(_From the Servian Folk Lore_)
THERE was once a king who had three sons, and he had also a golden
apple tree, that bore nothing but golden apples, and this tree he loved
as though it had been his daughter. The king was never able, however,
to have any of the fruit it bore, for no sooner were the apples ripe
than they would disappear in the night, and this in spite of a guard
being set around the garden to watch it and see that no one entered in.
One time the eldest prince came to the king and asked to be allowed to
keep watch over the tree that night. "And if I do," said he, "I promise
you that nothing shall be allowed to approach it, not even the smallest
sparrow."
The king consented to this, so that evening the prince took his sword,
and went out into the garden to mount guard over the tree. Scarcely had
it become dark when he heard a sound of wings beating through the air,
and this sound made him so drowsy that his eyelids weighed like lead,
and he fell into a deep sleep. When he awoke it was morning, and all
the apples were gone from the tree.
The prince returned to the palace, and was obliged to confess to the
king that he had slept all the night through.
The king was very angry, but the second son said, "My father, allow me
to keep watch over the tree the next time, and I promise you I will do
better than my brother, for I will not so much as close my eyes until
daybreak."
The king was willing, so when evening came the second son took his
sword and went into the garden to watch the tree as his brother had
done before him.
Hardly was it dark before he heard the sound of wings, and then in
spite of himself his eyes closed and he fell into a deep sleep. He
never stirred until daylight, and when he sat up and looked about him
every apple was gone.
After this it was the turn of the third son to watch the tree, but he
was a very wise prince. He had listened to all his brothers had to say
about the sound of wings they had heard, and how the sound had put them
to sleep, and before he went into the garden he stuffed his ears with
cotton so that he could hear nothing. Then he placed himself near the
tree and began his watch.
As soon as it was dark the sound of beating wings began, and the sound
drew nearer and nearer, but the prince did not hear it because of the
cotton in his ears. Then a light appeared in the sky, and seven golden
peahens flew into the garden. They shone so that all the place was lit
up as though by the light of day. Six of the peahens settled on the
branches of the apple tree and began to shake down the apples, but the
seventh changed into the most beautiful princess the prince had ever
seen in all his life. Her hair was like a golden cloud about her; her
eyes were as blue as the sky, and from head to foot she was dressed
all in cloth of gold. She began to gather up the fruit that the others
shook down to her, and for awhile the prince could neither stir nor
speak for wonder of her beauty. Then he took the cotton from his ears,
and went over to her, and began to talk to her and ask her who she was.
At first when the princess saw him she was frightened, but presently
she told him that she and the six peahens were the daughters of a king
who lived far away, and that they had flown over seven mountains and
over seven seas, all for the love of the golden apples. She also told
him that by day she and her sisters lived in a beautiful pleasure
palace their father had built for them, but when night came they
changed themselves into peahens, and flew about the world wherever they
chose.
After a while the day began to break, and then the princess changed
herself into a peahen again, and she and her sisters flew away, but she
left with the prince three of the golden apples she had gathered.
The prince returned to the palace and gave the apples to his father,
and the king was delighted at the sight of them. "And did you find out
who it is that steals them?" he asked.
Instead of answering him, the prince managed to put him off, and the
next night he said he would watch in the garden again. Then the same
thing happened. He stopped his ears with cotton, the seven peahens
arrived and six alighted in the tree, but the seventh became a
beautiful princess, and came across the garden to him. Then the prince
unstopped his ears and they talked together until daybreak, when she
flew away with her sisters, and this time, as before, she left three of
the apples with him.
As soon as it was morning the prince carried the apples to his father,
and now, whether or no, the king would have him say who it was who came
into the garden every night to steal the fruit.
The prince was obliged to tell his story, but when he said it was seven
golden peahens that stole the apples, and that they were the daughters
of a great king his father would scarcely believe him. The brothers,
too, laughed him to scorn, for they were very jealous of him. "This is
a strange story," they cried, "and it certainly cannot be true. Either
you are trying to deceive us, or you fell asleep and dreamed it all."
"It is all certainly true," answered the youngest brother, "and there
are the three golden apples to prove it."
"They are no proof," answered the others. "If you would have us believe
you, keep watch in the garden again to-night, and when the princess
comes cut a lock of her golden hair and keep it to show to us. When we
see that then we will believe you."
At first the prince would not consent to do this, but they were so
urgent that he finally agreed, and when he went into the garden he took
a pair of sharp scissors with him. After a time the golden peahens
flew into the garden, and after the youngest sister had changed into
a princess, she and the prince talked together all night. When she was
about to go the prince managed, without being seen, to take hold of a
lock of her hair and cut it off.
No sooner had he done this, however, than the princess gave a sorrowful
cry. "Alas, alas!" said she, "If you had only been patient for a little
while longer all would have gone well. Now I must go away forever, and
you will never see me again unless you journey over the seven seas and
over the seven mountains to seek me." Then she changed into a peahen,
and flew away with the others.
The prince was filled with despair at the thought that he had lost her,
for he loved her so well that he did not know how he could live without
her.
In the morning his father and his brothers came to seek him in the
garden, and when they saw the lock of golden hair they were obliged to
believe him, and they could not wonder enough.
But the young prince saddled his horse and set out in search of his
princess. On he went and on he went, and everywhere he rode he asked
those he met whether they had seen seven golden peahens, but no one
could tell him anything about them.
At last after he had journeyed over seven mountains, and over seven
seas, he came to a palace that stood beside a lake, and in this palace
lived an enchantress queen and her daughter. He knocked at the door and
when the queen came to see who was there he once more asked whether
she could tell him anything of the seven golden peahens who were the
daughters of a king.
"Oh, yes, that I can," answered the queen, "and if you are in search of
them you have not much further to go. Every morning they come to bathe
in this lake, and anyone who watches them can see them."
When the prince heard this he was filled with joy and would have set
out for the lake at once, but the queen, seeing how young and handsome
he was, begged him to come in and rest for awhile. "Why do you follow
after these seven princesses?" she asked. "My daughter is a princess,
too, and a beautiful girl. If you can take a fancy to her you shall
marry her and live here and after I die this palace and all that is in
it shall be yours."
The prince, however, would not listen to this, for he loved the golden
peahen princess with all his heart, and her alone would he marry.
When the queen found that he was not to be persuaded she pretended to
fall in with his wishes. "Very well," said she, "it shall be as you
desire, but let me send someone with you to show you the way to the
lake."
The prince thanked her, and she called a servant to go with him, but
before they set out she took the servant aside and gave him privately
a small pair of bellows. "When you reach the lake," said she, "take an
opportunity to get behind the prince and blow upon the back of his neck
with these bellows. If you do this I will reward you well."
The servant promised to obey her and then he and the prince set out
together.
When they reached the shore the prince sat down on some rocks to watch
for the peahens, but the servant got back of him and blew upon his neck
with the bellows and immediately the prince fell asleep.
Presently there was a light in the sky and the seven golden peahens
came flying and alighted upon the borders of the lake. Six of them
began to bathe themselves in its waters but the seventh one changed
into a princess. She came over to the prince and began to call to him
and caress him, but she could not awaken him from his sleep.
After a time the peahens came up from the water, and the princess said
to the servant, "Tell your master when he awakens twice more will I
come but never again." Then she and the others all flew away together.
When the prince awoke and found that the princess had been there
and had tried in vain to awaken him, he was ready to die with grief
and disappointment. However, she would return the next day, and he
determined he would be there watching for her and that this time he
would not by any means allow himself to fall asleep.
So the next morning he hurried down to the lake again, and the servant
went with him, but before they left the castle the queen gave the
servant the pair of bellows, and bade him blow upon the back of the
prince's neck when he was not aware of it.
They reached the lake, and the prince would not sit down for he feared
he might fall asleep again, but the servant managed to get back of him
and blow upon his neck with the bellows. Then, in spite of himself the
prince sank down in a deep sleep.
Presently the peahens came flying, and as before the youngest sister
came over to the prince and began to call and caress him, but he still
slept on in spite of her. Then she turned to the servant and said to
him, "Tell your master when he awakens that once more will I come and
never again, but unless he cuts the head of the nail from the body he
will never see me."
When the prince awoke and heard the message the princess had left he
understood that the servant had deceived him, and that the princess
meant unless he destroyed the servant he would never find her. So the
next day when they started out together the prince took a sharp sword
with him. He waited until they were out of sight of the castle, and
then he turned and cut the servant's head from his shoulders and went
on down, alone, to the lake.
He had not been there long when he saw a light, and heard the seven
peahens coming. No sooner had they alighted than the seventh one
changed into the beautiful princess. When she saw that the prince was
awake and watching for her, she was overcome with joy. "Now we shall
never be parted again," she said, "but you shall go to our palace with
me and be my own dear husband."
Then she changed him into a golden peacock, and the six peahens came
up from the water and they all flew away together. On and on they
went until they came to the pleasure palace the king had built for
his daughters, and there the golden peacock was changed back into a
prince, and the peahens became seven princesses. The prince was married
to the youngest one, amidst great rejoicings and they all lived there
happily together.
Everything went joyfully for seven months, and then the princess came
to the prince and said, "My dear husband, the time has now come when
my sisters and I must go to pay a visit to the king our father. You
cannot go with us, but if you will obey what I am about to tell you all
will go well. We will be away for three days, and during that time the
palace and all that is in it will be yours. You may go where you please
except into the third cellar that is over beyond the others. There you
must not go, for if you do some terrible misfortune will certainly come
upon both of us."
The prince promised that all should be as she wished, and then she and
her sisters flew away together leaving him alone.
For the first day the prince did not go near the cellar and scarcely
thought of it. The second day he looked to see where it was, and when
he came to the door it was so heavily chained and bolted that he could
not but wonder what was back of it, and the third day he could think of
nothing but the cellar and what was in it. At last he felt that come
what might he must see what treasure it was that was kept locked away
behind that door. He went down to it again and began to unfasten the
bolts and bars; the last one fell and he opened the door and stepped
inside and looked about him. There was nothing there to see but a great
chest with holes bored in the lid, and bound about with nine bands of
iron.
The prince stared and wondered, and while he still stood there he heard
a groaning sound from within the chest, and a voice cried, "Brother,
for the love of mercy give me some water to wet my poor mouth."
The prince was always pitiful toward those in trouble, and as soon as
he heard this, without stopping to inquire what was inside of the chest
he ran and fetched a cup of water and poured it through one of the
holes.
Scarcely had he done this before there was a straining sound, and three
of the iron bands burst asunder.
"Brother, that was scarcely enough to wet my mouth," said the voice
inside. "For the love of mercy give me another cup of water to cool my
throat."
The prince ran and fetched the water and poured it through the hole in
the lid, and now three more of the iron bands burst asunder.
"More water, brother; more, for the love of mercy," cried the voice.
"That still is not enough to quench my thirst."
The prince fetched a third cup of water and poured it into the chest,
and now with a sound like thunder the last of the iron bands were
broken, and out from the chest flew a great green dragon. It flew up
through the cellars and out of the castle, and the prince ran after it.
The seven princesses were just coming home, and without even stopping
for a moment the dragon caught up the youngest one in his claws and
flew away with her, and the prince still ran after them shouting
like one distracted. Even after the dragon had disappeared over the
mountains the prince ran on, and when he could no longer run he walked.
On and on he went, and after a while he came to a stream, and in a hole
near it lay a small fish gasping for breath.
"Brother," it cried, "for the love of mercy put me back in the water;
but first take one of my scales, and if you are ever in need rub it and
call upon me, and I may be able to help you."
The prince stooped and took up the fish, but before he put it back in
the water he took from it a tiny scale as it had bade him. This scale
he wrapped carefully in his handkerchief, and journeyed on again,
leaving the fish happy at being again in the stream.
Later on he came to a forest, and under some bushes lay a fox whining
to itself with its paw caught in a trap. "Brother," it called to the
prince as soon as it saw him, "for the love of mercy open this trap and
let me go free. It may be that I may succor you in a time of need."
The prince was sorry for the poor animal, and managed to pry open the
trap.
The fox thanked him, and before it ran away it told him to pull three
hairs from its tail. "If you are ever in need, rub those hairs and call
upon me," it said, "and wherever I am I will hear and come to help you."
The prince thanked him and journeyed on, and in the depths of the
forest he came upon a wolf which was caught by a rock that had fallen
on its paw.
"Help, brother, for the love of mercy," cried the wolf.
The prince managed to roll away the rock, and when the wolf found it
was free it gave him three hairs from its tail. "If you are ever in
need, rub these hairs and call upon me," he said, "and wherever I am I
will come and help you."
The prince thanked him and journeyed on, and before long he came out
of the forest and saw before him a great castle that stood upon a
mountain. While he stood there looking at it the gate opened and out
rode the dragon on a great coal-black horse. Then the prince knew that
this was the place he was in search of. He waited until the dragon had
disappeared, and then he went up to the castle and entered in, and
the very first person he saw was his own dear wife sitting alone and
weeping. As soon as she saw him she jumped up and ran into his arms,
and after they had kissed and caressed each other they began to plan
how they could escape.
Out in the stable was another horse, and this the prince saddled. He
mounted upon it and took the princess up before him, and then they rode
down the mountain and away as fast as they could go.
It was not until evening that the dragon returned to the castle, but
as soon as he came in and found the princess was gone he knew what had
happened, and that she had ridden away with the prince.
Then he took counsel with his coal-black horse, and asked it, "Shall we
ride after them at once, or shall we eat and drink first?"
"Let us eat and drink first," answered the horse, "for even after that
we can easily catch up with them."
So the dragon sat down and ate and drank, and then he mounted his steed
and rode after the runaways. He soon caught up with them, and took the
princess from the prince, and set her on his own horse in front of him.
"This one time I will spare you," he said to the prince, "because you
had mercy upon me when I was a prisoner in the cellar, but if you ever
come to my castle again I will certainly destroy you." Then he rode
back home again faster than the wind, carrying the princess with him.
The prince waited until he was out of sight, and then he turned the
horse loose and started back toward the castle, for even the dragon's
threat could not keep him away from his dear princess.
When he had come within sight of the castle again he hid himself and
waited until the next day when the dragon had ridden away. Then he
went up to the castle and hunted through the rooms until he found the
princess.
When she saw him she began to tremble with fear and wring her hands.
"Why have you returned?" she cried. "Do you not remember that if the
dragon finds you here he will tear you to pieces?"
"Listen, dear one," said the prince. "I will hide myself behind the
curtains, and when the dragon comes home you must find out from him
where he got his coal-black steed, for I can easily see that unless we
find a match to it we will never be able to escape from him."
This the princess agreed to do, and they talked together until they
heard the dragon returning, and then the prince hid himself back of the
curtains.
When the dragon came in the princess pretended to be very glad to see
him, and at this he was delighted, for always before she had met him
with tears and reproaches.
After a time she said, "That is a very wonderful horse that you have.
Do you suppose there is another one like it in all the world?"
"Yes," said the dragon, "there is one and only one, and that is the
brother of my steed."
The princess asked him where this wonderful steed was to be found,
and the dragon told her it belonged to the old gray woman who had but
one eye and lived at such and such a place. "She has twelve beautiful
horses standing in her stable," the dragon went on, "but this steed is
none of them. It is the lean and sorry nag that is crowded away in the
furthest stall, and no one to look at it would think it worth anything,
but all the same it is the brother of my horse, and to the full as good
as he is."
"And would it be possible for anyone to get that horse?" asked the
princess.
"Possible but difficult. If anyone serves the old gray woman for three
days, and during that time is able to fulfill her bidding he will be
able to ask his own reward and she cannot refuse him; in that way can
he gain possession of that horse and in no other."
The prince heard all this behind the curtain where he was hidden, and
after a time, when the dragon had gone to sleep he stole out and set
forth in search of the old gray woman who had but one eye.
He went on and on, and after a while he came to the house and there was
the old gray woman herself looking out of the window.
He knocked at the door, and when she opened it he asked whether he
might take service with her.
"Yes, you may," answered the old gray woman, "for I am in need of a
stout lad to drive my black mare out to the pasture and keep her from
running away. If you can do this for three days you may ask what reward
you choose and it shall be yours, but if you are not able to bring her
home every evening your head shall be cut from your shoulders and set
upon a stake."
The prince agreed to this bargain, and the next morning, as soon as
it was light, he drove the black mare out to the pasture. Before they
started however the old woman went to the black mare's stall and
whispered in her ear, "To-day you must change yourself into a fish and
hide down in the stream for there the lad will never be able to find
you."
When the prince reached the pasture with the mare he determined to sit
upon her back all day, for if he did that he was sure she could never
escape from him. He sat there for a long time, but he grew drowsier and
drowsier, and at last he fell fast asleep. When he awoke he was seated
on a log of wood with the halter still in his hand, and the mare was
gone.
The prince was in despair, but suddenly he remembered the promise the
little fish had made him. He took out the scale which he had been
carrying all this time, and rubbing it gently he cried:
"Little fish, if friend indeed,
Help me in my time of need."
Immediately the little fish stuck its head up from a stream near by.
"What can I do to help you, brother?" it asked.
"Can you tell me where the black mare has gone?" asked the prince.
"Yes; she has changed herself into a fish and is hiding down in the
stream with us. But do not trouble yourself about that. Just strike the
halter upon the ground and call out, 'Black mare, black mare, come out
from among the fishes for it is time to go home.'"
The prince did as the fish bade him and as soon as the black mare down
in the stream heard those words it was obliged to come out and take its
natural shape again. The prince then mounted upon it and rode it home.
When they reached the stable the old gray woman was on the watch, and
she could scarcely hide her rage and disappointment at finding the
serving lad had managed to bring the black mare home. However, she bade
him go to the kitchen and get his supper, and she followed the black
mare to the stall. "You fool," she cried, and she was ready to beat it
in her rage, "why did you not hide among the fishes as I bade you?"
"Mistress, I did," answered the mare, "but the fishes are friends of
the lad, and told him where I was, so I was obliged to come forth."
"To-morrow, change yourself into a fox and hide among the pack. There
he will certainly be unable to find you."
After that she went into the kitchen where the lad was eating his
supper.
"Well," she said, "you have done very well so far, but to-morrow is
still another day, and we will see how things go then."
On the morrow the prince rode the black mare out to pasture, and again
he sat on her back so that she should not escape him. After awhile
he fell asleep in spite of himself, and when he awoke he was sitting
astride of a branch with the halter in his hand.
At first the prince did not know what to do; he was in despair. Then
he remembered the promise the fox had made him. He took the hairs and
rubbed them between his fingers.
"Little fox, if friend indeed,
Help me in my time of need,"
he said.
Immediately the little red fox came running out of the wood. "What
would you have of me, brother?" he asked.
"Can you tell me where the gray woman's black mare has gone?"
"That is easily answered. She has changed herself into a fox and is
hiding with the pack. Strike the halter on the ground and call out:
'Black mare, black mare, come from among the foxes; it is time to go
home.'"
The prince did as he was told and as soon as the mare heard him calling
to her in this way she was obliged to come out from the pack and take
her real shape, and the prince mounted upon her back and rode her home.
When the witch saw him riding back to the house she ground her teeth
with rage. As soon as she had sent him to the kitchen she went out to
the black mare's stall to beat it. "To the foxes! to the foxes! That
was what I told you," she cried.
"Mistress, I did hide among them as you bade me," answered the mare,
"but this lad is a friend of the foxes too, and they told him where I
was."
"Then to-morrow hide among the wolves," said the old woman. "He will
certainly never look for you there."
The next day it was the same thing over again. The prince sat on the
mare's back so that she should not escape him. After while he went to
sleep, and the mare slipped away from him, but this time it was into a
wolf she changed herself.
When the prince awoke he was in despair, until he remembered that he
had still one friend to help him. He gently rubbed the hairs the wolf
had given him, and said,
"Kind gray wolf, if friend indeed,
Help me in my time of need."
Immediately the wolf came galloping out of the wood and asked the
prince what he could do for him.
The prince told him how he had been set to watch the black mare and
had gone to sleep and lost her; "And now," said he, "I fear there is
nothing for me but to lose my head and have it set upon a post."
"That will not happen yet," answered the wolf. "The mare has changed
herself to a wolf and is hiding with the pack. Strike the halter on the
ground and call to her and she will be obliged to come."
The prince did as he was told and called to the mare to come, and she
was obliged to take her real shape and come out to him.
The prince slipped the halter over her head, sprang upon her back and
rode her home.
When the old gray woman saw him coming in this way instead of upon his
feet, she almost burst with rage. However, there was no help for it.
The lad had earned his wages, and have them he must.
"And what is it you will choose?" asked the old gray woman.
"Give me the poor nag that stands in the furthest stall," said the
prince. "It is but a sorry looking beast, but I will be content with
that," answered the prince.
When the old woman heard that she turned green in the face. She offered
him first one and then another of the handsome horses in her stable,
but the lad would have none of them. The sorry nag was his choice
and it alone would he take, and in the end the old woman was obliged
to give it to him. He rode away on it, and it was not the old gray
mother's blessing that went with him.
When they were well out of sight of the house and in the depths of the
forest, the prince alighted and taking out a curry comb he had brought
with him he began to rub and curry the horse, and when he had done that
it shone like burnished silver.
Then he mounted again and rode on until he came to the dragon's castle.
As soon as he drew near, the princess came running down to meet him,
for the dragon was away, and she had been watching from a high tower
and had seen him coming.
He took her up on the saddle before him and turned his horse's head and
rode away from the castle even faster than he had ridden toward it, and
they had journeyed far before the dragon returned home.
As soon as he reached there and found the princess gone he knew what
had happened. Then he said to his horse, "Shall we follow after them
now, or shall we eat and drink first?"
"We have no time for meat or drink now," answered the black horse, "and
it will be all I can do to overtake them, for now they ride my own
brother."
Then the dragon leaped upon his horse, and off they flew, faster than
the wind, in pursuit of the prince and princess. They went on and on,
and after a while the dragon came within sight of them, for though the
white horse was swifter than the wind, too, he carried double and so
could not go at his highest speed.
Nearer and nearer came the dragon and his steed, and the prince began
to beg and plead with his steed to go faster, but it answered, "There
is no need of that, master; only leave everything to me and all will go
well."
Then the black horse came near enough to speak, and he called after
the other, "For mercy's sake go slower, brother. I shall kill myself
running after you."
"There is no need of your doing that," answered the white horse. "Throw
up your heels and rid yourself of the monster that sits upon your back.
You have been his servant too long as it is."
When the black horse heard this he began to plunge and kick up his
heels so that the dragon was thrown from his back and falling upon a
rock he was broken to pieces.
But the black horse came up to his brother, and the prince set the
princess upon his back, while he himself kept the white horse to ride.
So they all journeyed back to the pleasure palace together, and when
the six sisters saw them there were great rejoicings, and they all
lived together happily in the palace forever after.
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