Tales of the Wonder Club, Volume I

Tales of the Wonder Club, Volume I Page 8

by M. Y. Halidom

  CHAPTER VII.

  THE PIGMY QUEEN; A FAIRY TALE.--THE LANDLORD'S DAUGHTER'S STORY.

  Once upon a time--I think, in Germany, grandmother said that ithappened; but I am not quite sure; perhaps it never happened at all; butif it did, it was very far off, and a long time ago, that there lived avery wicked king, who, to increase his power, had leagued himself withthe evil one, and used to practise witchcraft. All sorts of witches andwizards were encouraged at his court, and the land soon becameunsufferable. Many wealthy citizens being persecuted by the malice ofthese creatures, fled the country.

  It happened one day, however, in the very midst of his crimes, that thebad king died, and was succeeded by his son, who proved in every respectthe very reverse of his father. He was a good man, of a peaceful andamiable disposition, and who had received an education far superior tothat given generally to the laity at that time.

  He had married lately a foreign princess of great wit and beauty, and onascending the throne his first act was to rid his realm of all thewitches and wizards which had infested it in his father's time. Hethreatened with death all those who should be found in the land afterten days.

  These tidings were received with murmurs of disapprobation by all thesewicked people, who would fain have wrought a charm upon the king to killhim, if they could; but the king, being a good man, was under theprotection of the good fairies. Nevertheless, the populace weredelighted at this determination of their monarch's, having known nothingbut oppression and persecution under the reign of the late king.

  A few days after the good king had given out his stern edict he wasseated on his throne, with his consort beside him, when he was informedthat a poor woman without desired to speak with him.

  The king, ever open to compassion, imagining it to be some poor widowoppressed by an unfeeling and dishonest tyrant, who sought redress forher wrongs, ordered her to be admitted into his presence. The guardsaccordingly made way for her, and a wild, ragged, squalid, andmalignant-looking beldame prostrated herself at the monarch's feet.

  "O king," she pleaded, "thou who art great and mighty, have mercy on thepoor and houseless, and cease to persecute those that do thee no harm.Know that I am queen of the witches, a race much patronised by thy latefather of blessed memory, and who were accounted worthy to dine at histable and be his constant companions."

  To which the good king replied, "My father's reign is over. Another andmore virtuous king now rules the land. My father encouraged the evil, Ithe good. Ye have heard our order; our word is irrevocable."

  Then the hag prostrated herself before the queen, and begged with muchfervour that she should intercede with the king for her, that he mightmilden her sentence.

  But the queen replied, "I have no other will than that of my husband,whose sole desire it is to benefit his country by exterminating thewicked. If I granted your request I should be an enemy to my country."

  Then the witch queen, rising to her feet and standing erect, spake tothe queen and said, "For this inclemency I curse both thee and thyhusband; and thy firstborn daughter whom thou shall shortly bring intothe world shall be a dwarf, and shall know much tribulation."

  At these words the queen was seized with great grief, and the king's irebeing roused, he commanded his guards to conduct the hag from hispresence. Hardly had she departed when a bright light filled the palaceand the queen of the fairies appeared in a chariot drawn by butterflies,and assured the king and queen that the blessings they should enjoy as areward for not granting the witch's request should counterbalance thecurses of the witch.

  "Alas!" cried her majesty, "then the witch's curse cannot be annulled?"

  "Not entirely," quoth the fairy queen, "but it can be so modified thatyou shall feel it but little. The witch has declared that your daughtershall be a dwarf, and dwarf she shall be; and that, too, of sodiminutive a stature, as not to exceed a span in height. Nevertheless, Iwill bequeath to her extraordinary beauty and talents, and she shallreign long over a contented people. Great adventures she will have to gothrough first, but her good judgement will cause her to surmount allobstacles. Furthermore, ye shall have nothing to regret during yourlifetime than that your daughter's stature is not equal to that of othermortals."

  With these words the good fairy disappeared.

  In due time the queen was brought to bed of a female child, so tiny thatit was hardly the length of the first joint of the queen's forefinger,but withal of such surprising beauty that the fame thereof spreadthroughout all the land.

  The child grew and increased each day in beauty, until it reached itsfull growth of one span in height.

  About a year after the birth of the young princess the queen was againconfined of twins, both girls, rosy and healthy of the average size ofbabes.

  As the three sisters grew up their mother did her best to instruct themin those duties which should fit them for good princesses, as well asgood wives and mothers, when a fever then raging through theland--probably part of the witch's curse--carried off the good king andqueen almost at the same time, when the eldest princess was scarceeighteen, and the three children were left in charge of a guardian.

  Now, as there was no male issue, the Princess Bertha (the name of thefirstborn) had every right to the throne. This she knew, nor ever deemedthat her right would be disputed; but her younger sisters, who wereneither so good nor so beautiful as their elder one, were suddenlyseized with envy, and began to plot together in what manner they couldsecure the crown for themselves. They had never loved their sister noreach other, but they both agreed that the rightful heiress was to bedeposed, while each of the twin sisters vaunted herself most fit togovern the country.

  Neither of them had the least intention of yielding the crown to theother, though both saw the necessity of wresting it from the lawfulheiress, as they said it would be absurd to permit such a farce as adwarf queen to rule over them. Now, this led to a very hot discussion,which the Princess Bertha, who was concealed from them in some nook inthe chamber, happened to overhear.

  This envy of her sisters grieved her very much. She herself was notambitious, and had her sisters been good to her, she would willinglyhave ceded the crown to them, but seeing their envy, her justindignation was roused, and she was determined not to be thrust asidebecause she was little of stature, so striding majestically up to them,and drawing herself up to the full extent of her tiny height, sheangrily accosted them.

  "How is it, sisters, that envy has filled your hearts, and that yemeditate an act of injustice? Know ye not that I am your lawfulsovereign? The crown is mine; I will yield it to no one."

  "Pooh!" cried both the sisters, with a laugh; "you could not wear it."

  "No matter," said Bertha. "I will have one made on purpose."

  "You!" answered one of the sisters. "Shall we have a dwarf to reign overus?"

  "What has my stature to do with my lawful right to the crown?" quoth theelder. "Think you that I am an idiot as well as a dwarf? Have I notabilities equal to yours--nay, superior. Come, don't let me hear anymore of this silly bickering, or I shall find means to punish you both."

  These big words, proceeding from such a small body, and from one, too,who had never showed herself of an imperious disposition, but hadhitherto allowed herself to be trampled upon and set at nought by themwithout a murmur, half-startled the twin sisters, and half-provokedtheir mirth.

  They were enraged at such words being used towards them by one whom theythought fit to despise, and knew not what to answer, so they only lookedat one another.

  Now, there was something in that look which told Bertha that her sisterswould make very little to-do about silencing her for ever, if she didnot remain quiet; and being so small a personage, to murder her andconceal the murder would be a matter of small difficulty, so sheprudently withdrew. But no time was to be lost; one of her sisters mightbe proclaimed queen if she did not engage the people on her side. So,wending her tiny steps to the foot of the palace stairs, she hid herselfbehind the hall door.

&n
bsp; Now, in the hall were two serving men, who were discussing as to whichof the twin sisters should wear the crown.

  "Of course," said one, "the poor little dwarf princess won't have achance."

  "Why not?" said the other. "She is the firstborn."

  "True," said the first; "if she had her rights, but you'll find thatsome day she will be found missing, and not likely to turn up again."

  "What! you don't mean to say that----"

  "Hush!" said the other, putting his finger to his lips.

  Now, the Princess Bertha had heard enough of this conversation to makeher wary, and perceiving that one of the serving men had his hat on andappeared about to leave the palace, she managed to creep unseen behindhis chair, and climbed up into his pocket. Shortly afterwards theserving man rose up to go, and left the palace.

  Then the pigmy princess, whilst snugly ensconced in the man's pocket ashe walked along the street, began to reflect what should be her nextstep.

  "Within the palace," she said to herself, "all is scheming and envy. Iam easily put out of the way when they once get me. I must escape farfrom the palace and put myself under the protection of the people. Atany rate, I'll first have a peep at the world without."

  So, thrusting her little head out of the man's pocket, she looked to theright and the left, and found herself in the middle of a large square.There was a great crowd of people, who were looking at a puppet show.The serving man whose pocket she was in also stood still to look. She,too, seized with curiosity, strained her head out of the pocket to takea peep at the puppets.

  A play was being acted in which two puppet knights were fighting for thelove of a fair lady. A sudden thought struck her. She would join thepuppets and mix in the play; it would be a way of showing herself to thepublic. So she stole out of the serving man's pocket, and takingadvantage of the people's absorbing interest in the play, creptstealthily over their feet, till she came to a box full of puppets onthe ground. The uppermost puppet in the box was a lady, gaily attired,probably the very lady for whom the puppet knights were fighting, so shelaid herself over the body of the doll, so as to be taken by the manwhen he wanted her, instead of the usual puppet.

  The very next moment the showman, who now had to bring the lady on thescene, reached down his hand without looking, and seizing the princessin lieu of the wooden doll, brought her upon the stage.

  "Cease your broils," shouted the pigmy princess in her tiny voice. "Isit thus that noble knights waste their precious blood for the love of awoman? Is not the love of a woman at her own disposal--to be granted tothe man she pleases? Will she necessarily love the victor, or will hehave the arrogance to think that he can conquer her heart as he couldconquer a foe? Cease, madmen, and spare your blood to grace thebattlefield, or to defend the rights of woman. Ye are not too plentiful,my noble knights. The realm has much need of ye.

  "Wrongs enough ye have to redress. What say ye to the grievous wrongthey are trying to do the Princess Bertha, by pushing her aside, who isthe firstborn, because they deem her too small to take her own part? Butye noble knights, who love justice, will assert her claim to the crownthroughout the kingdom, and defeat the insolent champions hired by herenvious sisters, who would defraud their own royal sovereign.

  "Proclaim throughout the land that ye will have none other to rule overyou but the rightful heiress--the Princess Bertha."

  After the princess's harangue, the showman, who had long dropped theother puppets in amazement, believing that none other than a fairy trodhis stage, stood with his eyes and mouth wide open, knowing not what todo. The spectators were in ecstasies at so beautiful and sonatural-looking a puppet, while the crowd increased ten-fold.

  The serving man in whose pocket Bertha had hidden herself had never seenthe princess, for he was not one of the servants of the palace; besideswhich, the diminutive princess was usually hidden from the vulgar gaze,the family being rather ashamed of her than otherwise; but one among thecrowd, who happened to have seen the princess once or twice on rareoccasions at the palace, cried out, "By my troth, that is the PrincessBertha herself, and none other! How comes it that she is made a puppetof in this man's vile show? Citizens, I arrest this man for hightreason!"

  The little princess, seeing the showman in danger, said to thegentleman, "No, worthy sir; do this man no harm, seeing I came here bymy own free will, without his knowledge, for the purpose of making thecountry acquainted with its future sovereign."

  The gentleman pushed his way through the crowd, and was about to lay hishand on the princess to bring her back to the palace, when a monkey nearat hand, also the property of the showman, and who happened at thatmoment to be loose, seized the diminutive princess in his arms, andclambering up the side of a house by the water spout, was soon out ofsight.

  Now, when the news of this catastrophe reached the palace, the twinprincesses were delighted that harm was likely to befall their eldersister, so that their right to the throne might be no longer disputed;nevertheless they ordered a strict search to be made for the body of thelittle princess.

  Two parties, each headed by one of the princesses, started in differentdirections to search for the missing sister, but for a long time nothingwas heard of her. Wearied at length with long search, the PrincessClothilde, one of the twins, gave out to her followers that she hadfound the body of her elder sister, but that it was so far decayed thatshe could not permit anyone to see it; so, making believe to wrap up thebody of the princess with a handkerchief, she carried it under her cloakand returned to the city, shedding false tears as she went.

  Having arrived at the palace, she ordered a coffin to be made just largeenough to contain the corpse she was supposed to have found, and when itwas ready she filled it with rubbish and ordered it to be interred withdue honours.

  Now, at that time there were two factions, one voting for the PrincessClothilde and another for her sister Carlotta. It was decided,therefore, that each should choose a champion, and she whose championshould prove victorious should rule the land.

  Great were the preparations for this grand spectacle. Two stalwartknights, the stoutest and the ablest that the land could produce, eachof whom had gained great reputation for feats of arms, faced each otherto decide their cause. The day had arrived for the combat, and thejousts were crowded with all the great people of the land. Thecombatants appeared, and charged at each other furiously, but the goodfairies who had already prophesied that the Princess Bertha shouldreign, willed not that either of the champions should win, and theycaused a thick mist to rise between them, by which means they couldneither of them see the other; nor was the sound of their horses' hoofsaudible.

  The spectators, finding that nothing could be decided on that day, wentaway discontented, and the fight was deferred till the next day. Againthe combatants appeared in the lists, and no obstacle seemed likely tointerfere with the combat; but at the moment they commenced to charge atone another the good fairies, through their art, rendered their horsesso ungovernable that each knight had enough to do to preserve his seat,and this continued all day.

  A second time the spectators were disappointed, but they insisted uponthe champions making a third trial. The third day arrived, but with nobetter success, for this time the fairies struck both knights and bothhorses with paralysis, so that neither could move an inch, but stoodlooking at each other all day, like two fools.

  At first the people laughed at so droll a sight, but at length gettingimpatient, they heaped showers of abuse upon the two champions, callingthem fools and cowards to be afraid of one another. Other champions atlength took the place of the former, but the good fairies againinterfered, using all sorts of impediments, so that neither couldvanquish the other, and this lasted for many days, until the peopledespaired of ever witnessing a fight again.

  Let us now return to the Princess Bertha. The fright that sheexperienced at finding herself in the grasp of this horrid monkey causedher to swoon away but on recovering her senses she found herself on thetop of a tree in the midst of a
forest, still in the monkey's grasp. Itwas out of her power to escape, so she thought she would try andingratiate herself with her captor, so she said, "Good monkey, do me noharm, for I am a king's daughter and the rightful heiress to the crown.When I am queen I will grant you any boon you ask."

  "Agreed," said the monkey; "I will hold you to your promise, for I amnot a common monkey, but an enchanted prince, forced to wear thisloathsome form through the malice of the witch queen in the reign of thelate king, because I would not wed her daughter."

  "Alas! poor monkey," said the princess, "and how long art thou doomed towander about the earth in this disguise?"

  "Until the death of the witch queen," said the monkey, "when I shallresume my customary shape."

  "Ah," said the princess, "there is then hope that I may yet attain tothe stature of my fellow mortals, for I, too, am under her curse."

  While thus discoursing together a passer-by, perceiving the monkey inthe tree, but without seeing the princess, aimed a stone at the poor apewith such force on the back of its head, that it fell senseless to thefoot of the tree. The princess deeming the animal dead, grieved much forit, and called after the man who threw the stone, scolding him; but hertiny voice was unheard, and the man was already far off.

  Left alone on the top of a tree in the middle of a forest, what couldshe do? She began to look around her, and on the next branch she saw acrow hatching her eggs.

  "Good crow," she said, "I am a king's daughter, have pity on me andcarry me on thy back to a stream, for I thirst."

  "I will carry you thus far," said the crow, "if you promise to grant mea boon when you wear the crown, for I am not a common crow, but anenchanted queen suffering under the evil spell of the queen of thewitches."

  When the princess had promised to grant her request the crow sufferedher to mount on her back, and away she flew till she came to a windingstream, where she left the princess, saying, "I must now return to myeggs."

  The princess having quenched her thirst, began to reflect upon the stepshe should next take. She knew not which way to wander, and did not caremuch, as long as it was far away from her sisters. She knew that thegood fairies protected her, and believed in their promise that sheshould be queen. Whatever hardships she might have to encounter she madeup her mind were for her good. All day long she wandered by the side ofthe stream, over the rough stones, with her tiny feet, subsisting onberries and roots, and thus she wandered for some days withoutadventure.

  At length, one day, having arrived at the top of a high cliff whichoverhung a lake, and which she had ascended to see the country that laybefore her, her dress caught in a thicket, and she heard the sound ofhorses' hoofs behind her. It happened on that day that her two sistershad joined a hunting party and passed by in that direction.

  The rest of the party passed over without observing her, but her sisterClothilde, who was behind the rest, suddenly caught sight of the littleprincess's shining robe, and dismounting, came up to her, saying, "So Ihave found thee at last, minx; but think not to live to prove my talefalse," and with that she spurned her pigmy sister with her foot, sothat she fell over the cliff.

  A stone which she dislodged at the same time fell into the water with asplash, and Clothilde, fancying that it was her sister who caused thesplash, and that she was now hidden for ever at the bottom of the lake,rode off, rejoicing that she had rid herself so cleverly of her hatedrival.

  But the Princess Bertha, instead of falling into the water, was caughthalf-way in the web of an enormous spider, who made towards her as if todevour her; but she said, "Good spider, harm me not for I am a king'sdaughter, and when I am queen I will grant thee whatsoever boon thouaskest."

  "I will remember thy promise," said the spider, "for I am no commonspider, but an enchanted prince, and a victim to the malice of the witchqueen."

  Thereupon the spider seized her gently with its legs, and letting outits thread, descended carefully with her to the bottom of the cliff.Then the spider left her, and she was once more alone on the brink ofthe lake.

  Presently she heard the sound of a woodcutter's axe on the opposite bankof the lake. She would speak with the woodcutter, and tell him her tale;perhaps he could help her, but how was she to cross? She looked aroundfor a moment, and saw some water lilies. One of the leaves was detachedand seemed floating slowly on by itself. This she managed to reach, andit was sufficiently strong to support her light form; then, spreadingout the scarf that covered her shoulders towards the wind for a sail,she was slowly wafted to the opposite shore.

  Now, as she was about to land, it happened that her foot slipped and shefell into the water, uttering a slight scream. The woodcutter, who wasresting from his work, had his eyes fixed on the lake, and perceivedwith surprise the pigmy princess sailing towards the shore. When,therefore, he heard the scream, small as it was, he rushed down the bankand seized her slight form in his huge hand. The princess, however, wasalready insensible, but the good man wrung her clothes dry and kept herin his bosom until she should recover. Now, during her swoon the queenof the fairies appeared to her in a dream, and told her that thewoodcutter was the man she was destined to marry and to go at once withhim to a cave hard by where lived a holy hermit, whom she had alreadycommissioned to marry them.

  Then, leaving her a magic wand which changed any object she touched intowhatever she pleased, she disappeared, enjoining her to use her ownjudgement in everything.

  Upon this she awoke, and found herself still in the woodcutter's bosom.Now, the woodcutter was a young man of a stature approaching thegigantic, immensely powerful, but very ugly, very clumsy, and verystupid. At the first sight of him the princess recoiled, and could notmake up her mind to take him for a husband; but then she thought thatthe fairies must know best what was for her good, so she reversed thegenerally received order of etiquette and made him a proposal ofmarriage.

  The young man simpered, scratched his head, and looked very sheepish;but having heard the princess's story, and being assured by her that thefairies had ordained it so, he turned away his head, blushed, andaccepted her.

  Then the princess, finding the magic wand beside her, waved it over herhead, and instantly converted the peasant's ragged clothes into a suitof mail, his axe into a lance, a knife that he wore at his side into asword; while the tree that he had just felled, she converted into amagnificent charger. She then bade him mount and place her within hishelmet, close to his ear, so that she could give him any instructionsthat might be necessary without being observed by anyone.

  Then asking Hans (which was the name of the transformed woodcutter)whether he knew where the hermit lived whom the fairy had mentioned, andreceiving an answer in the affirmative, she bade him put spurs to hishorse, and in a short time they arrived at the mouth of the cave. Therecluse rose to meet the man in armour.

  "Good day, fair son," quoth the holy man. "What would'st thou of me?"

  "Holy father," said the knight, "I have come to get married."

  "And the fair bride?" asked the hermit.

  "She is with me."

  "With thee! I see her not."

  "Here, holy father, here," cried the princess, emerging from the helmetof Hans. "I am the Princess Bertha, and have been commanded by thefairies in a dream to call at thy cell with my betrothed that we may bejoined together in holy matrimony."

  "I know it, O illustrious princess," said the hermit, with deepreverence; "and doubt not that I shall discharge my duty. May it pleaseyour royal highness to enter the abode of the humble?"

  "Dismount!" cried Bertha in the ear of her betrothed, suddenly, as if towake him up, for the simple youth looked as if he intended to remain onthe horse's back all day.

  Hans dismounted clumsily, and nearly tripped himself up with his pointediron toes.

  "Now, then, tie up the horse to a tree and enter the cave, and don'tlook such a fool," said the princess.

  Hans entered the cave, and placed himself in front of the rude altar,having unclasped his helmet and deposited his bride on
a large stonenear.

  The hermit lit candles, opened the mass-book, and the ceremony began. Asthe moment for putting on of the ring drew near, a faint and distantmusic, together with a perfume like incense, seemed to fill the cave.Then followed a bright sunbeam, through which swam troops of fairies.Then the distant sound of trumpets was heard, and the troop made way forthe chariot of the fairy queen, who, stepping out of her car ofmother-of-pearl and precious stones, and standing upon a cloud ofincense, handed Hans the wedding ring, and bestowed a benediction on thehappy pair.

  It was no easy task for Hans' clumsy fingers to place so small a ringupon so tiny a finger, but at length by the aid of a needle brought tohim for the purpose he accomplished the feat, and the marriage ceremonyover, the knight and the lady rode off in the same fashion as before.

  Now, it may be thought by some, perhaps, that these two were illmatched, but that only shows how the whole world may be deceived byappearances, for they were most admirably mated. It is true they hadlittle in common with each other, but for that very reason in this case,at least, they pulled well together. Bertha was physically weak, butthen Hans was strong. Hans was as stupid as an owl, but the princess wasas clear sighted as an eagle and as cunning as a fox. Bertha possessedthe brains and Hans the brawny arm. Each was a type of those two itemswhich go to make up the most perfect human being--mind and matter.

  In this case the husband was not the head of the wife, but the wife thehead of the husband, and a very clear little head it was, too. Theprincess was ever concealed in her husband's helmet, close to his ear,to give him sage councils, which he, as you shall hear farther on, oftenhad occasion to put into practise by his superior physical strength.

  The world would have chosen for Hans some rough daughter of the soil, asstupid as himself, and as nearly as possible of his own dimensions; butthis sort of wife, however well she might have suited Hans in his formercontented existence, would never have raised him into the hero that heafterwards became.

  The humble woodcutter, beneath his rough exterior, had hidden seeds ofgreatness which were destined to be developed in a new soil. Our knightand his lady did not profess to love each other very much, just becausethey were married; indeed, how should they upon so short anacquaintance; but that was not necessary, for love is one thing andmarriage another, as all the world knows. Enough, that each had need ofthe other at present.

  Now, the first thing to be done was to ride to the city, and for Hans toproclaim the right of the Princess Bertha to the throne; and should anyother champion come forward for either of the twin princesses, it wasmeet that they should do battle for their cause.

  "Therefore, Hans," said the princess, "ride quickly to the town, andproclaim my rights. Pass over yonder hill where stands a ruined castle."

  "Let us not pass thither, fair princess," said Hans, "for yon castle isinhabited by a terrible wizard, who has lived here since the reign ofyour highness's grandsire, who, you will have heard, rather encouragedthese sort of people than otherwise, and whom no power can force to fleethe country, for as soon as the king's guards approach the castle heenchants them into rocks and fir trees."

  "Oh, oh! we will see about that," said the Princess Bertha. "So this manis a dangerous character. I do not intend to allow any dangerous personwhen I am queen. Come, we must subdue this man."

  "But----" remonstrated Hans.

  "But me no buts, Sir Shaveling," quoth the princess, "but do my bidding.Must I lend thee courage as well as wit? Onward, I say."

  Hans could ill brook being called a coward, and that, too, by awoman--such a little woman, too--so, crossing himself, he put spurs tohis horse and ascended the hill till he arrived at the gate of thecastle.

  "What do _you_ want?" said the wizard, suddenly making his appearance atthe window.

  "Say," said the princess in the ear of her husband, "that you have comein the name of the Princess Bertha, our future queen, to bid him fleethe country."

  Hans cried out in a loud voice as he was instructed by his spouse. Thewizard answered with a loud laugh, and descended the staircase.

  Now, the princess knew that evil charms availed not against good ones,so, touching her husband with her wand, she thus made him proof againstany magic power of the wizard.

  "Wait a bit," said the magician, descending; "you will be no harder taskto manage than the rest have been, I'll warrant," and he proceeded todraw a circle on the ground and to mumble a spell.

  "Enough of this mummery," said Hans, at the instigation of the princess."Prepare to leave the country at once, or you die."

  "These words to _me_, you churl!" cried the wizard, pale with rage."Dost know who I am?"

  "I know, and I defy you--both your arms and your spells."

  Then the wizard, mortified at finding that his charm failed upon Hans,entered his castle in great wrath, put on his armour, and came forthmounted on a black charger with fiery eyes, and ran at Hans furiouslywith his lance, but the lance was shivered into splinters against themagical armour of Hans.

  The wizard then seized his two-handed sword, and Hans seizing his, aterrific combat ensued. At length Hans smote off the wizard's head at ablow, and the bleeding carcase dropped from the saddle. At the death ofthe wizard his fiery charger was instantly changed into a fir tree, andhis castle into a rock.

  "On this spot," said Bertha, "I will erect my palace," and waving herwand over the rock, a magnificent palace arose where had stood theruined castle of the wizard, made of gold, silver and precious stones,with windows, each pane of which was a sheet of diamond.

  Hans had hardly recovered his surprise at his unexpected victory overthe wizard, when he turned his head and observed the magnificent palacethat the princess had magically erected. He stood aghast, with his eyesand his mouth wide open, and seemed beside himself with amazement.

  "Onward, you fool; don't stand gaping there; onward towards the town."

  Hans clapped spurs to his horse, and halted not until he arrived at thegate of the city.

  Then entering, he stood in the middle of a large square where there wasa great crowd of people, and receiving instructions from the princess,called out to the populace: "I proclaim the Princess Bertha the rightfulheiress to the crown. Whoever would depose her and set another on thethrone in her stead, let him come forth and do battle."

  Then some of the crowd cried out, "The Princess Bertha is dead; we haveseen her funeral. Who art thou, that speakest so boldly?"

  "I am the champion of the Princess Bertha, eldest daughter of the lateking, and whosoever says that she is dead, lies."

  So saying, he lifted his tiny spouse from his helmet with finger andthumb, and showed her to the people. Then a great commotion arose. Therewere some among them who recognised the princess, and admitted her rightto the throne. Others said nay; that it was a puppet, and voted for thePrincess Clothilde. Others, again, shouted for the Princess Carlotta.

  Presently the two first champions appeared who had fought together--onefor Clothilde, and the other for Carlotta, and they both called out, "Weignore your Princess Bertha, for it is well known that she is dead. Invain you exhibit your dwarf or puppet, for we have seen her funeral."

  "Then," said Hans, at the dictation of Bertha, "it is false; the bodywas never found, but one of her intriguing sisters, anxious to usurp thecrown, gave out to her followers that she had found the body, andordered a mock funeral."

  "Thou liest, thou liest!" shouted the two knights, both at once.

  "Let it be put to the proof," said Hans. "Let the coffin bedisinterred, and if the body be found therein I will lose my head on thespot where I stand; but if the body of the princess be not foundtherein, then shall ye, the champions of the two usurpers, lose _your_heads."

  "It would be sacrilege to disturb the dead," said the knights. "Wecannot agree to the proposition."

  But the people called out, "It is well said; 'tis a fair trial."

  The two knights began to remonstrate, but their voices were drowned bythe herd, who wished the m
atter settled by the disinterment of the body.

  When the commotion had ceased a little Hans lifted up his voice, andsaid to the multitude, being instructed, as usual, by his spouse, "It isthe pleasure of the Princess Bertha, whom you now see before you, thatshe be taken instantly to the presence of the arch-priest of this city,who has known her well from infancy, and who baptised her. He, as youall know, citizens, is a man of good repute. Should he recognise thePrincess Bertha, let her have her rights; but if he says it is anotherlike to her, let the coffin of the supposed defunct be opened publicly,that all may be satisfied."

  "Sacrilege, sacrilege!" cried the knights.

  "No, no!" cried the populace; "the stranger knight has well said. It ismost fair. To the arch-priest, to the arch-priest!"

  The crowd made room for Hans, and conducted him to the palace of thearch-priest. When the good man saw this great crowd in front of hispalace he came out to demand the reason, and was informed that thePrincess Bertha, whom all believed to be dead, had returned to the citywith a champion who was ready to maintain her right to the crown,provided that the arch-priest himself, who knew her well, should testifyto her identity.

  "Show me this champion," said the priest.

  Hans then rode up, and holding in his hand the diminutive princess,placed her in the hands of the arch-priest.

  The crowd pressed hard together while the aged priest took out hisspectacles and examined the tender form minutely.

  "In good sooth," he exclaimed, "it is the Princess Bertha and noneother. My fair princess, what treachery has been at work to deprive theeof thy rights?"

  "You know me then, holy father?"

  "Know thee, daughter," quoth the old man, tenderly. "Methinks it weredifficult to make a mistake."

  "You hear then, O people," cried the little princess, straining herfeeble voice to its utmost pitch, till it resembled the squeaking of afife; "you hear that the venerable arch-priest has recognised me."

  "Ay, ay, your royal highness; long life to you, and welcome to thethrone!" cried the populace.

  Then a great cheering arose.

  "Long live the Princess Bertha, our rightful queen!"

  But some of the faction for the Princess Clothilde called out, "It isfalse; she is dead and buried, we will not be imposed upon by this manand his dwarf."

  "The arch-priest recognises her," cried others. "The arch-priest dotes;he is mistaken," cried they for the Princess Clothilde.

  "Let the coffin of the princess be exhumed!" cried the crowd, and theyappealed to the priest, who consented that the coffin should be openedin the presence of all the people.

  "Where is the undertaker?" cried one of the crowd.

  "Here!" cried a voice.

  "Let him come forward."

  Then the crowd made room for the undertaker, and one amongst them askedhim if he had placed the late princess in the coffin with his own hands.

  He replied in the negative.

  "Who closed the coffin, then?" asked the former questioner.

  "The Princess Clothilde herself," answered the undertaker.

  "That seems suspicious," said another; "she also is said to have foundthe body, which she concealed in her cloak and allowed nobody to see."

  "Because," answered one of the faction, for Clothilde, "because thebody, being already in an advanced state of decay, she was unwilling tomake a disgusting exhibition of the remains of her sister, who she sodearly loved. We are witnesses of her emotion upon finding her sister'sbody."

  "It is false," cried Hans; "the Princess Clothilde is a hypocrite and anusurper, and has plotted to obtain the crown for herself."

  "Treason, treason!" cried the faction for Clothilde. But those in favourof the Princess Bertha applauded the words of Hans, and cried out, "Weshall see if the remains be in the coffin."

  After waiting some little time longer, the coffin was exhumed and giveninto the hands of the arch-priest, who, standing upon the balcony of hispalace, opened the coffin with his penknife in the presence of all thecrowd, and found therein nothing but cinders, which he emptied into thestreet below.

  "I hope now, citizens, you are convinced that foul play is at the bottomof it all," said the old priest.

  "Ay," cried the crowd, "most vile treachery--down with the PrincessClothilde; we will have none to reign over us but the Princess Bertha."

  "Stay a moment," shouted the champion for the Princess Clothilde. "Whatwas there in the coffin if not the body of the Princess Bertha?"

  "Nothing but dust and ashes," answered the arch-priest.

  "A sign that decomposition has already taken place," responded theformer. "That is no proof that the princess Bertha was not buried in thecoffin."

  But the crowd laughed him to scorn, saying that it was scarce afortnight ago since the princess was missed, and that it was impossiblethe body should have decomposed so rapidly.

  The arch-priest then gave his word of honour to all present that he hadfound nothing in the coffin but cinders from the grate.

  One of the crowd below picked up a cinder which had fallen from thecoffin, and cried out, "The holy father speaks the truth, for the coffincontained nothing but cinders of burnt wood."

  Then the champion for the Princess Clothilde, fearing that all weresiding with Bertha, called out in a loud voice, "Long live the PrincessClothilde!"

  But the crowd hissed, and showed signs of disapprobation.

  Then the other champion for her twin sister called out, "Long live thePrincess Carlotta!" but he, too, was hissed.

  Then spake out Hans.

  "Whoever objects to the Princess Bertha being queen, let him do battlewith me."

  Hans then threw down his gauntlet, which was immediately picked up byClothilde's champion.

  Our little princess took refuge once more in her husband's helmet, andwhispered in his ear to keep his lance steadily directed towards thebreast of his foe, and then, touching him with the wand again, sherendered him proof against all mortal harm.

  The adversaries charged together, and so violent was the shock withwhich Hans came upon his foe, and so accurately did he direct his lance,that the deadly weapon pierced through the massive breast plate of hisenemy and came out at his back.

  Hans, whose natural strength was terrific, and which was increasedten-fold by the magical touch he had received from his spouse, whirledthe dead champion at the point of his lance two or three times round hishead, and then flung the body to an incredible distance over the headsof the crowd.

  The champion of the Princess Carlotta, seeing the fate of the otherchampion, would fain have drawn back, for he thought Hans could be noneother than the foul fiend himself.

  But the crowd cried out to him, "Thou, too, votest for the PrincessCarlotta."

  "Ay," he was constrained to say.

  "Do battle for her, then," said Hans.

  Carlotta's champion sullenly laid his lance in rest, and aimed at aportion of Hans' vast body which seemed least protected; but the pointof his lance got entangled in the shirt of mail that Hans wore beneathhis plate armour without doing further injury to him, while Hans' lancepierced through the left eye of his foe, and passing through the back ofhis skull, helmet and all, pinned him to the ground, whilst his horsegalloped off through the crowd.

  Now, the news of the return of their sister and the defeat of theirchampions soon reached the ears of the twin princesses, who knew not howto contain their rage; but the Princess Clothilde, the more wily andwicked of the two, bribed her followers with large sums of money tofeign to vote for the Princess Bertha, and thus make friends with thisstranger knight, and invite him into their houses, to offer him a cup ofwine after the fatigue of the combat, which, when unobserved, shecommanded them to drug, and as soon as he was insensible he was to becarried off to prison and loaded with chains, care being taken to securethe Princess Bertha at the same time.

  Hereupon all those who had formerly voted for the Princess Clothildecommenced to shout, "Long live the Princess Bertha!"

  Bu
t the little princess, suspecting treachery--for she recognised thefaces of the men who now shouted for her as being the same as beforeshouted for her sister--warned her spouse not to receive any man'shospitality but the arch-priest's, telling him that if he disobeyed hercommand it might cost him his life.

  Hans promised to obey, but when he saw so many well-dressed gentlemen ofthe court come forward to offer him their congratulations and invite himso cordially to their houses, being very simple and unsuspicious, heforgot the warning of his spouse, though she did all in her power bypinching and biting him to make him remember, and he accepted theinvitation of a certain lord, imagining his spouse's vehement urging tobe nothing more than the bite of a flea.

  "Fool!" cried the princess, "you will ruin both yourself and me;" butHans paid no attention, for he was hungry and thirsty.

  The great lord who had invited Hans to his mansion possessed all thepolished manners of a courtier, though he had a very black heart, andeasily working himself into Hans' affections, he locked his arm withinthe arm of Hans, and led him to his home.

  "May I also have the honour of entertaining Her Royal Highness thePrincess Bertha?" asked the nobleman.

  "Oh, yes," said Hans in his simple manner; "she is inside my helmet.I'll bring her, too. You see, she being small and I being large, it isthe only way we can discourse together."

  "Ha! ha!" laughed the nobleman; "an original idea. By all means let mehave the honour of entertaining my princess."

  Hans was charmed at the affable manners of the nobleman, and arrived atthe mansion, took a seat at the lord's table, where he was introduced toother men of high rank, who all congratulated him on his prowess, andexpressed their delight at having made his acquaintance.

  A meal was speedily prepared, and wine handed round.

  "Drink not," whispered the princess. But Hans, deaf to all counsel inthe presence of so many genial companions, accepted glass after glass,until he was in a state bordering on intoxication. Now, Hans was a goodman, and a true, but he had one small failing, which was an inclinationto tipple.

  He could never refuse a good glass of wine when he was among booncompanions. He had also a most ravenous appetite, and afforded the otherguests much amusement by the clownish manner in which he devoured hisfood, as well as by his brutal stupidity and broad peasant's brogue.

  When the wine had loosened his tongue a little he soon informed thenobleman of his former condition, saying he was no knight of the court,but a humble woodcutter, and would take no notice of the signs made tohim by the princess to keep quiet (who now, by the by, was seated on thetable before him, Hans having unbuckled his helmet) but went on eatingand drinking, and chatting and laughing, in a manner ill-suited to hisdignity as champion, to say nothing of husband to the princess.

  The Princess Bertha was treated with the respect due to her rank, andwas pressed to partake of something, but she refused, pleading noappetite.

  When the host observed that the wine had got into Hans' head, hemotioned to some of the guests to engage the princess in conversationwhile he administered the drug.

  Then, taking a paper containing a powder from his pocket, he emptied itinto a goblet of wine which he offered to Hans.

  But the princess, who observed this, said to the host, "May it pleaseyour lordship to drink first this toast--'to the prosperity of ourkingdom.'"

  The nobleman looked confused, and stammered out that he hoped that HerRoyal Highness would excuse him, as he, a humble individual, could notthink of tasting the cup before so illustrious a guest.

  "Then you refuse to do me this small favour, my lord?" said Bertha.

  But before the host had time to reply Hans had already grasped thegoblet greedily and drained it dry. The effect was not immediate, butafter about twenty minutes Hans fell back in his chair in a state of themost perfect insensibility.

  "I am afraid," said the host, "that your Royal Highness's brave championhas partaken a little too freely of the contents of my cellar. It is anaccident that is apt to befall the best of us. I am sorry for his state,though I cannot but feel it a compliment to my wine."

  The princess answered not save by a look of scorn. Then, fearing thatthe nobleman would offer to remove her to another room while he procuredmen to remove the helpless body of her spouse, as well as secure herperson, and bring her, in spite of herself, into her sister's power, whowas sure to make away with her secretly, she touched herself with herwand, and instantly she became invisible.

  The lord searched the chamber in every corner, for his first object wasto make himself master of the person of the princess, but failing infinding her, he next began to unbuckle Hans' armour, and examined everyplate as he stripped him of it in his careful search for the tinyprincess. He grew more puzzled than ever at not finding her, and orderedthe other lordlings to search the house. This they did for an hour ormore without success, when, fearing that Hans might awaken from histrance, he ordered a litter to be brought, upon which he securely boundour champion.

  The helpless knight was then borne upon the shoulders of four strongmen, and carried to the common prison, where he was fettered hand andfoot, and left in a dungeon, deep, damp and chilly, being in a state ofunconsciousness all the while. The princess, however, though invisible,followed her husband. If she had chosen, she could have rendered himalso invisible, and spirited him away out of harm's reach, but she wouldnot.

  "No," she said to herself, "let him reap the fruits of his folly. Hewill learn better by experience than by my precepts. I will not comeforward to help him until the last."

  Now, when Hans was left alone in his cell--that is to say, alone savethe invisible presence of his spouse--it was already getting late. Theeffect of the potion was to last for five hours, during the whole ofwhich time--and who knew how much longer--the princess was doomed tobreathe the damp air of a dungeon and to wallow in the filth therein,shivering with cold; without a fire, without her supper, and frightenedto death lest the large rats that infested the prison should make theirsupper off her or her husband; but she recollected the wand.

  The first thing she wanted was a light, for it was pitch dark, notmerely because it was night but because the dungeon was underground.Feeling a stone at her foot, she touched it with her wand, and it becamea candle, so brilliant as to light up the whole cell perfectly; but whatshould she do for a fire? There was no fireplace or stove, no placewhere the smoke might escape.

  "With this wand, I shall want for nothing," she said, and touching thewall of the prison, that part of it was instantly converted into amagnificent fireplace, with a chimney and a most comfortable fire.

  She proceeded to warm herself, but soon she felt there lacked something.She was hungry, so she touched the ground, and instantly there arose alittle table spread with a white tablecloth, and a little chair just bigenough for herself. Still, there was nothing on the table as yet, saveempty plates, with knives and forks, but at that moment she noticed agreat rat gnawing her husband's toe. She hastened to drive it away, andin doing so touched it with her wand, when it became a roast hare.

  Then, touching a stone, it became a loaf of bread. A piece of bottleglass that she found on the dungeon floor became a bottle of wine; andfinding there were no vegetables, she changed a blue-bottle fly into adish of spinach; a spider into some turnips, and a handful of earthfrom the floor into some salt, after which she proceeded to carve.

  Having partaken sufficiently of the first course, she changed theremains of the hare into an apple tart, and the vegetables intodifferent sorts of fruit. Thus she obtained all she required.

  Having finished her supper, the princess waved her wand, and the suppertable, with everything on it, chair and all, disappeared through thefloor; then, seating herself by the fire, she waited for her spouse toawake.

  In about three hours her worse half opened his eyes, and stretching hisgigantic limbs, gazed about him in stupefied astonishment.

  "Where am I?" he asked, with a yawn.

  "Where thou deservest to be," ans
wered the princess, with severity,drawing herself up to her full height. "A pretty position, I ween, forthe queen's consort--drugged and cast into prison! Maybe that anothertime thou wilt pay more attention to my words; but the worst has notcome yet. Thou art to be handed over to the malice of my two sisters.Who knows in what manner they may reek their vengeance? If thou escapestwith thy life, thou wilt be fortunate.

  "Prepare, then, for thou hast brought all this on thyself by despisingmy counsels. What! is a man like thee to be at the head of the realm?_Thou_, with thy brutish appetite, thy dense stupidity and deafness tothe voice of wisdom? A pretty example to thy subjects, forsooth! Orthinkest thou that the strength of thine arm alone will suffice togovern the kingdom? I tell thee, brainless boor, that whatever yourbesotted notion of a king may be, it is a post that is no easy task tofill, and woe to him who aspires to the title and is not able todischarge the duties belonging to it.

  "Knowest thou not futurity will judge thy action, that thy name isdestined either to honour or disgrace the page of history? That a kingmust not only be brave, but wise, just, good, merciful, temperate?"

  "Enough, O royal spouse, most august princess," answered Hans. "Enoughfor the present; but tell me first how I came here, and next how to getout again, and for the future I will always listen to thy counsels,though allow me to observe that it was thy will to make a king of merather than mine own; therefore, if thou hast hit upon the wrong man,methinks the blame is thine. An I had known when I was an humblewoodchopper that to be a king I must bear this splitting headache, liein a dungeon full of rats, to be hanged perhaps on the morrow, besideshaving to kill so many good hearty fellows just because they happen todiffer a little in opinion from your Royal Highness, I should have said,'The devil take all the kings and kingdoms in the world; I'll e'en abidehere and chop wood.'"

  "Hush!" cried the princess, with asperity, "and offend not our royalears with such clownish sentiments. It is but natural that thy rudenature should rebel against counsel that is intended for thy good. It isto be hoped, however, that with time thou mayest be brought to a rightview of the great destiny that thou hast to fulfil.

  "I confess that had I not been specially commanded in a dream by thequeen of the fairies to take thee and raise thee to the throne, I shouldnever of myself have chosen so clownish a helpmate."

  "Well, for the matter of that," said Hans, "dreams are things that Idon't often trouble my head about, as I never had one come true in mylife. Many is the time I've dreamed I had my pocket full of gold, andwaking in the morning, devil a groat have I found within it; but maybeit is not so with you princesses, who are a different sort of grain tous poor beggars; and perhaps fairies appear to you in dreams and tellthe truth; but whether that is or is not, I know not, being no scholar."

  "Well, Hans," said the princess, "thou art not far wrong in not trustingto every dream, or in believing there are certain privileged individualsto whom dreams are given as a warning, as consolation, or as predictionof good fortune; but thou oughtest no longer to doubt, after what thouhast seen and gone through; that thou thyself since thy nuptials hastbeen under the protection of the good fairies.

  "Has not everything gone right so long as thou didst hearken to myvoice; and did not thy good luck desert thee solely when thou didstrefuse to listen to my warning?"

  "Well, wife," said Hans, "I believe thou art about right; d---- me ifI'll ever be such a fool again."

  "Hush, sir!" said his spouse. "No oaths in the presence of royalty, ifyou please. Such language befits not the mouth of a king."

  "Well, well, have it thine own way," said Hans. "I'll try to improve,only let me have a little sleep now--I am tired."

  "That's right, husband mine," said the princess, seeing that her husbandwas more docile; "I do not quite despair of thee yet. Thou mayest be theright man after all. The fairies know better than I. Sleep, and ariseto-morrow a wiser man. Yet another thing thou must bear in mind,however, thou must try to unlearn that horrid peasant's brogue of thine.Dost hear?"

  "Ay, that will I, royal spouse," replied Hans, in a brogue as broad asbefore. Then, turning on his side, was soon fast asleep. The princess,however, slept not a wink that night; the excitement of the day and thethoughts of what might possibly occur on the morrow kept her wide awake,and thus she remained until the morning, when she was suddenly alarmedby the sound of footsteps, and four men entered.

  Bertha instantly made herself invisible again. The foremost of these menadvancing, and shaking Hans roughly out of his sleep, informed him thatit was the pleasure of the princesses that he should be broughtinstantly before them. Hans started up, and would have been violent, buthis chains prevented him.

  "Where is the princess?" asked he, looking round him.

  "What princess?" asked the man.

  "The Princess Bertha--our future queen, and my lawful wife," repliedHans.

  "The Princess Bertha!" exclaimed one.

  "Your wife!" laughed another.

  "Why, the man's mad, or else is not quite sober yet," cried a third.

  "Stay," said the fourth; "it is possible he has got the dwarf princessconcealed about his person. So much the better, we shall get them bothtogether, and divide the reward between us. Let us search him."

  "Ha! is that so?" said the first.

  A rigid search was made on the person of Hans, but they found not theprincess.

  "Hold there, ruffians!" cried Hans. "Ye shall do the princess no harm.Do you hear; for, besides being your rightful queen, she is my wife."

  A general laugh ensued. Hans was no less puzzled than the men themselvesat her disappearance.

  "Where can she be?" quoth he. "All last night she was watching besideme, like a true wife, and now----"

  "Come, the fellow is dreaming still, or else trying to befool us," criedone of the men, at length. "Let us hasten with him to the princess."

  Hans was then conducted into the palace, and led into an amphitheatre,where the late king was wont to listen to stage plays, singing,recitations, and such like.

  The theatre was crowded, and in a conspicuous place he noticed thePrincess Clothilde and her sister Carlotta.

  "Welcome, Sir Peasant Knight. Welcome, Sir Woodchopper," said theprincesses, mockingly.

  "We have heard of your great deeds of yesterday, Sir Knight," said thePrincess Clothilde. "Surely such bravery deserves a reward."

  Then, turning to one of the men who accompanied Hans, she added: "Givethe brave knight the reward he merits."

  The men had previously been instructed how Hans was to be treated, soone of them proceeded to strip him to the waist, whilst another tookfrom behind a column a cat-o'-nine-tails, with which he belaboured thenaked shoulders of our knight with such force that he drew blood atevery stroke, while the spectators applauded and the princesses laughed.

  Hans bore his flogging without wincing, though his back was streamingwith blood. The Princess Bertha was with her husband all the while,though invisible. She was touched at the cruel spectacle, and her bloodrose in indignation against her sisters, yet she would not yet comeforward to assist her husband. He had been in the wrong, and he musttake the consequences of his folly. She pitied him from her heart; sheadmired, too, the fortitude with which he endured such pain andindignity; but she had his good in view.

  She knew that, as a child is taught to know better another time by onegood flogging, so her husband, who was nothing but a child in mind, mustbe cured by the same remedy.

  "The loss of a little blood, as our leeches say, is good for the healthoccasionally," remarked Clothilde. "Besides, as your knighthood is wellaware, a knight, whose trade it is to shed blood, must not wince if nowand then a little of his own is shed."

  "How thinkest thou, Sir Knight," asked Carlotta, "that a back _sanglant_would look in thine escutcheon?"

  These, and such like gibes were thrown at Hans, who treated them allwith silent contempt.

  At length Bertha, observing by the countenance of her spouse that he hadhad enough, thought it high
time that the tables should be turned, andthe spectators punished for their barbarity, so she whispered thus inher husband's ear:--

  "I am with thee. Now that thou hast suffered the consequences of thydisobedience, take thy revenge upon thine enemies."

  So saying, she touched his fetters with her wand, and they snapped.

  Hans needed not this prompting. Finding himself free, his suppressedwrath having increased his natural strength to that of a Titan, hesprang up the steps of the amphitheatre, and seizing the throat of thePrincess Clothilde with his right hand and that of her sister with hisleft, he squeezed them with such force, that it was a wonder both werenot killed outright. However, they certainly would have been, had notone of the lords, whom Hans recognised as the same false lord who hadinvited him to his house, and afterwards drugged him, instantlyinterfered.

  Hans left go the throats of the princesses, who fell, to allappearances, dead, and who did not recover till long after, and, seizingthe sword of the false lord, which he had drawn against him, he snappedit in two across his knee, and threw the pieces into the arena. Then,seizing the lord himself by the collar and by the seat of his hose, heflung him with such violence over the heads of the people, that he fellheadforemost after his sword, and his brains were dashed out.

  Shouts of "Murder!" and "Treason!" were heard on all sides.

  "Seize the miscreant!"

  The four men who had led Hans before the princesses came forward, andwould have secured him, but Hans, brandishing in one hand a piece of hisbroken chain of great weight, broke the skull of the foremost, the backof the second, the ribs of the third, and the shins of the fourth.

  Some few others now attempted to seize Hans, but there was something soterrible in his aspect as he furiously fought his way through the crowd,knocking down one with his fist and another with his chain, that theyprudently drew back, and every spectator took refuge in flight beforethe ungovernable fury of Hans.

  Then the Princess Bertha, making herself again visible, ordered Hans tocarry her to her two sisters, who had just recovered consciousness.Standing upright in the palm of her husband's hand, she addressed themthus:

  "Are ye not ashamed of yourselves to treat a brave knight in thisspiteful manner? Mean spirits that ye are; but ye are rightly served.Nor is this all; there is more in store for ye. Your ambitious schemingis seen through, and the good powers protect the right. Ye shall liveyet to see me crowned, together with this man, whom I now declare to bemy husband. The coronation will take place to-morrow, in spite of allyour puny schemes. Farewell!"

  The two princesses were so enraged at the words and bearing of theirlittle sister whom they had persecuted, that they knew not what toreply, but turned red and pale by turns, stamped their feet, bit theirhands, tore their hair, and screamed.

  "Let us go to the arch-priest," said Bertha, to her spouse. "Go just asthou art, half-naked and bleeding. All the world shall know how theseprincesses treat brave knights."

  So saying, the Princess Bertha left the amphitheatre in the hand of hergigantic husband, leaving her two envious sisters behind, foaming withrage.

  Hans hastened through the streets, his back covered with weals andstreaming with blood, towards the palace of the arch-priest. The peoplerecognised him as the knight who had vanquished the champions of thetwin princesses on the day before, and asked him how he came in suchplight.

  Then Hans, being instructed by Bertha, answered thus:

  "Good people, you all see in me the champion of the Princess Bertha, whois ready to shed his last drop of blood for her sake; and these woundsthat you see have not been inflicted in a fair fight, but by treachery.After I vanquished the two champions of the twin princesses severallords of the court came forward to congratulate me on my success, andinvited me into their houses. I, contrary to the orders of our mostaugust princess, whom I now hold before ye (cheers from the populace),and who, more wily than I, suspected treachery, contrary to her orders,I trusted too easily to false appearances, and accepted the hospitalityof one of them. He invited me to his house, gave me to eat and to drink,and when I had well eaten and drunk, he drugged my cup, and cast me intoa dungeon underground, where I remained all night, and was fetched awaythis morning, loaded with chains, only to be brought into the presenceof the two usurping princesses and flogged before the whole court.

  "But it pleased the good powers to loosen my chains, and I have givensome few of them their deserts. Follow me, all ye that love justice,and proclaim the right of the Princess Bertha to the crown."

  "Long live the Princess Bertha, our rightful queen," cried the mob.

  "Prince Hans, our rightful king," cried the princess. "I here declare inthe presence of all men that I am already married to this brave knight!"

  Tumultuous cheering ensued this speech of the little princess, andshouts of "Long live King Hans and Queen Bertha" followed them untilthey arrived at the palace of the arch-priest. Hans knocked at the door.The servant who opened it started back in surprise and horror at thehalf-naked and bleeding figure of the visitor.

  "What do you want?" he asked, rudely, as yet not noticing the princess.

  "I want the arch-priest. Who else did you think I wanted," respondedHans, equally roughly.

  "The arch-priest is not at home to everyone," said the menial,haughtily. "What's your business?"

  "Come, let us in immediately, and don't stand prating there. I am thePrincess Bertha," said the dwarf princess.

  "I crave your Royal Highness's pardon," said the servant, bowing low. "Idid not observe you," and he allowed our pair to enter without furtheropposition.

  "What is all this?" exclaimed the arch-priest who came to meet them. "Mylittle princess, with her champion naked and bleeding!"

  "Holy father," said the princess, "we wish to be crowned to-morrow. Seethat preparations are made for the occasion."

  The arch-priest bowed to the ground.

  "Your Royal Highness's will is law. Is there no further obstacle to thecoronation?"

  "None; and if there were, I'd conquer it as I have done the rest. Seethat my spouse and I are crowned to-morrow in presence of all thepeople," said the princess.

  "Your spouse!" exclaimed the arch-priest. "I knew nothing of it. He isnot what he seems, then--he is of royal blood?"

  "Royal blood or not, he is my lawful spouse, and he is to be crowned,"said the princess, firmly.

  "But, my dear princess," answered the priest, "if he is not of royalblood, how can I?"

  "Enough," said Bertha. "I have the warrant of the queen of the fairiesthat he is to be my partner in life. Here is my certificate ofmarriage."

  And she produced a paper five or six times as big as herself, which shehanded to the priest.

  The priest opened it, and glanced through it.

  "What!" he exclaimed. "Then he really is of royal blood. I see. What isthis paper enclosed? Ha! a pedigree." And he began to read, "Prince HansWurst, son of King Blut Wurst, lost in early youth and picked up by awoodcutter, with whom----"

  "You see," said the princess, "how the fairies befriend me. This secondpaper must have been placed here by their hands, for this is the firsttime I have set eyes upon it. Are you content with the informationtherein contained?" asked the Princess Bertha.

  "Perfectly, your Royal Highness," said the arch-priest, bowing.

  "To-morrow, then, it must take place, father," said the princess.

  "Without delay," replied the priest. "But, tell me, what on earth bringsHis Royal Highness Prince Hans here in this pitiable plight?"

  Bertha then began to recount the misadventures of her knight and thespite of her envious sisters, the detailing of which filled the poor oldpriest with horror.

  "But, at any rate," said he, at the conclusion of the narrative, "letthe prince's wounds be healed. Send for a surgeon."

  "A surgeon! Bah!" cried the princess. "Behold, sir priest, what onefavoured by the fairies can do," and thus saying, she touched herhusband's back with her wand, and it instantly healed so that n
one couldsee even the slightest scratch.

  "Gramercy!" quoth the arch-priest; "I never before beheld such amiracle. Thou art indeed favoured of the higher powers."

  "Does that surprise thee, holy father? Behold another wonder," saidBertha, and she touched the back of Hans a second time with her wand,and instantly her semi-nude champion was covered from head to foot inan elegant royal dress, composed of a crimson velvet tunic, half-way tothe knee, and trimmed with ermine, and silken hose of a buff colour.

  A gold-hilted sword, in the form of a cross, hung by his side, within abejewelled scabbard, likewise a dagger. A chain of massive gold abouthis neck, and a graceful barrette, with a white ostrich feather, whichwas fastened by a huge diamond. The arch-priest started back severalpaces, rubbed his eyes, and, looking first at the princess and then atHans, and then at the princess again, he took her in his hand, andwhispered in her ear that he hoped it was not witchcraft, and beingassured by Bertha that it was not, he smiled, and congratulated PrinceHans on his improved appearance.

  Hans, suddenly discovering that he had undergone a change, called for amirror, and was shown into another chamber, where there stood one largeenough for him to look at himself at full length. Our prince began toadmire himself, and to cut all sorts of capers, at which the arch-priestlaughed heartily; but Bertha reproved her spouse for his levity, andtold him such antics did not become a king.

  The prince immediately ceased his tricks, and taking leave of thearch-priest respectfully, left his palace with his little wife in thebreast of his tunic.

  As he opened the palace door, he saw standing at the gate his owncharger, gaily bedizened. The animal had been sent to await him at thearch-priest's palace by the fairies. Hans mounted, and proceeded to showhimself to everyone through the streets of the city, while the crowdshouted, "Long live King Hans and Queen Bertha!"

  Now, Bertha knew her twin sisters too well not to suspect them oftreachery up to the very last.

  "It is certain," said she to herself, "that they have sent spies afterus. They will not rest until Hans, at least, is killed."

  Looking round in the crowd, she spied a man whose face pleased her not,and who glanced furtively at Hans. She observed, too, that he carried along rope with a slip-knot over his arm. Her natural penetration toldher that danger would proceed from that quarter, so, touching herhusband's neck with her wand, she said:

  "Be as hard as iron and as immovable as a rock."

  They rode on together till they came to a large square, when suddenlythe man with the rope, watching his opportunity, threw the cord over theheads of the people, so that the slip-knot fixed itself round the throatof Hans, and the man pulled with all his might and main to throttle himand to drag him from his seat; but instead of accomplishing his object,the rope did no more harm to Han's neck than had it been the trunk of atree, while the horse and his rider proceeded as before, dragging theman behind after them; nor could he leave go the rope, for the princesshad wrought a charm on him, and thus he was dragged through the city inthe sight of all men, hooted and pelted by the crowd as he was draggedalong.

  As for Hans, he felt the rope no more than had it been a spider's web.The report of the strength of Han's neck spread throughout all the land,and all declared that that alone was sufficient to qualify him for thecrown, accordingly, on the following day great preparations were alreadymade for the coronation, which was to take place in the cathedral of thetown.

  The doors of the church were crammed with the equipages of all the lordsand ladies in the land, amongst which were the carriages of thePrincesses Clothilde and Carlotta, who had arrived, each with an escortof armed men, to prevent the coronation of their sister, but the mob wasso violently in favour of the Princess Bertha, that the escorts werebeaten back. The little princess, however, gave orders that her sisterswere to be admitted, so the twin princesses took their seats to witnessthe ceremony.

  Now, a man had been bribed by them to be close to the person of theprince all the time, and the moment the crown was being placed upon hishead to stab him in the back; but Bertha, still suspicious of treachery,looked around her and saw the man, who was just in the act ofassassinating her husband, when, waving her wand in time, she convertedhis dagger into a venomous serpent, which twisted itself round his body,and bit him that he died.

  Great was the uproar and surprise at this scene, and the crowd wereready to tear the twin princesses to pieces; but the arch-priestcommanded them to forbear, and the ceremony proceeded withoutopposition.

  Suddenly a soft music was heard throughout the cathedral, and a perfumeas of incense arose. Then a sunbeam from one of the upper windows in thechurch revealed an innumerable multitude of little fairies, two of whichcarried a little crown between them, just big enough for the head of thepigmy queen.

  The multitude was struck with awe and the two sisters filled with furyat the sight; but the ceremony passed off quietly. Nevertheless, thetwin princesses, dreading the mob, stepped hastily into their respectivecarriages, and drove back to the palace.

  When King Hans and Queen Bertha drove off in their carriage, which, bythe way, was made by the fairies themselves for the occasion, the mobwas half-blinded by the brilliancy of the jewels with which it wasinlaid, and our new sovereigns were cheered by the crowd till theyarrived at the palace door.

  Now, the two princesses, instead of yielding up the palace to therightful owners, had ordered the door to be barricaded and entrancerefused to the royal pair, which, when Bertha discovered, sheimmediately waved her wand in front of the palace, and changed it into aprison filled with gloomy cells, and the gay clothes of the peoplewithin into the squalid garments of prisoners, while the goldenbracelets of the princesses became manacles for their wrists, and theirgarters fetters for their feet.

  Then, waving her wand in the direction of the prison in which herhusband had been confined, which stood not far off, it became amagnificent palace, equal, if not superior, in grandeur to that whichshe erected upon the ruins of the wizard's castle, so that all wondered,and shouted, "Welcome to Queen Bertha, and down with the twinprincesses!"

  The man who had attempted the life of Prince Hans with his lasso on theday before was publicly hanged with his own rope on the roof of theprison where the two princesses now languished as an example to allrebels.

  After the wicked princesses had been imprisoned for a week the tinyqueen released them on condition that they should flee the country andnot show their faces again. The sisters heard their sentence in sullensilence, and quitted the country shortly afterwards, amid the curses ofthe crowd, and established themselves in a foreign land, where, out ofspite, they gave themselves over to witchcraft, and leagued with thequeen of the witches, who was also exiled there, to work all sorts ofspells upon their sister from afar; but they all failed, as the pigmyqueen was too powerfully protected by the fairies.

  King Hans grew in wisdom every day under the sage counsel of his spouse,till at length his subjects bestowed on him the name of "The wisest andthe bravest king living."

  In proportion as Hans' intelligence and good manners improved, grew thelove of Bertha for her husband. They soon knew how to appreciate andrespect each other, till at length there was not a more loving couple inthe whole world.

  About a year after King Hans and Queen Bertha had ascended the throne awar broke out between his and a neighbouring country. The latter was thesame land where the wicked princesses had fled into exile, and this wasto be the seat of war.

  One day, as the queen was seated in the boudoir of the palace in apensive attitude, while her husband was putting on his armour, previousto departing for the war, she was startled by a sound of chattering,screeching, and the fluttering of wings. As she was about to ring thebell for the servant to inquire the meaning of this strange noise thedoor opened, and an ape and crow entered, followed by a large spider,which, making towards the queen and bowing low, cried out, "A boon, aboon! O gracious queen, according to thy promise."

  And immediately the little queen recog
nised the ape that had escapedwith her from the hands of the showman and carried her to the top of atree, the crow that had carried her down again and left her on the banksof a stream, and the spider that had saved her life by catching her inits web and carrying her safely to the bottom of the precipice, when hercruel sister Clothilde thought to rid herself for ever of her rival byprecipitating her into the lake below. She remembered that she hadpromised a boon to all three when she came to be queen.

  "A boon, a boon!" chattered the monkey.

  "A boon, a boon!" screeched the crow.

  "A boon, a boon!" whispered the spider, whose voice was less strong thanthe other two, being an insect.

  "What boon do ye ask?" demanded her majesty.

  "Change us to our proper forms again!" cried all at once. "We have heardthat thou possessest a fairy wand. Disenchant us, O queen, and give usback our natural forms."

  Queen Bertha then waving her wand over the head of each, they suddenlyresumed their respective shapes. The ape and the spider became twohandsome youths, while the crow took the form of a comely and dignifiedmatron in the habiliments of a queen. Each of the two youths recognisedthe other, though after a lapse of many years, as his lost brother, andrushed into each other's arms.

  The venerable lady who had hitherto figured as a crow, but who wasneither more nor less than a queen herself, recognised in these twoyouths her long lost sons, and they, in their turn, recognised the latecrow as their mother, and fell upon her neck and kissed her. The oldqueen wept for joy, and knew not how to thank Bertha for what she haddone.

  "O favoured of the fairies!" pleaded the mother of the two princes,"think me not bold if I further trespass on thy benevolence and craveanother boon."

  "Ask, and it is granted," quoth the smaller queen.

  "I have yet another son and I know not what has become of him--my eldestboy--also three daughters, whom the queen witch has metamorphosed into abat, a toad, and an owl. Let me set eyes again on my eldest son, if he,indeed, be living, and, prithee, O gracious queen, disenchant mydaughters."

  "It shall be done," responded the pigmy queen, and waving her wand,there immediately flew through the window, which was open, an owl and abat, the owl bearing in its beak a toad by the leg, which it immediatelydropped on entering the royal boudoir, and the three stood in a rowbefore Bertha.

  "Obnoxious beings," said the pigmy queen, "resume your respectiveforms."

  So saying, she waved her wand over each, and they were suddenlyconverted into three beautiful maidens, who immediately recognisingtheir mother and their two brothers, fell into their arms and devouredthem with kisses.

  At the same moment that the three unsightly objects made theirappearance at the window the door opened, and in walked--who? Hans, cladin complete armour, and the old queen recognised her lost eldest son.Hans remained stupefied at the group before him; then, when everythingwas explained, he wept upon his mother's neck, and embraced his brothersand sisters.

  But Hans had little time to lose; his army was about to march, so takinga hasty farewell of his relatives, he placed his diminutive spousewithin his helmet, as was his wont, and mounted his charger. His twoyounger brothers, Otto and Oscar, were determined to follow him tobattle, so Queen Bertha changed two black pigs that had strayed into thepalace garden, and were uprooting the plants, into two fiery war horses,nobly caparisoned, and the three brothers started for the war, whiletheir mother and three sisters waved their handkerchiefs after themuntil they were out of sight, and uttered prayers for their safe return.

  Now, this war had been brought about by the evil spells of the queenwitch and Bertha's two malicious sisters, who, wishing to avengethemselves on their pigmy sister, caused the monarch in whose countrythey lived to pick a quarrel with King Hans, which should lead to a war,by which they hoped to be the gainers. But Hans and Bertha were infavour with the good fairies, and the luck was, as usual, on their side.

  The foreign monarch's city was besieged, and many put to the sword. Theking himself, together with the witch queen and the two wicked sisterswere taken prisoners. The witch queen was burnt alive publicly, as apunishment for her many sins, and the twin sisters imprisoned for life.

  Queen Bertha was naturally of a benevolent disposition, and would havepardoned her sisters, but her prudence conquered this feeling, and shedeemed it expedient to put it out of their power to do harm to anyoneby shutting them up in prison, where, after languishing for some years,they died still impenitent.

  After the death of the witch queen the spell which she had wrought uponBertha while yet unborn was broken, and the pigmy queen took suddenly togrowing, and increased each day six inches in height, till she reachedthe stature of an ordinary full-grown woman.

  She preserved her surpassing beauty till her death, and lived to blessher husband with a family of twelve children.

  Hans' two brothers returned unhurt from battle, and lived with theirmother and sisters in the splendid palace that Bertha had raised on thespot where had stood the wizard's castle.

  King Hans lived to a good old age, and died a good man and wise monarch.

  * * * * *

  It would be in vain to describe the enthusiasm that prevailed as Helenconcluded her fairy tale. Any story that partook at all of themarvellous was sure to meet with thorough appreciation, whoever might bethe teller; but when the sunny dreams of fairyland were shaped intowords by lips so rosy as those of our host's daughter, Methuselahhimself might have felt his blood boil in his veins.

  All the old fogies of the club felt their youth suddenly restored tothem, and it was all they could do to keep themselves from fallingprostrate at the feet of the fair story-teller. As for our artist, hehad lost his heart long ago. Here was a pretty to do! As for Helen, I'mafraid that she had caught the complaint. What was to be done? Well,never mind at present; perhaps the dart may not have struck very deep.

  But here comes our host, who, roused by the boisterous cheering of theguests, has come to call away his daughter to her meal. And high time,too, unless he wishes all their heads to be turned by this bewitchingenchantress.

  The eulogiums on Helen's beauty, manners, and powers for story-tellinglasted until dinner time, and such an impression had her story andmanner of telling it made upon all, that no one felt inclined either torelate or listen to another, and the club actually retired to rest thatevening without a story.

 

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