Once upon a time there was a king who had three sons and three
daughters. At length old age overtook him, and the hour came for him to
die. While dying he called to him his three sons and three daughters,
and told his sons to let their sisters marry the very first men who
came to ask them in marriage. “Do this or dread my curse!” said he, and
soon after expired.
Some time after his death there came one night a great knocking at the
gate; the whole palace shook, and outside was heard a great noise of
squeaking, singing, and shouting, whilst lightnings played round the
whole court of the palace. The people in the palace were very much
frightened, so that they shook for fear, when all at once someone
shouted from the outside, “O princes! open the door!” Thereupon the
king’s eldest son said, “Do not open!” The second son added, “Do not
open, for anything in the world!” But the youngest son said, “I will
open the door!” and he jumped up and opened it.
The moment he had opened the door something came in, but the brother
could see nothing except a bright light in one part of the room; out of
this light came these words: “I have come to demand your eldest sister
for wife, and I shall take her away this moment, without any delay; for
I wait for nothing, neither will I come a second time to ask for her!
Therefore answer me quickly—will you give her or not?”
The eldest brother said, “I will not give her. How can I give her when
I cannot see you, and do not know who you are, nor whence you come? You
come to-night for the first time, and wish to take her away instantly!
Should I not know where I can visit my sister sometimes?”
The second said, “I will not give my sister to-night to be taken away!”
But the youngest said, “I will give her if you will not. Have you
forgotten what our father commanded us?” and, with these words, taking
his sister by the hand, he gave her away, saying, “May she be to you a
happy and honest wife!”
As the sister passed over the threshold everyone in the palace fell to
the ground from fear, so vivid was the lightning and loud the claps of
thunder. The heavens seemed to be on fire and the whole sky rumbled, so
that the whole palace shook as if about to fall. All this however
passed over, and soon after the day dawned; when it grew light enough,
the brothers went to see if any trace was left of the mighty power to
whom they had given their sister, so that they might be able to trace
the road by which it had gone. There was, however, nothing which they
could either see or hear.
The second night, about the same time, there was heard again round the
whole palace a great noise, as if an army was whistling and hissing,
and at length someone at the door cried out, “Open the door, O
princes!” They were afraid to disobey, and opened the door, and some
dreadful power began to speak, “Give here the girl, your second sister!
I am come to demand her!” The eldest brother answered, “I will not give
her away!” The second brother said, “I will not give you my sister!”
But the youngest said, “I will give her! Have you forgotten what our
father told us to do?” So he took his sister by the hand and gave her
over, saying, “Take her! may she be honest and bring you happiness!”
Then the unseen noises departed with the girl. Next day, as soon as it
dawned, all three brothers walked round the palace, and for some
distance beyond, looking everywhere for some trace where the power had
gone, but nothing could be seen or heard.
The third night, at the same hour as before, again the palace rocked
from its very foundations, and there was a mighty uproar outside. Then
a voice shouted, “Open the door!” The sons of the king arose and opened
the door, and a great power passed by them and said, “I am come to
demand your youngest sister!” The eldest and the second son shouted,
“No! we will not give our sister this third night! At any rate, we will
know before our youngest sister goes away from our house to whom we are
giving her, and where she is going, so that we can come to visit her
whenever we wish to do so!” Thereupon the youngest brother said, “Then
I will give her! Have you forgotten what our father on his death-bed
recommended us? It is not so very long ago!” Then he took the girl by
the hand and said, “Here she is! Take her! and may she bring you
happiness and be happy herself!” Then instantly the power went away
with a great noise. When the day dawned the brothers were very anxious
about the fate of their sister, but could find no trace of the way in
which she had gone.
Some time after the brothers, speaking together, said, “It is really
very wonderful what has happened to our sisters! We have no news—no
trace of them! We do not know where they are gone, nor whom they have
married!” At last they said to each other, “Let us go and try to find
our sisters!” So they prepared immediately for their journey, took
money for their travelling expenses, and went away in search of their
three sisters.
They had travelled some time when they lost their way in a forest, and
wandered about a whole day. When it grew dark they thought they would
stop for the night at some place where they could find water. So,
having come to a lake, they decided to sleep near it, and sat down to
take some supper. When the time for sleep came the eldest brother said,
“I will keep watch while you sleep!” and so the two younger brothers
went to sleep and the eldest watched. In the middle of the night the
lake began to be greatly agitated, and the brother who was watching
grew quite frightened, especially when he saw something was coming
towards him from the middle of the lake. When it came near he saw that
it was a terrific alligator with two ears, and it ran at him; but he
drew his knife and struck it, and cut off its head. When he had done
this he cut off the ears also, and put them in his pocket, the body and
the head, however, he threw back into the lake. Meanwhile the day began
to dawn, but the two brothers slept on and knew nothing of what their
eldest brother had done. At length he awakened them, but told them
nothing, so they went on their travels together. When the next day was
closing, and it began again to grow dark, they took counsel with each
other where they should rest for the night, and where they should find
water. They felt also afraid, because they were approaching some
dangerous mountains.
Coming to a small lake they resolved to rest there that night; and
having made a fire they placed their things near it, and prepared to
sleep. Then the second brother said, “This night I will keep guard
whilst you sleep!” So the two others fell asleep, and the second
brother remained watching.
All at once the lake began to move, and lo! an alligator, with two
heads, came running to swallow up the three. But the brother who
watched grasped his knife, felled the alligator to the ground with one
blow, and cut off both the heads. Having done this he cut off the two
pairs of ears, put them in his pocket, and threw the body into the
water, and the two heads after it. The other brothers, however, knew
nothing about the danger which they had escaped, and continued to sleep
very soundly till the morning dawned.
Then the second brother awoke them, saying, “Arise, my brothers! It is
day!” and they instantly jumped up, and prepared to continue their
journey. But they knew not in what country they now were, and as they
had eaten up nearly all their food, they feared greatly lest they
should die of hunger in that unknown land. So they prayed God to give
them sight of some city or village or, at least, that they might meet
someone to guide them, for they had already been wandering three days
up and down in a wilderness, and could see no end to it. Pretty early
in the morning they came to a large lake and resolved to go no further,
but remain there all the day, and also to spend the night there. “For
if we go on,” said they, “we are not sure that we shall find any more
water near which we can rest.” So they remained there.
When evening came they made a great fire, took their frugal supper, and
prepared to sleep. Then the youngest brother said, “This night I will
keep guard whilst you sleep”; and so the other two went to sleep, and
the youngest brother kept awake, looking sharply about him, his eyes
being turned often towards the lake. Part of the night had already
passed, when suddenly the whole lake began to move; the waves dashed
over the fire and half quenched it. Then he drew his sword and placed
himself near the fire, as there appeared a great alligator with three
heads, which rushed upon the brothers as if about to swallow them all
three.
But the youngest brother had a brave heart, and would not awaken his
brothers, so he met the alligator, and gave him three blows in
succession, and at each blow he cut off one of the three heads. Then he
cut off the six ears and put them in his pocket, and threw the body and
the three heads into the lake. Whilst he was thus busy the fire had
quite gone out, so he—having nothing there with which he could light
the fire, and not wishing to awaken his brothers from their deep
slumbers—stepped a little way into the forest, with the hope of seeing
something with which he might rekindle the fire.
There was, however, no trace of any fire anywhere. At last, in his
search, he climbed up a very high tree, and, having reached the top,
looked about on all sides. After much looking he thought he saw the
glare of a fire not very far off. So he came down from the tree and
went in the direction in which he had seen the fire, in order to get
some brand with which he might again light the fire. He walked very far
on this errand, and though the glare seemed always near him, it was a
very long time before he reached it. Suddenly, however, he came upon a
cave, and in the cave a great fire was burning. Round it sat nine
giants, and two men were being roasted, one on each side of the fire.
Besides that, there stood upon the fire a great kettle full of the
limbs of men ready to be cooked. When the king’s son saw that, he was
terrified and would gladly have gone back, but it was no longer
possible.
Then he shouted as loud and cheerfully as he could, “Good evening, my
dear comrades! I have been a very long time in search of you!”
They received him well, saying, “Welcome! if thou art of our company!”
He answered, “I shall remain yours for ever, and would give my life for
your sake!”
“Eh!” said they, “if you intend to be one of us, you know, you must
also eat man’s flesh, and go out with us in search of prey?”
The king’s son answered, “Certainly; I shall do everything that you
do!”
“Then come and sit with us!” cried the giants; and the whole company,
sitting round the fire, took meat out of the kettle and began to eat.
The king’s son pretended to eat, also, but instead of eating he always
threw the meat behind him, and thus deceived them.
When they had eaten up the whole of the roasted meat the giants got up
and said, “Let us now go to hunt, that we may have meat for to-morrow.”
So they went away, all nine of them, the king’s son making the tenth.
“Come along!” they said to him, “there is a city near in which a great
king lives. We have been supplying ourselves with food from that city a
great many years.” As they came near the city they pulled two tall
pine-trees up by the roots, and carried them along with them. Having
come to the city wall, they reared one pine-tree up against it, and
said to the king’s son, “Go up, now, to the top of the wall, so that we
may be able to give you the other pine-tree, which you must take by the
top and throw down into the city. Take care, however,” they said, “to
keep the top of the tree in your hands, so that we can go down the stem
of it into the city.” Thereupon the king’s son climbed up on the wall
and then cried out to them, “I don’t know what to do; I am not
acquainted with this place, and I don’t understand how to throw the
tree over the wall; please one of you come up and show me what I must
do.” Then one of the giants climbed up the tree placed against the
wall, caught the top of the other pine-tree, and threw it over the
wall, keeping the top all the time safe in his hand. Whilst he was thus
standing, the king’s son drew his sword, struck him on the neck, and
cut his head off, so that the giant fell down into the city.
Then he called to the other eight giants, “Your brother is in the city;
come, one after the other, so that I can let you also down into the
city!” And the giants, not knowing what had happened to the first one,
climbed up one after the other, and thus the king’s son cut off their
heads till he had killed all the nine.
After that, he himself slowly descended the pine-tree and went into the
city, walking through all the streets, but there was not one living
creature to be seen. The city seemed quite deserted. Then he said to
himself, “Surely those giants have made this great devastation and
carried all the people away.”
After walking about a very long time, he came to a tall tower, and,
looking up, he saw a light in one of the rooms. So he opened the door,
and went up the steps, into the room. And what a beautiful room it was
in which he had entered! It was decorated with gold and silk and
velvet, and there was no one there except a girl lying on a couch
sleeping. As soon as the king’s son entered, his eyes fell upon the
girl, who was exceedingly beautiful. Just then he saw a large serpent
coming down the wall, and it had stretched out its head and was ready
to strike the girl on the forehead, between the eyes. So he drew his
dagger very quickly, and nailed the snake’s head to the wall,
exclaiming, “God grant that my dagger may not be taken out of the wall
by any hand but my own!” and thereupon he hurried away, and passed over
the city wall, climbing up and going down the pine-trees. When he got
back to the cavern where the giants had been, he plucked a brand from
the fire, and ran away very quickly to the spot where he had left his
brothers, and found them still sleeping.
He soon lighted the fire again, and meanwhile the sun having arisen he
awoke his brothers, and they arose and all three continued their
journey. The same day they came to the road leading to the city. In
that city lived a mighty king, who used to walk about the streets every
morning, weeping over the great destruction of his people by the
giants. The king feared greatly that one day his own daughter might
also be eaten up by one of them. That morning he rose very early, and
went to look about the city; the streets were all empty, because most
of the people of the city had been eaten up by the giants. Walking
about, at last he observed a tall pine-tree, pulled up quite by the
roots, and leaning against the city wall. He drew near, and saw a great
wonder. Nine giants, the frightful enemies of his people, were lying
there with their heads off. When the king saw that he rejoiced
exceedingly, and all the people who were left, gathered round and
praised God, and prayed for good health and good luck to those who had
killed the giants. At that moment a servant came running, to tell the
king that a serpent had very nearly killed his daughter. So the king
hurried back to the palace, and went quickly to the room wherein his
daughter was, and there he saw the snake pinned to the wall, with a
dagger through its head. He tried to draw the knife out, but he was not
able to do so.
Then the king sent a proclamation to all the corners of the kingdom,
announcing that whoever had killed the nine giants and nailed the snake
to the wall, should come to the king, who would make him great presents
and give him his daughter for a wife. This was proclaimed throughout
the whole kingdom. The king ordered, moreover, that large inns should
be built on all the principal roads, and that every traveller who
passed by should be asked if he had ever heard of the man who had
killed the nine giants, and any traveller who knew anything about the
matter should come and tell what he knew to the king, when he should be
well rewarded.
After some time the three brothers, travelling in search of their
sisters, came one night to sleep at one of those inns. After supper the
master of the inn came in to speak to them, and, after boasting very
much what great things he had himself done, he asked them if they
themselves had ever done any great thing?
Then the eldest brother began to speak, and said, “After I started with
my brothers on this journey, one night we stopped to sleep by a lake in
the midst of a great forest; whilst my two brothers slept I watched,
and, suddenly, an alligator came out of the lake to swallow us, but I
took my knife and cut off its head; if you don’t believe me, see! here
are the two ears from his head!” And he took the ears from his pocket
and threw them on the table.
When the second brother heard that, he said, “I kept guard the second
night, and I killed an alligator with two heads; if you do not believe
me, look! here are its four ears!” and he took the ears out of his
pocket and showed them.
But the youngest brother kept silence. The master of the inn began then
to speak to him, saying, “Well, my boy, your brothers are brave men;
let us hear if you have not done some bold deed.”
Then the youngest brother began, “I have also done something, though it
may not be a great thing. When we stayed to rest the third night in the
great wilderness on the shore of the lake, my brothers lay down to
sleep, for it was my turn to keep guard. In the middle of the night the
water stirred mightily, and a three-headed alligator came out and
wished to swallow us, but I drew my sword and cut off all the three
heads; if you do not believe, see! here are the six ears of the
alligator!” The brothers themselves were greatly surprised, and he
continued: “Meanwhile the fire had gone out, and I went in search of
fire. Wandering about the mountain I met nine giants in one cave”; and
so he went on, telling all that had happened and what he had done.
When the innkeeper heard that he hurried off and told everything to the
king. The king gave him plenty of money, and sent some of his men to
bring the three brothers to him. When they came to the king, he asked
the youngest, “Have you really done all these wonders in this
city—killed the giants and saved my daughter from death?” “Yes, your
majesty,” answered the king’s son. Then the king gave him his daughter
to wife, and allowed him to take the first place after him in the
kingdom. After that he said to the two elder brothers, “If you like I
will also find wives for you two and build palaces for you.” But they
thanked him, saying they were already married, and so told him how they
had left home to search for their sisters. When the king heard that, he
kept by him only the youngest brother, his son-in-law, and gave the
other two each a mule loaded with sacks full of money; and so the two
elder brothers went back to their kingdom. All the time, however, the
youngest brother was thinking of his three sisters, and many a time he
wished to go in search of them again, though he was also sorry to leave
his wife. The king would never consent to his going, so the prince
wasted away slowly without speaking about his grief.
One day the king went out hunting, and said to his son-in-law, “Remain
here in the palace, and take these nine keys, and keep them carefully.
If you wish, however,” added he, “you can open three or four rooms,
wherein you will see plenty of gold and silver, and other precious
things. Indeed, if you much wish to do so, you can open eight of the
rooms, but let nothing in the world tempt you to open the ninth. If you
open that, woe to you!”
The king went away, leaving his son-in-law in the palace, who
immediately began to open one room after another, till he had opened
the whole eight, and he saw in all masses of all sorts of precious
things. When he stood before the door of the ninth room, he said to
himself, “I have passed luckily through all kinds of adventures, and
now I must not dare to open this door!” thereupon he opened it. And
what did he see? In the room was a man, whose legs were bound in iron
up to the knees, and his arms to the elbows; in the four corners of the
chamber there were four columns, and from each an iron chain, and all
the chains met in a ring round the man’s neck. So fast was he bound
that he could not move at all any way. In the front of him was a
reservoir, and from it water was streaming through a golden pipe into a
golden basin, just before him. Near him stood, also, a golden mug, all
covered with precious stones. The man looked at the water and longed to
drink, but he could not move to reach the cup. When the king’s son saw
that, he was greatly surprised, and stepped back; but the man cried,
“Come in, I conjure you in the name of the living God!” Then the prince
again approached, and the man said, “Do a good deed for the sake of the
life hereafter. Give me a cup of water to drink, and be assured you
will receive, as a recompense from me, another life.” The king’s son
thought, “It is well, after all, to have two lives,” so he took the mug
and filled it, and gave it to the man, who emptied it at once. Then the
prince asked him, “Now tell me, what is your name?” And the man
answered, “My name is True Steel.” The king’s son moved to go away, but
the man begged again, “Give me yet one cup of water, and I will give
you in addition a second life.” The prince said to himself, “One life
is mine already, and he offers to give me another—that is, indeed,
wonderful!” So he took the mug and gave it to him, and the man drank it
up. The prince began already to fasten the door, while the man called
to him, “Oh, my brave one, come back a moment! You have done two good
deeds, do yet a third one and I will give you a third life. Take the
mug, fill it with water, and pour the water on my head, and for that I
will give you a third life.” When the king’s son heard that, he turned,
filled the beaker with water, and poured it over the man’s head. The
moment the water met his head all the fastenings around the man’s neck
broke, all the iron chains burst asunder. True Steel jumped up like
lightning, spread his wings, and started to fly, taking with him the
king’s daughter, the wife of his deliverer, with whom he disappeared.
What was to be done now? The prince was afraid of the king’s anger.
When the king returned from the chase, his son-in-law told him all that
had happened, and the king was very sorry and said to him, “Why did you
do this? I told you not to open the ninth room!” The king’s son
answered, “Don’t be angry with me! I will go and find True Steel and
bring my wife back!” Then the king attempted to persuade him not to go
away: “Do not go, for anything in the world!” he said; “you do not know
True Steel. It cost me very many soldiers and much money to catch him!
Better remain here, and I will find you some other maiden for a wife;
do not fear, for I love you as my own son, notwithstanding all that has
happened!” The prince, however, would not hear of remaining there, so
taking some money for his journey he saddled and bridled his horse, and
started on his travels in search of True Steel.
After travelling a long time, he one day entered a strange city, and,
as he was looking about, a girl called to him from a kiosk, “O son of
the king, dismount from your horse and come into the forecourt.” When
he entered the courtyard the girl met him, and on looking at her he
recognised his eldest sister. They greeted each other, and the sister
said to him, “Come, my brother—come with me into the kiosk.”
When they came into the kiosk, he asked her who her husband was, and
she answered, “I am married to the King of Dragons, who is also a
dragon. I must hide you well, my dear brother, for my husband has often
said that he would kill his brothers-in-law if he could only meet them.
I will try him first, and if he will promise not to injure you, I will
tell him you are here.” So she hid her brother and his horse as well as
she could. At night, supper was prepared in readiness for her husband,
and at last he came. When he came flying into the courtyard, the whole
palace shone. The moment he came in, he called his wife and said,
“Wife, there is a smell of human bones here! Tell me directly what it
is!”
“There is no one here!” said she. But he exclaimed, “That is not true!”
Then his wife said, “My dear, will you answer me truly what I am going
to ask you? Would you do any harm to my brothers, if one of them came
here to see me?” And the dragon answered, “Your eldest and your second
brother I would kill and roast, but I would do no harm to the
youngest.” Then his wife said, “Well, then, I will tell you that my
youngest brother, and your brother-in-law, is here.” When the Dragon
King heard that he said, “Let him come to me!” So the sister led the
brother before the king, her husband, and he embraced him. They kissed
each other, and the king exclaimed: “Welcome, brother-in-law!” “I hope
I find you well?” returned the prince courteously, and he told the
Dragon King all his adventures from the beginning to the end.
Then the Dragon King cried out, “And where are you going, my poor
fellow? The day before yesterday True Steel passed here carrying away
your wife. I assailed him with seven thousand dragons, yet could do him
no harm. Leave the devil in peace; I will give you as much money as you
like and then you may go home quietly.” But the king’s son would not
hear of going back, and proposed next morning to continue his journey.
When the Dragon King saw that he could not change his intention, he
took one of his feathers, and gave it into his hand, saying, “Remember
what I now say to you. Here you have one of my feathers, and if you
find True Steel and are greatly pressed, burn this feather, and I will
come in an instant to your help with all my forces.” The king’s son
took the feather and continued his journey.
After long travelling about the world he arrived at a great city, and,
as he rode through the streets, a girl called to him from a kiosk:
“Here, son of the king! Dismount and come into the courtyard!” The
prince led his horse into the yard, and behold! the second sister came
to meet him. They embraced and kissed each other, and the sister led
the brother up into the kiosk, and had his horse taken to a stable.
When they were in the kiosk, the sister asked her brother how he came
there, and he told her all his adventures. He then asked her who her
husband was. “I am married to the King of the Falcons,” she said, “and
he will come home to-night, so I must hide you somewhere, for he often
threatens my brothers.”
Shortly after she had concealed her brother, the Falcon King came home.
As soon as he alighted all the house shook. Immediately his supper was
set before him, but he said to his wife, “There are human bones
somewhere!” The wife answered, “No, my husband, there is nothing.”
After long talking, however, she asked him, “Would you harm my brothers
if they came to see me?” The Falcon King answered, “The eldest brother
and the second I would delight in torturing, but to the youngest I
would do no harm.” So she told him about her brother. Then he ordered
that they should bring him immediately; and when he saw him he rose up
and they embraced and kissed each other. “Welcome, brother-in-law!”
said the King of Falcons. “I hope you are happy, brother?” returned the
prince, and then they sat down to sup together. After supper, the
Falcon King asked his brother-in-law where he was travelling. He
replied that he was going in search of True Steel, and told the king
all that had happened.
On hearing this the Falcon King began to advise him to go no farther.
“It is no use going on,” said he. “I will tell you something of True
Steel. The day he stole your wife, I assaulted him with four thousand
falcons. We had a terrible battle with him, blood was shed till it
reached the knees, but yet we could do him no harm! Do you think now
that you alone could do anything with him? I advise you to return home.
Here is my treasure: take with you as much as you like.” But the king’s
son answered, “I thank you for all your kindness, but I cannot return.
I shall go at all events in search of True Steel!” For he thought to
himself, “Why should I not go, seeing I have three lives?” When the
Falcon King saw that he could not persuade him to go back, he took a
little feather and gave it him, saying, “Take this feather, and when
you find yourself in great need, burn it and I will instantly come with
all my powers to help you!” So the king’s son took the feather and
continued his journey, hoping to find True Steel.
After travelling for a long time about the world he came to a third
city. As he entered, a girl called to him from a kiosk, “Dismount, and
come into the courtyard.” The king’s son went into the yard, and was
surprised to find his youngest sister, who came to meet him. When they
had embraced and kissed each other, the sister led her brother to the
kiosk and sent his horse to the stables. The brother asked her, “Dear
sister, whom have you married? What is your husband?” She answered, “My
husband is the King of Eagles.”
When the Eagle King returned home in the evening his wife received him,
but he exclaimed immediately, “What man has come into my palace? Tell
me the truth instantly!” She answered, “No one is here”; and they began
their supper. By-and-by the wife said, “Tell me truly: would you do any
harm to my brothers if they came here?” The Eagle King answered, “The
eldest and second brother I would kill, but to the youngest I would do
no harm! I would help him whenever I could!” Then the wife said, “My
youngest brother, and your brother-in-law, is here; he came to see me.”
The Eagle King ordered that they should bring the prince instantly,
received him standing, kissed him, and said, “Welcome, brother-in-law!”
and the king’s son answered, “I hope you are well?” They then sat down
to their supper. During the repast they conversed about many things,
and at last the prince told the king he was travelling in search of
True Steel. When the Eagle King heard that, he tried to dissuade him
from going on, adding, “Leave the devil in peace, my brother-in-law;
give up that journey and stay with me! I will do everything to satisfy
you!” The king’s son, however, would not hear of remaining, but next
day, as soon as it was dawn, prepared to set out in search of True
Steel. Then the Eagle King, seeing that he could not persuade him to
give up his journey, plucked out one of his feathers and gave it him,
saying, “If you find yourself in great danger, my brother, make a fire
and burn this feather; I will then come to your help immediately with
all my eagles.” So the prince took the feather and went away.
After travelling for a very long time about the world, roaming from one
city to another, and always going farther and farther from his home, he
found his wife in a cavern.
When the wife saw him she was greatly astonished, and cried, “In God’s
name, my husband, how did you come here?” He told her how it all
happened, and then added, “Now let us fly!” “How can we fly,” she
asked, “when True Steel will reach us instantly? and when he does he
will kill you, and carry me back.” But the prince, knowing he had three
other lives to live, persuaded his wife to flee, and so they did. As
soon, however, as they started, True Steel heard it, and followed
immediately. When he reached them, he shouted to the king’s son, “So,
prince, you have stolen your wife!” Then, after taking the wife back,
he added, “Now, I forgive you this life, because I recollect that I
promised to give you three lives; but go away directly, and never come
here again after your wife, else you will be lost!” Thus saying, he
carried the wife away, and the prince remained alone on the spot, not
knowing what to do.
At length the prince resolved to go back to his wife. When he came near
the cave he found an opportunity when True Steel was absent, and took
his wife again and tried to escape with her.
But True Steel learned their flight directly, and ran after them. When
he reached them, he fixed an arrow to his bow, and cried to the king’s
son, “Do you prefer to die by the arrow or by the sword?” The king’s
son asked pardon, and True Steel said, “I pardon you also the second
life; but I warn you! never come here again after your wife, for I will
not pardon you any more! I shall kill you on the spot!” Saying that, he
carried the wife back to the cave, and the prince remained, thinking
all the time how he could save her.
At last he said to himself, “Why should I fear True Steel, when I have
yet two lives? One of which he has made me a present, and one which is
my own?” So he decided to return again to the cave next morning, when
True Steel was absent. He saw his wife, and said to her, “Let us fly!”
She objected, saying, “It is of no use to fly, when True Steel would
certainly overtake us.” However, her husband forced her to go with him,
and they went away. True Steel, however, overtook them quickly, and
shouted, “Wait a bit! This time I will not pardon you!” The prince
became afraid, and begged him to pardon him also this time, and True
Steel said to him, “You know I promised to give you three lives, so now
I give you this one, but it is the third and last. Now you have only
one life, so go home, and do not risk losing the one life God gave
you!”
Then the prince, seeing he could do nothing against this great power,
turned back, reflecting, however, all the time, as to the best way of
getting his wife back from True Steel.
At last, he remembered what his brothers-in-law had said to him when
they gave him their feathers. Then he said to himself, “I will try this
fourth time to get my wife back; if I come to trouble, I will burn the
feathers, and see if my brothers-in-law will come to help me.”
Hereupon he went back once more towards the cavern wherein his wife was
kept, and, as he saw from a distance that True Steel was just leaving
the cave, he went near and showed himself to his wife. She was
surprised and terrified, and exclaimed, “Are you so tired of your life
that you come back again to me?” Then he told her about his
brothers-in-law, and how each of them had given him one of their
feathers, and had promised to come to help him whenever he needed their
assistance. “Therefore,” added he, “I am come once more to take you
away; let us start at once.”
This they did. The same moment, however, True Steel heard of it, and
shouted from afar, “Stop, prince! You cannot run away!” And then the
king’s son, seeing True Steel so near him, quickly took out a flint and
tinder-box, struck some sparks, and burned all three feathers. Whilst
he was doing this, however, True Steel reached him, and, with his
sword, cut the prince in two parts. That moment came the King of
Dragons, rushing with his whole army of dragons, the King of Falcons,
with all his falcons, and the King of Eagles, with his mighty host of
eagles, and they all attacked True Steel. Torrents of blood were shed,
but after all True Steel caught up the woman and fled away.
Then the three kings gave all their attention to their brother-in-law,
and determined to bring him back to life. Thereupon they asked three of
the most active dragons which of them could bring them, in the shortest
time, some water from the river Jordan.
One said, “I could bring it in half an hour.” The second said, “I can
go and return in ten minutes.” The third dragon said, “I can bring it
in nine seconds.” Then the three kings said to the last one, “Go,
dragon; and make haste!” Then this dragon exhibited all his fiery
might, and in nine seconds, as he had promised, he came back with water
from the Jordan.
The kings took the water and poured it on the places where the prince
was wounded, and, as they did so, the wound closed up, the body joined
together, and the king’s son sprang up alive.
Then the three kings counselled him: “Now that you are saved from
death, go home!” But the prince answered, he would at all events yet
once more try to get his wife back. The kings, his brothers-in-law,
again spoke, “Do not try again! Indeed, you will be lost if you go, for
now you have only one life which God gave you!”
The king’s son, however, would not listen to their advice. So the kings
told him, “Well, then, if you are still determined to go, at least do
not take your wife away immediately, but tell her to ask True Steel
where his strength lies, and then come and tell us, in order that we
may help you to conquer him!”
So the prince went secretly and saw his wife, and told her how she
could persuade True Steel to tell her where his strength was. He then
left her and went away.
When True Steel came home, the wife of the king’s son asked him, “Tell
me, now, where is your great strength?” He answered, “My wife, my
strength is in my sword!” Then she began to pray, and turned to his
sword. When True Steel saw that, he burst out laughing, and said, “O
foolish woman! my strength is not in my sword, but in my bow and
arrows!” Then she turned towards the bow and arrows and prayed.
Then True Steel said, “I see, my wife, you have a clever teacher who
has taught you to find out where my strength lies! I could almost say
that your husband is living, and it is he who teaches you!”
But she assured him that no one taught her, for she had no longer
anyone to do so.
After some days her husband came, and when she told him she could not
learn anything from True Steel, he said, “Try again!” and went away.
When True Steel came home she began again to ask him the secret of his
strength. Then he answered her, “Since you think so much of my
strength, I will tell you truly where it is.” And he continued, “Far
away from this place there is a very high mountain; in the mountain
there is a fox; in the fox there is a heart; in the heart there is a
bird, and in this bird is my strength. It is no easy task, however, to
catch that fox, for she can transform herself into a multitude of
creatures.”
Next day, as soon as True Steel left the cave, the king’s son came to
his wife, and she told him all she had learned. Then the prince hurried
away to his brothers-in-law, who waited, all three impatient to see
him, and to hear where was the strength of True Steel. When they heard,
all three went away at once with the prince to find the mountain.
Having got there, they set the eagles to chase the fox, but the fox ran
to a lake, which was in the midst of the mountain, and changed herself
into a six-winged golden bird. Then the falcons pursued her, and drove
her out of the lake, and she flew into the clouds, but there the
dragons hurried after her. So she changed herself again into a fox, and
began to run along the earth, but the rest of the eagles stopped her,
surrounded, and caught her.
The three kings then ordered the fox to be killed, and her heart to be
taken out. A great fire was made and the bird was taken out of the
heart and burnt. That very moment True Steel fell down dead, and the
prince took his wife and returned home with her.