“Good day to you,” said the Cousin; “whither are you going?”
“To Wales, cousin,” he replied, “my wife is very ill; and the Parson said yesterday in his sermon that whoever having at home a sick child, a sick husband or wife, a sick father or a sick mother, a sick brother, sister, or any other relation, should then make a journey to the Bell Mountain in Wales, carrying in his hand some laurel and a cross, blessed and given by the Parson—whoever should do this, then that his sick child, sick mother or sick father, husband or wife, sick brother or sick sister, or any other relative, would immediately be restored to health. So this laurel and cross I have received from the Priest, and now I am hastening to the mountain.”
“But hold, cousin, stop!” said the other to the Farmer, “are you so simple as to believe that? Why, how do you know that the Parson may not perchance wish to have a comfortable talk with your wife alone, and therefore has contrived this tale to take you away from home?”
“Mercy on us!” said the Farmer, “if I did but know whether that were true or not!”
“Well, you soon can see,” replied the Cousin; “just get into my cart, and I will drive you home, that you may satisfy yourself.”
It was soon done; and as they drove nearer to the house they heard the sounds of merriment. There had the Farmer’s wife gathered the best of everything out of the farmyard and garden, and made all manner of savoury dishes, and the Parson was there to partake of them. So the Cousin knocked at the door, and the wife inquired who was there.
“It is only me, cousin,” replied he; “will you give me a night’s lodging? I have just sold my eggs in the market, and I meant to have got home to-night; but it is so dark already that I dare not go.”
“You have come at a very unlucky moment, cousin,” replied the Farmer’s wife; “but since you are quite alone you may come in and set yourself down in the chimney corner.”
So the egg-merchant, carrying his basket, came in and sat down where he was bid, while the Parson and the wife made themselves very merry together over their meal. Presently the Parson said, “You can sing I think, my dear; just give us a bit of a song.”
“Well,” said she, “I could sing once when I was very young; but now I have forgotten how, and it is almost all lost to me.”
“Never mind; do just try!” entreated the Parson. So the Farmer’s wife began:—and then the Parson joined in—
“Oh! well have I sent my husband away
To the mountains in Wales so high!”
“And there he shall stop for a year and a day;
And merry the time will pass by.”
Presently the Cousin within then struck up—(but here I must tell you the Farmer’s name was Hildebrand)—
“Hearest thou that, my Hildebrand dear?
Why sit’st thou so quiet, so near, so near?”
And directly the Farmer made answer—
“Oh! more of your singing I never can stand!
And out of this basket I must get my hand!”
With these words he jumped up from the basket, took a stick to the Parson, and drove him out of the house.
The Water of Life
Once upon a time there was a King who was so ill that every body despaired of his life, and his three Sons were very sorry, and went out into the palace gardens to weep. There they met an old Man, who asked the cause of their grief, and they told him their Father was so ill that he must die, for nothing could save him. The old Man said, “I know a means of saving him: if he drinks of the water of life it will restore him to health; but it is very difficult to find.”
“I will soon find it,” said the eldest Son, and, going to the sick King, he begged his permission to set out in search of the water of life, which alone could save him. “No; the danger is too great,” said the King; “I prefer to die.” Nevertheless the Son begged and entreated so long that the King consented, and the Prince went away, thinking in his own heart, “If I bring this water I am the dearest to my Father, and I shall inherit his kingdom.”
After he had ridden a long way about he met a Dwarf on the road, who asked him, “Whither away so quickly?”
“You stupid dandyprat,” replied the Prince proudly, “why should I tell you that?” and he rode off. But the little Man was angry and he wished an evil thing, so that soon after the Prince came into a narrow mountain pass, and the further he rode the narrower it grew, till at last it was so close that he could get no further; but neither could he turn his horse round, nor dismount, and he sat there like one amazed. Meanwhile the sick King waited a long while for him, but he did not come; and the second Son asked leave to go too and seek the water, for he thought to himself, “If my Brother is dead the kingdom comes to me.” At first the King refused to spare him; but he gave way, and the Prince set out on the same road as the elder one had taken, and met also the same Dwarf, who stopped him and asked him, “Whither ride you so hastily?” “Little dandyprat,” replied the Prince, “what do you want to know for?” and he rode off without looking round. The Dwarf, however, enchanted him, and it happened to him as it had to his Brother: he came to a defile where he could move neither forwards nor backwards. Such is the fate of all haughty people.
Now, when the second Son did not return, the youngest begged leave to go and fetch the water, and the King was obliged at last to give his consent. When he met the Dwarf, and was asked whither he was going so hurriedly, he stopped and replied, “I seek the water of life, for my Father is sick unto death.” “Do you know where to find it?” asked the Dwarf. “No,” replied the Prince. “Since you have behaved yourself as you ought,” said the Dwarf, “and not haughtily like your false Brothers, I will give you information and show you where you may obtain the water of life. It flows from a fountain in the court of an enchanted castle, into which you can never penetrate if I do not give you an iron rod and two loaves of bread. With the rod knock thrice at the iron door of the castle, and it will spring open. Within lie two lions with open jaws, but if you throw down to each a loaf of bread they will be quiet. Then hasten and fetch some of the water of life before it strikes twelve, for then the door will shut again and you will be imprisoned.”
The Prince thanked the Dwarf, and, taking the road and bread, he set out on his journey, and as he arrived at the castle he found it as the Dwarf had said. At the third knock the door sprang open; and, when he had stilled the Lions with the bread, he walked into a fine large hall, where sat several enchanted Princesses, from whose fingers he drew off the rings, and he also took away with him a sword and some bread which lay there. A little further he came to a room wherein stood a beautiful maiden, who was so pleased to see him that she kissed him and said he had freed her, and should have her whole kingdom, and if he came in another year their wedding should be celebrated. Then she told him where the fountain of the water of life was placed, and he hastened away lest it should strike twelve ere he gained it. He came next into a room where a fine clean covered bed stood, and, being tired, he lay down to rest himself a bit. But he went to sleep, and when he awoke it struck the quarter to twelve, and the sound made him hurry to the fountain, from which he took some water in a cup which stood near. This done, he hastened to the door, and was scarcely out before it struck twelve, and the door swung to so heavily that it carried away a piece of his heel.
But he was very glad, in spite of this, that he had procured the water, and he journeyed homewards, and passed again where the Dwarf stood. When the Dwarf saw the sword and bread which he had brought away he declared he had done well, for with the sword he could destroy whole armies; but the bread was worth nothing. Now, the Prince was not willing to return home to his Father without his Brothers, and so he said to the Dwarf, “Dear Dwarf, can you tell me where my Brothers are? they went out before me in search of the water of life, and did not return.” “They are stuck fast between two mountains,” replied the Dwarf; “because they were so haughty, I enchanted them there.”
Then the Prince begged for their release,
till at last the Dwarf brought them out; but he warned the youngest to beware of them, for they had evil in their hearts.
When his Brothers came he was very glad, and he related to them all that had happened to him; how he had found the water of life and brought away a cup full of it; and how he had rescued a beautiful Princess, who for a whole year was going to wait for him, and then he was to return to be married to her, and receive a rich kingdom. After this tale the three Brothers rode away together, and soon entered a province where there were war and famine raging, and the King thought he should perish, so great was his necessity. The youngest Prince went to this King and gave him the bread, with which he fed and satisfied his whole people; and then the Prince gave him the sword, wherewith he defeated and slew all his enemies, and regained peace and quiet. This effected, the Prince took back the bread, and sword, and rode on further with his Brothers, and by-and-by they came to two other provinces where also war and famine were destroying the people. To each King the Prince lent his bread and sword, and so saved three kingdoms. After this they went on board a ship to pass over the sea which separated them from home, and during the voyage the two elder Brothers said to one another, “Our Brother has found the water of life and we have not; therefore our Father will give the kingdom which belongs to us to him, and our fortune will be taken away.” With these thoughts they became revengeful, and consulted together how they should kill him, and one day waiting till he was fast asleep, they poured the water out of his cup and took it for themselves, while they filled his up with bitter salt-water. As soon as they arrived at home the youngest Brother took his cup to the sick King, that he might drink out of it and regain his health. But scarcely had he drunk a very little of the water when he became worse than before, for it was as bitter as wormwood. While the King lay in this state, the two elder Princes came, and accused their Brother of poisoning his Father; but they had brought the right water, and they handed it to the King. Scarcely had he drunk a little out of the cup when the King felt his sickness leave him, and soon he was as strong and healthy as in his young days. The two Brothers now went to the youngest Prince, mocking him, and saying, “You certainly found the water of life; but you had the trouble and we had the reward; you should have been more cautious and kept your eyes open, for we took your cup while you were asleep on the sea; and, moreover, in a year one of us intends to fetch your Princess. Beware, however, that you betray us not; the King will not believe you, and if you say a single word your life will be lost; but if you remain silent you are safe.” The old King, nevertheless, was very angry with his youngest Son, who had conspired, as he believed, against his life. He caused his court to be assembled, and sentence was given to the effect that the Prince should be secretly shot; and once as he rode out hunting, unsuspicious of any evil, the Huntsman was sent with him to perform the deed. By-and-by, when they were alone in the wood, the Huntsman seemed so sad that the Prince asked him what ailed him. The Huntsman replied, “I cannot and yet must tell you.” “Tell me boldly what it is,” said the Prince, “I will forgive you.” “Ah! it is no other than that I must shoot you, for so has the King ordered me,” said the Huntsman with a deep sigh.
The Prince was frightened, and said, “Let me live, dear Huntsman, let me live! I will give you my royal coat and you shall give me yours in exchange.” To this the Huntsman readily assented, for he felt unable to shoot the Prince, and after they had exchanged their clothing the Huntsman returned home, and the Prince went deeper into the wood.
A short time afterwards three waggons laden with gold and precious stones came to the King’s palace for his youngest Son, and they were sent by the three Kings in token of gratitude for the sword which had defeated their enemies, and the bread which had nourished their people. At this arrival the old King said to himself, “Perhaps after all my Son was guiltless,” and he lamented to his courtiers that he had let his Son be killed. But the Huntsman cried out, “He lives yet! for I could not find it in my heart to fulfill your commands,” and he told the King how it had happened. The King felt as if a stone had been removed from his heart, and he caused it to be proclaimed everywhere throughout his dominions that his Son might return and would again be taken into favour.
Meanwhile the Princess had caused a road to be made up to her castle of pure shining gold, and she told her attendants that whoever should ride straight up this road would be the right person, and one whom they might admit into the castle; but, on the contrary, whoever should ride up not on the road, but by the side, they were ordered on no account to admit, for he was not the right person. When, therefore, the time came round which the Princess had mentioned to the youngest Prince, the eldest Brother thought he would hasten to her castle and announce himself as her deliverer, that he might gain her as a bride and the kingdom besides. So he rode away, and when he came in front of the castle and saw the fine golden road he thought it would be a shame to ride thereon, and so he turned to the left hand and rode up out of the road. But as he came up to the door the guards told him he was not the right person, and he must ride back again. Soon afterwards the second Prince also set out, and he, likewise, when he came to the golden road, and his horse set his forefeet upon it, thought it would be a pity to travel upon it, and so he turned aside to the right hand and went up. When he came to the gate the guards refused him admittance, and told him he was not the person expected, and so he had to return homewards. The youngest Prince, who had all this time been wandering about in the forest, had also remembered that the year was up, and soon after his Brothers’ departure he appeared before the castle and rode up straight on the golden road, for he was so deeply engaged in thinking of his beloved Princess that he did not observe it. As soon as he arrived at the door it was opened, and the Princess received him with joy, saying he was her deliverer and the lord of her dominions. Soon after their wedding was celebrated, and when it was over the Princess told her husband that his Father had forgiven him and desired to see him. Thereupon he rode to the old King’s palace, and told him how his Brothers had betrayed him while he slept and had sworn him to silence. When the King heard this he would have punished the false Brothers, but they had prudently taken themselves off in a ship, and they never returned home afterwards.
The Spirit in the Bottle
There was once upon a time a poor Woodcutter who worked from morning till quite late at night, and after doing so for a very long time he managed to save some money, and said to his Son, “You are my only child, and so this money, which I have earned by the hard sweat of my brow, shall be spent on your education. Do you learn something useful whereby you may support me in my old age, when my limbs become so stiff that I am obliged to sit still at home.”
Thereupon the Son went to a great school, and was very industrious, so that he became much noticed for it; and there he remained a long time. After he had gone through a long course of study, but still had not learnt all that was to be learnt, the store of money which his Father had earned was exhausted, and he was obliged to return home again.
“Ah, I can give you no more,” said the Father, sadly, “for in these dear times I can scarce earn enough for my daily bread.”
“Make yourself easy on that point, my dear father,” replied the Son; “if it is God’s will, be sure it is all for the best: I will suit myself to the times.”
Afterwards, when the Father was about to go to the forest to earn something by chopping and clearing, his Son said, “I will accompany you and help you.” “Ah, but my son,” said the Father, “that will be a hard matter for you, who have never been used to such hard work; you must not attempt it; besides, I have only one axe, and no money either to buy another.”
“Go then and ask your neighbour to lend you one, till I shall have earned enough to buy one for myself,” replied the Son.
So the Father borrowed an axe of his neighbour, and the next morning, at break of day, they went together to the forest. The Son assisted his Father, and was very lively and merry over his work, and abou
t noon, when the sun stood right over their heads, the Father proposed to rest for a while, and eat their dinner, and then, after that, they would be able to work all the better. The Son, however, taking his share of bread, said, “Do you rest here, father; I am not tired; and I will go a little way into the forest, and look for birds’ nests.”
“Oh, you silly fellow!” said the Father, “what do you want to run about for? you will make yourself so tired, you will not be able to raise your arm: keep quiet a bit and sit down here with me.”
But the young man would not do so, but went off among the trees, eating his bread, and peeping about among the bushes for any nest he could find. To and fro he walked a long way, and presently came to an immense oak-tree, which was certainly many hundred years old, and could not have been spanned round by any five men. He stopped still to look at this tree, thinking that many a bird’s nest must be built within it, and while he did so he suddenly heard, as he thought, a voice. He listened, and soon heard again a half-smothered cry of “Let me out! let me out!” He looked around, but could see nothing; still the voice appeared to come, as it were, from the ground. So he called “Where are you?” and the Voice replied, “Here I stick, among the roots of the oak-tree: let me out! let me out!” The Scholar, therefore, began to search at the foot of the tree, where the roots spread, and at last, in a little hollow, he found a glass bottle. He picked it up, and, holding it to the light, he perceived a thing, in shape like a frog, which kept jumping up and down. “Let me out! let me out!” cried the thing again; and the Scholar, thinking no evil, drew out the stopper of the bottle. Immediately a Spirit sprang out, and began to grow and grow so fast, that in a very few moments he stood before the Scholar like a frightful giant, half the size of the tree. “Do you know,” he cried, with a voice like thunder, “do you know what your reward is for letting me out of the glass bottle?”
Grimm's Fairy Tales (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) Page 39
