocket, he told the boots to carry him straight to the cavern where his
youngest sister sat awaiting him.
Now it was already far on into the third day, which the old man had
fixed for the wedding, and when the youth reached the cavern with his
cap on his head, he found the monster there, urging the girl to keep her
word and let the marriage take place at once. At a sign from her brother
she sat down and invited the old monster to lay his head on her lap. He
did so with delight, and her brother standing behind her back passed her
the egg unseen. She took it, and dashed it straight at the horrible
head, and the monster started, and with a groan that people took for the
rumblings of an earthquake, he turned over and died.
As the breath went out of his body the husbands of the two eldest
daughters resumed their proper shapes, and, sending for their
mother-in-law, whose sorrow was so unexpectedly turned into joy, they
had a great feast, and the youngest sister was rich to the end of her
days with the treasures she found in the cave, collected by the monster.
[From the Portuguese.]
_THE STORY OF BENSURDATU_
There was once a king and a queen who had three wonderfully beautiful
daughters, and their one thought, from morning till night, was how they
could make the girls happy.
One day the princesses said to the king, 'Dear father, we want so much
to have a picnic, and eat our dinner in the country.'
'Very well, dear children, let us have a picnic by all means,' answered
he, and gave orders that everything should be got ready.
When luncheon was prepared it was put into a cart, and the royal family
stepped into a carriage and drove right away into the country. After a
few miles they reached a house and garden belonging to the king, and
close by was their favourite place for lunch. The drive had made them
very hungry, and they ate with a hearty appetite, till almost all the
food had disappeared.
When they had quite done, they said to their parents: 'Now we should
like to wander about the garden a little, but when you want to go home,
just call to us.' And they ran off, laughing, down a green glade, which
led to the garden.
But no sooner had they stepped across the fence, than a dark cloud came
down and covered them, and prevented them seeing whither they were
going.
[Illustration: NOW THE THREE PRINCESSES WERE LOST]
Meanwhile the king and queen sat lazily among the heather, and an hour
or two slipped away. The sun was dropping towards the horizon, and they
began to think it was time to go home. So they called to their daughters
and called again, but no one answered them.
Frightened at the silence, they searched every corner of the garden, the
house, and the neighbouring wood, but no trace of the girls was to be
found anywhere. The earth seemed to have swallowed them up. The poor
parents were in despair. The queen wept all the way home, and for many
days after, and the king issued a proclamation that whoever should bring
back his lost daughters should have one of them to wife, and should,
after his death, reign in his stead.
Now two young generals were at that time living at the court, and when
they heard the king's declaration, they said one to the other: 'Let us
go in search of them; perhaps we shall be the lucky persons.'
And they set out, each mounted on a strong horse, taking with them a
change of raiment and some money.
But though they inquired at every village they rode through, they could
hear nothing of the princesses, and by-and-by their money was all spent,
and they were forced to sell their horses, or give up the search. Even
this money only lasted a little while longer, and nothing but their
clothes lay between them and starvation. They sold the spare garments
that were bound on their saddles, and went in the coats they stood up in
to the inn, to beg for some food, as they were really starving. When,
however, they had to pay for what they had eaten and drank, they said to
the host: 'We have no money, and naught but the clothes we stand up in.
Take these, and give us instead some old rags, and let us stay here and
serve you.' And the innkeeper was content with the bargain, and the
generals remained, and were his servants.
All this time the king and queen remained in their palace hungering for
their children, but not a word was heard of either of them or of the
generals who had gone to seek for them.
Now there was living in the palace a faithful servant of the king's
called Bensurdatu, who had served him for many years, and when
Bensurdatu saw how grieved the king was, he lifted up his voice and said
to him: 'Your majesty, let me go and seek your daughters.'
'No, no, Bensurdatu,' replied the king. 'Three daughters have I lost,
and two generals, and shall I lose you also?'
But Bensurdatu said again: 'Let me now go, your majesty; trust me, and I
will bring you back your daughters.'
Then the king gave way, and Bensurdatu set forth, and rode on till he
came to the inn, where he dismounted and asked for food. It was brought
by the two generals, whom he knew at once in spite of their miserable
clothes, and, much astonished, asked them how in the world they came
there.
They told him all their adventures, and he sent for the innkeeper, and
said to him: 'Give them back their garments, and I will pay everything
that they owe you.'
And the innkeeper did as he was bid, and when the two generals were
dressed in their proper clothes, they declared they would join
Bensurdatu, and with him seek for the king's daughters.
The three companions rode on for many miles, and at length they came to
a wild place, without sign of a human being. It was getting dark, and
fearing to be lost on this desolate spot they pushed on their horses,
and at last saw a light in the window of a tiny hut.
'Who comes there?' asked a voice, as they knocked at the door.
'Oh! have pity on us, and give us a night's shelter,' replied
Bensurdatu; 'we are three tired travellers who have lost our way.'
Then the door was opened by a very old woman, who stood back, and
beckoned them to enter. 'Whence do you come, and whither do you go?'
said she.
'Ah, good woman, we have a heavy task before us,' answered Bensurdatu,
'we are bound to carry the king's daughters back to the palace!'
'Oh, unhappy creatures,' cried she, 'you know not what you are doing!
The king's daughters were covered by a thick cloud, and no one knows
where they may now be.'
'Oh, tell us, if you know, my good woman,' entreated Bensurdatu, 'for
with them lies all our happiness.'
'Even if I were to tell you,' answered she, 'you could not rescue them.
To do that you would have to go to the very bottom of a deep river, and
though certainly you would find the king's daughters there, yet the two
eldest are guarded by two giants, and the youngest is watched by a
serpent with seven heads.'
The two generals, who stood by listening, were filled with terror at
her words, and wished to return immediately; but Bensurdatu stood firm,
and said: 'Now we have got so far we must carry the thing through. Tell
us where the river is, so that we may get there as soon as possible.'
And the old woman told them, and gave them some cheese, wine, and bread,
so that they should not set forth starving; and when they had eaten and
drunk they laid themselves down to sleep.
The sun had only just risen above the hills next morning before they all
woke, and, taking leave of the wise woman who had helped them, they rode
on till they came to the river.
'I am the eldest,' said one of the generals, 'and it is my right to go
down first.'
So the others fastened a cord round him, and gave him a little bell, and
let him down into the water. But scarcely had the river closed above his
head when such dreadful rushing sounds and peals of thunder came
crashing round about him that he lost all his courage, and rang his
bell, if perchance it might be heard amidst all this clamour. Great was
his relief when the rope began slowly to pull him upwards.
Then the other general plunged in; but he fared no better than the
first, and was soon on dry ground again.
'Well, you are a brave pair!' said Bensurdatu, as he tied the rope round
his own waist; 'let us see what will happen to me.' And when he heard
the thunder and clamour round about him he thought to himself, 'Oh, make
as much noise as you like, it won't hurt me!' When his feet touched the
bottom he found himself in a large, brilliantly lighted hall, and in the
middle sat the eldest princess, and in front of her lay a huge giant,
fast asleep. Directly she saw Bensurdatu she nodded to him, and asked
with her eyes how he had come there.
For answer he drew his sword, and was about to cut off the giant's head,
when she stopped him quickly, and made signs to hide himself, as the
giant was just beginning to wake. 'I smell the flesh of a man!' murmured
he, stretching his great arms.
'Why, how in the world could any man get down here?' replied she; 'you
had better go to sleep again.'
So he turned over and went to sleep. Then the princess signed to
Bensurdatu, who drew his sword and cut off the giant's head with such a
blow that it flew into the corner. And the heart of the princess leapt
within her, and she placed a golden crown on the head of Bensurdatu, and
called him her deliverer.
'Now show me where your sisters are,' he said, 'that I may free them
also.'
So the princess opened a door, and led him into another hall, wherein
sat her next sister, guarded by a giant who was fast asleep. When the
second princess saw them, she made a sign to them to hide themselves,
for the giant was showing symptoms of waking.
'I smell man's flesh!' murmured he, sleepily.
'Now, how could any man get down here?' asked she; 'go to sleep again.'
And as soon as he closed his eyes, Bensurdatu stole out from his corner,
and struck such a blow at his head that it flew far, far away. The
princess could not find words to thank Bensurdatu for what he had done,
and she too placed in his hand a golden crown.
'Now show me where your youngest sister is,' said he, 'that I may free
her also.'
'Ah! that I fear you will never be able to do,' sighed they, 'for she is
in the power of a serpent with seven heads.'
'Take me to him,' replied Bensurdatu. 'It will be a splendid fight.'
Then the princess opened a door, and Bensurdatu passed through, and
found himself in a hall that was even larger than the other two. And
there stood the youngest sister, chained fast to the wall, and before
her was stretched a serpent with seven heads, horrible to see. As
Bensurdatu came forward it twisted all its seven heads in his direction,
and then made a quick dart to snatch him within its grasp. But
Bensurdatu drew his sword and laid about him, till the seven heads were
rolling on the floor. Flinging down his sword he rushed to the princess
and broke her chains, and she wept for joy, and embraced him, and took
the golden crown from off her head, and placed it in his hand.
[Illustration: BENSURDATU ATTACKS THE SEVEN-HEADED SERPENT.]
'Now we must go back to the upper world,' said Bensurdatu, and led her
to the bottom of the river. The other princesses were waiting there, and
he tied the rope round the eldest, and rung his bell. And the generals
above heard, and drew her gently up. They then unfastened the cord and
threw it back into the river, and in a few moments the second princess
stood beside her sister.
So now there were left only Bensurdatu and the youngest princess. 'Dear
Bensurdatu,' said she, 'do me a kindness, and let them draw you up
before me. I dread the treachery of the generals.'
'No, no,' replied Bensurdatu, 'I certainly will not leave you down here.
There is nothing to fear from my comrades.'
'If it is your wish I will go up then; but first I swear that if you do
not follow to marry me, I shall stay single for the rest of my life.'
Then he bound the rope round her, and the generals drew her up.
But instead of lowering the rope again into the river, envy at the
courage and success of Bensurdatu so filled the hearts of the two
generals, that they turned away and left him to perish. And, more than
that, they threatened the princesses, and forced them to promise to tell
their parents that it was the two generals who had set them free. 'And
if they should ask you about Bensurdatu, you must say you have never
seen him,' they added; and the princesses, fearing for their lives,
promised everything, and they rode back to court together.
The king and queen were beside themselves with joy when they saw their
dear children once more. But when the generals had told their story, and
the dangers they had run, the king declared that they had gained their
reward, and that the two eldest princesses should become their wives.
And now we must see what poor Bensurdatu was doing.
He waited patiently a long, long time, but when the rope never came back
he knew he had been wrong, and that his comrades had betrayed him. 'Ah,
now I shall never reach the world again,' murmured he; but being a brave
man, and knowing that moaning his fate would profit him nothing, he rose
and began to search through the three halls, where, perhaps, he might
find something to help him. In the last one stood a dish, covered with
food, which reminded him that he was hungry, and he sat down and ate and
drank.
Months passed away, when, one morning, as he was walking through the
halls, he noticed a purse hanging on the wall, which had never been
there before. He took it down to examine it, and nearly let it fall with
surprise when a voice came from the purse saying: 'What commands have
you?'
'Oh, take me out of this horrible place, and up into the world again;'
and in a moment he was, standing by the river bank, with the purse
tightly grasped in his hand.
'Now let me have the most beautiful ship that ever was built, all manned
and ready for sea.' And there was the ship, with a flag floating from
its mast on which were the words, 'King with the three crowns.' Then
Bensurdatu climbed on board, and sailed away to the city where the three
princesses dwelt; and when he reached the harbour he blew trumpets and
beat drums, so that every one ran to the doors and windows. And the king
heard too, and saw the beautiful vessel, and said to himself: 'That must
indeed be a mighty monarch, for he has three crowns while I have only
one.' So he hastened to greet the stranger, and invited him to his
castle, for, thought he, 'this will be a fine husband for my youngest
daughter.' Now, the youngest princess had never married, and had turned
a deaf ear to all her wooers.
Such a long time had passed since Bensurdatu had left the palace, that
the king never guessed for a moment that the splendidly clad stranger
before him was the man whom he had so deeply mourned as dead. 'Noble
lord,' said he, 'let us feast and make merry together, and then, if it
seem good to you, do me the honour to take my youngest daughter to
wife.'
And Bensurdatu was glad, and they all sat down to a great feast, and
there were great rejoicings. But only the youngest daughter was sad, for
her thoughts were with Bensurdatu. After they arose from the table the
king said to her, 'Dear child, this mighty lord does you the honour to
ask your hand in marriage.'
'Oh, father,' answered she, 'spare me, I pray you, for I desire to
remain single.'
Then Bensurdatu turned to her, and said: 'And if I were Bensurdatu,
would you give the same answer to me?'
And as she stood silently gazing at him, he added: 'Yes, I am
Bensurdatu; and this is my story.'
The king and queen had their hearts stirred within them at the tale of
his adventures, and when he had ended the king stretched out his hand,
and said: 'Dear Bensurdatu, my youngest daughter shall indeed be your
wife; and when I die my crown shall be yours. As for the men who have
betrayed you, they shall leave the country and you shall see them no
more.'
And the wedding feast was ordered, and rejoicings were held for three
days over the marriage of Bensurdatu and the youngest princess.
[From the _Sicilianische Märchen_.]
_THE MAGICIAN'S HORSE_
Once upon a time, there was a king who had three sons. Now it happened
that one day the three princes went out hunting in a large forest at
some distance from their father's palace, and the youngest prince lost
his way, so his brothers had to return home without him.
For four days the prince wandered through the glades of the forest,
sleeping on moss beneath the stars at night, and by day living on roots
and wild berries. At last, on the morning of the fifth day, he came to a
large open space in the middle of the forest, and here stood a stately
palace; but neither within nor without was there a trace of human life.
The prince entered the open door and wandered through the deserted rooms
without seeing a living soul. At last he came on a great hall, and in
the centre of the hall was a table spread with dainty dishes and choice
wines. The prince sat down, and satisfied his hunger and thirst, and
immediately afterwards the table disappeared from his sight. This struck
the prince as very strange; but though he continued his search through
all the rooms, upstairs and down, he could find no one to speak to. At
last, just as it was beginning to get dark, he heard steps in the
distance and he saw an old man coming towards him up the stairs.
'What are you doing wandering about my castle?' asked the old man.
To whom the prince replied: 'I lost my way hunting in the forest. If you
will take me into your service, I should like to stay with you, and will
serve you faithfully.'
'Very well,' said the old man. 'You may enter my service. You will have
to keep the stove always lit, you will have to fetch the wood for it
from the forest, and you will have the charge of the black horse in the
stables. I will pay you a florin a day, and at meal times you will
always find the table in the hall spread with food and wine, and you can
eat and drink as much as you require.'
The prince was satisfied, and he entered the old man's service, and
promised to see that there was always wood on the stove, so that the
fire should never die out. Now, though he did not know it, his new
master was a magician, and the flame of the stove was a magic fire, and
if it had gone out the magician would have lost a great part of his
power.
One day the prince forgot, and let the fire burn so low that it very
nearly burnt out. Just as the flame was flickering the old man stormed
into the room.
'What do you mean by letting the fire burn so low?' he growled. 'I have
only arrived in the nick of time.' And while the prince hastily threw a
log on the stove and blew on the ashes to kindle the glow, his master
gave him a severe box on the ear, and warned him that if ever it
happened again it would fare badly with him.
One day the prince was sitting disconsolate in the stables when, to his
surprise, the black horse spoke to him.
'Come into my stall,' it said, 'I have something to say to you. Fetch my
bridle and saddle from that cupboard and put them on me. Take the bottle
that is beside them; it contains an ointment which will make your hair
shine like pure gold; then put all the wood you can gather together on
to the stove, till it is piled quite high up.'
So the prince did what the horse told him; he saddled and bridled the
horse, he put the ointment on his hair till it shone like gold, and he
made such a big fire in the stove that the flames sprang up and set fire
to the roof, and in a few minutes the palace was burning like a huge
bonfire.
Then he hurried back to the stables, and the horse said to him: 'There
is one thing more you must do. In the cupboad you will find a
looking-glass, a brush and a riding-whip. Bring them with you, mount on
my back, and ride as hard as you can, for now the house is burning
merrily.'
The prince did as the horse bade him. Scarcely had he got into the
saddle than the horse was off and away, galloping at such a pace that,
in a short time, the forest and all the country belonging to the
magician lay far behind them.
In the meantime the magician returned to his palace, which he found in
smouldering ruins. In vain he called for his servant. At last he went to
look for him in the stables, and when he discovered that the black
horse had disappeared too, he at once suspected that they had gone
together; so he mounted a roan horse that was in the next stall, and set
out in pursuit.
As the prince rode, the quick ears of his horse heard the sound of
pursuing feet.
'Look behind you,' he said, 'and see if the old man is following.' And
the prince turned in his saddle and saw a cloud like smoke or dust in
the distance.
'We must hurry,' said the horse.
After they had galloped for some time, the horse said again: 'Look
behind, and see if he is still at some distance.'
'He is quite close,' answered the prince.
'Then throw the looking-glass on the ground,' said the horse. So the
prince threw it; and when the magician came up, the roan horse stepped
on the mirror, and crash! his foot went through the glass, and he
stumbled and fell, cutting his feet so badly that there was nothing for
the old man to do but to go slowly back with him to the stables, and put
new shoes on his feet. Then they started once more in pursuit of the
prince, for the magician set great value on the horse, and was
determined not to lose it.
In the meanwhile the prince had gone a great distance; but the quick
ears of the black horse detected the sound of following feet from afar.
'Dismount,' he said to the prince; 'put your ear to the ground, and tell
me if you do not hear a sound.'
So the prince dismounted and listened. 'I seem to hear the earth
tremble,' he said; 'I think he cannot be very far off.'
'Mount me at once,' answered the horse, 'and I will gallop as fast as I
can.' And he set off so fast that the earth seemed to fly from under his
hoofs.
'Look back once more,' he said, after a short time, 'and see if he is in
sight.'
'I see a cloud and a flame,' answered the prince; 'but a long way off.'
'We must make haste,' said the horse. And shortly after he said: 'Look
back again; he can't be far off now.'
The prince turned in his saddle, and exclaimed: 'He is close behind us,
in a minute the flame from his horse's nostrils will reach us.'
'Then throw the brush on the ground,' said the horse.
And the prince threw it, and in an instant the brush was changed into
such a thick wood that even a bird could not have got through it, and
when the old man got up to it the roan horse came suddenly to a
stand-still, not able to advance a step into the thick tangle. So there
was nothing for the magician to do but to retrace his steps, to fetch an
axe, with which he cut himself a way through the wood. But it took him
some time, during which the prince and the black horse got on well
ahead.
[Illustration: How The Magician Was Thwarted by The BRUSH]
But once more they heard the sound of pursuing feet. 'Look back,' said
the black horse, 'and see if he is following.'
'Yes,' answered the prince, 'this time I hear him distinctly.'
'Let us hurry on,' said the horse. And a little later he said: 'Look
back now, and see if he is in sight.'
'Yes,' said the prince, turning round, 'I see the flame; he is close
behind us.'
'Then you must throw down the whip,' answered the horse. And in the
twinkling of an eye the whip was changed into a broad river. When the
old man got up to it he urged the roan horse into the water, but as the
water mounted higher and higher, the magic flame which gave the magician
all his power grew smaller and smaller, till, with a fizz, it went out,
and the old man and the roan horse sank in the river and disappeared.
When the prince looked round they were no longer to be seen.
'Now,' said the horse, 'you may dismount; there is nothing more to fear,
for the magician is dead. Beside that brook you will find a willow wand.
Gather it, and strike the earth with it, and it will open and you will
see a door at your feet.'
When the prince had struck the earth with the wand a door appeared, and
opened into a large vaulted stone hall.
'Lead me into that hall,' said the horse, 'I will stay there; but you
must go through the fields till you reach a garden, in the midst of
which is a king's palace. When you get there you must ask to be taken
into the king's service. Good-bye, and don't forget me.'
So they parted; but first the horse made the prince promise not to let
anyone in the palace see his golden hair. So he bound a scarf round it,
like a turban, and the prince set out through the fields, till he
reached a beautiful garden, and beyond the garden he saw the walls and
towers of a stately palace. At the garden gate he met the gardener, who
asked him what he wanted.
'I want to take service with the king,' replied the prince.
'Well, you may stay and work under me in the garden,' said the man; for
as the prince was dressed like a poor man, he could not tell that he was
a king's son. 'I need someone to weed the ground and to sweep the dead
leaves from the paths. You shall have a florin a day, a horse to help
you to cart the leaves away, and food and drink.'
So the prince consented, and set about his work. But when his food was
given to him he only ate half of it; the rest he carried to the vaulted
hall beside the brook, and gave to the black horse. And this he did
every day, and the horse thanked him for his faithful friendship.
One evening, as they were together, after his work in the garden was
over, the horse said to him: 'To-morrow a large company of princes and
great lords are coming to your king's palace. They are coming from far
and near, as wooers for the three princesses. They will all stand in a
row in the courtyard of the palace, and the three princesses will come
out, and each will carry a diamond apple in her hand, which she will
throw into the air. At whose-soever feet the apple falls he will be the
bridegroom of that princess. You must be close by in the garden at your
work. The apple of the youngest princess, who is much the most beautiful
of the sisters, will roll past the wooers and stop in front of you. Pick
it up at once and put it in your pocket.'
The next day, when the wooers were all assembled in the courtyard of the
castle, everything happened just as the horse had said. The princesses
threw the apples into the air, and the diamond apple of the youngest
princess rolled past all the wooers, out on to the garden, and stopped
at the feet of the young gardener, who was busy sweeping the leaves
away. In a moment he had stooped down, picked up the apple and put it in
his pocket. As he stooped the scarf round his head slipped a little to
one side, and the princess caught sight of his golden hair, and loved
him from that moment.
[Illustration: The Gardener gets the Apple]
But the king was very sad, for his youngest daughter was the one he
loved best. But there was no help for it; and the next day a threefold
wedding was celebrated at the palace, and after the wedding the youngest
princess returned with her husband to the small hut in the garden where
he lived.
Some time after this the people of a neighbouring country went to war
with the king, and he set out to battle, accompanied by the husbands of
his two eldest daughters mounted on stately steeds. But the husband of
the youngest daughter had nothing but the old broken-down horse which
helped him in his garden work; and the king, who was ashamed of this
son-in-law, refused to give him any other.
So as he was determined not to be left behind, he went into the garden,
mounted the sorry nag, and set out. But scarcely had he ridden a few
yards before the horse stumbled and fell. So he dismounted and went down
to the brook, to where the black horse lived in the vaulted hall. And
the horse said to him: 'Saddle and bridle me, and then go into the next
room and you will find a suit of armour and a sword. Put them on, and we
will ride forth together to battle.'
And the prince did as he was told; and when he had mounted the horse his
armour glittered in the sun, and he looked so brave and handsome, that
no one would have recognised him as the gardener who swept away the dead
leaves from the paths. The horse bore him away at a great pace, and
when they reached the battle-field they saw that the king was losing the
day, so many of his warriors had been slain. But when the warrior on
his black charger and in glittering armour appeared on the scene, hewing
right and left with his sword, the enemy were dismayed and fled in all
directions, leaving the king master of the field. Then the king and his
two sons-in-law, when they saw their deliverer, shouted, and all that
was left of the army joined in the cry: 'A god has come to our rescue!'
And they would have surrounded him, but his black horse rose in the air
and bore him out of their sight.
Soon after this, part of the country rose in rebellion against the king,
and once more he and his two sons-in-law had to fare forth to battle.
And the son-in-law who was disguised as a gardener wanted to fight too.
So he came to the king and said: 'Dear father, let me ride with you to
fight your enemies.'
'I don't want a blockhead like you to fight for me,' answered the king.
'Besides, I haven't got a horse fit for you. But see, there is a carter
on the road carting hay, you may take his horse.'
So the prince took the carter's horse, but the poor beast was old and
tired, and after it had gone a few yards it stumbled and fell. So the
prince returned sadly to the garden and watched the king ride forth at
the head of the army accompanied by his two sons-in-law. When they were
out of sight the prince betook himself to the vaulted chamber by the
brook-side, and having taken counsel of the faithful black horse, he put
on the glittering suit of armour, and was borne on the back of the horse
through the air, to where the battle was being fought. And once more he
routed the king's enemies, hacking to right and left with his sword. And
again they all cried: 'A god has come to our rescue!' But when they
tried to detain him the black horse rose in the air and bore him out of
their sight.
When the king and his sons-in-law returned home they could talk of
nothing but the hero who had fought for them, and all wondered who he
could be.
Shortly afterwards the king of a neighbouring country declared war, and
once more the king and his sons-in-law and his subjects had to prepare
themselves for battle, and once more the prince begged to ride with
them, but the king said he had no horse to spare for him. 'But,' he
added, 'you may take the horse of the woodman who brings the wood from
the forest, it is good enough for you.'
So the prince took the woodman's horse, but it was so old and useless
that it could not carry him beyond the castle gates. So he betook
himself once more to the vaulted hall, where the black horse had
prepared a still more magnificent suit of armour for him than the one he
had worn on the previous occasions, and when he had put it on, and
mounted on the back of the horse, he bore him straight to the
battle-field, and once more he scattered the king's enemies, fighting
single-handed in their ranks, and they fled in all directions. But it
happened that one of the enemy struck with his sword and wounded the
prince in the leg. And the king took his own pocket-handkerchief, with
his name and crown embroidered on it, and bound it round the wounded
leg. And the king would fain have compelled him to mount in a litter and
be carried straight to the palace, and two of his knights were to lead
the black charger to the royal stables. But the prince put his hand on
the mane of his faithful horse, and managed to pull himself up into the
saddle, and the horse mounted into the air with him. Then they all
shouted and cried: 'The warrior who has fought for us is a god! He must
be a god.'
And throughout all the kingdom nothing else was spoken about, and all
the people said: 'Who can the hero be who has fought for us in so many
battles? He cannot be a man, he must be a god.'
And the king said: 'If only I could see him once more, and if it turned
out that after all he was a man and not a god, I would reward him with
half my kingdom.'
Now when the prince reached his home--the gardener's hut where he lived
with his wife--he was weary, and he lay down on his bed and slept. And
his wife noticed the handkerchief bound round his wounded leg, and she
wondered what it could be. Then she looked at it more closely and saw in
the corner that it was embroidered with her father's name and the royal
crown. So she ran straight to the palace and told her father. And he and
his two sons-in-law followed her back to her house, and there the
gardener lay asleep on his bed. And the scarf that he always wore bound
round his head had slipped off, and his golden hair gleamed on the
pillow. And they all recognised that this was the hero who had fought
and won so many battles for them.
[Illustration: The Hero discovered]
Then there was great rejoicing throughout the land, and the king
rewarded his son-in-law with half of his kingdom, and he and his wife
reigned happily over it.
_THE LITTLE GRAY MAN_
A nun, a countryman, and a blacksmith were once wandering through the
world together. One day they lost their way in a thick, dark forest, and
were thankful when they saw, in the distance, the walls of a house,
where they hoped they might obtain refuge for the night. When they got
close to the house they found that it was an old deserted castle, fast
falling into ruins, but with some of the rooms in it still habitable. As
they were homeless they determined to take up their abode in the castle,
and they arranged that one of them should always stay at home and keep
house, while the other two went out into the world to seek their
fortunes.
The lot of remaining at home fell first to the nun, and when the
countryman and the blacksmith had gone out into the wood, she set to
work, tidied up the house, and prepared all the food for the day. As her
companions did not come home for their mid-day meal, she ate up her own
portion and put the rest in the oven to keep warm. Just as she was
sitting down to sew, the door opened and a little gray man came in, and,
standing before her, said: 'Oh! how cold I am!'
The nun was very sorry for him, and said at once: 'Sit down by the fire
and warm yourself.'
The little man did as he was told, and soon called out: 'Oh! how hungry
I am!'