Grimm's Fairy Tales (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

by Brothers Grimm

  The Master-Thief then took his leave; and after he had said good-bye to his parents, he went away to a distant country, and nobody has seen or heard of him since.

  Old Rinkrank

  There was once a King who had a Daughter; and he had a glass mountain built, and said that whoever could run over it without tumbling should have this Daughter for his wife. Then there was one who was so fond of the King’s Daughter that he asked the King whether he might not marry her. “Yes,” said the King, “if you can run over the mountain without tumbling, then you shall have her.” The King’s Daughter said she would run over with him, so that she might hold him up if he were going to fall; so they ran over together, but when they got up to the middle the King’s Daughter slipped and fell, and the glass mountain opened itself, and she tumbled right into it. Her Sweetheart couldn’t see a bit where she had gone through, for the mountain had closed again directly. Then he fretted and cried so much, and the King too was so wretched, that he had the mountain broken down again, thinking he would get his daughter out again; but they could never find the place where she had tumbled through. In the mean time the King’s Daughter had got quite deep into the ground, in a great cave. There, there came to her an old fellow with a tremendous long grey beard, and he told her that if she would be his servant and do all he bade her, she should remain alive; if not, he would make away with her. So she did all he told her. In the morning he took his ladder out of his pocket and placed it against the mountain, and climbed up out of it. Then he pulled the ladder up after him. She had then to cook his dinner, to make his bed, and to do all his work; and when he came home again he always brought great heaps of gold and silver with him.

  Now, when she had been many years with him, and had already grown quite old, he called her Mother Mansrot, and she had to call him Old Rinkrank. One day, when he was out again, she made his bed, and washed his dishes, and then she shut up all the doors and windows quite close; but there was a little loophole, through which the light shone into the house, and that she left open. When Old Rinkrank came home again he knocked at his door, and called out, “Open the door for me.” “Nay, Old Rinkrank,” said she; “I sha’n’t open the door.” Then he said:—

  “Here stand I, poor Rinkrank,

  Upon my seventeen long shanks;

  Mother Mansrot, wash my dishes!”

  “I have already washed your dishes,” said she. Then he said again:—

  “Here stand I, poor Rinkrank,

  Upon my seventeen long shanks;

  Mother Mansrot, make my bed!”

  “I have already made your bed,” said she. Then he said again:—

  “Here stand I, poor Rinkrank,

  Upon my seventeen longshanks;

  Mother Mansrot, open the door!”

  Then he ran all round about the house, and saw that the little loophole was open, so he thought, “I will just look in there, to see what she is about that she won’t open the door for me.” So he went and tried to look in, but he couldn’t get his head through on account of his long beard, so he poked his beard through the loophole first, and when he had got it quite through Mother Mansrot ran up, and fastened the trap-door with a band which she had tied to it, and so the beard was fastened in quite tight. Then he began to scream most miserably, it hurt him so; and he begged and prayed she would let him loose; but she said not before he gave her the ladder on which he climbed out of the mountain. Then, whether he willed or not, he was obliged to say where the ladder was. So she tied a very long band to the trap-door, and placed the ladder against the mountain, and climbed up out of it; and when she was up at the top she pulled the trap-door open. She went then to her father and told all about what happened to her. The King was greatly rejoiced; and her Sweetheart was there still; so they went and dug up the mountain, and found Old Rinkrank with all his gold and silver. Then the King had Old Rinkrank killed, and took home all his silver and gold. And the King’s Daughter married her old Sweetheart, and they lived right merrily in splendour and happiness.

  The Ball of Crystal

  There was once upon a time an Enchantress who had three sons, who loved one another dearly, but yet their mother would not trust them, and was always suspecting that they would rob her of her power; so she changed the eldest into an Eagle, and condemned him to dwell on the tops of a rocky chain of mountains, where one might see him many times wheeling round and round in the air in great circles. The second brother she changed into a Whale, and he dwelt in the deep sea, where one might see him now and then throwing up a huge stream of water. These two could retake their human form for two hours a day. The third son, however, fearing that he might be changed into some wild beast, bear or lion, secretly took his departure, for he had heard that in the Castle of the Golden Sun sat an enchanted Princess awaiting a deliverer. Many a youth had felt bound to venture his life in her cause, but already had three-and-twenty met with horrible deaths, and only one remained to tell the dreadful tale. Our hero drove away all fear from his mind, and resolved to search out this wonderful castle. For a very long time he had wandered about, when one day he unexpectedly arrived in a large forest, from which he could not get out. He perceived, however, in the distance two Giants, who beckoned him with their hands. He went towards them, and they told him that they were fighting for the possession of a hat; but, as they were both equally strong, neither could gain the mastery, and they wished, therefore, to leave the decision to him, since men of his size were generally very wise and crafty.

  “What can induce you to fight for an old hat?” asked the Youth.

  “You do not know the wonderful properties which belong to it,” answered the Giants; “it is a wishing hat, and whoever wears it may go instantly whither he wishes.”

  “Give me the hat,” said the Youth; “I will go a short way, then do you both run as if for a wager, and whoever comes up to me first shall have the hat.” With these words he put the hat on and walked off; but, beginning to think of the Princess, he forgot the Giants, and walked on and on. All at once he heaved a sigh from the bottom of his heart, and exclaimed, “Ah! that I were near the Castle of the Golden Sun.” Scarcely had the words passed his lips when he found himself standing on a high mountain before the very place. He entered the Castle by the door and passed through all the rooms till he came to the last, where he found the Princess. But how startled he was when he saw her. Her face was full of wrinkles, her eyes were sunk deep in her head, and her hair was red. “Are you the King’s Daughter of whose beauty all the world talks?” asked the Youth. “Alas!” she replied, “this is not my form; the eyes of mortal men can only see me in this hateful guise; but that you may know how beautiful is the reality, look in this mirror which cannot err, that will show you my face as it is in reality.” She gave him a mirror, and he beheld in it the portrait of the most beautiful Maiden the earth could contain, and over her cheeks he could even see the tears of sorrow rolling. “How can I save you?” he asked; “no danger will appal me.” The Princess replied, “He who can obtain possession of the Crystal Ball, and hold it before the Enchanter, will thereby break his power, and I shall return to my original shape. But, alas! already many a one has met death for me, and I shall grieve for your youthful blood if you dare these great perils.”

  “Nothing can keep me from the attempt,” said the Youth; “but what must I do?”

  “You shall know all,” said the Princess: “if you descend the mountain on which this castle stands you will find a wild Ox, with which you must fight, and if you are lucky enough to kill it, a Fiery Bird will rise from its carcase, in whose body is a red hot egg, the yolk of which forms the Crystal Ball. This Bird will not drop the egg till it is compelled; but if it falls to the ground it will burn and consume whatever is near it, and then the iron will melt, and with it the Crystal Ball, and all your trouble will be futile.”

  The Youth, thereupon, descended to the bottom of the mountain, where he saw the Ox, who commenced as soon as he appeared to bellow and run at him. After a
long fight the Youth plunged his sword into its body, so that it fell dead to the ground. At the same instant the Fiery Bird rose from the carcase and was about to fly away, when the Eagle, the brother of the Youth, who was just then passing over the spot, swooped down and struck the Bird towards the sea, so that in its endeavours to escape it let fall the egg. The egg, however, did not fall into the sea, but on the roof of a fisherman’s hut which stood on the shore. The roof began to burn, for the egg instantly blazed up; but at the moment, immense waves dashed out of the sea, and rolling quite over the hut extinguished the fire. It was the other brother, the Whale, who had caused this, having luckily swum there at the right time. As soon as the fire was out, the Youth searched for the egg, and found it very quickly; it was not quite molten, but the shell was so cracked by the sudden cooling of the cold sea water that he managed easily to extract the Crystal Ball.

  The Youth took it at once to show to the Enchanter, who, as soon as he saw it, said, “My power is destroyed, and you are henceforth King of the Castle of the Golden Sun. Your brothers, also, can now return to their human forms.

  The Youth then hastened to the Princess, and as soon as he entered the room her former beauty returned in all its glory, and they both exchanged rings with great joy, which means to say, I suppose, that they married and were very happy.

  Jungfrau Maleen

  There was once upon a time a King’s Son, who went a-wooing the Daughter of another mighty King, and her name was Jungfrauac Maleen. Her father, however, refused his permission to the match, because he wished her to marry some one else. But they both still loved one another so dearly, that Jungfrau Maleen told her father she could not and would not marry any one except this Prince. When she said so, her father flew into a great passion, and caused a gloomy tower to be built, into which no ray of either sun or moon could penetrate. When it was completed he said to his Daughter, “For seven years you shall sit therein; and at the end of that period I will come and see if your stubborn disposition is conquered.” Meat and drink sufficient for these seven years were carried into the tower, and then the Princess and her Maid were led into it, and bricked up, so that earth and heaven were shut out from them. They were quite in darkness, and knew no difference between day and night. The Prince often came to the outside of the tower and called their names, but they heard nothing, for no sound could penetrate through the thick walls. What could they do, then, except weep and lament their fate! So time passed by; and, by the decreasing of their food and drink they perceived that the end of their imprisonment was approaching. They imagined that their release was at hand; but no sound of a hammer was to be heard, nor were any stones picked out of the wall, and it seemed as if the King had forgotten them. So, when they had sufficient food left for only a few days, and the prospect of a miserable death stared them in the face, Jungfrau Maleen said to her companion, “It is time now that we should try to break through the wall.”

  So saying, she took their bread-knife, and picked and scraped away the mortar round one stone; and when she was tired the Maid assisted her. After a long time they succeeded in taking out one stone, then a second, and a third, and thus, after three days’ labour, a ray of light illumined their cell; and then they made the opening so large that they could peep through it. The heaven was blue, and a fresh breeze came in their faces, but how mournful looked everything around! The castle of the King lay in ruins; the towns and villages, as far as the eye could reach, were burnt to the ground; the fields far and near were laid waste; and not one human being was to be seen. Soon the opening in the wall was so large that they could pass through it; and the Maiden first jumping out, her Mistress followed her. But where were they to turn? Enemies had depopulated the whole kingdom, and driven away or slain the King, with all his subjects. The pair therefore wandered on and on, seeking some other country; but nowhere could they find a shelter, or any man to give them bread to eat, and their hunger compelled them to eat the burnt roots of nettles.

  However, after much weary travelling, they did at last come to cultivated land, and there, at every house, they offered their services; but nobody would take them in, or show them any pity. At last they arrived at a large city, and went to the King’s palace; but there, also, they were on the point of being turned back, when the cook told them they might stop and serve as kitchen-maids if they liked.

  Now the son of this King was the very same who was betrothed to Jungfrau Maleen, and his father had engaged him to another maiden, who was as wickedly disposed in her heart as she was ugly in her looks. When the two travellers arrived, the wedding-day had been already appointed, and the bride was come, but she had shut herself up in her room, and would not be seen, because of her ugliness, and Jungfrau Maleen was ordered to take in her meals. When the day came that the betrothed couple should go to church, the bride elect was so ashamed of her ugliness that she feared she should be laughed at, and derided by the common people if she showed herself to them. So she said to Jungfrau Maleen, “A great piece of luck is presented to you, for I have hurt my foot and cannot walk at all on the road; so you shall put on my bridal clothes, and take my place: a greater honour could not have fallen to your share.”

  Jungfrau Maleen, however, refused, and said, “I desire no honour that does not belong to me;” and she would not be tempted even with gold. At last the bride elect exclaimed passionately, “If you do not obey me, it shall cost you your life. I have only to say one word, and your head will lie at my feet.”

  Jungfrau Maleen was now forced to comply, and she arrayed herself in the bridal clothes and ornaments. As soon as she appeared in the royal apartments all were astonished at her great beauty, and the King told his son she was the bride whom he had chosen for him, and it was time now to go to church. The Prince was astonished, and thought to himself, “She looks like my Jungfrau Maleen, and I almost believe it is she; but no! she is dead, or shut up in the tower.” He took the Maiden by the hand, and led her to the church, and on the road they passed a nettle-bush, whereupon the bride sang in a strange language—

  “Nettle-bush! oh, nettle-bush!

  Have you forgot the day

  When I cooked your juicy roots,

  My hunger sharp to stay!”

  “What did you say, then?” asked the Prince. “Nothing! I was only thinking of Jungfrau Maleen,” replied the seeming bride. He marvelled that she should know her, but he said nothing; and when they came to the church steps she sang—

  “Church-steps! break not, I pray,

  The true bride comes not to-day.”

  “What did you say?” asked the Prince. “Nothing,” she replied, as before: “I was but thinking of Jungfrau Maleen.”

  “Do you know that maiden, then?” asked the Prince. “No, how should I? I have only heard of her,” said she; and when they passed through the church-door she sang—

  “Church-door! crack not, I pray,

  The true bride comes not to-day.”

  “What did you say?” asked the Prince a third time. “Alas! I was only thinking of Jungfrau Maleen,” she said. Then he drew out a costly chain, and fastened it around her neck; and thereupon they walked into the church, and the priest, joining their hands together at the altar, married them in due form. The ceremony over, the bridegroom led back the bride, but she never spoke a single word all the way home. As soon as they arrived at the palace, she hastened into the bride’s chamber, and, laying aside her beautiful clothes and ornaments, she put on her grey kirtle, but kept the chain round her neck which she had received from the bridegroom.

  When night came, and it was time for the bride to be ushered into the bridegroom’s chamber, the ugly maiden let fall her veil over her features, that the deceit might not be discovered. As soon as they were alone, the bridegroom asked her, “What did you say to the nettle-bush which we passed on the road?”

  “To what nettle-bush?” she asked, “I spoke to no nettle-bush!”

  “If you did not, you are not my real Bride,” said he. Thereupon she l
eft the room, and seeking Jungfrau Maleen, asked her what she had said to the nettle-bush. She sang the words over—

  “Nettle-bush, oh nettle-bush,

  Have you forgot the day

  When I cooked your juicy roots,

  My hunger sharp to stay!”

  And as soon as she had done, the Bride ran back to the room and repeated them to the Prince. “But what did you say to the church-steps as we passed up them?” he inquired. “To the church-steps!” she echoed in surprise; “I spoke to none.” “Then you are not the right Bride,” said the Bridegroom again. “I will go and ask my Maid what my thoughts were,” said the Bride; and seeking Jungfrau Maleen, she inquired of her what she had said. The Maid repeated the words—

  “Church-steps, break not, I pray,

  The true Bride comes not to-day.”

  “That shall cost you your life!” exclaimed the Bride; but, hastening back to the chamber, she told the Prince the words which she had just heard. “But what did you say to the church-door?” he inquired next. “To the church-door!” she replied; “I spoke to no church-door.”

  “Then you are not the right Bride,” said the Prince. Thereupon away she went a third time to Jungfrau Maleen, and inquired what she had said. The Maid repeated the words—

  “Church-door, break not, I pray,

  The true Bride comes not to-day.”

  “Your neck shall be broken for saying so,” exclaimed the Bride in a rage; but hastening back to the chamber, she repeated the words she had just heard to the Bridegroom.