The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales

by The Brothers Grimm

  He entered and went through all the rooms, until in the last he found the King’s daughter. But how shocked he was when he saw her. She had an ashen-gray face full of wrinkles, bleary eyes, and red hair. “Are you the King’s daughter, whose beauty the whole world praises?” cried he. “Ah,” she answered, “this is not my form; human eyes can only see me in this state of ugliness, but that you may know what I am like, look in the mirror—it does not let itself be misled—it will show you my image as it is in truth.” She gave him the mirror in his hand, and he saw therein the likeness of the most beautiful maiden on earth, and saw, too, how the tears were rolling down her cheeks with grief. Then said he: “How can you be set free? I fear no danger.” She said: “He who gets the crystal ball, and holds it before the enchanter, will destroy his power with it, and I shall resume my true shape. Ah,” she added, “so many have already gone to meet death for this, and you are so young; I grieve that you should encounter such great danger.” “Nothing can keep me from doing it,” said he, “but tell me what I must do.” “You shall know everything,” said the King’s daughter; “when you descend the mountain on which the castle stands, a wild bull will stand below by a spring, and you must fight with it, and if you have the luck to kill it, a fiery bird will spring out of it, which bears in its body a red-hot egg, and in the egg the crystal ball lies as its yolk. The bird, however, will not let the egg fall until forced to do so. and if it falls on the ground, it will flame up and burn everything that is near, and even the egg itself will melt, and with it the crystal ball, and then all your trouble will have been in vain.

  The youth went down to the spring, where the bull snorted and bellowed at him. After a long struggle he plunged his sword in the animal’s body, and it fell down. Instantly a fiery bird arose from it, and was about to fly away, but the young man’s brother, the eagle, who was passing between the clouds, swooped down, hunted it away to the sea, and struck it with his beak until, in its extremity, it let the egg fall. The egg, however, did not fall into the sea, but on a fisherman’s hut which stood on the shore and the hut began at once to smoke and was about to break out in flames. Then arose in the sea waves as high as a house, which streamed over the hut, and subdued the fire. The other brother, the whale, had come swimming to them, and had driven the water up on high. When the fire was extinguished, the youth sought for the egg and happily found it; it was not yet melted, but the shell was broken by being so suddenly cooled with the water, and he could take out the crystal ball unhurt.

  When the youth went to the enchanter and held it before him, the latter said: “My power is destroyed, and from this time forth you are the King of the Castle of the Golden Sun. With this can you likewise give back to your brothers their human form.” Then the youth hastened to the King’s daughter, and when he entered the room, she was standing there in the full splendor of her beauty, and joyfully they exchanged rings with each other.

  Maid Maleen

  THERE WAS once a King who had a son who asked in marriage the daughter of a mighty King; she was called Maid Maleen, and was very beautiful. As her father wished to give her to another, the prince was rejected; but as they both loved each other with all their hearts, they would not give each other up, and Maid Maleen said to her father: “I can and will take no other for my husband.” Then the King flew into a passion, and ordered a dark tower to be built, into which no ray of sunlight or moonlight should enter. When it was finished, he said: “Therein shall you be imprisoned for seven years, and then I will come and see if your perverse spirit is broken.” Meat and drink for the seven years were carried into the tower, and then she and her maid-in-waiting were led into it and walled up, and thus cut off from the sky and from the earth. There they sat in the darkness, and knew not when day or night began. The King’s son often went round and round the tower, and called their names, but no sound from without pierced through the thick walls. What else could they do but lament and complain?

  Meanwhile the time passed, and by the decline of food and drink they knew that the seven years were coming to an end. They thought the moment of their deliverance was come; but no stroke of the hammer was heard, no stone fell out of the wall, and it seemed to Maid Maleen that her father had forgotten her. As they had food only for a short time longer, and saw a miserable death awaiting them, Maid Maleen said: “We must try our last chance, and see if we can break through the wall.” She took the bread-knife, and picked and bored at the mortar of a stone, and when she was tired, the waiting-maid took her turn. With great labor they succeeded in getting out one stone, and then a second, and a third, and when three days were over the first ray of light fell on their darkness, and at last the opening was so large that they could look out. The sky was blue, and a fresh breeze played on their faces; but how melancholy everything looked all around! Her father’s castle lay in ruins, the town and the villages were, so far as could be seen, destroyed by fire, the fields far and wide laid to waste, and no human being was visible. When the opening in the wall was large enough for them to slip through, the waiting-maid sprang down first, and then Maid Maleen followed. But where were they to go? The enemy had ravaged the whole kingdom, driven away the King, and slain all the inhabitants. They wandered forth to seek another country, but nowhere did they find a shelter, or a human being to give them a mouthful of bread, and their need was so great that they were forced to appease their hunger with nettles. When, after long journeying, they came into another country, they tried to get work everywhere; but wherever they knocked they were turned away, and no one would have pity on them. At last they arrived in a large city and went to the royal palace. There also they were ordered to go away, but at last the cook said that they might stay in the kitchen and be scullions.

  The son of the King in whose kingdom they were, however, was the very man who had been betrothed to Maid Maleen. His father had chosen another bride for him, whose face was as ugly as her heart was wicked. The wedding was fixed, and the maiden had already arrived; but because of her great ugliness she shut herself in her room, and allowed no one to see her, and Maid Maleen had to take her her meals from the kitchen. When the day came for the bride and the bridegroom to go to church, she was ashamed of her ugliness, and afraid that if she showed herself in the streets, she would be mocked and laughed at by the people. Then said she to Maid Maleen: “A great piece of luck has befallen you. I have sprained my foot, and cannot well walk through the streets; you shall put on my wedding-clothes and take my place; a greater honor than that you cannot have!” Maid Maleen, however, refused it, and said: “I wish for no honor which is not suitable for me.” It was in vain, too, that the bride offered her gold. At last she said angrily: “If you do not obey me, it shall cost you your life. I have but to speak the word, and your head will lie at your feet.” Then she was forced to obey, and put on the bride’s magnificent clothes and all her jewels. When she entered the royal hall, every one was amazed at her great beauty, and the King said to his son: “This is the bride whom I have chosen for you, and whom you must lead to church.” The bridegroom was astonished, and thought: “She is like my Maid Maleen, and I should believe that it was she herself, but she has long been shut up in the tower, or dead.” He took her by the hand and led her to church. On the way was a nettle-plant, and she said:

  “Oh, nettle-plant,

  Little nettle-plant,

  What dost thou here alone?

  I have known the time

  When I ate thee unboiled,

  When I ate thee unroasted.”

  “What are you saying?” asked the King’s son. “Nothing,” she replied, “I was only thinking of Maid Maleen.” He was surprised that she knew about her, but kept silence. When they came to the foot-plank into the churchyard, she said:

  “Foot-bridge, do not break,

  I am not the true bride.”

  “What are you saying there?” asked the King’s son. “Nothing,” she replied, “I was only thinking of Maid Maleen.” “Do you know Maid Maleen?” “No,�
� she answered, “how should I know her; I have only heard of her.” When they came to the church-door, she said once more:

  “Church-door, break not,

  I am not the true bride.”

  “What are you saying there?” asked he. “Ah,” she answered, “I was only thinking of Maid Maleen.” Then he took out a precious chain, put it round her neck, and fastened the clasp. Thereupon they entered the church, and the priest joined their hands together before the altar, and married them. He led her home, but she did not speak a single word the whole way. When they got back to the royal palace, she hurried into the bride’s chamber, put off the magnificent clothes and the jewels, dressed herself in her gray gown, and kept nothing but the jewel on her neck, which she had received from the bridegroom.

  When the night came, and the bride was to be led into the prince’s apartment, she let her veil fall over her face, that he might not observe the deception. As soon as everyone had gone away, he said to her: “What did you say to the nettle-plant which was growing by the wayside?”

  “To which nettle-plant?” asked she; “I don’t talk to nettle-plants.” “If you did not do it, then you are not the true bride,” said he. So she bethought herself, and said:

  “I must go out unto my maid,

  Who keeps my thoughts for me.”

  She went out and sought Maid Maleen. “Girl, what have you been saying to the nettle?” “I said nothing but:

  ‘Oh, nettle-plant,

  Little nettle-plant,

  What dost thou here alone?

  I have known the time

  When I ate thee unboiled,

  When I ate thee unroasted.’ ”

  The bride ran back into the chamber, and said: “I know now what I said to the nettle,” and she repeated the words which she had just heard. “But what did you say to the foot-bridge when we went over it?” asked the King’s son. “To the foot-bridge?” she answered. “I don’t talk to foot-bridges.” “Then you are not the true bride.”

  She again said:

  “I must go out unto my maid,

  Who keeps my thoughts for me.”

  and ran out and scolded Maid Maleen: “Girl, what did you say to the foot-bridge?”

  “I said nothing but:

  Foot-bridge, do not break,

  I am not the true bride.”

  “That costs you your life!” cried the bride, but she hurried into the room, and said: “I know now what I said to the foot-bridge,” and she repeated the words. “But what did you say to the church-door?” “To the church-door?” she replied; “I don’t talk to church-doors.” “Then you are not the true bride.”

  She went out and scolded Maid Maleen, and said: “Girl, what did you say to the church-door?” “I said nothing but:

  Church-door, break not,

  I am not the true bride.”

  “That will break your neck for you!” cried the bride, and flew into a terrible passion, but she hastened back into the room, and said: “I know now what I said to the church-door,” and she repeated the words. “But where have you the jewel which I gave you at the church-door?” “What jewel?” she answered; “you did not give me any jewel.” “I myself put it round your neck, and I myself fastened it; if you do not know that, you are not the true bride.” He drew the veil from her face, and when he saw her immeasurable ugliness, he sprang back terrified, and said: “How do you come here? Who are you?” “I am your betrothed bride, but because I feared lest the people should mock me when they saw me out of doors, I commanded the scullery-maid to dress herself in my clothes, and to go to church instead of me.” “Where is the girl?” said he; “I want to see her, go and bring her here.” She went out and told the servants that the scullery-maid was an impostor, and that they must take her out into the court-yard and strike off her head. The servants laid hold of Maid Maleen and wanted to drag her out, but she screamed so loudly for help, that the King’s son heard her voice, hurried out of his chamber and ordered them to set the maiden free instantly. Lights were brought, and then he saw on her neck the gold chain which he had given her at the church-door. “You are the true bride,” said he, “who went with me to church; come with me now to my room.” When they were both alone, he said: “On the way to the church you did name Maid Maleen, who was my betrothed bride; if I could believe it possible, I should think she was standing before me—you are like her in every respect.” She answered: “I am Maid Maleen, who for your sake was imprisoned seven years in the darkness, who suffered hunger and thirst, and has lived so long in want and poverty. Today, however, the sun is shining on me once more. I was married to you in the church, and I am your lawful wife.” Then they kissed each other, and were happy all the days of their lives. The false bride was rewarded for what she had done by having her head cut off.

  The tower in which Maid Maleen had been imprisoned remained standing for a long time, and when the children passed by it they sang:

  “Kling, klang, gloria.

  Who sits within this tower?

  A King’s daughter, she sits within,

  A sight of her I cannot win,

  The wall it will not break,

  The stone cannot be pierced.

  Little Hans, with your coat so gay,

  Follow me, follow me, fast as you may.”

  The Boots of Buffalo-Leather

  A SOLDIER WHO is afraid of nothing, troubles himself about nothing. One of this kind had received his discharge, and as he had learnt no trade and could earn nothing, he traveled about and begged alms of kind people. He had an old raincoat on his back, and a pair of riding-boots of buffalo-leather which were still left to him. One day he was walking he knew not where, straight out into the open country, and at length came to a forest. He did not know where he was, but saw sitting on the trunk of a tree, which had been cut down, a man who was well dressed and wore a green shooting-coat. The soldier shook hands with him, sat down on the grass by his side, and stretched out his legs. “I see you have good boots on, which are well blacked,” said he to the huntsman: “but if you had to travel about as I have, they would not last long. Look at mine, they are of buffalo-leather, and have been worn for a long time, but in them I can go through thick and thin.” After a while the soldier got up and said: “I can stay no longer, hunger drives me onwards; but, Brother Brightboots, where does this road lead to?” “I don’t know that myself,” answered the huntsman, “I have lost my way in the forest.” “Then you are in the same plight as I,” said the soldier; “birds of a feather flock together, let us remain together, and seek our way.” The huntsman smiled a little, and they walked on further and further, until night fell. “We do not get out of the forest,” said the soldier, “but there in the distance I see a light shining; there we might find something to eat.” They found a stone house, knocked at the door, and an old woman opened it. “We are looking for quarters for the night,” said the soldier, “and some lining for our stomachs, for mine is as empty as an old knapsack.” “You cannot stay here,” answered the old woman; “this is a robbers’ house, and you would do wisely to get away before they come home, or you will be lost.” “It won’t be so bad as that,” answered the soldier, “I have not had a mouthful for two days, and whether I am murdered here or die of hunger in the forest is all the same to me. I shall come in.” The huntsman would not follow, but the soldier drew him in with him by the sleeve. “Come, my dear brother, we shall not come to an end so quickly as that!” The old woman had pity on them and said: “Creep in here behind the stove, and if they leave anything, I will give it to you on the sly when they are asleep.” Scarcely were they in the corner before twelve robbers came bursting in, seated themselves at the table which was already laid, and vehemently demanded some food. The old woman brought in some great dishes of roast meat, and the robbers enjoyed that thoroughly. When the soldier smelled the food, he said to the huntsman: “I cannot hold out any longer, I shall seat myself at the table, and eat with them.” “You will bring us to destruction,” said the
huntsman, and held him back by the arm. But the soldier began to cough loudly. When the robbers heard that, they threw away their knives and forks, leapt up, and discovered the two who were behind the stove. “Aha, gentlemen, are you in the corner?” cried they. “What are you doing here? Have you been sent as spies? Wait a while, and you shall learn how to fly on a dry bough.” “But do be civil,” said the soldier, “I am hungry, give me something to eat, and then you can do what you like with me.” The robbers were astonished, and the captain said: “I see that you have no fear; well, you shall have some food, but after that you must die.” “We shall see,” said the soldier, and seated himself at the table, and began to cut away valiantly at the roast meat. “Brother Brightboots, come and eat,” cried he to the huntsman; “you must be as hungry as I am, and cannot have better roast meat at home,” but the huntsman would not eat. The robbers looked at the soldier in astonishment, and said: “The rascal uses no ceremony.” After a while he said: “I have had enough food, now get me something good to drink.” The chief of the robbers was in the mood to humor him in this also, and called to the old woman: “Bring a bottle out of the cellar, and mind it be of the best.” The soldier drew the cork out with a loud noise, and then went with the bottle to the huntsman and said: “Watch this, brother, and you shall see something that will surprise you; I am now going to drink the health of the whole clan.” Then he brandished the bottle over the heads of the robbers, and cried: “Long life to you all, but with your mouths open and your right hands lifted up,” and then he drank a hearty draught. Scarcely were the words said than they all sat motionless as if made of stone, and their mouths were open and their right hands stretched up in the air. The huntsman said to the soldier: “I see that you are acquainted with tricks of another kind, but now come and let us go home.” “Oho, my dear brother, but that would be marching away far too soon; we have conquered the enemy, and must first take the booty. Those men there are sitting fast, and are opening their mouths with astonishment, but they will not be allowed to move until I permit them. Come, eat and drink.” The old woman had to bring another bottle of the best wine, and the soldier would not stir until he had eaten enough to last for three days. At last when day came, he said: “Now it is time to strike our tents, and in order that our march may be a short one, the old woman shall show us the nearest way to the town.”