The Golden Maiden, and other folk tales and fairy stories told in Armenia
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Title: The Golden Maiden, and other folk tales and fairy stories told in Armenia
Author: A. G. Seklemian
Author of introduction, etc.: Alice Stone Blackwell
Release date: September 23, 2014 [eBook #46944]
Most recently updated: June 10, 2025
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLDEN MAIDEN, AND OTHER FOLK TALES AND FAIRY STORIES TOLD IN ARMENIA ***
THE GOLDEN MAIDEN and
other folk tales and fairy
stories told in Armenia
A. G. SEKLEMIAN
Introduction
Alice Stone Blackwell
Initial Letters
Ella Dolbear
Cover Design
Elizabeth Geary
The Helman-Taylor Company
Cleveland and New York
1898
INTRODUCTION.
A distinguished English student of folk-lore has written:
"Armenia offers a rich and hitherto almost untouched field to the
folk-lorist, the difficulty of grappling with the language--the
alphabet even of which was described by Byron as 'a very Waterloo of
an alphabet'--having hitherto baffled European collectors."
So far as I can learn, the two volumes of Armenian folk-tales collected
by Bishop Sirwantzdiants have hitherto been accessible to English
and European readers only through the medium of a rare and more or
less imperfect German translation. The late Ohannes Chatschumian had
begun a compilation of Armenian folk-lore for Miss Alice Fletcher;
but the work was cut short by his early death. Prof. Minas Tcheraz,
of King's College, London, has published from time to time during the
last eight years, in his paper "L'Armenie," a series of interesting
articles on the folk-lore and fairy tales of the Armenians, under
the title "L'Orient Inedit." He gathered these stories from the lips
of the poorer classes in Constantinople, as Mr. Seklemian did in
Erzroom. Prof. Tcheraz says: "The lowest strata of the population,
having received no instruction, and not having changed perceptibly
since the earliest centuries of our planet, keep still intact the
traditions of the past. It is above all from the talk of the women
of the common people, born in Constantinople or from the provinces,
that these things are to be learned. Gifted with strong memories and
brilliant imaginations, they still preserve all the legends bequeathed
from the past." But the files of "L'Armenie," like the books of Bishop
Sirwantzdiants, are inaccessible to the general public. Mr. Seklemian
has therefore rendered a real service to students of folk-lore who are
unacquainted with the Oriental languages, by bringing these curious
and interesting tales within their reach.
Many things combine to give especial value to Armenian folk-lore. Among
these are the great antiquity of the Armenian race, and its singular
tenacity of its own ideas and traditions.
Armenia was the seat of one of the most ancient civilizations
on the globe. Its people were contemporary with the Assyrians
and Babylonians. They are of Aryan race, and of pure Caucasian
blood. Their origin is lost in the mists of time. According to
their own tradition, they are descended from Togarmah, a grandson of
Japhet, who settled in Armenia after the Ark rested on Ararat. In the
earliest days of recorded history, we find them already occupying their
present home. They are referred to by Herodotus. Xenophon describes
their manners and customs much as they still exist in the mountain
villages. The Bible relates that the sons of Sennacherib escaped "into
the land of Armenia," (2 Kings xix., 37; Isaiah xxxvii., 38.) Ezekiel
refers to Armenia, under the name of Togarmah, as furnishing Tyre
with horses and mules, animals for which it is still famous; and "the
Kingdom of Ararat" is one of the nations called upon by Jeremiah to
aid in the destruction of Babylon. In the famous inscriptions of the
Achemenid├Ž, at Persepolis and at Behistun, the name of Armenia occurs
in various forms.
The Armenians, according to their own histories and mythology,
enjoyed four periods of national independence, under four different
dynasties, extending over about 3,000 years. The ruins of Ani
and other great cities still testify to their former power and
splendor. It is now many centuries, however, since they lost their
political independence, and their country has been little more than
a battle-ground for rival invaders. Geographically, Armenia is the
bridge between Europe and Asia. In the early centuries, the Armenians
acted the part of Horatius and "kept the bridge," defending the gate
of Europe against successive invasions of the uncivilized hordes of
Asia. Their resistance was finally beaten down by superior numbers,
and now for hundreds of years the armies of Europe and Asia have
been marching and counter-marching across that bridge, slaughtering
and devastating as they went, till it is a wonder that any Armenians
are left, as a distinct race. Yet no race has ever retained its own
characteristics more clearly. This persistency of the Armenian type
is perhaps the most remarkable instance of race-survival in history,
except that of the Jews. Good observers say that it is due in large
measure to the comparatively pure family life of the Armenians in the
interior of Turkey, and especially to the virtue of the Armenian women.
Tradition relates that Christianity was preached in Armenia early
in the first century, by the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew. It
is historic fact that about A. D. 276 the king and the whole nation
became Christian, under the preaching of St. Gregory, called "the
Illuminator." The Armenian Church is thus the oldest national Christian
church in the world.
As a Christian nation whose lot has been cast beyond the frontiers
of Christendom, the Armenians have had to suffer continual
persecution,--in the early times from the Persian fire-worshippers,
in later centuries from the Mohammedans. Since the withdrawal of
the Crusaders, to whom they alone of Asiatic nations gave aid and
support, the Armenians have been at the mercy of the surrounding
heathen peoples. Their country has been invaded successively by the
Caliphs of Baghdad, the Sultans of Egypt, the Khans of Tartary,
the Shahs of Persia, and the Ottoman Turks. All these invasions
were accompanied by great slaughter and fierce barbarities; but
the Armenians have held steadfastly to their faith for more than
1,500 years. They have clung not only to Christianity, but to their
own peculiar form of Christianity. At many periods of their history
they could have obtained a measure of protection if they would have
conformed either to the Roman Catholic or to the Greek Church; but
they have remained a distinct national communion of Eastern Christians.
This tenacity is one of the most marked features of the Armenian
character. It gives an additional interest to their folk-lore and to
their customs, many of which have come down substantially unchanged
from the farthest antiquity. Intensely wedded to Christianity as
the nation has become through perpetual persecution, there are yet
a multitude of curious Pagan rites, dating back before the dawn
of recorded history, which still prevail among the common people,
especially in the villages that nestle in remote nooks among the
Caucasus mountains.
When the Armenians adopted Christianity, the old Pagan festivals
could not be rooted out; they were only baptized, so to speak, with
Christian names. On February 26th, in Armenia, every young man who
has been married within the year brings a load of aromatic shrubs,
and a huge pile is made of them in the church-yard. In the evening,
after a religious service in the open air, the clergyman advances with
a taper, and sets fire to the heap. All the villagers, men, women and
children, dance around the great bonfire, and the boys and young men
show their courage and agility by leaping over it. When the flames
have died down, each person carries home a glowing brand, and places
it on his hearthstone for good luck. This festival is now celebrated
in commemoration of the bringing of the infant Christ to the Temple;
but it is an old Pagan rite in honor of Mihr, the god of fire.
In summer, a festival is held in commemoration of the subsiding
of the Deluge. Local traditions of a Flood lingered in the region
around Mt. Ararat long before the introduction of Christianity. On
"the day of our Father Noah," it is everybody's object to "baptize"
everybody else by pouring water over him. Even a bishop will be
drenched without ceremony, if he ventures to show himself on the
street. It is considered necessary that every one should be baptized
before sunset. After the sun goes down, hundreds of tame doves are let
loose, in honor of Noah's dove, and they play and "tumble" in the air,
while all the people are out rowing on the river, or walking along
its banks and sprinkling each other with water. This festival is a
great delight to the Armenian boys.
"Fortune day" is more especially the day of the Armenian girls. It is
now celebrated on the fortieth day after Easter, in honor of Christ's
ascension; but it is much older than Christianity. On the previous
evening, the village girls assemble, and go in silence and mystery
to fill a jar with water from seven springs. A single spoken word
would break the spell. The jar is set for the night in some secret
place under the open sky, where it can be "watched by the stars." The
young men of the village try their best to find it, or to coax from
the girls the secret of its hiding place, but in vain. Next morning
the girls bring out the jar in triumph, wreathe it with flowers, and
carry it in procession to a grassy place outside the village. Everybody
drops into it some small object easily identified--a ring, a coin,
a snail-shell, etc. A little girl about four years old, dressed in
white, blindfolded and veiled, takes her stand beside the jar. She
represents Fortune. An older girl begins to sing a verse of poetry,
and the whole choir of girls joins in. The little girl then takes
out of the jar one of the things that have been dropped into it, and
holds it up. The verse that has been sung is supposed to predict the
fortune of the owner. This ceremony is repeated till everything has
been taken out of the jar. Afterwards the villagers dance in a circle,
hand-in-hand. On this occasion every girl weaves herself a cross of
flowers, which is hung on the wall of her home, near the fireplace,
and is carefully saved until the next "Fortune day."
The brightest point in Armenian history is the "Holy War" of the
fifth century. In A. D. 450, a vast Persian army invaded Armenia to
force the Armenians to embrace fire-worship. The battle was fought
on the plain of Avarair, under Mt. Ararat. The much smaller force of
the Armenians was defeated, and their leader, Vartan, was killed;
but the obstinate resistance offered by rich and poor,--men, women
and children, convinced the King of Persia that he could never make
fire-worshippers of the Armenians. Eghishe (Elisaeus), an Armenian
bishop and historian who wrote in the fifth century, relates that
even the high priest of fire saw it to be impossible, and said to
the Persian monarch, "These people have put on Christianity not
like a garment, but like their flesh and blood." To-day, after 1,400
years, the Armenian mountaineers, at their festivals, still drink the
health of Vartan next after that of the Catholicos, or head of their
Church. From time immemorial it has been the custom in Armenian schools
to celebrate the anniversary of the battle with songs and recitations,
and to wreathe the picture of "Vartan the Red" with red flowers. Of
late years, this celebration has been forbidden by the government.
In the minds of the common people, all sorts of picturesque
superstitions still cluster around that battle-field. A particular
kind of red flowers grow there, which are found nowhere else; and they
are believed to have sprung from the blood of the Christian army. A
species of antelope, with a pouch on its breast secreting a fragrant
musk, is supposed to have acquired this peculiarity by browsing on
herbage wet with the same blood. It is also believed that at Avarair
the nightingales all sing "Vartan, Vartan!"
To the Armenian peasant, all nature is full of stories. The forests,
the springs, the mountains, the lakes, the flowers,--all have
spirits. An infinite number of strange superstitions prevail, some of
which may cast a valuable light upon the early mythology of Asia. This,
of course, refers only to the uneducated Armenians. The educated
classes are no more superstitious than those of other nationalities.
Almost all travelers have been struck by the ability of the Armenians,
and by the marked difference between them and other Oriental
races. Lamartine calls them "the Swiss of the East." Dulaurier
compares them to the Dutch. American missionaries speak of them as
"the Anglo-Saxons of Eastern Turkey." The Hon. James Bryce, author of
"The American Commonwealth," who has traveled in Armenia and studied
the people, says:
"Among all those who dwell in Western Asia, they stand first, with
a capacity for intellectual and moral progress, as well as with
a natural tenacity of will and purpose, beyond that of all their
neighbors--not merely of Turks, Tartars, Kurds and Persians, but also
of Russians. They are a strong race, not only with vigorous nerves
and sinews, physically active and energetic, but also of conspicuous
brain power."
Mrs. Isabella Bird Bishop, the well-known English traveler, says:
"It is not possible to deny that they are the most capable, energetic,
enterprising and pushing race in Western Asia, physically superior
and intellectually acute; and above all they are a race which can
be raised in all respects to our own level, neither religion, color,
customs, nor inferiority in intellect or force constituting any barrier
between us. Their shrewdness and aptitude for business are remarkable,
and whatever exists of commercial enterprise in Eastern Asia Minor
is almost altogether in their hands."
Dr. Grace N. Kimball, after living for years in the heart of Armenia,
describes the Armenians as "a race full of enterprise and the spirit
of advancement, much like ourselves in characteristics, and full of
possibilities of every kind."
Lord Byron said: "It would perhaps be difficult to find in the annals
of a nation less crime than in those of this people, whose virtues
are those of peace, and whose vices are the result of the oppression
it has undergone."
Dr. Cyrus Hamlin, the founder of Robert College, who spent thirty-five
years in Turkey teaching among them, says: "The Armenians are a
noble race."
Dr. James L. Barton, of the American Board of Foreign Missions,
ex-president of Euphrates College, writes: "I know the Armenians to
be, by inheritance, religious, industrious and faithful. They are
not inferior in mental ability to any race on earth. I say this
after eight years' connection with Euphrates College, which has
continually from 550 to 625 Armenians upon its list of students, and
after superintending schools which have four thousand more of them."
While much criticism has been passed upon the Armenians by transient
tourists, we may say truly of them, with the Rev. Edwin M. Bliss,
late of Constantinople, that "those who know the race most widely
and most intimately esteem it the most highly."
Armenia has been described by a European traveler as the land of
unsolved riddles. It is full of most interesting problems for the
antiquarian, in its ruined cities, its rock grottoes, its unexplored
mounds or tumuli, its half-effaced inscriptions, and the repositories
of precious manuscripts in its ancient monasteries. But all these are
doomed to remain uninvestigated, as its fertile fields must remain
untilled, its rich mines unworked, and the fine natural abilities
of its people unimproved by education, until the present disturbed
condition of the country becomes quiet. When Armenia is thus "opened
up" to the peaceful investigator, the folk-lorists will profit by
the opportunity, as well as other classes of scholars. Meanwhile,
rich gleanings may be obtained from the educated and English-speaking
Armenians in this country; and by far the largest and most interesting
collection yet made of these is the present work. Both the author and
the publishers are to be congratulated on this valuable contribution
to the world of folk-lore.
Alice Stone Blackwell.
Dorchester, Mass.
THE STORY-TELLER TO HIS AUDIENCE.
If I were telling my stories to an audience composed of Armenians, as
I told them years ago, I would begin without any preliminary remarks
or introduction. But since the audience is made up of people who are
comparatively unacquainted with my native land and its traditions,
naturally they will like to know who the story-teller is, where he
got his narratives, and by whom and how his tales were first told.
About twenty years ago I was a boy living in a village on the heights
of the Taurus Mountains in Cilicia, or Lesser Armenia, not far from
the Mediterranean Sea. Like boys and girls all over the world, I was
very fond of stories; but there were no story-books or other reading
matter with which I and other children of my age could gratify our
eager desire for stories. But better than these were the aged folks
who told us all the interesting stories which our inquisitive childhood
required. I had two grandmothers and half a dozen aunts, all unlettered
country people, who took great delight in a rich store of folk-lore
and fairy tales, and who told me the most entertaining and delightful
stories that I have ever heard. In every village home there were one
or two such old people, who entertained the youth of their respective
homes. During the long winter evenings we boys and girls gathered
together around the village hearth to listen to the old man or aged
woman rehearsing tales of fairies, giants, genii, dragons, knights,
winged beauties, captive maidens, and other thousand and one mysterious
beings. I need not say how, with utmost interest, our youthful minds
used to follow the details of these vivid and picturesque stories,
drinking in every word with the greatest avidity. This was true not
only of children but of grown-up people also, whose principal pastime,
during the long and tedious winter nights, was the rehearsing of
folk-tales and fairy stories, or listening to others as they told them.
These circumstances gave me opportunity and power to commit to memory a
great number of tales and rehearse them whenever there was a favorable
occasion. By this means I improved and increased my store of tales
so much that I became quite a noted story-teller in our village,
at a time when I was but a mere lad. Subsequently, both during my
college course in Aintab, Cilicia, and during the period when I was a
teacher in Erzroom, of Armenia proper, I had the opportunity to travel
a great deal and to study the life and manners of the Armenians in
their primitive homes. I found the same fairy stories and folk-tales
current everywhere, with such slight differences only as the people
made when appropriating the tales to their own surroundings and to
their fund of knowledge. At that time it occurred to my mind that it
would be a good plan to make a collection of these tales in order to
make use of them some day, and so I kept notes of the tales just as
they were told by the common, unlettered country people.
Bishop Sirwantzdiants, an Armenian clergyman, also made a collection
of Armenian folk-tales, taking them from the mouth of the people
just as they were told. He published his collection in two separate
books. The first, "Manana" (Manna), was printed in Constantinople in
1876 by the Dindessian Printing-press (since closed), and the second,
"Hamov-Hodov" (Delicious and Fragrant), was printed in Constantinople
in 1884 by the Bagdadlian Printing-press.
My personal notes of Armenian tales and these two books of Bishop
Sirwantzdiants have furnished the material of the present volume. As
the Bishop and myself made our collections independently in different
districts of Armenia, our texts naturally differed from each other in
some points. But the two being substantially the same, in putting the
stories into English I have followed the one which I thought to be the
most original, taking all the circumstances into consideration. Let
me here emphasize the point again that all the stories that appear
in the present volume were taken down directly from the lips of the
ignorant, unlettered peasantry of Armenia, literally without any
embellishment or addition whatever, except in the case of rude and
unbecoming expressions which had to undergo some slight change.
How those unlettered, ignorant people came into possession of these
stories, and what the value of such tales is to the student of
antiquity and ethnology, are questions which I will not venture to
answer. I wish, however, to make a few statements which have been
suggested to me by the study of the Armenian folk-tales and fairy
stories.
The history of the Armenians is greatly mixed up with mythology
and tradition, as is the case with the history of all ancient
nations. Many of the legends given in the written history of Armenia
bear a marked similarity to the folk-tales of the present day. The
peculiar geography of Armenia must have had a great deal to do with
the formation of these tales. High, inaccessible mountain ranges have
divided the country into such distinct divisions that the inhabitants
of one section have, even in the present time, very strange ideas with
regard to the people of the other section, attributing to one another
magic, witchcraft and other superhuman powers and practices. This,
of course, was still more so in olden times, when the population of
the country had not yet been fused together into one nation. That
was probably the time when most of these tales were formed.
S. Baring-Gould supposes that many of the fairy tales current
among all nations took their beginning at a time when a conquering
people of one race lived among the conquered people of an entirely
different race. Thus "two distinct races dwelt in close proximity, not
comprehending each other, each suspicious of and dreading the other,
and each investing the other with superhuman powers or knowledge." [See
"Fairy Tales from Grimm" Preface, pp. xvi. and xxi.] There are many
instances in Armenian history which confirm this supposition, so that
in the case of such tales or portion of tales as are purely Armenian,
we may suppose that the process of fusion of two ancient races,
one the conquering and the other the conquered, has given birth
to them. Although all the tales contained in this volume are taken
directly from the lips of the Armenians, it will be noticed that some
of them bear traces of Persian, Arabic and Turkish influence. This,
of course, was naturally to be expected, as the Armenians have been
ruled successively by these nations.
But one of the greatest factors in the formation of the distinctively
Armenian tales was, no doubt, Mount Ararat. That majestic mountain,
situated in the middle of an extensive plateau in the heart of Armenia,
and seen from points distant a three or four days' journey, would
naturally draw the attention of the people. The many mythological and
historical facts attached to it; its hoary, inaccessible peak covered
with everlasting snow; its towering heights piercing the sky; its high,
steep precipices; its deep ca├▒ons; its underground caverns; its fierce
storms, and the wild beasts and large birds living on its slopes--would
naturally give birth to half-true and half-imaginary stories which
gradually and by lapse of time would grow into legendary tales.
These are not the only folk-tales current among the Armenians; there
are a great many more. We may be tempted to make another collection
if this one proves acceptable.
Before closing these notes, I have to confess that my use of
English is defective, owing to the fact that it is not my mother
tongue. Consequently I owe a great deal to generous friends who have
been so kind as to take up my manuscript and pass upon it before it
was given to the press, smoothing the narrative without destroying
the personality of the story-teller. Among these generous friends I
take pleasure in mentioning the names of Mr. W. H. Brett, Librarian
of the Cleveland Public Library; Mr. Wallace W. Newell, Secretary
of the American Folk-Lore Society; Miss Alice Stone Blackwell, the
noted poetess and editor of the Woman's Journal, and my publishers.
Now, I do not see how to remunerate these friends for their valuable
assistance to me unless I share with them the "three apples" which fall
from Heaven at the end of each tale, and which I had to appropriate
to myself as a genuine story-teller. This I gladly do. May they
prove as pleasant to them, and the stories be as interesting to you,
as has been the re-telling of them to me.
A. G. Seklemian.
TALES.
Page.
1. The Golden Maiden, 1
2. The Betrothed of Destiny, 9
3. The Youngest of the Three, 15
4. The Fairy Nightingale, 33
5. The Dreamer, 41
6. The Bride of the Fountain, 49
7. Dyjhicon: the Coward-Hero, 53
8. Zoolvisia, 59
9. Dragon-Child and Sun-Child, 73
10. Mirza, 85
11. The Magic Ring, 103
12. The Twins, 111
13. The Idiot, 123
14. Bedik and The Invulnerable Giant, 127
15. Simon, the Friend of Snakes, 137
16. The Poor Widow's Son, 141
17. A Niggardly Companion, 149
18. The Maiden of the Sea, 155
19. The Golden-Headed Fish, 159
20. Husband or Wife--Which? 165
21. The Wicked Stepmother, 169
22. The Tricks of a Woman, 185
23. A Wise Weaver, 189
24. Mind or Luck--Which? 193
25. The World's Beauty, 197
26. Salman and Rostom, 205
27. The Sparrow and the Two Children, 209
28. The Old Woman and the Cat, 213
29. Sia-Manto and Guje-Zare, 217
THE GOLDEN MAIDEN.
Once upon a time there was a wicked widow who had an ugly daughter. She
married a second husband who had a beautiful daughter and a son by
his first wife. The step-mother hated the two motherless children,
and used every means to persuade her husband to take them away to
the mountains and abandon them as a prey to wild beasts. The poor man
loved his children, but being frail was unable to resist the frequent
importunities and threats of his wife. Therefore one day he put bread
in a bag, and taking the two children went to the mountains. After
a long journey they came to a lonely wilderness. The man said to
the children:
"Sit here and take a little rest," and then, turning his face away,
he began to sob bitterly.
"Father! father, why are you weeping?" exclaimed the children, and
they also began to weep.
The man opened the bag and gave them bread, which they soon ate.
"Father," said the boy, "I am thirsty."
The man drove his stick into the ground, and placing his cloak over
the stick, said:
"Come, children, sit here under the shadow of this cloak; I will go
and see if there is a fountain near by."
The children seated themselves under the cloak, while their father
disappeared behind the trees and rocks.
After waiting a long time, the two innocent children grew tired and
began to ramble about in search of their father, but in vain.
"Father! father!" they exclaimed, but only the echo of the mountains
returned them answer--"Father! father!"
The children came back, crying: "Alas! alas! the stick is here,
the cloak is here, but father is not here!"
Thus they cried for a long time, but seeing that nobody appeared,
they rose up, and one of them took the stick and the other the cloak
and they began to wander about in the wilderness, not knowing where
to go. After a long ramble, they came to a place where some rain-water
had gathered on the ground in a print made by the hoof of a horse.
"Sister," said the little boy, "I am thirsty; I want to drink of
this water."
"No," said the maiden, "do not drank of this water; as soon as you
drink of it you will become a colt."
Soon they came to another print made by the hoof of an ox, and the
boy said:
"Sister, I am thirsty; I want to drink."
But she would not let him drink, saying: "As soon as you drink of
this water you will become a calf."
Then they came to another print made by the paw of a bear, and the boy
wanted to drink; but his sister prevented him lest he should become a
cub of a bear. Then they came to a track made by the foot of a pig,
and the boy again wanted to drink, but the maiden prevented him,
lest he should turn into a young pig. Soon they came to a print made
by the foot of a wolf; but the boy did not yield till they came to
one made by the hoof of a lamb.
"Sister," exclaimed the boy, "I am thirsty; I cannot wait any longer;
I will drink from this at any risk."
"Alas!" said the maiden, "what can I do? I am ready to give my life to
save you, but it is impossible. You will turn into a lamb the moment
you drink of this water."
The boy drank, and was at once changed into a lamb, and began to
follow his sister bleating. After a long and dangerous journey they
found the way to the town, and came to their house. The step-mother
was angry to see them come back, though one of them was now but a
lamb. As she had great influence over her husband, he used every
means to please her. One day she said to him:
"I want to eat meat; you must kill your lamb that I may eat it."
The sister, hearing this, at once took her lamb-brother and fled
secretly to the mountains, where, sitting on a high rock, she spun
wool while the lamb grazed safely near her. As she was thus spinning,
her spindle fell suddenly from her hand, and was precipitated into
a deep cave. The maiden, leaving the lamb grazing, went down to find
her spindle. Entering the cave, she was surprised to see an old fairy
woman, a dame a thousand years of age, who perceiving the maiden,
exclaimed: "Maiden, neither the bird with its wing, nor the snake on
its belly can enter here; how could you venture to come hither?"
The terrified maiden was at a loss for an answer, but she replied
with a gentle voice: "Your love brought me here, grandmother."
The old fairy was pleased with this kind answer, and calling the
maiden, gave her a seat beside herself and inquired of her many things
concerning the upper world. The more she talked with the maiden the
better she liked her and she said:
"Now you are hungry; let me bring you some fishes to eat."
She went into the cave, and returned with a plateful of cooked snakes,
at the sight of which the maiden shuddered with horror and began
to weep.
"What is the matter?" inquired the old dame; "why are you weeping?"
"Nothing at all," answered the maiden, shyly; "I remembered my dead
mother who was so fond of fish, and therefore I wept."
Then she told the old dame her sad story, and the ill treatment of
the wicked step-mother. The fairy woman was very much interested in
what the maiden told her, and said to her:
"Be seated, and let me sleep in your lap. In yonder fire-place there
is a ploughshare heated in the fire. When the Black Fairy passes do
not waken me; but when the Red-and-Green Fairy passes, at once press
the red-hot ploughshare on my feet, that I may awake."
The poor maiden shuddered with fear, but she could do nothing but
consent. Accordingly the old fairy woman lay down in the maiden's
lap and slept. Soon a fairy as black as night passed through the
cave; but the maiden did not stir. After him the Red-and-Green Fairy
appeared and the whole cave was gilded with his radiant beams. The
maiden at once pressed the red-hot ploughshare on the feet of the
sleeping fairy woman, who immediately started up exclaiming:
"Oh! what is biting my feet?"
The maiden told her that nothing had bitten her, but it was the red-hot
ploughshare she felt, and that it was time to get up. The old dame
arose and at once caused the maiden to stand up as the Red-and-Green
Fairy proceeded, whose gleaming rays had such an effect upon her that
her hair and garments were all turned to gold and she herself was
turned into a fairy maiden. After the Red-and-Green Fairy disappeared,
the maiden, kissing the fairy woman's hand, took leave of her, and
taking her lamb-brother, went home. Seeing that the step-mother was
not at home, she at once took off her golden garments and hiding them
in a secret comer, put on her old rags. Soon the step-mother entered,
and seeing the golden hair of the maiden, exclaimed:
"How now, little elf! what did you do to your hair to turn it into
gold?"
The maiden told her what had taken place. On the following day
the step-mother sent her own daughter to the same spot. There, on
purpose, she let her spindle fall, and entered the cave as if to
pick it up. The fairy woman saw her, and taking a dislike to her,
changed her into an ugly thing, so ugly that it is impossible to
describe her appearance. She came home, and the step-mother seeing
her own daughter changed into a form of so great ugliness, was the
more enraged against the two step-children.
One day the Prince of that country sent out heralds to proclaim all
over his realm that his son was to be married, and that the most
beautiful maiden in all the land should be his bride. He commanded
all the marriageable maidens to assemble in the palace courtyard
where the young Prince would make his selection. At the appointed
time all the maidens of the land had crowded into the courtyard. The
step-mother dressed her own daughter in the best garments and
ornaments she could procure, veiling her ugly face very carefully,
however, and took her to the courtyard, hoping that the Prince would
select her for his bride. In order to prevent the orphan maiden from
appearing before the Prince, the step-mother scattered a measure of
wheat in the yard, and bade the maiden to pick up the wheat before
she returned, threatening to beat her to death in case she failed to
finish the task. Soon after the step-mother went away, however, the
maiden let loose the chickens, which in a moment picked the wheat up
to the very last grain; and she, putting on her golden garments, was
changed to a fairy maiden so beautiful that she might say to the sun:
"Sun, you need not shine, for I am shining."
Then she went to the Prince's courtyard, where she was the object
of the admiration of all the crowd. But she could not stay very
long lest her step-mother should return first, and not finding her
at home should beat her upon her return, so she ran hastily back,
and hiding her golden garments put on her old rags. But in her haste
she had dropped one of her golden slippers in the Prince's fountain.
Soon the young Prince, who had looked at the maidens without making
a selection, came on horseback leading his animal to the fountain to
water him; but the horse was frightened by the radiant beams from the
slipper. The servants immediately entered the fountain, and taking out
the slipper gave it to the Prince, who seeing it at once declared that
the maiden who wore that slipper should be his bride. He and his peers
began to search every house and to try the feet of the maidens to find
the true owner of the slipper. They had just approached the house of
the Golden Maiden, when the step-mother took her and hid her in the
great kitchen pit which is used as a furnace, presenting her own ugly
daughter as the owner of the golden slipper. Of course, the slipper
did not fit. As the Prince and his peers were leaving the house, the
cock flying from his roost perched on the top of the door, and cried:
"Goo-goo-lig-goo-goo! the Golden Maiden is in the pit!"
The pit was immediately opened, and lo! the maiden jumped out. The
slipper fitted, and the maiden, taking out her golden garments and
the mate of the slipper from the corner where she had hid them, put
them on, and was changed to a fairy maiden. The Prince seeing this
embraced her as his bride. Taking the lamb-brother with them, they
went to the Prince's palace, where their nuptials were celebrated
for seven days and seven nights.
One day the step-mother took her own daughter and went to the Prince's
palace to pay a visit to her step-daughter, who conducted them to
the Prince's orchard for a walk. As they came to the seashore the
step-mother said:
"Come, daughters, let us take a bath in the sea."
No sooner had they entered the sea, than the step-mother, intending to
drown the golden bride, pushed her into the deep water. A great fish,
however, chanced to be there and swallowed her. The step-mother at
once gathered up the golden dresses of the bride, and putting them
on her own ugly daughter, brought her to the palace. There she left
her in the place of the golden bride, veiling carefully her ugly face.
The true bride remained in the belly of the fish for several days. One
day, very early in the morning, she heard the sexton ringing the bell
and inviting the people to church. She cried to him from the belly
of the fish:
"Sexton! sexton! who ring your morning bell,
Crossing your face, send the devils to hell,
For God's sake, go to the young Prince and tell,
Let him not kill my lamb-brother, or sell."
The sexton, hearing this call repeated several times, went and
informed the young Prince, who had by that time discovered the loss
of his fairy bride. He immediately came to the seashore, where the
sexton had heard the voice. Once more it was repeated, and the Prince
recognized it as the voice of his bride. He drew his sword and leaped
into the sea. Splitting the fish's belly, he drew out his bride,
and taking her in his arms brought her to the palace. Soon he called
the step-mother before him, saying:
"Now, kind mother, which gift do you prefer, a nimble-footed horse
or a keen sword?"
"Let your keen sword stab your enemies," answered the step-mother,
overjoyed with the expectation of a valuable present; "I will have
the nimble-footed horse."
"I take you at your word," said the Prince; "you shall have the horse."
He ordered his men to bind the step-mother and her ugly daughter to
the tail of a wild horse. It was done, and the horse being whipped,
carried the two wicked women away to the mountains. They were thrown
from stone to stone, and from tree to tree, until they were dashed
into pieces.
The wicked persons being punished, the Prince celebrated a new
nuptial for forty days and forty nights, because he had found his
lost golden bride. She, being released from her rival, thenceforth
enjoyed a happy life with her lamb-brother.
Three apples fell from Heaven;--one for me, one for the story-teller,
and one for him who entertained the company.
THE BETROTHED OF DESTINY.
Once upon a time the King of the West had a son who, one night, dreamed
a dream in which destiny betrothed him to the daughter of the King
of the East. In the morning he awoke, and lo! the betrothal ring of
the maiden was on his finger. On the very same night the same dream
had come to the sleeping maiden, who on the morrow found on her finger
the betrothal ring of the son of the King of the West. The lad at once
started to find his betrothed, and after a long journey came to the
city of the King of the East. He entered into the service of the King
as a stranger, because he could not make himself known on account of
the continuous strife existing between his father and the King of the
East. He served the King seven years, during which he spent many happy
hours with the young princess, his betrothed. At the expiration of the
seven years he asked the hand of the princess as a remuneration for
his services. The King, who was pleased with the lad, consented to give
him his daughter in marriage. But the lad said he must take her to his
country, where the wedding should take place. The King consented to
that also, and let his daughter go, giving her a precious dower. On
their way to the country of the King of the West they had to cross
the sea, and so went on board a ship. The captain, being a wicked man,
was charmed by the beauty of the maiden, and before the ship sailed he
sent the lad ashore, bidding him to make further preparation, as the
voyage would probably be long on account of contrary winds. As soon as
the lad disappeared the captain weighed anchor and set sail. The lad
came back only to find that the ship had sailed away with his love on
board. There remained nothing for him to do but to lament and bewail
his ill-luck. The maiden, who was in the cabin, did not discover the
truth until it was too late. To her censure and upbraiding the vile
captain answered with the proposal that she should become his wife.
"I marry you! such an ungracious beast as you!" she exclaimed. "I
would rather make my grave in the unfathomable sea."
But the captain was strong, and they were on the open sea where no
help could be expected. Seeing that she could not resist force if
the captain resorted to it, she resolved to use craft.
"Well, then," she answered finally, "I will be your wife, but not upon
the sea. We will go home to your city and there be married lawfully."
The captain consented, and they soon reached the city.
"Now, do you go first," said the maiden, "and make preparation. I
will wait here until you return."
Without suspicion the captain went ashore. As soon as he had
disappeared the maiden bade the sailors weigh anchor, and she set sail
without knowing where to go. At last she reached a certain city and
cast anchor. The King of that city was a young lad of marriageable
age, who was celebrating his wedding festival. Thirty-nine beautiful
maidens were already elected; only one maiden was missing to complete
the number forty from among whom he would choose his queen, while
the others were to become hand-maids to the queen-elect. The King,
hearing that a beautiful maiden had come to the haven, hastened
thither, and seeing the princess, said to her:
"Fair maiden, come and by your presence complete the number forty. You
are the jewel of all the maidens, and will surely be my dear queen,
while the rest shall become your handmaids."
"Very well, I will come," answered the princess; "only send hither your
thirty-nine maidens, that I may come to your palace with great pomp."
The youthful King consented and sent his maidens on board the ship. As
soon as they came, the princess weighed anchor and set sail. She told
the thirty-nine maidens who she was, and asked them to accompany her
until destiny showed them what to do. The maidens were fascinated
by her beauty and commanding appearance, and promised to follow her
wherever she went, even to the end of the earth. After sailing for a
long time, they came to an unknown shore where there was a castle. They
cast anchor and all the party landed. Entering the castle, they found
in it forty rooms with a bed in each, all richly decorated. The castle
contained great wealth and abundant food. Satisfying their hunger,
they went to bed, each maiden occupying a chamber. In the middle of
the night the door of the castle suddenly opened, and there entered
forty brigands, who were the owners of the stronghold, and who were
just returning from a nightly foray, bringing with them great booty.
"Aha!" exclaimed the brigands, seeing the maidens, "we hunted
elsewhere, and lo! the antelopes have come to our own home."
"Enter, you brave heroes," said the maidens; "we were waiting for you."
And they pretended to be very much pleased to see the brigands, who
entered the rooms occupied by the maidens without suspicion. When they
had laid down their arms and retired to rest, each maiden took the
sword of the brigand who lay in her room and cut off his head. Thus the
maidens were the owners of their wealth and property. In the morning
the maidens rose, and putting on the clothes and arms of the robbers,
appeared as youthful knights. They mounted the brigands' horses,
taking in their saddlebags gold, silver, jewels and other portable
wealth. After a long journey they came to the city of the King of
the West, and encamped in a meadow on the outskirts of the city. Soon
they heard a herald crying that on the following day there should be
elected a King of the realm, for inasmuch as the late sovereign had
died and the heir-apparent was lost, it was necessary to choose a new
ruler. On the following day all the people of the realm were gathered
in the park adjoining the palace; the forty strangers also went to
gratify their curiosity. Soon the nobles let loose the royal eagle,
which flapped its wings and soared over the immense crowd, as though
searching with its keen eyes for the true candidate for the throne. The
multitude held their breath and stood stone-still. The royal bird
once more flapped its wings, and descending from its towering flight,
perched upon the head of the princess, who was disguised as a knight.
"That is a mistake," exclaimed the noblemen; "we must try it again."
Once more they let loose the royal eagle, but again it alighted
upon the head of the same stranger. A third trial gave the same
result. Thereupon all the multitude saluted the disguised princess, the
elect of destiny, exclaiming with one voice: "Long live the King!" And
with great pomp they took her and her companions to the royal palace,
where the princess was anointed with holy oil, and crowned King over
the realm, and her companions were made ministers.
This new King proved to be the wisest and most just ruler that that
country had ever enjoyed, and all the people of the realm loved and
honored their sovereign with all their hearts. She built a splendid
fountain in the midst of the city, on which she caused her image to
be carved, so that every one who came to drink might see it. She put
guards to watch the fountain day and night, and said to them:
"Watch carefully, and when you perceive a stranger who, on seeing my
image, shows signs of knowing me, bring him hither."
One day there came a stranger who, after drinking, raised his eyes and
saw the image. He gazed for a long time, and sighed deeply. Immediately
he was arrested and taken to the King, who, looking at him from
behind a curtain, ordered him to be imprisoned. This was the captain
of the ship. On another day there came another stranger, and he also
sighed. It was the King, the owner of the thirty-nine maidens. He
was kept in an apartment of the palace. And at last, disguised as
a stranger, came the Prince, the betrothed of the ruling sovereign,
and the heir-apparent to the crown. He also looked at the image and
sighed, and was taken to the palace. Thereupon the princess summoned
a parliament of all the nobility and the learned and wise men of
the realm. She caused the three strangers to be brought before the
assembly, and told her story from beginning to end.
The captain was condemned to be hanged, and was executed forthwith. The
lord of the thirty-nine maidens received them all, to whose number
the princess added one of her most beautiful handmaids, thus making
up the forty. The prince and the princess, the betrothed of destiny,
celebrated their wedding with great joy and pomp for forty days
and forty nights. The prince, as the true heir, was crowned King,
his consort became Queen, and they reigned together.
Thus they reached their desire. May all of us attain our desires and
the happiness ordained to us by an all-wise Providence.
Three apples fell from Heaven;--one for me, one for the story-teller,
and one for him who entertained the company.
THE YOUNGEST OF THE THREE.
My grandmother once told me a story of a King who fell sick in his
royal palace. All the doctors and magicians of the country gathered
to consult, but they found no remedy. An old doctor, however, who
was well versed in magic, said:
"There is only one remedy for our King. There is a certain garden in
India and in it a tree upon which grows the Apple of Life. As soon
as the King eats an apple of that tree he will be healed and become
as sound as a new-born babe."
"But I have heard," answered the King, "that certain giants guard
that tree, and pick off the fruit as soon as it is ripe, no mortal
can get at it."
Now the King had three sons standing near by. The eldest said:
"Long live the King! I will go and bring the Apple of Life for you;"
and he took leave of his father.
After a long and perilous journey he came to the tree which bore the
Apple of Life. But the night on which the fruit ripened a sound sleep
overpowered his senses, and the giant came, and picking off the fruit
went away. In the morning, the lad seeing the Apple had been picked
off, returned home to tell of his ill-luck.
The following year the second brother undertook the expedition,
but had the same unfortunate sleep during the critical night.
The third year the youngest of the three brothers said to his father:
"Long live the King! I will go and bring the fruit."
"Why," said the King, "your older brothers failed, and do you think
you will succeed?"
But the lad importuned the King again and again until he gave him
permission to go. The lad, taking his bow and arrow, came to the
tree. During the critical night when the Apple would ripen he felt
that a heavy sleep was taking possession of his senses. To prevent it,
however, he wounded one of his little fingers and put salt on the
wound, and the sharp pain did not let him sleep. In the middle of
the night, as it was lightning and thundering, lo! a terrible giant
appeared and began to climb the tree. The lad took aim with his bow
and arrow and shot the giant in the leg. The giant roared and ran
away. The lad climbed the tree, and picking off the Apple of Life
brought it to his father, who ate it and was soon after healed.
Then the youngest of the three brothers said to the King:
"Please give me permission to go and avenge myself upon my enemy."
The King consented, and his two older brothers also went with
him. They found that the giant had fled from the tree of the Apple
of Life, leaving a track of blood that came from his wound. The three
brothers followed the bloody track till they came to the mouth of an
immeasurably deep abyss, into which the giant had entered. The oldest
brother said:
"Bind me by the waist and let me down; I want to fight him."
The other two did as he said, but before he was half-way down he
began to cry out:
"I am burning! I am roasting! Draw me up!" And they drew him up.
Then the second was lowered in his turn; but he also begin to cry as
had the former, and was drawn out.
Now it was the turn of the youngest brother, who said: "Let me down,
and the more I cry, 'I am burning! I am roasting!' the further let
me descend."
So they did, and the more he cried, the more they let him descend. At
last he reached the bottom, and began to ramble about. Soon he saw a
terrible giant lying down, with his head in the lap of a beautiful
maiden; so beautiful that she seemed to say to the moon, "Moon,
you need not shine, since I am shining."
She was working with her needle, and before her a golden rat and a
golden cat were playing in a golden basin. The maiden, seeing the
lad, said:
"Human being! neither the snake on its belly, nor the bird with its
wing would dare to come here. How could you venture to come?"
"Your love brought me hither," answered the lad.
"Young man!" said the maiden, "if you love your life, go away; because
if this giant, who is sleeping now, wakes he will cut you into pieces
no larger than your ear."
"Wake him up," answered the lad; "I have come on purpose to fight him."
"He sleeps forty days," said the maiden, "and it is only eight
days since he began to sleep; you have thirty-two days more to wait
before he will awake. But if you will not wait so long, put yonder
ploughshare into the fire, and heating it red-hot, press it on his
legs and he will awake."
The lad, heating the ploughshare, pressed it on the legs of the giant,
who began to awake, saying, "Oh! what insects are biting my legs?"
"Aha! insects!" said the maiden. "Get up! a human being has come to
fight you."
The giant opened his eyes, and seeing the lad, exclaimed:
"What a delicious breakfast this morning!"
"Get up, monster!" said the lad. "Let us see whom fortune will
favor--you or me."
They prepared their bows and arrows.
"You shoot first," said the giant to the lad.
"Not I," said the lad; "you shoot first."
The giant shot, but the lad avoided the arrow very cleverly, and it
passed by without hurting him. It was now his turn. He took aim and
shot the giant through the heart, nailing him to the ground; and then
he cut off his head.
Leaving the body of the giant there, the lad went a little farther,
and to his great surprise saw another giant asleep with his head in
the lap of another beautiful maiden, whose beauty surpassed even that
of the moon. She was working with her needle, and before her a golden
hen and a golden weasel were playing in a golden basin. The maiden,
seeing the lad, said to him:
"Human being! the snake on its belly, and the bird with its wing
could not come here. How could you venture to come?"
"Your love brought me hither," answered the lad.
"If you love your life," said the maiden, "avoid this giant while he
is asleep. If he wakes he will tear you into pieces."
"Wake him up!" said the lad; "I have come to fight him."
"Do you see that iron?" said the maiden; "heat it red-hot and press
it on his feet; he will then awake."
The hot iron being applied on the feet of the giant, he awoke, saying:
"Oh! what gnats are biting me?"
"Gnats!" exclaimed the maiden. "Get up! a human being has come to
fight you."
The giant, seeing the lad, exclaimed:
"Oh! what a good morsel has come for me on his own legs."
"Come!" said the lad; "let us see whether fortune will favor you
or me."
They fought, and this giant also was killed as the former had been. The
lad cut off his head, and leaving the dead body, went away.
Soon he saw a third giant asleep with his head in the lap of another
beautiful maiden. So beautiful was she that she could say to the sun,
"Sun, you need not shine, since I am shining." She was working with
her needle, and before her a golden greyhound and a golden fox were
running a race in a golden basin. As soon as the lad saw this maiden
he fell in love with her. The maiden also fell in love with the lad,
and said:
"Oh, you noble human being! the snake upon its belly, and the bird
with its wing cannot enter here. How could you come hither?"
"Your love brought me hither, fair creature," answered the lad.
"Be on your guard, precious youth!" said the maiden. "If this giant
awakes he will tear you into pieces."
"Wake him!" said the lad; "I have come to fight him."
A hot iron was applied to the feet of the giant, who awoke, saying:
"Oh! what is biting me?"
"What!" said the maiden. "Get up! this human being has come to
fight you."
The giant, seeing the lad, said: "Oh! what a good featherless partridge
for a breakfast." The lad noticed that the giant was wounded in his
leg, and at once recognized him as the one who had tried to steal
the Apple of Life.
"Come!" said the lad, "let us see whom fortune will favor."
And they begin to fight. After a long combat, this giant also shared
the fate of the former two, and the lad cut his throat.
Then he brought together the three maidens, who told him that they
were daughters of three Princes and had been stolen by these giants,
who nourished them with the Apples of Life. Then they showed him their
houses, their treasure, and everything belonging to the giants. The
lad took what he chose from the treasures and prepared three chests
for the maidens. He kept only a sword of lightning for himself. Then
entering the stable, he found three horses of lightning, one black,
a second one red, and the third white. The youngest maiden advised
the lad to pick three hairs from the tails of the horses and keep
them. The lad did so. Then they came to the bottom of the abyss where
the lad had descended, and found the rope still hanging. He, binding
the oldest maiden and her chest to the rope, called to his brothers
to draw her up.
"This is," he said, "the betrothed of my oldest brother, and the
chest is her dowry."
Then he bound the second maiden and her chest, saying: "This is the
betrothed of my second brother, and the chest is her dowry."
Now it was the turn of the youngest maiden.
"You go up first," she said to the lad.
"Not I," said the lad; "you must go up first."
"But when your brothers see me," said the maiden, "they will not draw
you up, and you will remain here. I love you! I pity you!"
"Why," said the lad, "are they not my brothers? Do you believe my
brothers will do me evil? Go up, I say!"
"Alas!" said the maiden; "I will obey. But if you do remain here below,
as I am afraid you will, do as I tell you. Next Friday evening three
rams will come here, one of them black, the second red, and the third
white. As soon as you see them, throw yourself upon the black ram. He
will throw you upon the red, the red will throw you upon the white,
and the white will throw you to the surface of the upper world. But
if you make a mistake you are lost, or there is little hope for your
release. Take this magic ring as a token of my love for you. Whatever
you desire, kiss this ring and you will certainly have it. And when
you are in need, cast the three hairs which you picked from the tails
of the three horses in the fire, and they will immediately come to
you. So farewell, my love!"
"Farewell!" said the lad; and the maiden was drawn up.
The two brothers were amazed at the beauty of the youngest maiden.
"Lo! lo! lo!" they exclaimed, "he has preserved the most beautiful
one for himself, and has given us the uglier ones."
Thus envying their youngest brother, they took the three maidens and
went away, leaving the poor lad at the bottom of the abyss.
On Friday evening the three rams came, as foretold by the fair
maiden. The lad was so afflicted that he had forgotten the directions
of the maiden, and his desire to go up to the surface of the world
being very great, he threw himself upon the back of the white ram. It,
in turn, threw him upon the back of the red; the red one threw him
upon the back of the black; and it, in turn, threw him into the world
of Darkness. Oh! it was awfully dark. The lad began to grope his way
until he found a door, at which he knocked.
"Who is there?" asked an old woman from behind the door.
"I am a poor orphan without father, without mother," answered the
lad in a pitiful voice.
"Come in, then," said the old dame, opening the door. "I have no
children; you take me as a mother, and I will take you as a son;
so let us live together. God will give us our bread."
They accepted one another as mother and son.
"Mother, please give me some water, I am thirsty," said the lad.
"Oh!" sighed the old dame, "you are asking the hardest thing in the
world. We have no water, son; be patient till we get some."
"Why, have you no water now?" asked the lad, surprised.
"Alas!" said the woman, "there is only one fountain in our country,
and it is guarded by a terrible dragon. Every day a virgin is cast
to him to be devoured; else, he will not let the people take a drop
of water. And soon after he finishes his repast upon the virgin,
he again stops the fountain from flowing. To-day the last virgin of
the country, the only daughter of the Prince, is to be given to the
dragon. Hark! I hear an uproar in the streets; I suppose they are
taking the maiden to the dragon."
The lad looked out, and saw that indeed a great crowd of people were
leading along a maiden as beautiful as the moon. He followed the crowd,
which coming to the fountain, left the maiden there alone and went
away. The lad approached the maiden, saying:
"Fair virgin, be not afraid. Let me sleep in your lap, and when the
dragon comes, awake me; I will save you."
She consented, and he slept in her lap. But soon the dragon began
to creep toward the maiden with its mouth wide open, rolling up
its terrible tail and hissing like the thunder from joy at finding
two victims instead of one. The poor maiden was horror-stricken and
mute. She could neither speak nor move to awake the brave hero asleep
in her lap. She could only weep. Her warm tears rolling down her
cheeks dropped upon the face of the lad, who at once jumped up and
saw, to his great terror, that the dragon had partly swallowed the
maiden. One minute more, and the maiden would be lost. But what could
he do now? He could not cut the throat of the dragon without hurting
the feet of the maiden. At once he drew his sword of lightning and
placed it in the lap of the maiden. So when the dragon swallowed the
maiden the sword cut its mouth and down through its side, and just
when the maiden was swallowed entirely the dragon also was cut in
two pieces, and the maiden came out uninjured. The lad cutting off
the head of the dragon said to the maiden: "Now, fair one, get up
and go to your parents."
The maiden, soaking her hand in the blood of the dragon, made a red
mark upon the back of the lad; and they departed, she to her father,
and he to his adopted mother.
The dragon being killed, the fountain was opened and the people took
the water freely.
"Mother, why is your country so dark?" asked the lad of the old woman.
"My son," answered the old dame, sighing, "there is a very large eagle
living upon the top of yonder mountain. Every year she hatches young
ones, but a dragon eats them up; and the eagle thinking that men are
the cause, deprives us of the sunlight."
The lad, taking leave of the old woman, climbed up the mountain till
he came to the nest of the eagle. Taking refuge under a rock, he set
himself to watch. Soon a gigantic dragon came creeping up toward the
young birds, and was just devouring them, when the lad drew his sword
of lightning, and cutting the dragon into pieces, gave its flesh to
the young eaglets, which began to eat it and to chirp merrily. The
mother-eagle hearing the voice of her young ones, hastened to the spot
as swiftly as a flash, and thinking that it was the lad that devoured
her young ones every year, and that he had come now to destroy them,
was about to tear him into pieces when her young ones cried out:
"Take care, mother! it was that noble lad that saved us from the
dragon, and killing it gave its flesh to us to eat."
"Now, noble youth!" said the eagle to the lad, "what do you want me
to do as a reward for your heroic deed?"
"Nothing," answered the lad, "but to take me to the upper world upon
your wings."
"You are requesting the hardest thing in the world," answered the
eagle; "but for such a brave hero as you I will do anything, even
sacrifice my life if necessary. Go bring me forty bottles of wine
and forty sheep's tails, and I will do as you request."
Now let us return for a moment to the maiden who was saved from being
devoured by the dragon. She came to her father, who was very angry
at seeing her.
"You little rogue!" he said, "you want to save your life, and
never care that so many thousands of people are dying of thirst. Go
quickly! let the dragon devour you, that we may have water." The
maiden told him how a brave hero saved her by killing the monster,
and how the fountain was flowing in torrents to quench the thirst of
all the people. Upon this the Prince sent heralds to proclaim that the
man who had saved his daughter's life must come to him; he should not
only be the son-in-law of the Prince by marrying the maiden whom he had
saved, but the Prince was ready to bestow upon him any gift which he
might ask. Thousands of young men appeared before the Prince's palace,
every one of them claiming the credit of killing the dragon and saving
the princess, but the maiden said, "No, none of these is the hero."
The people of the town came before the Princess, but the hero was
not to be found.
"Is there no other man left in the town?" asked the Prince.
"None," answered the officials, "except a young stranger who is the
guest of a poor widow."
"Bring him here!" ordered the Prince. The lad was brought.
"Why," exclaimed the maiden, pointing at the blood mark which she
had made with her own hand, "this is the hero!"
"Now, hero," said the Prince, "the maiden whom you saved is yours;
ask of me whatever else you please."
"Long live the Prince!" answered the lad. "May Heaven bless the
union of your daughter with a suitable husband, and may you enjoy
your estates for many, many years! I ask of you only forty bottles
of wine and forty sheep's tails, that the eagle may take me to the
upper world."
The Prince so commanded, and they were immediately given to the lad,
who at once took them to the eagle.
"Now," said the eagle, "place the sheep's tails on my right wing,
and the bottles of wine on my left, and seat yourself between. When I
say, "Boo," pour in my mouth a bottle of wine, and when I say "Coo,"
give me a sheep's tail."
The lad went first to take leave of the old woman, who gave him her
blessing. As soon as the load was placed on the back of the eagle
she took her flight. Every time she said "Boo" a bottle of wine was
poured into her mouth, and every time she said "Coo" a sheep's tail
was given to her. They ascended and ascended until they came to the
world of light. "Coo!" said the eagle, the last time. The lad was so
glad and in so great a hurry that the last sheep's tail which he was
going to give to the eagle fell from his hand. But he did not wish to
disappoint his friend, so he drew his sword, and cutting one of the
calves of his own leg, gave it to the eagle. The wise bird knew from
the flavor that it was human flesh, and kept it under her tongue. They
arrived at their destination.
"Well, now," said the eagle putting the lad on the ground, "go along
your way."
"No," said the lad, "you go first; my legs are benumbed, I want to
take a little rest."
The eagle insisted till the lad tried to walk, but he could not walk
because of his wound. Then the eagle drew the flesh out from under
her tongue, and placing it in its proper place, licked it up, and
the wound was at once healed. She took her leave of the hero and flew
down to her young ones, who were chirping and waiting for her. After
that day she never deprived that country of the sun's rays, as she
had no longer reason for so doing.
The lad, before entering his father's city, thought he had better
disguise himself. So he went to a slaughter house, and getting a
sheep's stomach, wrapped it around his head, thus changing himself to
a bald-headed youth. Entering the city as a stranger, he soon found
out that a wedding ceremony was to be held in his father's palace. His
two brothers were to marry the two maidens whom he saved for them,
and his own betrothed was to be married to the King. The lad felt his
heart bleeding. He went to the market place, and presenting himself to
a goldsmith, asked him to accept him as an apprentice. The goldsmith
hesitated for a while, but afterwards said:
"Come, bald-headed fellow, be my apprentice."
That very day the officials of the King brought to the goldsmith a
large bag of gold, saying:
"You must make of this gold a golden rat and a golden cat that shall
play in a golden basin."
"I can make the rat and the cat out of this gold," said the goldsmith,
"but I cannot give them life to make them run about."
"That is not our business," said the officials, "it is the command
of the King; you must either make them, or lose your head. The lady
to whom the King is betrothed refuses to marry him until these are
made for her. You must make them by the morrow."
So saying, the officials went away, leaving the gold. The goldsmith
was at a loss. Poor man! what could he do? He could not make them,
and in case he failed to make them by the appointed time his head
was in danger.
"What is the matter, master?" said the lad; "why are you puzzled
and sad?"
"Keep silent!" exclaimed the goldsmith. "I have no time to hear
your chatter."
"Be of good cheer, master," returned the lad; "if you bring me two
or three handfuls of nuts, I will make the golden rat and the golden
cat to-night."
"Why, you rascal! you bald-headed dog!" exclaimed the goldsmith;
"as if my affliction is not enough for me, do you make fun of me?"
"No, master," said the lad, "do not think I am making fun of you. I
really say bring me some nuts, and to-morrow morning come and take
what you want."
The goldsmith thought there was no harm if he did what the lad
requested of him, and brought the nuts. That night he could not sleep
at all, and very often he came to the door of the shop to listen to
what the lad was doing, and heard nothing but the crack of the nuts,
which the bald-headed apprentice was eating all the time. At daybreak
the lad took out of his pocket the magic ring which was given him by
his betrothed as a token. He kissed it, and immediately two negroes
presented themselves with their hands folded on their breasts, saying:
"Say what is your will, and we will do it at once."
"Bring me here," said the lad, "the golden rat and the golden cat
which I saw playing in the golden basin."
He had scarcely finished the sentence, when lo! the golden basin was
placed before him. Just at that moment the goldsmith entered with
beating heart.
"Here, master," exclaimed the lad; "I have just finished it."
The goldsmith began to dance with excess of joy, and at once took
the basin to the King, who was so much pleased with it that he gave
him costly presents and invited him to come to the royal wedding. The
goldsmith came back. He was so happy that he was dancing all the time.
"Master," said the lad, "please take me with you to the wedding."
"But, my lad," said the goldsmith, "there will be a tournament
to-morrow; if you go there, I am afraid you will be trampled down by
cavalry and get your bald head broken. You had better stay at home."
On the following day the goldsmith went to the tournament. The lad
cast the black horse's hair into the fire, and lo! the black horse
of the first giant whom he killed came neighing with a suit of black
armor on his back. Immediately the lad put on the suit of armor and
mounted the horse; thus being changed to a black knight, he rushed
to the place of the tournament. He vanquished all the princes and
his brothers, and unhorsing his own master, disappeared, leaving the
spectators in utmost surprise. He came to his home, and changing his
clothes, was the same bald-headed apprentice. In the evening when the
goldsmith came, the lad implored him to tell him what he had seen;
and he began to describe the tournament.
"But the unexpected thing," said he, "was the appearance of a black
knight, clad in armor at all points. Whether he was a fairy or a
human being, I cannot tell. He vanquished all the princes and knights,
and disappeared in a hurricane after unhorsing me, too."
"Alas!" exclaimed the lad, shaking his head very sadly, as if
understanding nothing.
Now let us return to the maiden. She, seeing the golden rat and the
golden cat in a golden basin brought to her, was assured that her
betrothed had come from the infernal regions up to the world of light.
"I will not marry you," she said to the King, "until you get me a
golden hen and a golden weasel playing in a golden basin."
The King sent his order to the goldsmith, who promised to make them,
first getting the consent of the bald-headed apprentice. He brought
him nuts; and the lad, kissing the magic ring, the two negroes again
appeared, who immediately brought the golden hen and the golden weasel
playing in a golden basin. The goldsmith took them to the King, who
invited him to the second day's tournament. The lad again asked leave
to go with his master, and the goldsmith again refused him. Soon
after the goldsmith went, however, the lad cast into the fire the
hair of the red horse, which immediately made its appearance with a
suit of red armor on its back. The lad, changing his clothes, mounted
the horse, which immediately ran to the place of the tournament. At
once vanquishing all who were there and unhorsing his own master,
the lad disappeared, and coming home changed his clothes and was
again the bald-headed apprentice. In the evening the goldsmith began
to describe the tournament, and the apprentice listened to his story
with great surprise and seriousness.
The maiden was now sure that her betrothed had come, for no one else
could do these things. On the following day she said to the King:
"I want you to get for me a golden greyhound and a golden fox running
a race in a golden basin, else I will not marry you."
The goldsmith was again called, and promised to make them, first
consulting with the bald-headed apprentice, to whom he brought
the usual quantity of nuts. The lad cracked and ate the nuts till
morning. At daybreak he kissed the magic ring, and for the third time
the two negroes appeared, bringing in the golden greyhound and the
golden fox running a race in a golden basin. The goldsmith at once took
them to the King, who invited him to the third day's tournament. The
lad cast into the fire, this time, the white horse's hair, which was
the third giant's horse; and immediately it stood before him with
a suit of white armor on its back. The lad, putting the armor on,
was changed to a white knight; and taking the sword of lightning in
hand, rushed to the place of the tournament. After vanquishing all,
and killing the King and his own unworthy brothers, he stood in the
midst of the crowd and told them who he was, what heroic deeds he
had done, and what wrongs he had endured. The people being tired of
the tyrannical King, immediately hailed the youth as their monarch.
He married his betrothed, and gave the other two maidens in marriage
to two of his best friends. Thus he attained his wishes. May Heaven
grant that you may attain your wishes!
Three apples fell from Heaven;--one for me, one for the story-teller,
and one for him who entertained the company.
THE FAIRY NIGHTINGALE.
A very interesting story was once told me of a King who built a
splendid church. It took the architects seven years to finish the
building. The King went to dedicate the church and to pray in it, and
lo! there was a fog so dense that the King was almost suffocated. In
the very midst of the dense fog a monk stood before the King, saying:
"Long live the King! You have built a fine church, but it lacks
one thing."
The monk then quickly disappeared. The King came out and ordered his
men to take down the building and to put up another one finer than
the first. It took them another seven years to finish the second
building. The King again went to dedicate the church and pray in it,
and lo! again there was a dense fog, and the same monk stood before
the King, saying:
"Long live the King! You have built a beautiful church, but it lacks
one thing."
Again the monk mysteriously disappeared. The King again ordered his
men to take down the building and to put up a new one. It took them
another seven years to finish the third building, and it was this time
so splendid that there was nothing like it in all the world. The King
again went to dedicate it and to pray in it, and lo! again there was
a dense fog, and the same monk stood before the King saying:
"Long live the King! You have built a church incomparably beautiful,
but it lacks one thing."
The monk was again about to make his exit when the King took hold of
his collar, saying:
"Tell me what is the one thing lacking in my church. This is the
third time that you compel me to take down my building, upon which
so much labor and time have been spent."
"The Fairy Nightingale is the only thing that is lacking in this
magnificent church," said the monk, and disappeared in the fog.
The King returned to his palace, and thereafter was very sad. He had
three sons, who seeing their father sad, asked:
"Long live the King! What grieves you, father?"
"My sons," said the King, "I am getting old, and the Fairy Nightingale
is needed for the church. I do not know how to get it."
"Be of good cheer, father," said the lads; "we will go and bring it."
And they started. After a long journey they came to a place where the
road divided into three branches, with a sign on each. The sign of the
broad road was,--"He who goes on this road returns safely." The sign
on the middle road was,--"He who goes on this road may return or may
not return." And the sign on the third narrow road was,--"He who goes
on this road never returns." The oldest brother took the broad road;
the second brother took the middle road, and the youngest brother
took the narrow road. The oldest lad soon came to a large city,
at sight of which he said to himself:
"Why should I go farther and be killed? I would better stay in this
place." And he became a servant in one of the inns of the city.
The second brother turned toward the other side of the mountain, and
came to a green meadow with shady trees here and there, and benches
under the trees. He was tired, and at once sat down upon one of the
benches. Soon a giant as black as night came along with an iron rod
in his hand. He gave the lad one stroke with the rod, and lo! the
lad turned into a round stone, and rolled under the bench.
The youngest of the three brothers started on the road along which
there could be no return. A dense fog covered him, and lo! the monk
who had talked with his father appeared to him, saying:
"God speed thee, son! Whither are you going?"
"I am going to bring the Fairy Nightingale for our new church,"
said the lad.
"Good," said the monk; "but this way is dangerous; let me advise
you. The owner of the Fairy Nightingale is the Fairy Queen, a very
beautiful maiden. On your way you will soon come to a river which
the Fairy Queen has by her arts changed into a poisoned stream,
and she does not drink of it. But you must drink of it, and say:
'O happy! this is the water of immortality.' After crossing the river
you will come to a grove which the queen has changed into a jungle
of thorns and thistles. You must smell the trees and shrubs, and say:
'O happy! this grove is the flower of Paradise.' Then you will come to
a narrow pass on one side of which there is a wolf bound with chains,
and on the other side there is a lamb bound with chains. There is
a bundle of grass before the wolf, and a piece of meat before the
lamb. You must put the grass before the lamb, and the meat before
the wolf. You will then come to a large gate with double doors, one
open and one closed. You must open the closed door and shut the open
one. Entering in you will find the Fairy Queen, owner of the Fairy
Nightingale, sleeping in a splendid bedchamber. She sleeps seven days
and nights, and is awake seven days and nights. If you can do what
I have told you, and reach there at a time when the Queen is asleep,
you can bring the Nightingale; if not, you are lost."
The lad started, and came successively to the river, the grove, the
lamb and the wolf, and the gate. He did all that the monk had told
him, and entering in, saw an exquisite bedchamber where a maiden as
beautiful as the sun was sleeping on a purple bed embroidered with
gold and jewelry. The Fairy Nightingale came down from its cage,
and standing on the Queen's bedside, sang to her a thousand songs
with enchanting melody, and lullabied her to sound sleep. The lad,
who was watching from behind the arras, seeing the maiden asleep,
and that the Nightingale had returned to its cage, crept in slowly,
took the Nightingale's cage, pressed a kiss upon the forehead of
the sleeping maiden, thus stamping the sign of his lips there, and
started back on his way.
The Queen awoke, and seeing the Nightingale had been stolen, exclaimed:
"Doors, catch the thief!"
"God speed him!" said the doors; "he closed the open one of us and
opened the closed one of us."
"Wolf and lamb, catch the thief!" exclaimed the Fairy Queen.
"God speed him!" said the wolf and the lamb; "he gave the meat to
the wolf, and the grass to the lamb."
"Grove, catch the thief!" exclaimed the Queen.
"God speed him!" said the grove; "you made me thorns and thistles;
he made me a flower of Paradise."
"River, catch the thief!" exclaimed the Queen.
"God speed him!" said the river; "you made me a stream of poison;
he made me the water of immortality."
When the Queen saw that all her charms were unavailing, she mounted
her horse and started in pursuit of the lad.
But let us return to the lad. He passed all the dangerous places and
came to the square where the road divided into the three branches. He
saw the monk waiting for him.
"Here is the Fairy Nightingale, holy father," said the lad, and seeing
that his brothers had not yet come back, he give the cage to the
monk and he himself started in search of his brothers. He went first
along the broad road, until he came to the inn where his brother was
serving. He secretly made himself known to him, and taking him away
brought him to the monk. He then took the next road, and went as far
as the green meadow and sat down upon one of the benches. Soon the
giant appeared with his iron rod and tried to strike the lad. But
the lad cleverly avoided the blow, and snatching the rod from the
giant's hand, struck him. Immediately the giant fell down and was
changed into a huge round black stone.
"My brother must have been lost somewhere in this place," thought the
lad, and began to strike with the iron rod the stones scattered here
and there upon the meadow, and lo! the stones were changed into men,
who began to run away; but his brother was not among them. He saw a
stone under the bench, and struck it. It was changed into his brother,
and began to run.
"Brother! brother, do not run, it is I," exclaimed the lad.
He stopped and both returned to the monk. All three, taking the Fairy
Nightingale, went toward their father's city. On the way they were
thirsty, and came to a well.
They lowered the youngest brother to draw water, and as soon as
he reached the bottom of the well, the two older brothers said to
one another:
"When we go home to our father all praise and glory will be given
to that fellow who is now in the well, and we shall be despised. It
shall not be; he shall never come up from that well."
They cut the rope, and leaving the hero in the well, took the
Nightingale and went to their father, saying:
"Our youngest brother was killed in our attempt to get the Fairy
Nightingale, but we two succeeded in bringing it."
They hung the cage in the new church, but the Fairy Nightingale did
not warble a single song; it was sad and silent. Soon the Fairy Queen
came riding to the King, and said:
"Who is the hero that has brought my Nightingale?"
"We brought it," said the two brothers.
"Well, what did you meet on the way?" inquired the Queen.
"Nothing," said the lads.
"Then it was not you who brought it," said the Queen; "you are
thieves." And she caused them to be arrested and cast into prison,
saying:
"You shall not be released until the real hero who brought the Fairy
Nightingale is presented to me."
Some women who were gleaning barley in the fields happened to pass near
the well where the lad was left, and hearing him groan took him out;
one of them, who had no children, adopted him as her son. After a few
weeks news came from the city to the village to the effect that the
King's sons had brought the Fairy Nightingale, but the Fairy Queen,
the owner of the Nightingale, also had come after it. One day the
lad asked permission of his adopted mother, saying:
"A new church has been built, let me go and see it."
The old woman consented, and he went to the city as a peasant
boy. He went to his father's house and heard that his brothers were
imprisoned. He went directly to the prison and set them free. The
Fairy Queen, hearing this, came and said to the lad:
"I am the Fairy Queen, the owner of the Nightingale; are you not
afraid of me?"
"I am he who brought the Fairy Nightingale," said the lad, "I am not
afraid of you."
"What did you see on the way?" asked the Queen.
The lad told her what he had seen and what he had done.
"And moreover," said the lad, "I have put a sign upon your forehead
with my own lips. Look at your image in yonder pond, and you will
see that you are my betrothed."
The Queen looked at her reflected image in the water, and seeing the
mark of the lad's kiss, exclaimed:
"Hero, you are worthy of me; I am yours hereafter."
A wedding festival for forty days and forty nights was
celebrated. After this the couple went to the church to be married. The
Fairy Nightingale began to warble, and sang them a thousand and one
songs. It is still singing, and all the world is wondering at its
sweet melodies.
Three apples fell from heaven; one for me, one for the story-teller,
and one for him who entertained the company.
THE DREAMER.
A father and mother once lived whose son was a dreamer. One morning
the lad arose and said to his mother:
"Mother, I dreamed a dream last night, but I will not tell it."
"Why will you not tell it?" asked the mother.
"I will not," answered the lad.
"The mother beat the lad, who ran to his father, saying:
"Father, I dreamed a dream last night; I did not tell it to mother,
and I will not tell it to you."
The father also beat the lad, who was angered and ran away from the
house. After a day's journey he met a traveler.
"Good-day!" said the lad.
"Good-day!" replied the traveler.
"I dreamed a dream," said the lad; "I did not tell it to my mother,
I did not tell it to my father, and I will not tell it to you."
The lad went on until he came to the Prince's palace. The Prince was
sitting at the door. The lad said:
"Prince, I dreamed a dream; I did not tell it to my mother, I did
not tell it to my father, I did not tell it to the traveler, and I
will not tell it to you."
The Prince was angry, and cast the lad into a prison in the cellar
of his palace. The lad dug through the wall of his prison with his
dagger and opened a hole into the adjacent room which happened to be
the dining-room of the Prince's daughter. The lad finding the maiden's
food in the cupboard, ate it all and withdrew to his prison. Soon
the maiden came in, and lo! the food was eaten. This was repeated
on several days. The maiden was very anxious to know who it was who
ate her food, and one day hiding herself in her wardrobe she began to
watch. Soon she saw the lad, who lifting a great stone opened a hole
in the wall, crept into her room, took the food from the cupboard
and began to help himself. She jumped out, and taking hold of the
lad, said:
"Who are you, young man?"
"I dreamed a dream," said the lad, "I did not tell it to my mother,
I did not tell it to my father, I did not tell it to the traveler,
I did not tell it to the Prince; the Prince cast me into prison,
and I dug a hole with my dagger and came here. I am at your mercy."
The maiden fell in love with the lad, and thereafter cherished him not
only with her food but with her love, and they accepted one another
as husband and wife.
One day the King of the East sent messengers to the Prince bearing
a stick which had both ends equal, saying:
"Now, tell me which is the bottom and which is the top of this
stick. If you solve this, well and good; if not, you must give your
daughter in marriage to my son."
The Prince called all his wise men into council, but no one could
solve the riddle. The princess told it to the lad. The lad said:
"Go and tell your father to tell them to cast the stick into the pond;
the bottom end will sink the deeper in the water."
They did so, and the riddle was solved. On the following day the King
of the East sent three horses, all being exactly the same size and
having the same appearance, saying:
"Which is the one year old colt, which is the two year old colt,
and which is the mother? If you solve this, well and good; if not,
you must give your daughter in marriage to my son."
All the learned men of the Prince could not solve this riddle. The
princess, in the evening, said to the lad:
"No one could solve the riddle, and they will take me away to-morrow."
"Tell your father," said the lad, "to let them keep the horses in
the stable over night. In the morning let them take a bundle of hay,
wet and salt it and cast it before the horses outside the stable
door. The mother will come out first, the two year old colt after her,
and the one year old colt last."
They did as the lad advised, and the riddle was solved. On the
following day the King of the East sent to the Prince a steel shield
and a steel spear, saying:
"If you can pierce this shield with this spear with one stroke, I will
give my daughter to your son in marriage; if you cannot pierce it,
you must give your daughter to my son in marriage."
The Prince and all his men tried, and could not pierce the shield. The
Prince then said to his daughter:
"Go, send your man; let us see if he can pierce it."
The lad came, and at one stroke pierced the steel shield with the
steel spear. Now, the Prince had no son; he therefore adopted the
lad, who was already his son-in-law, and made him heir apparent to
his throne. Thereupon the lad set out to go and bring the daughter
of the King of the East. After a long journey he met a man who was
kneeling down with his ear close to the ground.
"What man are you?" asked the lad.
"I lay my ear to the ground," answered the man, "and listen to whatever
men say all over the world."
"Aha! what a man!" exclaimed the lad, "he can hear what is said all
over the world."
"Man?" said the listener. "A man is he who pierced the steel shield
with the steel spear."
"It was I," said the lad.
"Then I am your brother," said the listener, and followed the
lad. After another long journey they met a man who was standing with
one of his feet upon Mount Ararat and the other upon Mount Taurus.
"Aha! what a man!" exclaimed the lad. "He strides over the world."
"Man?" exclaimed the colossal strider. "A man is he who pierced the
steel shield with the steel spear."
"It was I," said the lad.
"Then I am your brother," said the colossus, and followed the lad.
After a long journey they met a man who was eating all the loaves baked
in seven ovens, and still crying, "I am hungry! I am famishing! For
heaven's sake, give me something to eat!"
"Aha!" said the lad. "What a man! whom seven ovens continually baking
cannot satisfy."
"Man?" exclaimed the glutton. "A man is he who pierced the steel
shield with the steel spear."
"I am the man," said the lad.
"Then I am your brother," said the glutton, and followed the lad.
Soon they met a man who was carrying the earth upon his shoulders.
"What a man!" exclaimed the lad.
"Man?" replied the carrier of the earth. "A man is he who has pierced
the steel shield with the steel spear."
"I am the man," said the lad.
"Then I am your brother," said the carrier of the earth, and he also
followed the lad.
They soon met a man who was lying flat on the bank of the Euphrates,
and drinking the river dry, but still crying, "I am thirsty! I am dry;
more water, for heaven's sake!"
"Aha! what a man," exclaimed the lad, "the river Euphrates does not
satisfy his thirst."
"Man?" exclaimed the river-drinker, "a man is he who pierced the
steel shield."
"I am he," said the lad.
"Then I am your brother," said the river-drinker, and followed the lad.
They soon met a shepherd who was blowing his horn, and lo! hills and
valleys, plains and forests, men and beasts were dancing.
"Aha! what a man!" exclaimed the lad, "all the world is dancing to
his music."
"Man!" returned the shepherd, "a man is he who pierced the steel
shield."
"I am he," said the lad.
"Then I am your brother," said the shepherd, and he followed the
lad. Now they were seven.
"Brother Steel-shield-steel-spear," said the six adopted brothers to
the lad, "where shall we go now?"
"We shall go and bring the daughter of the King of the East," answered
the lad.
"You are worthy of her," said his six companions.
Soon they arrived at the city of the King of the East, who seeing
them said to his servants secretly:
"These seven fellows have come to take away my daughter. Heaven
forbid! They are bashful lads and will hardly eat a bowlful of
soup. Now go and bake twenty-one ovens full of bread and make
twenty-one cauldrons full of soup and put it all before them. If they
can eat all at one sitting, I will give them my daughter; if not,
I will not."
The lad and his crew were entertained in an apartment some distance
from the King's apartment, where he was giving these instructions
to his men. The ground-listener, hearing the King's orders, said to
the lad:
"Brother Steel-shield-steel-spear, did you hear what the King said
to his men?"
"No, blockhead!" said the lad, "how can I hear him while he is in
another apartment far from us?"
The ground-listener said: "They are going to serve us twenty-one
horse-loads of bread and twenty-one cauldrons full of soup, and
in case we fail to eat all at one meal they will refuse to give us
the princess."
"Be of good cheer." said the ravenous eater; "I take the responsibility
upon myself."
On the following day all the bread and soup was served to one man,
and there was not enough to gratify him. He was still crying, "I am
hungry! I am famishing! Give me something to eat!"
"A plague upon these fellows!" said the King to his peers; "we could
not satisfy one; what if all the seven should eat! Now I tell you
what to do; entertain them in another house; bring quantities of
wood and rushes at night and pile them round about the building,
and in the middle of the night when they are asleep set fire to the
piles. Thus they will perish and we shall get rid of them."
The ground-listener hearing everything, told it to the lad.
"Never mind," said the river-drinker, "I can keep in my stomach water
enough to extinguish their fire."
He went and drank the neighboring river dry and came back, and all
went to bed. At midnight they saw that the house was on fire. The
river-drinker blew upon the flames, and lo! a stream of water began to
flow from his mouth. It not only extinguished the flames, but drowned
all those who were making the fire. That caused the King to be still
more angry, and he said to his peers:
"Let come what may, I will not give up my daughter."
"Now it is my turn," said the earth-carrier, "if he does not give us
his daughter I will carry away his whole kingdom."
He had hardly finished his words when he put his shoulder under the
ground of the King of the East, and lo! he took on his back the whole
realm. Then the shepherd began to blow his horn and the mountains and
valleys, plains and forests, and all living creatures in them began to
dance; the strider-of-the-world walked before them opening the way;
and so the procession went on with great merriment. Thereupon the
King began to weep and to beg them, saying:
"For heaven's sake, leave me my kingdom! take my daughter and go."
Then the earth-carrier set the kingdom down in its place again; the
shepherd ceased blowing his horn, and the universe stopped dancing. The
lad thanked his six brothers for their valuable services and sent
them to their homes, and he himself took the maiden and came to the
Prince's city, where a wedding festival was celebrated for forty
days, and he married this maiden also. He sat down with the baby born
during his absence, in his arms, and his two wives one on each side,
and calling his father and mother to him, said:
"Now shall I tell you what my dream was?"
"Yes, what was it?" said his parents.
"I dreamed in my dream," said the lad, "that there was one sun upon
my right side, another sun upon my left side, and a bright star was
twinkling upon my heart."
"Was that your dream?" said they.
"Yes, that was my dream," said he.
This tale was a dream. The Sender of dreams has sent three apples
from above; one for him who told the story, one for him who asked
that the story be told, and one for him who listened to the story.
THE BRIDE OF THE FOUNTAIN.
Somewhere I have heard that there were once three sisters, whose mother
went to town to buy them dresses. On her way back to the village she
sat down by a fountain to rest.
"Tush!" exclaimed she, remembering that she had forgotten to buy a
dress for her youngest daughter.
Suddenly an old man came out from the fountain, and standing before
the woman, said:
"My name is Tush; why did you call me?"
"I did not call you," said the woman, "I exclaimed, 'Tush!' because
I had forgotten to buy a dress for my youngest daughter."
"Go, bring her," said the old man, "and call on me again; I will give
her a dress."
The woman went and brought her daughter to the fountain. As soon as she
uttered the word "Tush!" the old man came out. He took the maiden into
the fountain and never came back, in spite of the repeated exclamations
of the woman, who tired of repeating, "Tush! Tush!" At last she gave up
hope, and going home mourned the wonderful disappearance of her pretty
daughter. After one or two months she went again to the fountain and
uttered the word "Tush!" The old man came out, and seeing the woman
he turned toward the fountain, saying:
"Halloo! son, your mother-in-law has come to call on her
daughter. Won't you send her out?"
"Certainly," said a voice from within. "I will send her to pay a
visit to her mother, as is the custom."
In a few minutes the anxious mother saw her daughter come out from
the fountain dressed as a beautiful bride, and she took her home.
"Mamma," said the bride, "give me a separate room; my husband told
me that he will come to me every night."
The mother gave her a separate room. The bridegroom visited her every
night in the shape of a partridge. He used to come after nightfall,
and flapping his wings, perch on the window ledge. She opened the
window and took him in. Every morning the partridge flew away before
dawn. Her two sisters, envious of the happiness of their youngest
sister, brought razors and nailed them around the window. At nightfall
the partridge came flying, and when he was perching on the window
he struck his wings against the razors, which wounded his body in
several places. He was hardly able to fly back to his fountain, and
there he was confined to his bed. He vowed to be revenged upon his
bride, who he thought had put the razors on the window. The bride,
seeing that the partridge did not come for five or six days, went
with her mother to the fountain.
"Tush!" they called, and lo! the old man came out, and turning to
the fountain, exclaimed:
"Son, your bride and mother-in-law have come."
"Oh! oh!" cried the partridge from within, "I do not want such a
bride. I beseech you, put on your eagle's suit, take her to the
seventh heaven, and thence cast her to the torrid desert."
Father Tush at once changed himself into an eagle, and carried the
bride away and cast her to the sandy desert. There she fell upon the
sand, but did not die.
"O Heaven!" exclaimed the maiden, "what have I done to deserve such
treatment."
She wandered about in the desert without knowing where to go. At
nightfall she buried herself in the sand to sleep. Soon there came two
conjurers, who sat down near her. They conjured, and lo! innumerable
great serpents gathered around them. They sat in council, inquired of
each other, and prepared remedies for a thousand and one diseases. For
razor cuts they devised this remedy: "Wash the patient with the first
milk from the breasts of a woman, and put upon the wounds the dried
blood taken from a young woman's veins. On the third application the
patient will be healed."
The maiden, who was listening to them attentively, kept that remedy
in mind, and on the following morning started for her husband's
fountain. After a long journey, she came to her own country, begged
from the village women a mother's first milk, and opening one of her
own veins, got some blood which she dried in the sun. She then went
to the fountain disguised as a lad.
"Tush!" she exclaimed, and the old man came out.
"What do you want?" said he.
"I am a doctor," she said; "I had forgotten to get some of my medicines
in the village, therefore I said 'Tush.'"
The old man went in and informed his son that there was a human doctor
on the fountain.
"Bring him in," said the lad, "let us see if he can administer some
remedy to my wounds."
The maiden went in, and after an examination said:
"I can heal you within three days."
She washed him with the milk and put the dried blood on the wounds,
and on the third day the lad was healed.
"What do you want me to pay you?" said the lad.
"I do not want anything," said the maiden; "I wish you only to remember
my name."
"What is it?" asked the lad.
"Incense-Tree is my name," answered the maiden.
"Ah!" exclaimed the lad, "that is my wife's name."
"I am your wife," said she, throwing away her masculine attire.
She fell on his neck sobbing, and told him how without a fault she
was. They loved each other thereafter, and are still living in that
deep fountain.
Three apples fell from heaven; one for me, one for the story-teller,
and one for him who entertained the company.
DYJHICON:
THE COWARD-HERO.
Dyjhicon was a poor unfortunate fellow who had only two goats and a
cow. His wife was an ambitious woman, and annoyed him by her frequent
demands.
"I want you to go out and work," she often said. "I want you to build
a new house, I want to buy myself some new dresses, oxen and sheep,
a horse and wagon."
Dyjhicon, tiring of her endless complaints and scoldings, one day took
his great stick and drove the cow out of the house, saying to himself:
"Let me run from this wicked wife to the wilderness and there die."
This was what the woman wanted. Thus he ran from her and wandered
in the wilderness. When he was hungry he milked the cow and drank
the milk, and when he was tired he mounted the cow. He was very
timid,--a typical coward. The sight of a running rat was enough to
make him tremble.
"Eh!" he thought, nevertheless, "it is better to be torn by wild
beasts than to become the slave of a wicked woman."
One day, as the cow was pasturing on a green meadow and Dyjhicon
was lying down lazily, the flies stung him. He cursed his wife and
clapped his hands to kill the flies. Then he counted to see how
many flies he had killed at one stroke, and lo! they were seven in
number. This encouraged him, and he took his knife and carved upon
his stick these words:
"I am Dyjhicon; I have killed seven by one stroke of the hand."
Then he got astride the cow and rode away. After a long journey he
came to a green meadow in the center of which there was a magnificent
castle with an orchard around it. He let the cow graze in the meadow
and he lay down to sleep. Seven brothers lived in that castle. One of
them, seeing Dyjhicon and his cow in the meadow came to find who it
was that had ventured to enter their ground. Dyjhicon was sleeping,
with his stick standing near him. The man approached and, reading
the inscription, was terrified.
"What a hero!" he thought to himself, "he has killed seven men by one
stroke of the hand. He must be a brave man, else he would not dare to
sleep here so carelessly. What courage! what boldness! he has come
so far without arms, without a horse, without a companion. This man
is surely a great hero."
He went and informed his brothers as to what he had seen; and all the
seven brothers came to pay their respects to the unknown hero, and to
invite him to their humble home. The cow, being frightened by their
approach, began to leap and bellow. Her voice wakened Dyjhicon, who,
seeing seven men standing before him, was terrified, and snatching
his club, stood aside trembling. The seven brothers thought that he
was angry with them, and was trembling on account of his wrath, and
that he would kill all of them by one stroke of his stick. Thereupon
they began to supplicate him to pardon their rudeness in disturbing
his repose. Then they invited him to go with them, saying:
"We are seven brothers and have a great reputation as good fighters
in this district. But we shall be entirely invincible, if you will
join us and become our elder brother. We will take great pleasure in
placing our house and all that belongs to us at the service of such
a hero as yourself."
Hearing this, Dyjhicon ceased trembling, and said:
"Very well, let it be as you say."
They took him to the castle with great pomp and served to him a
grand banquet, at which all the seven brothers stood before him,
folding their arms upon their breasts and awaiting his permission
to sit. Dyjhicon was in great alarm, his heart was faint and he had
fallen into meditation as to the manner in which he might free himself
from this perplexing situation. The seven brothers thought that he
was not only a very brave hero, but was also such a great sage, that
he did not care even to look at their faces. They began to cough in
a low voice to draw his attention. On account of his internal fear
Dyjhicon suddenly shook his head. The seven brothers took this as a
permission to sit. After the banquet they said to him:
"My lord, where have you left your horse, arms and servants? Will
you command us to go and bring them?"
"Horse and arms are necessary for timid men," said Dyjhicon; "I have
never had need of them. I use horse and arms only when I fight a great
battle. As to servants, I never need them; all men are my servants. You
see, I have come so far having only a cow and my stick. Dyjhicon is
my name; I have killed seven by one stroke of the hand."
Their esteem and admiration for Dyjhicon increased every day, and at
last they were so much fascinated by his alleged bravery that they
gave him in marriage their only sister, who was a very beautiful
maiden. Dyjhicon knew that he was unworthy, but he could not refuse
this gift.
"Eh!" he said, "I will do you the favor of marrying her since you
entreat me so earnestly."
They brought costly garments, and putting them on Dyjhicon, made him
a handsome bridegroom. They had a splendid wedding festival which
was reported in all neighboring countries. The four princes of the
neighboring countries had asked the hand of the maiden in marriage,
and all of them had been refused. Now hearing that the maiden was
given in marriage to a stranger, the four princes waged war against
the seven brothers. Dyjhicon, hearing this, was stricken with fear,
and longed that the earth might open its mouth and swallow him. He
thought to run away, but there were no means of escaping. While he
indulged in these sad meditations, the seven brothers came, and bowing
down before him, said:
"What is your order, my lord? Will you go fight yourself, or will
you have us go first?"
This caused Dyjhicon's heart to melt. He began to tremble in his
whole body, and to strike his teeth one against another. The seven
brothers thought that it was because of his violent rage, and that
in his fury he would destroy whole armies.
"My lord," they said, finally, "let us seven brothers go fight them
at first, and if we find them hard to conquer we will send you word,
that you may come to our assistance."
"Well, well; do so," answered Dyjhicon, somewhat relieved.
They went and began the battle. Their neighboring peoples were in
constant terror of the seven brothers, who were famous as brave
fighters. Now that they had also a brother-in-law who could kill
seven men by one stroke of the hand, their foes were the more afraid
of them. But this time the men of the four princes were united,
and they fought with unusual zeal and determination. This caused
the seven brothers to retreat a little, and they sent to brother
Dyjhicon, saying:
"We are in trouble; come to our assistance."
A fast horse and magnificent arms awaited him. He began to curse the
day when he came to that house. But what could he do now? At last he
decided to go to the battle-field, cast himself against the swords of
the enemy and die; death was preferable to such a disgraceful life. As
soon as he mounted the horse, the beast who knew that the rider was
inexperienced, ran away like a winged eagle. Dyjhicon could not stop
or manage it. The seven brothers thought he was so brave that he left
the horse free in order to reach and slaughter the enemy. The horse
broke into the line of the enemy, who began to fly, saying:
"Who can stand before this great hero?"
In their hurry to retreat they began to slaughter one
another. Dyjhicon, who had never been on horseback before, was so
much afraid that he thought he was already lost. As the horse was
running through the forest, he threw his arms around an oak tree and
embraced it, letting the horse go from under him. The tree happened
to be rotten and was rooted out when he took hold of it. This caused
a great panic among the enemy, who ran away exclaiming:
"Aha! he has pulled up by the roots an enormous oak, and now he
means to batter us into pieces with it. Who can stand before this
strong warrior?"
So crying as they ran away, they slaughtered one another. Thereupon,
the seven brothers came and embracing the feet of their heroic
brother-in-law, exclaimed:
"What magnificent courage! What a great victory!"
With these words they brought Dyjhicon home with great pomp and
glory. The four princes who waged the war, being greatly humiliated,
sued for reconciliation, and in order to gain Dyjhicon's favor, each
of them sent him as a present one thousand ewes with their lambs,
ten mares with their colts, and other costly offerings.
Thus the greatest coward became the greatest hero.
ZOOLVISIA
Once upon a time there was a King who was very fond of hunting. He
had extensive forests full of all kinds of game. But at the farthest
boundaries of his dominions was a strip of land, surrounded by steep
hills, which the people of the country considered enchanted ground,
because none who had gone thither for the purpose of hunting had ever
returned. One day the King said to his noblemen:
"Let us go and see what is there."
His men asked him to be advised and not to go. But the King insisted;
they started upon the fatal journey and never came back. The King
had two sons, the eldest of whom succeeded him. One day the younger
brother said to the new King:
"I will go and revenge my father's death."
The King tried to dissuade him, but all in vain; the lad insisted. He
had some very faithful servants who said they would accompany him, and
they all set out upon the perilous journey. As soon as they entered
the enchanted ground they saw a beautiful antelope running before
them. They began to chase the animal, which seemed to mock them with
its graceful bounds over the bushes and rocks. They continued chasing
it until late in the day, when they came to a thick forest surrounded
by steep rocks. The antelope leaped over the rocks and disappeared
in the forest. But the hunters' horses could go no farther, and they
all dismounted. They were surprised to find an elegant tent pitched
among the trees beside a fountain of pure water. Entering the tent,
they saw a table spread with all kinds of delicious foods. They were
very hungry and began to devour the food with ravenous appetites;
after that they quenched their thirst from the crystal waters of the
fountain. But the lad never tasted the food or the water; he thought
to himself that there must be some deviltry at the bottom of this
banquet. While his men gave themselves up to eating and drinking,
the lad occupied himself in examining the neighborhood. To his great
terror he saw not far from the tent a heap of human skeletons bleached
and showing their grinning teeth. What could these be if not the bones
of those who, from time to time, had come to hunt in that enchanted
ground and been lost? Among these, perchance, were the bones of his own
father. How could he have been killed? With these thoughts he came back
to the tent, and to his great horror and grief saw that some of his
men were already dead and others were breathing their last. He wished
to help them, but in vain; they were soon as dead as stones. He could
plainly see the cause; both the food and the water were poisoned. He
now understood how all human beings who hunted in this region were
done away with and heaped up on the pile of skeletons. But who was
the perpetrator of this devilish crime? His blood began to boil, and
he determined to do battle with the perpetrator whether human being,
fairy or demon, until he had revenged the victims of this diabolical
plot. He was buried in this meditation when he heard the footsteps
of approaching horsemen, and he immediately withdrew to the depths of
the forest, bound his horse to a sycamore tree, and concealed himself
behind the bushes, whence he could see the tent and the neighborhood
without himself being perceived. Soon a number of horsemen arrived,
who appeared to be greatly pleased at seeing the dead men, and at once
began to strip them of their clothes. They loaded each man's property
upon his own horse, and prepared to drive the horses away. One of the
riders, who no doubt was their leader, wore a complete suit of white
armor, had locks of long hair and a graceful countenance, feminine in
its beauty. The lad who was watching them closely, took aim with his
bow and arrow and was just about to shoot the leader in the forehead,
when he suddenly stopped.
"That is a woman," he said to himself. "I will not shoot at a
woman." At once he jumped out from the place of his concealment and
standing before the leader exclaimed:
"Are you a human being, a fairy or a demon? Disclose yourself. To
lead people astray and to destroy human life by poison are not the
deeds of heroes. Come, let me measure swords with you."
These words of the lad at first called forth expressions of rage
upon the countenance of the leader. But the next second the natural
feminine grace again bloomed upon her cheeks, and she answered with
a sweet musical voice, the sweetest that ever fell upon a human ear:
"Youth, I spare your life provided that your heart is as brave as
your words. Zoolvisia is my name. If you want to show your courage
before me, you must come where I live."
And she spurred her horse, and galloping disappeared behind the trees
and rocks. The lad stood stone-still as if struck by lightning. The
beauty of the horsewoman had charmed him; her face was of light,
her hair of gold, her horse of lightning. Was she a maiden?
"Zoolvisia! Zoolvisia!" the lad exclaimed suddenly, "I will find you."
And at once he mounted his horse and started in the direction whither
Zoolvisia and her followers had gone. It was late in the evening,
the sun having long before disappeared behind the horizon. After
groping his way in the darkness for a while, he saw a light gleaming
at a distance and turned his horse in that direction. When he arrived
he saw a cave where a fairy woman was kneading dough.
"The goodness of the hour upon you, mother!" said the lad.
"Heaven bless you, son!" said the old dame. "Neither the snake on
its belly, nor the bird with its wing could come here; why did you
venture to come?"
"Your love brought me hither, mother," answered the lad.
The fairy woman was pleased with the lad, and said to him:
"The seven fairies, my sons, have just gone out a-hunting; they hunt
all night long and come back in the morning. If they find you here
they will devour you. Let me hide you."
So speaking, she hid the lad in a hole near the cave. At daybreak
the seven fairies returned, and smelling a human being, exclaimed:
"O mother! last night you ate a human being; have you not kept at
least some bones for us to pick?"
"I have eaten no human being," said their mother; "but my nephew,
the son of a human sister, has come to visit us."
"Where is he, mother? we want to see our human cousin," said the
fairies.
The old woman brought the lad out from the hole and presented him to
the fairies, who were much pleased with him and asked him the reason
for his journey. The lad said that he was going after Zoolvisia.
"Zoolvisia!" exclaimed the seven brothers. "Be advised, cousin, do not
go. This is a most dangerous journey. Zoolvisia is a cruel tyrant. No
human being who has ever undertaken this journey, has returned. Come,
cousin, stay with us; be our elder brother, we your subordinates,
and let us live together in happiness."
"No," said the lad, "let come what may; I will go." Thereupon he gave
the seven brothers a pair of scissors, saying:
"When you see blood dripping from the scissors, know that I am in
danger and come to my rescue."
And he took leave of his adopted cousins. On his way he came to another
cave where seven fairies lived with their mother, the sister of the
former fairy woman, who accepted him as their cousin and tried to
dissuade him from going. He gave to them a looking-glass, saying:
"When you see the glass covered with sweat, know that I am in trouble,
and hasten to my rescue."
Then he came to a third abode, where seven fairies lived with their
mother, who was a sister of the former two. They also accepted him
as cousin, and sought to dissuade him from going. He gave them a
razor, saying:
"When you see drops of blood falling from the edge of this razor,
know that my life is in danger, and run to my rescue."
Departing on his way he met an old monk in a cottage, who also tried
to dissuade him; but as the lad insisted, the monk said:
"Let me advise you; Zoolvisia is the most beautiful maiden in the
world. She is a princess endowed from above with a talisman. She
has forty maids under her command who play the part of Amazons. She
goes up to the top of the tower of her castle every morning at
daybreak, dressed in her robe of pearls. Thence she gazes all about
her realm, to see whether human beings or genii have trespassed upon
her boundaries. Three times she cries out with a loud voice, and all
who have been on her ground, on hearing her voice immediately drop
dead as if struck by lightning. It is she who, taking the shape of
an antelope, leads hunters astray and destroys them by poisonous
food and water. Now, do as I advise you. As soon as you reach the
vicinity of her castle, set up a stick and put on it your cloak and
cap, and dig a trench in the neighborhood and conceal yourself, at the
same time sealing both your ears with beeswax, so that no sound can
penetrate them. At the beginning of daybreak watch her on the top of
the tower. Do not stir at her first nor second call, but as soon as her
third call is ended, jump up from your place of concealment and stand
before her. By this means you will break her talisman, and subdue her."
The lad thanked the old monk, and continuing his journey soon saw,
at a distance, Zoolvisia's magnificent castle decorated with gold and
jewels. He did just as the monk had advised him, and at Zoolvisia's
third call jumped up and stood before her gazing at her. Zoolvisia
recognized him, and said:
"You have overcome me; you are brave and a real hero worthy of me. No
one except you has ever heard my voice and lived. Now my talisman
is broken, and I have become a mere woman. Come in, hero, I and my
forty maids will serve you."
The lad's heart began to yearn. All the hatred he cherished toward her
who had perpetrated such terrible crimes had vanished. He had fallen
in love with her, and Zoolvisia on her part loved the lad. She let
the rich locks of her golden hair hang down from the window. The lad
approached, took hold of them and kissed them, and lo! he was drawn up
to the castle by them. They accepted one another as husband and wife,
and celebrated their wedding for forty days and nights. The forty maids
served them. At the end of forty days Zoolvisia presented to the lad
her horse of lightning. The animal seemed to be greatly pleased with
his new master. The lad mounted the steed and prepared to go hunting
when Zoolvisia gave him as a keepsake one of the locks of her hair
in a pearl box. So the lad continued to hunt every day. One day,
as he was chasing a deer on the precipitous borders of the river,
the pearl box fell into the water and disappeared. The lad was sorry,
but he could not help it, and came home without it. The pearl box
was carried by the current of the river to the country of the King of
the East, where the King's fishermen drew it from the water and took
it to their master. The King, opening the box, was surprised to see
the lock of golden hair. He called his noblemen and peers in council,
and placing the box before them, said:
"You must tell me whose hair this is. If you do not give me an answer
in three days I will cut off your heads."
"Long live the King!" answered the men. "In three days we will bring
you word."
Forthwith they sat in council and asked the advice of all the learned
men and magicians of the country, but in vain; they could not solve
the riddle within the three days. On the third day, a witch hearing
of the case, came to the King's noblemen, saying:
"I can tell you what it is, but what will you give me?"
"If you save our heads," said the noblemen, "every one of us will
give you a handful of gold coins."
The witch consented, took the gold and told them of Zoolvisia and her
golden hair. The men told the King what they had heard from the witch,
at the same time boasting that it was they who solved the riddle.
"Well, then," said the King, "I wish you to bring me Zoolvisia. I
desire to marry her. I give you forty days' grace; if you do not
bring her by that time I will cut off your heads."
The men at once went to the witch, saying:
"Witch, it is only you who can accomplish this and save our heads. We
will give you whatever you demand if you will bring Zoolvisia."
The witch promised. Immediately she caught a score of snakes, and
putting them in a large pitcher, corked its mouth. She then made a
whip of a great black snake, and mounting upon the pitcher, gave it
three blows. Thereupon the pitcher began to fly through the sky as if
it had wings, with the witch on its back. Soon she came to Zoolvisia's
garden, and hiding the pitcher under the weeds, she went and sat on
the roadside where the lad would pass on his way from hunting. She had
intentionally put on her torn dress, and her worn and dusty shoes. In
the evening, the lad seeing her, asked her who she was and how she
had come there.
"O son!" the witch exclaimed with a pitiful voice, "may Heaven bless
you! I am a pilgrim to Jerusalem. I missed the caravan and went
astray; seeing your house at a distance, I came to take rest. For
Heaven's sake, give me bread and water, and let me lodge with your
dog at your gate."
The lad had compassion on her and took her on the back of his
horse. But the wise animal knew by instinct that she was a wicked
woman, and standing on his hind legs, caused her to fall down.
"I will follow slowly, son," said the witch. "Do you go ahead with
your horse."
Zoolvisia, hearing that the lad had brought an old woman, said:
"Don't let her enter our house; she may be a witch and bring calamity
upon us."
The lad gave orders to the maids to keep the old woman apart and not
let her appear before Zoolvisia. But the witch was clever, and soon
won the favor of the maids, who praised her before their mistress and
asked her for the sake of merriment to summon her to her presence, at
least once. She consented, and the witch was brought before her. The
witch had a thousand and one ways of winning a young woman, and she
soon became a great favorite with Zoolvisia, who could not spend an
hour without her. One day she said to Zoolvisia:
"Blessed are you that have for a husband such a hero, who encounters
and overcomes all, and himself is never destroyed. He discovered
your secret, broke your talisman, and won your love. Of course you
know his secret of bravery. May Heaven preserve his life! But can
you tell me what his secret is?"
"No," answered Zoolvisia, "I don't know what his secret is."
"What sort of a husband and wife are you?" said the witch,
scornfully. "He knows your secret, and you do not know his; and he
says he loves you. Strange, strange!"
These words were enough to excite the curiosity of Zoolvisia, who in
the evening again and again importuned the lad, until he was induced
to tell her that the secret of his bravery was his magic dagger,
which he carried in his belt in daytime and put under his pillow at
night. As soon as that dagger was taken away, he would lose all his
power. With that they exchanged vows that nobody should know the
secret, and also they exchanged rings as a sign to be true to one
another, even to death. But woman is frail. On the following day
Zoolvisia told the secret to the witch, adding:
"I have told you this to show you how my husband loves me from
his heart."
But she did not tell her anything in regard to the vows and exchange
of rings. On that night the witch, using her craft, caused a heavy
sleep to fall on all the inmates of the house. At midnight she entered
the lad's room, and taking the magic dagger from under his pillow,
threw it from the window into the neighboring pond. Then she went to
bed and pretended to sleep. In the morning Zoolvisia and the maids saw
that their master did not rise. They entered the room, and lo! the lad
had fallen from his bed and lay benumbed, foaming at the mouth. They
called him; but there was no answer.
"Look under the pillow and see whether the magic dagger is there,"
exclaimed Zoolvisia. They looked, and lo! it had been stolen. Then
they all began to wail and cry. Thereupon the witch came in to see if
the lad were really dead. She beat her breast, she beat her knees,
she pulled her hair, crying and yelling all the time. Then she went
out, brought the pitcher to the door of the castle, and re-entered
surrounded by scores of snakes, which were hissing with their forked
tongues. All were stricken with terror and began to scream and
yell. She bade the snakes bite the maidens, who all fell down in a
swoon. Then she said to Zoolvisia:
"Now you must obey me and come with me, else I will set on you all
these snakes, which will bite you and tear you into pieces."
Zoolvisia was terrified and mute. The witch pushed her down the stairs,
and thrusting her into the pitcher, shut its mouth. She then mounted
the pitcher, and gave three strokes with the snake whip, which caused
it to fly. She alighted in the country of the King of the East, and
taking Zoolvisia out, gave her to the King's ministers, who paid her
with a horse-load of gold. Zoolvisia was taken to the King's palace.
Let us return to the lad. The twenty-one fairies, the lad's
adopted cousins, seeing that blood was dripping from the scissors
and the razor, and that the looking-glass was covered with sweat,
understood that their human kinsman was in danger, and hastened to
his rescue. Reaching the castle they saw the lad still in a torpor,
and the maids covered with snakes. On killing the snakes, all the
maids revived, and told the fairies what had happened. They looked
everywhere for the dagger, but in vain. In the evening they were all
hungry, but there was nothing at home to eat. The fairies, seeing that
large fishes were swimming in the pond, dove in and threw the fishes
ashore. A great fish being thrown ashore, was divided into two halves,
and lo! the magic dagger fell out. The fish had swallowed it. The
moment the dagger was put under the lad's pillow he jumped up, washed
himself, and was surprised to see that his fairy cousins had come. They
told him everything. Immediately he ran to the stable. The horse was
there, but in a pitiable condition; it had neither eaten nor drunk;
it had fallen in the dust. As soon as the animal saw the lad and
smelled him it jumped up, neighing. The lad gave it food to eat and
water to drink, brushed it clean, and kissing it on the forehead, said:
"O my wise horse! you foresaw the calamity by your unerring instinct,
for you threw the hag from your back; and lo! what she has brought
upon us. Now let us go after Zoolvisia."
The animal, as if understanding what the lad said, neighed and beat
the ground with its hoofs, and seemed to say, "Yes, let us go; I am
ready to go."
The lad came back to the castle, gave to the maidens many precious
presents, and sent them away free. He gave the castle and the treasures
in it to the fairies, himself taking only his saddlebags full of gold
coins. He mounted the horse and went down the river until he came to
the city of the King of the East. He stopped before the cottage of
an old woman on the outskirts of the city and knocked at the door.
"Have you a night's lodging for me, mother?" asked the lad.
"No, master, I have no place for you," answered the dame. "You had
better go elsewhere."
"Here is something for you," said the lad, giving her a handful of
gold. "You are the crown of my head, son!" exclaimed the old woman. "I
have room both for you and your horse."
The lad entered in to lodge. After the meal he asked the old woman
in regard to the news in the city, and was told that Zoolvisia was
in the King's palace, where for thirty-five days there had been a
wedding festival, and after five days she would be married to the
King. But she had said to the King that she did not wish to marry
him, as she was the wife of some one else, and that rather than to
be forced to it she would die by drinking poison, which she had ready
in her hand. She therefore received nobody.
"Well, well, mother; that is enough," said the lad. "You keep a secret,
don't you?"
"Oh, better than you desire," answered the old woman.
"Here is another handful of gold coins," said the lad; "go to the
market place and buy a suit of costly garments. Put them on, and go
and see Zoolvisia. Take this ring, put it on your finger, and show
it to her; then bring me word what she says."
The old woman did just as he had told her. The palace servants thought
she was the wife of the prime minister, and told Zoolvisia that the
greatest lady in the realm had come to visit her.
"I don't want her, I don't!" cried Zoolvisia; "let her not come
near me."
The old woman did not pay any attention to the words of the servants,
who told her that Zoolvisia did not want to see her, but pushed on
and opened the door of the room where Zoolvisia was confined, and
held the ring before her eyes. As soon as Zoolvisia caught a glance
of the ring, she became as tame as a lamb.
"You are welcome, kind lady!" she exclaimed, with her sweet voice;
"please be seated," and she shut the door. When they were alone
she said:
"Where is the owner of that ring, mother?"
"He is a guest in my house," replied the woman, "and is waiting to
know your will."
"Go tell him," said Zoolvisia, "to rest for three days. Do you
immediately go to the King, and say that you have persuaded me to
become his wife. Let him be of good cheer. On the third day I shall
go for recreation to the public garden. It is the business of your
guest to do the rest. Farewell!"
"Farewell!" said the old woman, and went directly to the King's
apartment, saying proudly that she had persuaded Zoolvisia, who
early on the third day would go to the public garden for recreation,
and when she returned would become his wife. The King was delighted,
and gave the old woman costly presents. She came and told her guest
all that had happened. Early on the third day, as Zoolvisia had gone
to the public garden with great pomp, the lad came on the back of his
horse like a flash of lightning, put his arm about Zoolvisia's waist,
and in the twinkling of an eye, disappeared. The crowd thought it was a
hurricane, and all were stricken with terror. As soon as the King and
his men realized the fact that she had been taken away, they mounted
their horses and started in pursuit of the unknown horseman. The lad,
having put Zoolvisia in a safe place, came back with his horse of
lightning, killed the King and his favorites with his magic dagger,
and told the crowd in the public garden who he was. The people, who
were tired of their tyrannical King, prayed that he would become their
King and Zoolvisia their Queen. The lad went and brought Zoolvisia
back. A crowd conducted them with great pomp to the throne, where
they are still reigning as King and Queen.
Three apples fell from heaven; one for me, one for the story-teller,
and one for him who entertained the company.
DRAGON-CHILD AND SUN-CHILD.
There was once a King who had no children, and whose life was very
desolate. He asked the advice of all the doctors and learned men of his
realm to relieve him of his trouble, but it was of no avail. In order
to forget his dejected condition, he gave his time to hunting. One
day, as he was walking in the forest he saw a snake coiled in the sun,
surrounded by its little ones. For a long time he gazed wistfully at
this family circle, and recognizing that his condition was inferior
to that of the reptile parent, he sighed deeply and complained against
Heaven, saying:
"O Heaven! have I not so much value before you as this reptile,
that you torment me by denying to me offspring and happiness?"
He never forgot the sight of this snake-family. One day a child came
to the palace, but it was a monster, half man and half dragon. Now
the grief of the King was heavier than before. They could not kill
the monster because it was of royal birth. They therefore cast the
Dragon-child into a dry well, where they fed him by giving him a
skinful of goat's milk every day. Soon the Dragon-child grew and
required meat for his diet. Then they cast to him, every week, a tender
girl; and when he grew older, they gave him a maiden to devour. Every
house of the land furnished a maiden for the Dragon-child. It came
the turn of a poor man who, being a widower, had a daughter from
his former wife, and had married a widow who had a daughter of her
own. The husband said that they must cast the wife's daughter to the
Dragon-child, but his wife insisted that they must cast the husband's
daughter. The woman's will was followed and so the stepmother prepared
her stepdaughter to be cast to the Dragon-child on the following
day. The maiden was very beautiful and graceful. She wept all night
and prayed God to pity her. At midnight she heard some one speak to
her in her dreams, saying:
"Maiden, do not fear being cast to the Dragon-child. Tell your father
to send with you three skinfuls of the milk of a black goat, and
do you provide a knife for yourself. Let your father wrap you in a
bull's skin and lower you and the milk by a rope into the well. When
the Dragon-child bids you come out from the bull's skin in order that
he may devour you, tell him to come out from the dragon's skin, that
you may bathe him with milk. When he comes out, do you also cut the
bull's skin with your knife and come out of the skin and bathe him."
On the following morning the maiden told her dream to her father, who
got the required things ready, at the same time praying Heaven that
what the maiden had dreamed might come true. The maiden being lowered
into the well, the Dragon-child bade her come out of the bull's skin;
to which the maiden answered as she was advised. Thereupon in its fury,
the dragon's skin burst, and lo! there issued from it a handsome
lad. The maiden cut the bull's skin with her knife, in a hurry to
emerge, but in her haste she fell down, and one of her front teeth
was broken. She bathed the lad with goat's milk and he became a sound,
gallant youth, who at once expressed his gratitude to her for releasing
him from his horrible bondage. Just then the maiden's father came to
the mouth of the well, to see whether her dream was true or false,
and perceiving them, ran to inform the King, who hastened to the spot
accompanied by the Queen and his peers. They drew the Dragon-child
and his deliverer from the well with great joy and ceremony. They
celebrated a wedding festival for forty days and nights, and the
youth and the maiden loved one another and were married.
It came to pass, after a time, that on account of a war the
Dragon-child had to go away from home. When he was about departing he
asked his mother not to send his bride away, not even to her father's,
lest some misfortune should befall her. The Queen promised. But a
thousand devils had entered the heart of the bride's stepmother,
who was jealous of her good luck. She came and invited the bride to
their house, saying that both she and her husband were longing to
see her. When this was refused she sent her husband, who urgently
entreated the Queen to send his daughter to his house at least for
one day. The Queen thought there could be no harm in this, and so she
let the bride go. The stepmother took her daughter and the bride for
a walk on the seashore. When they came there she said to them:
"Daughters, let us bathe."
They entered the sea to bathe. The wicked woman, pretending to help the
bride, took her toward the deep sea, where she gave her a violent push
and she was caught by the waves and was drawn by the current out to
the open sea. When she was sure that the bride had been drowned, she
hastened to the shore with her own daughter, and putting the bride's
dress on the latter, sent her to the King's palace as the true bride.
Let us turn to the fortunes of the maiden in the sea. For a long time
she struggled against the violent waves, and was saved from being
drowned by catching hold of an empty cask which happened to float near
her. The wind blew from the shore, and the current carried the cask and
the maiden away to the open sea. For three days and nights she floated
with the cask, and then she was cast upon an uninhabited shore. She
walked for a time on the coast, but saw no sign of a human being. She
was hungry, naked and very tired. The first thing she did was to gather
rushes and moss and weave for herself something like an apron to hide
her nakedness. She then gathered wild berries and ate, and quenched
her thirst from a brook nearby. While she was lingering on the banks
of the brook she noticed a small hut hidden among the bullrushes and
weeds. Proceeding thither, she looked in, and lo! a lad was sleeping
in the hut. She sat down near the door of the hut. Soon after sunset
the lad awoke, and as he was coming out of the hut, he noticed the
maiden. Thinking that she was a fairy or a demon, he made upon his
face the sign of the cross, at the same time stepping backward. But
to his surprise, seeing that she did not vanish, he said to her:
"Are you a fairy, a demon or a human being? Disclose yourself."
The maiden told him her story.
"My own story is as strange as yours," then said the lad. "I was the
only son of a rich man and had plenty to spend and enjoy. I led a
dissipated life and went hunting every day. Once it happened that I
did not shoot any game for three days in succession. I was enraged
to the verge of madness, and wandered all the night. At daybreak my
madness reached its climax, and I resolved to shoot the sun and drop
him dead from his orb that darkness might cover the world, since I
could take no game and have no pleasure. At once I grasped my bow
and arrow, took aim at the sun, who had just lifted his shining face
from behind the hills, and had hardly loosed the bowstring when I
felt a blazing palm slap me in the face; a hand of fire took hold
of my hair and cast me into this wilderness, and I heard an angry
voice thundering at me from the overhanging clouds, declaring that
I was cursed and should never see the light of the sun any more. I
thus remain abandoned here, and sleep in the hut all the day while
the sun shines, and go out only at night to procure food. If I go
out of this hut after daybreak I am doomed to die a horrible death."
As fate had so strangely cast these two youthful beings into the same
lonely place, they decided to live together, accepting one another as
husband and wife. Thus she who had been the consort of the Dragon-child
was now the companion of the Sun-child. The woman worked in the
daytime, and the man at night, and so they earned their living. But
soon married life brought a change upon the woman, who needed the
help of others, and they decided that she must go to the parents of
the Sun-child. The lad wrote the following letter to his parents:
"I herewith send you your daughter-in-law; keep her and take care of
her as my wife. But do not seek me; I cannot see the sun, I cannot
come home, neither can I enter the city. If I do come I shall surely
die; I am cursed."
Walking during the nights, and hiding himself in caves in daytime,
the lad brought his wife to the vicinity of his parents' house,
and himself went back to his lonely hut. The woman gave the letter
to her father-in-law, and was accepted. The lad's father and mother
hearing that their son was alive, said they would go and bring him,
but the bride dissuaded them, saying that they would be the means
of his death. In the fullness of time the family was cheered by the
birth of a son, which the young mother put in a cradle and rocked,
singing to it melodious lullabies from the incidents of her own
life. One night as the young mother was putting her baby to sleep,
another voice was heard out in the darkness singing a melodious
lullaby. The bride recognized the voice to be that of the Sun-child,
who had come from such a great distance, being drawn by the love of
the baby; but he could not enter. This was repeated several times
until the bride's father and mother-in-law heard that somebody was
in the habit of coming at night, and singing lullabies by turns with
their daughter-in-law. Suspicion entered into their minds that the
bride might have a lover who was making nightly calls on her. The
young woman, seeing that they were watching her with mistrust, said:
"It is your son who comes and sings lullabies; the love which he
bears to the baby draws him, but he cannot enter; the moment you
compel him to come in he dies."
"Nay, you are lying!" exclaimed her father and mother-in-law with rage;
"there must be some foul play here. We will keep watch and catch the
nightly visitor; if he proves to be our son, well and good; if not,
woe be unto you."
That night they kept watch, and when the voice from outside was
heard they ran and took hold of the man, and lo! it was their son,
who begged them, saying:
"For Heaven's sake, let me go! If by the time the sun rises I am not
hid in my hut, I die. Spare my life; I am cursed!"
This sounded to his father and mother like deceit, and they kept him
at home until daybreak. As soon as the first rays of the sun beamed
from the East, lo! the lad sank in the arms of his father and mother,
and died. He died, but strange to say, his spirit did not depart
from him entirely. They said he would revive at sunset. But not so;
at night also he was in the same benumbed state. The house was changed
into a house of sorrow; but worse than that befell. He was not dead
so that they could bury him and he was not alive so that they might
talk with him or administer a remedy. The parents took stones and
beat their own heads, they pulled their hair, and sat in ashes and
sackcloth. They lamented and wailed, but it was all of no avail. One
night the afflicted mother dreamed a dream in which this revelation
was made to her:
"Get up, put on iron sandals, take in your hand an iron rod and
travel toward the West, until your sandals are worn and your rod is
broken. Wherever holes are opened in your sandals and your rod is
broken, there you will find a remedy for your son."
There is no limit to a mother's love and pity. As soon as she awoke
in the morning she ordered the blacksmith to make her a pair of iron
sandals and an iron rod, and she set out toward the West, walking day
and night. She traveled through the countries of white men, red men,
black men; she passed through the lands of fairies, giants and genii:
she went farther than beasts and birds would dare to go; she had
gone to the very limits of the earth. There she saw at a distance a
palace built of blue marble, whither she proceeded. Before the palace
door the iron rod fell from her hand and was broken; she got out her
sandals to shake off the dust, and lo! they were worn and there was
a hole in each. She said to herself:
"It is here that I shall find a remedy for my son!"
She entered and passed through twelve courtyards in succession. Each
courtyard was surrounded by four arches, where thousands of myriads of
stars were sleeping. At the center of each courtyard there was a marble
pond with a stream of crystal water gushing from an orifice. There were
no trees, no grass, no birds, no beasts, and no other creature. A deep
silence was reigning everywhere. Upon the pond in the middle courtyard
there were four golden arches, upon which there was a golden room of
great splendor with a pearl bed in the center. Near the window there
was, sitting upon a golden throne, a Queen so fair and beautiful,
that no human being can describe her loveliness. From head to foot she
was covered with diamonds and her face beamed with rays of light. At
sight of this grandeur the poor woman was greatly amazed; she turned
pale and began to shiver like an autumn leaf before a cold blast from
the North. She fell upon her knees, and lifting her hands, was about
to speak, when suddenly the Queen interrupted her, saying:
"Human being, Heaven has never permitted a member of the human race
to enter this palace before. As you are the first mortal who has
been allowed to come so far, you must have some valid reason. From
your appearance I judge that you are a mother and have some maternal
grief. Tell it to me; be not afraid."
These words of the Queen encouraged the woman, who said:
"Long live the Queen! Yes, I am a mother, and have traveled so far
to ask the life of my only son."
And she told her story, to which the Queen made answer:
"Your son was an evil boy. I am a mother myself. The Sun is my son,
by whose living rays heaven and earth are illumined. Your son was
so wicked that he wanted to shoot my son, the giver of life to
the universe. All kinds of sins may be pardonable to a man, but a
sin against the sole source of life is not pardonable. Your son was
therefore doomed to be deprived of life. He is cursed. He will live,
but not live; he will die, but not die."
"I am a mother," repeated the woman, "come to beg the life of my
son. I have come so far that my iron sandals are worn out, and my
iron rod is broken. I would willingly go still further if it were
necessary. For the love you bear your son, O Queen of this luminous
orb, devise a remedy for my grief!"
These words served to arouse the compassion of the Queen, who replied:
"There are very many unworthy children who enjoy life simply because of
their virtuous mothers. Let it be so with your son, O virtuous woman,
who bear such great maternal love in your heart! Now, go hide yourself
behind yonder stars. The day is growing towards evening and my son will
soon be here; if you do not hide yourself you will be burned. The first
thing he does after reaching this place is to dive in this pond; then
he comes to be nursed from my breast. Just then take a bottle full of
the water of the pond where he has been washing, and carry it home. As
soon as you sprinkle that water upon your son he will be healed."
Soon the Sun came embodied in flames. The Stars waked and stood
on their feet for a time to salute their mighty King; then they
scattered over the surface of the blue dome to twinkle in their
respective orbits, because it was night. The Sun dove into the pond,
and the Queen stretching out her hand took him out of the water. She
placed him in the bed of pearl and began to nurse him, for the Sun,
who never wears out, never grows old, is a baby from everlasting
to everlasting. The woman came out from her concealment and taking
a bottle of water from the pond, quickly retraced her steps. She
arrived safely at her home, and sprinkled the water upon her son,
who was healed. The report of this most wonderful journey of the
woman was published all over the world, and princes and philosophers
came from distant countries and from the ends of the earth to see
the woman and the Sun-child, and to hear of all these wonderful things.
Among those who came from distant lands was the Dragon-child. He
had returned safe from the wars and was surprised to find his
bride changed, although the two step-sisters very much resembled one
another. But as the Dragon-child had put a golden tooth in the place of
the front tooth of his bride, which was broken in the well, he was able
to detect the substitution. Upon a strict examination of his mother,
he discovered that the bride had been sent to her stepmother's where,
as he supposed, she had been gotten rid of, and was replaced by her
stepsister. All his efforts to find his lost bride being in vain, the
Dragon-child had come to see the Sun-child and his mother, with the
expectation of finding some means for the discovery of his wife. He
became a guest in the Sun-child's house, and told his story while
they were eating supper. The bride, who was serving at the table,
smiled and showed her golden tooth. This caused her to be discovered,
and the Sun-child told how she had come and found him. Now as they
had partaken of bread together, they had become friends, and agreed
to solve the difficulty in a friendly manner. They decided to roast
salt meat and make the bride eat it, without letting her drink. Each
was to take a pitcher of water, and they all were to go riding in the
fields. He whom she should ask for a drink must be her husband. They
did so, and took a ride in the fields, the wife accompanying them with
her child in her arms. She was thirsty, but not wishing to offend
any one of them, she kept silent for a time. Finally she saw that
she would faint and must put an end to the perplexed state.
"Sun-child! Sun-child!" she exclaimed.
The Sun-child dismounted and prepared to give her a drink. Thereupon
she exclaimed:
"Dragon-child! Dragon-child!"
He also dismounted and prepared to give her a drink. Turning to the
Sun-child, she said:
"Here, take this child whose father you are; but I am the wedded wife
of the Dragon-child."
And she drank from the Dragon-child's pitcher, and went home with him.
Thus their trouble ended and they attained their wishes. May all
who are afflicted find consolation. Three apples fell from heaven;
one for me, one for the story-teller, and one for him who entertained
the company.
MIRZA.
A king, on suspicion of an attempt to usurp the throne, had put his
brother in chains and suspended him between heaven and earth. The King
was old, and the day of his death being near, he called his three
sons, and advised them not to leave the throne empty, lest their
uncle should usurp it and put them to death. After giving the young
Princes other important counsel, the old King died. The oldest son,
who succeeded his father on the throne, one day went fowling. The
youngest brother, whose name was Mirza, remembering their father's
advice, immediately leaped up and sat on the throne. In the evening
the oldest brother returned and began to scold Mirza, saying:
"How now, rogue! Have you a mind to usurp my throne?"
"No, your majesty," replied Mirza; "I sat on the throne lest our
uncle, finding it empty, should usurp it. But if it displeases you
I will not do it again."
On the following day the King again went fowling, and the throne
was left empty. Suddenly a loud jangling of chains was heard, and
lo! the uncle, having broken the fetters, descended from the skies
and seated himself on the empty throne. Forthwith he ordered his men
to put the three brothers to death, but his officials interceded and
begged the King not to kill his nephews, but to banish them from the
country. The King consented, and the three brothers were banished.
The lot of the three Princes was now to lead a sad, wandering life
in the dreary desert. After a long journey, they came to a ruined
mill just at the time when the sun was going down. The elder brothers
at once dismounted to spend the night in the ruined mill, but Mirza
implored them not to do so, saying:
"Brothers, when our father died he advised us that in case our uncle
usurped the throne and banished us, we must take heed not to lodge
in a ruined mill, not to camp on a green meadow, and not to resort
to the Black Mountain. Come, be advised, lest worse trouble befall."
"Hush, coward!" said the elder brothers, and they prepared to lodge
in the mill. The oldest brother said:
"Let us turn the horses out to pasture, and do you two go to bed;
I will keep watch all night."
After eating their meal the two younger brothers went to bed, while
the oldest began his watch. Mirza shut his eyes and pretended to sleep,
peeping, however, through his eyelashes to see what his oldest brother
was doing. After watching a while the latter was tired, withdrew
and went to bed. By the snoring of his brothers, Mirza understood
that they had fallen into sound sleep. He rose, girded on his magic
sword, and taking his bow and arrow, began to walk about and to keep
watch. In the middle of the night he saw, at a distance, the gleaming
of a light which drew nearer and nearer, and soon, to his terror,
he saw a horrible dragon with seven heads, on each of which was an
enormous jewel burning like a torch. It approached his brothers and
was about to devour them, when Mirza took aim and shot all its seven
heads with a single arrow. The monster stretched itself on the ground,
hissing and wheezing. The lad drew his magic sword, and cutting the
dragon to pieces put the seven jewels in his pocket. He spent the rest
of the night watching, and toward morning went to bed and pretended
to sleep. On the morrow the oldest brother awoke and nudged Mirza in
the side, saying:
"Get up, ho! have you not slept enough? I was guarding your repose
all night long."
All three rose and started upon their journey. They traveled until
they came to a green meadow, at the sight of which the two elder
brothers dismounted and began to pitch their tents to spend the night,
in spite of the entreaties of Mirza, who reminded them of the advice
of their father to avoid the green meadow.
"What a coward you are!" exclaimed the second brother. "You need
not be so much afraid; I will keep guard to-night," and dismounting,
all three pitched their tents on the green meadow. The second brother
kept watch till midnight, and then went to bed. Mirza, who was only
pretending to sleep, hearing his second brother snore soundly, got up,
girded on his magic sword, and taking his bow and arrows, began to
keep watch. Soon he saw something approaching the tents. As it drew
nearer, he could see that it was a terrible giantess, with one of her
lips reaching the skies, and the other sweeping the ground. He at once
took ambush in a neighboring trench, and aimed an arrow toward her,
saying to himself:
"If she does no harm to my brothers I will not shoot her."
The giantess arrived and was apparently surprised to find three tents,
and three horses, but only two men. However, she came to the conclusion
that the third human being had been devoured by the wild beasts. She
then approached the two sleeping lads and hung a sleep-ring on an
ear of each, saying:
"Sleep now, until I send my seven sons to devour you."
Mirza followed her until she came to a large rock, which was the gate
of an underground cave. She turned the rock over, and entering the
cave, exclaimed to her sons:
"Get up, boys! I have found a good meal for you. Go make your repast
on the two human beings, and save a portion for me." Mirza stood at
the cave's entrance with his magic sword, and cut off the head of
each giant as they came out one by one. Then he entered the cave,
and taking hold of the giantess, said:
"Ugly hag! did you dare to send your sons to devour my
brothers! Here! share the fate of your younglings." So speaking, he
cut her head off too. He came back and found his brothers snoring as
before. He took the sleep-rings from their ears, and at daybreak went
to bed and feigned sleep. In the morning the second brother jogged
Mirza, saying:
"Get up, ho! will you sleep till noon? Have a little mercy on me,
who have watched all the night."
They all rose and mounted their horses. That day they came to the
Black Mountain, where the two elder brothers desired to camp. Mirza
began again to implore them, saying:
"This time, at least, let us follow the advice of our father and not
halt on this enchanted ground; let us avoid a third disaster which
may perhaps be fatal."
"What a coward you are!" exclaimed his brothers. "What danger was
there in lodging in the mill or in camping on the green meadows? As
it is your turn to watch to-night, you grumble. Be silent! We will
camp here to-night, and you must keep watch."
They pitched their tents, and after a meal, the two elder brothers soon
went to bed. Mirza girded on his magic sword, took his bow and arrows,
and began his watch. The first part of the night was quiet. After
midnight he sat down to take a little rest, and on account of his
sleeplessness on the two previous nights, he soon fell asleep. When
he opened his eyes it was near daybreak. He rose, and to his great
dismay he found the fire was out. It was a sign that he had slept and
this would disgrace him. He could not start the fire anew because the
flint and steel were in the pockets of the other brothers. He ran
to the top of the neighboring hill, whence he saw a light gleaming
at a distance. He determined to fetch embers from that light, and
make his own fire. On the hilltop he met an old man winding a ball
of black thread, while another ball of white thread lay near him.
"Good-day to you, father!" said the lad.
"God's blessing rest upon you!" answered the old man.
"Who are you, and what are these balls?" asked Mirza.
"I am Time," answered the old man; "this black ball signifies the
night, which as you see, is near its end. As soon as it finishes, the
morning breaks. Then I will roll this white ball, which represents
the day, down the hill, and it will go on unwrapping until it is
noon. I shall then wrap it again, and finish just when it is evening."
Mirza snatched the black ball from the old man's hand, and rolling
it down the hill, unwrapped it, saying:
"Now, father, wrap it up again. I wish this night to be a little
longer, for I have much to do."
So saying, he proceeded toward the gleaming light. On arriving he
saw that it came from a cave, with a fireplace over which there was a
great cauldron with forty handles. The meat of seven oxen was cooking
in the cauldron, around which forty giants were lying asleep. The
youth approached the fireplace, seized the cauldron, put it down,
taking some embers from under, replaced it and started back on his
way. It chanced that one of the giants was watching, and saw what the
lad did. As soon as Mirza disappeared, he woke his brothers and told
them what the human being had done. All the forty were surprised,
and bit their lips upon hearing this marvelous news in regard to a
human being, who had displayed a strength surpassing the united force
of the forty brothers. At once they decided to make that human hero
their partner; so accordingly they ran after him, and overtaking him,
proposed to him to be their brother. The lad consented, and they
adopted each other as brothers, exchanging promises to go to one
another's assistance in case of need. Mirza returned to the camp,
and after starting the fire, lay down to take a morning nap. By that
time his brothers awakened, and jogged him in the side, saying:
"Get up! we have been watching this night also, and do you still
sleep?"
He did not utter a word. They all mounted their horses and went their
way until they came to the city of the King of the Black Mountain,
and camped in a meadow outside the city. In the middle of the night
as Mirza was keeping watch around the camp, he saw giants proceeding
toward the palace of the King. Coming nearer he perceived that they
were his adopted brothers each carrying a large iron nail as long as
a man is high.
"God speed!" said Mirza.
"Well met!" answered the giants; "come and help us in our enterprise
to-night, and here are three golden apples as a present for you. The
King has three daughters whom we have been hunting for seven years,
but cannot find. We have prepared these three golden apples for their
love, but we will give them to you if you help us. We have made these
iron nails to use in climbing the walls."
Mirza's anger began to boil, but he carefully concealed his feeling.
"Very well," he said, at last, "this very night you will attain your
desires, but you must obey me."
He walked at their head and the giants followed until they came to
the foot of the palace wall. He took the iron nails, and thrusting
them into the wall with his thumb, formed a row of steps by which he
could ascend to the top of the wall. He then ordered the giants to
mount, and as they went up one by one, he cut off their heads with
his magic sword, throwing their bodies into a trench on the other
side. Then cutting off the ears of each, he put them in his pocket,
and arranged their heads in a row on the top of the wall. After that
he jumped over and entered the palace. In the King's bedchamber he
saw a golden candlestick burning at the head of the King's bed, and
a silver candlestick burning at the foot. Mirza changed the places
of the candlesticks, and drank the syrup which was in the golden cup
near the King. As he was going out, he saw a dragon coiled around
the pillar ready to devour the King. At once he drew his dagger,
and stabbed the dragon, nailing it to the pillar. Next he took the
King's dagger from under his pillow and put it in his belt. Then
he entered the bedchamber of the three maidens, drank the syrup in
their golden cups and placed a golden apple on the pillow of each,
thus betrothing the oldest to his oldest brother, the middle one to
his middle brother, and the youngest to himself. He also placed on
the pillow of the youngest maiden a necklace made of the seven jewels
which he had taken by killing the seven-headed dragon in the ruined
mill. Then he came back to his tent, and at daybreak went to bed.
When morning came there was a great tumult among the people of
the city, who had seen the heads of the forty giants who had been
butchered. Informants ran to the King bearing the glad tidings that his
forty troublesome enemies had all been killed, that their bodies were
lying in the trench and their heads were on the top of the wall. The
King, who by that time had discovered what had happened in his palace,
was filled with amazement. His peers and subjects came to congratulate
him. Upon this the King sent out heralds to proclaim that the one who
did all these things, whoever he might be, must present himself. Not
only should he become the son-in-law of the King by marrying the most
beautiful of the three maidens, but the King would gladly bestow on
him any gift which he might ask. Thousands appeared before the King
claiming to be the hero, but none could prove it. No man was left in
the city who did not make his appearance before the sovereign. Then
the King bade his men call the strangers who were camping without
the walls. Mirza feigned sickness, and at first did not go. His two
brothers feared that they were to be fined for trampling upon the
King's ground, but as soon as they were told wherefore they were
called, they began to boast that they had done the heroic deed,
yet upon trial they also were turned back in shame.
"Is there no one else left?" inquired the King.
"Nobody," answered the attendant, "except a sickly boy lying in the
tent of these strangers."
"Bring him hither," ordered the King.
Mirza, seeing the King's attendant about to force him to go, rose,
and leaping on the back of his horse, made his appearance before the
King. He put before him the ears of the forty giants and told the
King how he slew them, how he changed the places of the candlesticks,
how he stabbed the dragon, and betrothed the King's daughters to his
brothers and to himself. He gave to the King the dagger, and drew out
from the pillar his own dagger which neither the King nor his peers
had been able to withdraw. The King sprang from his throne and kissed
Mirza on the forehead, exclaiming:
"May Heaven bless you, worthy hero! You are my beloved son-in-law,
and after my death my throne is yours."
His brothers bowed down before Mirza, saying:
"Pardon our harshness; hereafter you are our elder brother and we
are your subordinates."
After that there was a great wedding festival for forty days and forty
nights, and the three maidens were given in marriage to the three
brothers. At the nuptials, however, the brides said to the bridegrooms:
"We are not for you, such frail men as you are. Do you think killing
forty dwarfish giants a heroic act? Not so. We have our lover, upon
whose breast roses and lilies grow. If you are men of valor, go fight
the Roaring Giant, our lover; if you can overcome him we are yours,
but not until you do so."
On the following morning, Mirza advised his brothers to keep silent
and not reveal their secret, lest they should be the laughing-stock of
the people. He took leave of the King, saying that he had an important
work to do, and would be absent for two months. He started, and after
a long journey came to a white castle. A maiden as beautiful as the
moon was sitting in the window working with her needle. Seeing the lad,
she said to him:
"Human being, neither the snake on its belly, nor the bird with its
wing could come here! How could you venture to come?"
"Your love brought me hither, fair maiden," answered the lad.
"Here is food for you," said the maiden, letting down from the window
a basket; "eat, and go your way. This castle belongs to the White
Giant. Go away before he comes, lest he devour you."
"Who are you, fair maiden? Who has brought you hither?" inquired
the lad.
"My father is the King of India. We were three sisters, but the White
Giant, the Red Giant, and the Black Giant stole us and brought us
into this lonely country. It has been seven years since I have seen
a human being."
Mirza asked if she knew where the Roaring Giant lived.
"You must pass the lands of the Red Giant and the Black Giant before
you arrive," said the maiden.
"Farewell!" said Mirza.
"Farewell!" said the fair maiden, sighing.
Mirza continued on his way. Toward evening he saw the White Giant
returning from hunting. He detected his presence by the human smell,
and seeing Mirza, exclaimed:
"What luck! I have not tasted human flesh for a long time;" and he
assailed Mirza, to devour him.
"Halt!" exclaimed the lad, preparing his bow and arrow. "I shall
prove a hard nut for you to crack. My name is Mirza. I have so far
butchered forty-seven giants; you are the forty-eighth."
He shot his arrow, which passed through the giant's heart and nailed
him to the ground. Drawing his magic sword, he cut off his head,
and thrusting it on his sword's point took it to the white castle
and called to the maiden:
"Fair Princess, here is the head of the White Giant, whom I have
sacrificed to your love."
The maiden seeing it from the window, ran wild with joy. At once she
opened the door of the castle, saying:
"Enter, and may Heaven bless you, who came to deliver me from my
bondage!"
The lad entered, and that night lodged in the castle. On the morning,
when departing, he put on the maiden's finger a ring, saying:
"Now you are the betrothed of my oldest brother. After fighting the
other giants I will come back and carry you with me."
And he took leave of her. After a long journey he came to a black
castle with a beautiful maiden sitting in the window, who gave him
refreshment as the former had done. Leaving her, he met the Black
Giant, and killing him as he had the former one, brought his head to
the maiden. He spent the night there, and on the following morning,
putting a ring on the finger of the maiden, betrothed her to his
second brother. Another long journey brought him to a red castle. A
maiden as beautiful as the sun was sitting in the window and working
with her needle. The lad at first glance fell in love with her. She
also had fallen in love with him at first sight, and said to him:
"Human being, for Heaven's sake, beware of the Red Giant!"
"I have come on purpose to fight with him, fair creature," answered
the lad. "I have already killed the White Giant and the Black Giant
and freed your sisters."
"But the Red Giant is a sorcerer," said the maiden, "and when brought
to bay, changes himself into a mound of earth, with a hole at the
top, whence he pours out smoke and flames, and devours everyone who
ventures to go near."
He had hardly departed from the maiden, when lo! the Red Giant
appeared, brandishing his terrible mace.
"Aha!" exclaimed the Giant, seeing the lad, "a delicious morsel indeed
is this which has come to me of its own free will."
"Nay, come, let us fight," said the lad, "and see who shall be the
morsel, I or you!" and he prepared his bow and arrow.
"Dwarfish human being!" exclaimed the giant, "how can you oppose me?"
Saying this, he threw his mace at the lad, who took hold of it,
exclaiming:
"I have killed forty-nine giants, your White and Black brothers
included. Mirza is my name; do you think you will escape from my hand?"
When the giant heard that this was Mirza, the terror of the giants, he
was so frightened that he at once changed himself into a red mound with
smoke and flames shooting out from the hole in its top. Immediately the
lad jumped on the mound, drew his magic sword and thrusting it into the
smoking hole, began quickly to stir it until the heart and intestines
of the Giant were cut to pieces and were thrown out of the orifice. The
youth then jumped down, and lo! the mound fell and was ruined. Mirza
then went back to the red castle and called to the maiden.
"Fair Princess," he said, showing her his sword dyed with blood and
the pieces of the giant's heart and intestines still clinging to it,
"I have sacrificed the Red Giant to your love."
The maiden was almost wild with joy. She opened the door, and embracing
Mirza's feet, exclaimed:
"Hero! you have saved me; I owe you my life and all my being. I am
still a virgin, and though unworthy to be your wife, for Heaven's
sake accept me as your handmaid!"
"Nay, fair maiden, you are my love, you are my betrothed if you do
love me," said the lad, putting a ring on her finger.
Then the lad asked her concerning the place where lived the Roaring
Giant.
"Be advised, do not go," said the maiden. "The Roaring Giant is a cruel
tyrant; you will not come back alive; do not go. He is vulnerable only
by his own bow and arrows, and who shall give them to you that you may
shoot him with them? It is impossible. For the sake of the love you
bear to me, do not go, or take me with you that I may die with you,"
and the maiden began to sob.
"Nay, love, do not cry," said the lad, "I must go at any risk."
And he started. After a long journey he came to a magnificent castle
decorated with gold and jewels. It was the castle of the Roaring
Giant. It was toward evening when the lad arrived. At once he took the
shape of a servant, sprinkled water about the palace, swept all clean,
and hid himself behind the trees and bushes. Soon a noise like that
of thunder was heard, from the distant mountains. It was the Roaring
Giant who was coming from fowling. Every bird, every beast of the
forest hid itself on hearing the noise of the giant. Mirza's hair
stood on end, and he felt what a terrible task it was which he had
undertaken. The giant, seeing the courtyard round the palace swept
and cleaned was pleased, and soliloquized to himself:
"This must be the work of a human being; I must find him out; it
would be pleasant to have a human servant." And he exclaimed:
"Where are you, human being? Who are you? Come out from your hiding
place. I will not hurt you, but give you what you desire."
Mirza leaped out from his place of concealment, and stood before the
Roaring Giant, saying in a humble voice:
"My lord, I have lost my companions and gone astray. Heaven was kind
enough to guide me until I came to your door. Will you accept me as
your servant?"
The giant accepted him, and the lad served so diligently and devotedly
that the giant was greatly pleased, and held him in high esteem. One
day the giant and the lad entered the flower garden. Roses,
violets and other flowers of every color and perfume grew there
luxuriously. Nightingales, birds of paradise, and all kinds of birds
and beasts of the forest were there. In the middle of the orchard
a fountain gushed out its crystal waters, and formed a pond amid
overhanging verdure. It was, throughout, a paradise.
"Bring those flower pots and put them around this pond," said the
giant to the lad. "Bring here all kinds of delicious foods, which you
have prepared. Every day this week we shall have company, and we must
prepare for them."
The lad made the necessary preparations meditating to himself that
the expected guests were no doubt the three sisters, the wives of
himself and his brothers. Near the pond there was a tree on which
the giant had hung his bow and arrows. The lad took them down.
"Halloo! what are you doing?" exclaimed the giant.
"Master, I wish to take the cloth and clean them," answered the lad.
Soon the arrow fell down.
"Bring it to me," said the giant, and putting the arrow in the bow
handed it over to the lad. He took it and went backward as if to hang
it up. He had scarcely come to the tree, when he turned to the giant
and took aim at his heart.
"Alas!" exclaimed the giant.
"Nay, I have come expressly to take your life," said Mirza. "I am
Mirza. I have killed fifty giants; you are the fifty-first."
Whiz! and the arrow was flung and pierced the Roaring Giant through
the heart and nailed him to the ground. He uttered his last roar,
and then lay dead as a stone. The lad thereupon hid himself behind
a tree near the pond to see what might happen.
Soon three turtledoves came from the sky flapping their wings and
perched gently on the border of the pond. At once they dove into the
water and were changed into three maidens. The lad saw that they were
his own wife and the wives of his brothers. He kept silent and did not
stir. The maidens, putting on the human dresses which they had brought
with them, went to embrace the Roaring Giant, who they supposed was
asleep. But seeing him nailed to the ground with an arrow through his
heart and dead, they were horror-stricken. They ran back to the pond,
and undressing themselves, leaped into the water. Just at that time,
Mirza came up and stood on the brink of the pond.
"For shame!" he exclaimed. "How now! did you see your lover? Did you
enjoy the roses and the lilies growing on his breast?"
They were horror-stricken and mute, hiding their faces with their
hands. Mirza cut pieces from the skirts of their dresses, and let
them go. They were turned to turtledoves, and flew away with drooping
wings. Thereupon Mirza entering the palace of the Roaring Giant,
gathered all the riches and loaded them on forty camels. He then went
and took the three Princesses whom he had betrothed to himself and his
brothers, also the wealth of the Red, Black and White giants. Then
he drove back and came again to the city of the King of the Black
Mountain. The King hearing that Mirza had come, bringing inestimable
wealth, hastened to meet him at the city gate, all his noblemen and
peers accompanying him. As soon as they met, Mirza said to the King:
"I cannot talk with you until you convoke a meeting of all the noblemen
and wise men of your realm to try your three daughters."
"What!" said the King, "is it not a shame to bring maidens to trial?"
"Nay," said the lad, "your daughters are false, and shameless;
they must be tried and punished as an example to the womanhood of
the realm. If you do not call a meeting as I have requested, I will
leave you and go elsewhere."
Now the King loved Mirza as his very life, and could not part with
him. So he gave the order and all the peers and wise men of his realm
were summoned to a parliament. The three maidens were brought before
the court. Mirza recited his adventures, and placed before the court
the pieces which he had cut from the dresses of the maidens. On being
put in their respective places they fitted. Thus everything being
proved, the maidens could not deny it. The court gave its decision,
which the King sanctioned. Thereupon the three daughters of the King
were bound by their hair to the tails of three wild horses, which were
whipped up and carried them away to the wilderness, dashing them from
stone to stone until they were cut into pieces.
Then the King adopted the three Princesses whom Mirza had brought
with him. A wedding festival for forty days and nights was celebrated,
and the three maidens were given in marriage to the three brothers.
Three apples fell from heaven; one for me, one for the story-teller,
and one for him who entertained the company.
THE MAGIC RING.
Long ago there was an old woman who had a son. She always advised
him not to cause injury to any man, and not to torture or kill any
animal or beast, no matter how despised it might be. They were very
poor. The lad went to the forest every day, and brought a bundle of
wood on his back. He sold it for twopence and bought bread for his
aged mother and himself. One day he saw that the village boys were
torturing a kitten and taking pleasure in its cries.
"Why do you torture the poor animal?" said the lad to the boys;
"let it go."
"Give us your pennies, and we will let it go," said the boys.
He at once gave them the twopence which he had earned that day by
selling his wood, and took the kitten home with him. Both mother and
son went to bed hungry that night. On the following day he took the
kitten with him to the forest, and that evening the bundle of wood
was sold at fourpence. He paid twopence for bread, and putting the
other twopence in his pocket was returning home, when he met the
village boys who were this time torturing a mouse. The lad gave his
twopence to the boys, and took the mouse home with him. On the third
day he saved a whelp of a dog and brought it home. On the fourth
day he saved a little snake, and putting it in a jug, kept it at
home. On the following day he took all the animals and went to the
forest to cut wood. At noon he sat at a fountain to eat his lunch,
and gave a share of it to the animals. He took the snake out of the
jug and let it go, but the reptile would not leave him. He then gave
it a piece of bread. As soon as it bit the bread, lo! it was changed
into a pretty boy, and said to the lad:
"I am the son of the King of India; magicians stole me and changed
me into a snake. The enchantment was such that the moment a human
being gave me bread to eat with his own hand, I should again change
into a boy. I escaped from the hands of the magicians, and came to
the village for the purpose of biting a piece of bread from a human
hand, but the village urchins found me and were about to kill me when
you saved me. I owe you my life and my freedom from the magician's
spell. Now let me advise you. When I go home to my father he will
be so happy to see me that he will wish to reward you with the
most precious things in his kingdom. But when he asks you to demand
something from him, be careful and request only the ring which he
has on his finger. It is a magic ring, and the moment you turn its
jewel upside-down two genii will wait on you to do your will, and
will bring for you anything that you may desire."
The lad accompanied the boy to the court of the King of India, who
was so glad at the sight of his child that he was almost beside
himself with joy. The boy told his father all that had happened,
and presented the lad as the deliverer of his life.
"Ask of me what you will," said the King to the lad, "you have saved
the heir apparent, and I will give you whatever you demand, even to
the half of my kingdom."
"Long live the King!" said the lad. "I desire only the ring on your
finger."
"A plague upon him who advised you!" said the King; "you have demanded
the costliest thing I have. But as I have promised I must give it
to you."
So saying he gave the ring to the lad, and ordered his saddlebags to
be filled with gold. The lad came back to his aged mother and told
her what had happened.
"Well then, son," said the old woman, "let me go and ask our King to
give you his daughter in marriage."
The lad consented, and the old woman, after buying for herself a new
dress and adorning herself as best she could, went to the court.
"What do you want?" said the King.
"Long live the King!" said the old woman. "I have come to ask you by
God's order, to give your daughter in marriage to my son."
"Good," said the King; "but has your son the equivalent of the dower
that I can give to my daughter?"
"Certainly he has," answered the woman, "how much do you want him
to have?"
"He must have a treasure full of gold like mine, and a magnificent
palace like mine. The road between my palace and his must be covered
with a single soft rug, and on both sides shady trees must grow,
and under them horsemen ride from one end to the other on horses all
milky white. If he can procure these I will give him my daughter in
marriage; if not, I will not."
The old woman returned and told the lad what the King had said. The lad
turned the jewel of the ring, and lo! two genii presented themselves
with their hands folded upon their breasts, saying:
"Tell us your will, and we will do it immediately."
The lad ordered them to prepare all that the King had
demanded. Everything was ready in one night. On the following day
the King was greatly pleased with the palace and everything in it,
and gave his daughter in marriage. There they lived in happiness
until the death of the old woman.
But there was a Jew who had heard of the magic ring, and he was anxious
to get it. He took on the shape of a peddler, and came to the palace
at a time when the lad had gone hunting, and there was no one there
besides the Princess. She opened the door to look at the goods of
the peddler.
"I peddle nice goods for ladies," said the clever Jew; "and in order
to give ladies facility, I do not care to sell them for money, but
exchange for old jewelry, such as rings and the like. Any lady will
have some old rings which she can give in return for beautiful goods."
"Let me see if we have rings at home which I can give you for your
goods," said the Princess.
She went in, and came back with the magic ring, saying:
"Here, I have found this among my husband's things; I think it will
do for you."
The Jew gave some rubbish in exchange for the precious ring. As soon
as he put it on his finger, he turned the jewel, and lo! the two
genii stood before him, ready to do his commands.
"I wish you to take this palace, with me in it, and carry it to the
Island of the Seven Seas, and I wish you to throw the former owner
into the unfathomable sea." He had hardly finished his words when the
palace, with the Princess and the Jew, was transported to the Island of
the Seven Seas. Then the genii seized the lad, and were about to throw
him into the bottomless sea, when they took pity on him, he being their
former master, and left him in a wilderness on the shore. This was a
dreadful change for the youth. He traveled a long way, and at length
came to the hut of a fisherman, who accepted him as an apprentice.
But let us return to the animals. The dog, the cat and the mouse,
seeing what misfortune had come to their master, decided to go to
the Island of the Seven Seas, and getting the ring from the Jew,
take it to their master, whom they knew by instinct to have become
the apprentice of a fisherman. They immediately started and soon came
to the sea. The dog entered the water, the cat took her seat on his
neck, while the mouse rode on the cat's back. The dog began to swim,
and proved to be an expert in the art.
"We hope our weight will not cause you to sink brother dog," said
the cat and the mouse.
"Pshaw!" said the dog, proudly, "you are as light as a feather,
and speak of sinking me! Nay, be careful not to be blown away from
my back by the wind of my respiration."
And out of his mouth he hung his long tongue. So swimming, at last they
came to the Island of the Seven Seas, where they saw their master's
palace. It was night. The dog stood at the bottom of the wall while
the cat with the mouse on her back climbed up until they came to the
window. But as it was closed it was now the turn of the mouse to do
his part. He gnawed the board with his fine teeth and opened a hole
large enough for himself to go through. Entering, he looked everywhere
for the ring, but it could not be found. The Jew was asleep.
"Look at the Jew's fingers," whispered the cat from without.
But it was not there.
"Look in his mouth," whispered the cat.
The mouse made a careful examination, and lo! the ring was in the
Jew's mouth. But how to get it? The mouse saw that the Jew had put
his snuffbox near his bed. He first ran to the cellar, and soaked his
tail in vinegar; then coming back he thrust it into the snuffbox. He
repeated this several times, until his tail was well stiffened with
a coating of vinegar and snuff. He went then to the sleeping Jew,
and perching upon his beard thrust his tail into his nostril as far
as it could go.
This caused the Jew to sneeze with all his might, and lo! the
ring was flung from his mouth. The mouse uttered a shriek of joy,
and snatching the ring from the floor, in the twinkling of an eye
disappeared through the hole. The Jew immediately arose, and lighting
a candle began to search for the ring. Not finding it, he thought to
look for it in the morning, and again went to bed. The mouse and the
cat descended the wall to their big-mouthed friend, who was looking
at them wistfully. The dog again entered the water, the cat took
her place on his back, and the mouse rested on the cat's back. They
decided that the ring should be in the cat's mouth. This time they
began to swim toward the opposite shore of the sea, where the lad was
serving the fisherman. They crossed the Seven Seas and approached the
shore safely. As soon as they saw the land and their master's hut,
the dog said to his companions:
"I am swimming for you, but you have the ring. You will give it to
master, who will praise you; while I, who have worked the hardest,
will not receive any credit. Not so; you must put the ring in my
mouth before we reach the land."
"Brother dog," said the cat, "now you are tired and see how you
keep your mouth open all the time and stretch your tongue out. If we
put the ring in your mouth, we are afraid you will drop it into the
sea. But as soon as we reach the land, we will give the ring to you,
that you may give it to master."
"No," said the dog, "you must give it now, or else I will drop you
into the sea."
He began to shake them, threatening to drown them. The cat, therefore,
was obliged to place the ring in the dog's mouth. But he could not
keep his mouth shut a single minute. He opened his mouth, stretched
his tongue, began to pant, and lo! the ring fell into the sea. They
came ashore, but all in great excitement. The mouse and the cat
began to beat the dog, who thrust his tail between his hind legs as
if to acknowledge his fault, but had to defend himself against the
sharp paws of the cat and the fine teeth of the mouse. Quarreling
and howling and rolling upon the sand, they came to the fisherman's
hut. The lad, with his natural kindness to animals, came out to
separate the fighters, and lo! they were his own friends. Seeing
the lad, all three paid him their respects, but again began to fight
one another, this time more severely. The youth, seeing that it was
impossible to leave them in this way, provided three ropes, and bound
them separately. He gave them food and drink, and tried to calm their
anger. On the following day he drew out a net full of fishes, and sat
down to prepare them for market. Among them was a large fish. As soon
as the lad seized it, there was excitement among the animals. The dog
barked, the cat mewed, and the mouse shrieked, and all three tried to
cut their ropes. The lad had hardly cut the fish open when the mouse,
having gnawed its rope, ran and plunged into the belly of the fish,
and in the twinkling of an eye came out with the magic ring in its
mouth, for the fish had swallowed the ring. The mouse jumped upon
his master's lap and presented the ring, at sight of which the lad
understood why the animals were troubled. He untied them, and kissing
the three, expressed his gratitude for their brave enterprise. Then
he turned the jewel, and lo! the two genii presented themselves.
"I want my palace to be restored to its place, myself to be placed
in it again, and the Jew to be thrown into the bottomless sea,"
said the lad.
He had barely finished his sentence when he found himself and
his animal friends in his palace once more, and near him was his
wife. The Jew was cast into the bottomless sea, where he is sinking
everlastingly but never reaches the bottom. Thus the wicked one was
punished and the virtuous one attained his wishes. May Heaven grant
that you may all be virtuous and attain your wishes!
Three apples fell from heaven; one for me, one for the story-teller,
and one for the man who entertained the company.
THE TWINS.
In the Springtime a certain King pitched his tent in a flowery meadow
tract, among shady trees and near a gurgling brook. There came from the
village three sisters, maidens of marriageable age, to gather flowers
and edible vegetables. At noon-time they sat down on the bank of the
crystal brook, not far from the royal tent, and began to prattle.
"If the King takes me in marriage for his eldest son," said the oldest
maiden, "I will weave for him a tent so big that it will accommodate
all his army, and yet one-half of it will be empty."
"If the King takes me in marriage for his second son," said the second
maiden, "I will weave for him a rug so big that it will accommodate
all his court and the people of his realm, and yet half of it will
be left empty."
"I will not brag," said the youngest sister; "but if the King takes
me in marriage for his youngest son, and if it pleases Heaven, I will
give birth to twins,--a silver-haired boy and a golden-haired girl."
The two older maidens laughed at their young sister and ridiculed
her. The King, who was listening to the talk of the maidens from behind
the arras, was pleased with them and gave all three in marriage to
his three sons. One day he asked of the oldest sister:
"Where is the tent which you were going to weave?"
"It was only vain prattle we sisters were indulging in," said she.
"Where is your rug?" inquired the King of the second sister.
"It was merely idle talk," replied she.
"And where are your twins?" asked he of the youngest sister.
"If it pleases Heaven I will bear them in the fulness of time,"
replied she.
The older sisters became very envious of their younger sister and they
vowed to be revenged, for now the love and caresses of the whole court
seemed to be bestowed upon her. One night there came to the arms of
the youngest sister the promised silver-haired boy and golden-haired
girl. The envious sisters immediately took the babies away and put
them into a chest which they threw into the river. Bringing a pair of
puppies, they placed them by the bedside of the young mother. Then they
went to the young Prince and informed him that his beloved wife was
mother to the two puppies. The young Prince was horror-stricken. The
King was mad with rage. He ordered his servants to wrap the young
woman in a camel's hide and put her in the corner by the palace door,
so that every one who entered the palace might spit in her face,
for her base conduct in thus bringing shame upon those who had loved
and favored her. The King's order was at once put into execution.
It so happened that there was an old man and his wife living in a hut
on the banks of the river on the outskirts of the city. The old man
used to cast his nets into the river every day and catch two fish,
one for himself and one for his wife. On that day he threw his net
for fish, and lo! a chest was drawn out. He took it to his hut where
he and his wife opening it saw that there was in it a pair of pretty
babies. The silver-haired boy had put his thumb into the mouth of the
golden-haired girl, and the girl had put her thumb into the mouth of
the boy. So they were sucking one another's thumbs and were not crying
at all. The aged couple looked upon them with great joy and said:
"Thank Heaven! We were till now without offspring, and lo! Heaven
has now granted us twins."
The old dame washed the babies, and lo! gold and silver fell down
from their hair. She said to her husband,--
"Now, husband, get up and take this gold and silver to the mart and
buy for us a cow that we may feed the babies with milk."
The old man went, and with that silver and gold bought not only
a cow, but a great many other things necessary for the twins, who
were brought up with great care and kindness, although in an obscure
hut. The children grew rapidly and became a great comfort to the aged
couple. The boy grew to be a brave lad and became a hunter, and the
girl grew to be a beautiful, intelligent maiden. The aged couple,
following the course of the world, died when the children were
quite young. The girl had only once heard from the old woman that
they were fished from the river in a chest, and that the despised
woman in the King's palace door was their mother, whom the King's
two daughters-in-law had put in that position by falsehood. After
the death of their benefactors, the sister and brother continued to
live in the hut. The lad went hunting, and the maiden used to visit
the court, for the purpose of seeing their mother; but, following the
advice of her deceased godmother, she did not let herself be known,
lest mischief should befall herself and her brother. She learned,
however, all that was going on in the royal palace. One day the lad
hunted for an antelope and found a fine one, which he secured.
"This is worthy of the King," said the lad, and took it to the
palace. The King was very much pleased. On another day he shot a lion,
whose skin he took to the King, who said to him:
"Good for you, my little hunter! Come to-morrow to the palace again;
I will praise you before my men."
The lad came home and told his sister that he was invited to the
palace by the King.
"Good!" said the maiden; "take this bouquet with you. When you enter
the King's palace you will see there, in a corner, a woman wrapped in
the hide of a camel, and buried in the dust up to her waist. All who
enter the door spit in her face; for my sake, do throw this bunch of
roses to her as you pass by her."
"All right," said the lad; and on the following day, as he was
entering the palace, he threw the bunch of roses to the despised
woman. He then entered the King's apartment, where both the King and
the courtiers were very much pleased with him. His manly bearing and
intelligent conversation were the subject of general admiration. But
the King's two daughters-in-law were very much displeased with the
little hunter, who threw a bunch of roses to their disgraced sister
instead of spitting at her. They thought there was something at the
bottom of the lad's conduct, and said to one another:
"Let us find out some means of getting rid of this urchin, lest our
secret should leak out."
As they had great influence with the King and the court, they went
to the King and said:
"Long live the King! You see that this lad is an expert hunter; he
has brought you a lion's hide; but it shall be useless as long as
there is only one. Send him to bring a dozen more lions' skins with
which to adorn the new palace."
The King liked this suggestion and sent the lad to bring him a dozen
lions' skins. The lad came home and told his sister, who said to him:
"Brother, when our godmother died she told me that we had an aunt
living somewhere among the rocks of yonder Black Mountains. In case
some difficult task was imposed upon us by the court we might go to
our aunt, who would always be glad to help us. So you had better go
to her; she will show you how to hunt twelve lions."
The lad started towards the Black Mountains. There, in a deep cavern,
he saw an old fairy woman sitting. He ran to her and at once kissed
her hand.
"Halloo!" exclaimed the old dame, "is it you, silver-haired twin?"
"Aye, auntie, it is I," answered the lad.
"And how does your golden-haired sister thrive?" the fairy woman asked.
"She humbly kisses both of your hands, auntie," said the lad.
"And what have you come for, my boy?" inquired the fairy dame.
"The King wants from me a dozen lions' skins," answered the lad.
"Well then, come and hide you under my apron till your forty cousins
come," said the old woman, hiding the lad in the folds of her skirts.
Soon the forty fairies, the sons of the old dame, came, and smelling
the lad, exclaimed:
"How now, mother! have you prepared for us a meal of human meat
to-day?"
"No, sons," answered the dame, "unless you are so cruel as to eat
your own human cousin."
"Where is he, mother?" inquired the forty, "we will not hurt him,
but talk to him."
The lad came out from under the apron of his fairy aunt.
The forty brothers were very much pleased with him and kissed him by
turns. Then they asked him about his errand, and when the lad told
them, they said:
"That is nothing, cousin, we will give you twelve lions' skins which
we are now using as quilts and replace t
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