 31 The Snow-Daughter and the Fire-Son From the Bukawini Our Tales and Legends, Von Vliolocki. There was once upon a time a man and his wife, and they had no children, which was a great grief to them. One winter's day, when the sun was shining brightly, the couple were standing outside their cottage, and the woman was looking at all the little icicles which hung from the roof. She sighed, and turning to her husband said, I wish I had as many children as there are icicles hanging there. Nothing would please me more either, replied her husband. Then a tiny icicle detached itself from the roof and dropped into the woman's mouth, who swallowed it with a smile and said, Perhaps I shall give birth to a snow-child now. Her husband laughed at his wife's strange idea, and they went back into the house. But after a short time the woman gave birth to a little girl, who was as white as snow and as cold as ice. If they brought the child anywhere near the fire, it screamed loudly till they put it back into some cool place. The little maid throwed wonderfully, and in a few months she could run about and speak. But she was not altogether easy to bring up, and gave her parents much trouble and anxiety. For all summer she insisted on spending in the cellar, and in the winter she would sleep outside in the snow, and the colder it was, the happier she seemed to be. Her father and mother called her simply our snow-daughter, and this name stuck to her all her life. One day her parents sat by the fire, talking over the extraordinary behaviour of their daughter, who was disporting herself in the snow-storm that raged outside. The woman sighed deeply and said, I wish I had given birth to a fire-son. As she said these words, a spark from the big wood-fire flew into the woman's lap, and she said with a laugh, now perhaps I shall give birth to a fire-son. The man laughed at his wife's words, and thought it was a good joke. But he ceased to think it a joke, when his wife shortly afterwards gave birth to a boy, who screamed lustily till he was put quite close to the fire, and who nearly yelled himself into a fit if the snow-daughter came anywhere near him. The snow-daughter herself avoided him as much as she could, and always crept into a corner as far away from him as possible. The parents called the boy simply our fire-son, a name which stuck to him all his life. They had a great deal of trouble and worry with him, too, but he drove and grew very quickly, and before he was a year old he could run about and talk. He was as red as fire, and as hot to touch, and he always said on the hearth quite close to the fire, and complained of the cold. If his sister were in the room he almost crept into the flames, while the girl on her part always complained of the great heat if her brother were anywhere near. In summer the boy always lay out in the sun, while the girl hid herself in the cellar. So it happened that the brother and sister came very little into contact with each other. In fact, they carefully avoided it. Just as the girl grew up into a beautiful woman, her father and mother both died one after the other. Then the fire-son, who had grown up in the meantime into a fine, strong young man, said to his sister, I am going out into the world, for what is the use of remaining on here? I shall go with you, she answered, for except you I have no one in the world, and I have a feeling that if we set out together we shall be lucky. The fire-son said, I love you with all my heart, but at the same time I always freeze if you are near me, and you nearly die of heat if I approach you. How shall we travel about together without being odious the one to the other? Don't worry about that, replied the girl, for I have thought it all over, and have settled on a plan which will make us each able to bear with the other. See, I have had a fur cloak made for each of us, and if we put them on I shall not feel the heat so much, nor you the cold. So they put on the fur cloaks and set out cheerfully on their way, and for the first time in their lives quite happy in each other's company. For a long time the fire-son and the snow-daughter wandered through the world, and when at the beginning of winter they came to a big wood they determined to stay there till spring. The fire-son built himself a hut where he always kept up a huge fire, while his sister, with very few clothes on, stayed outside night and day. Now it happened one day that the king of the land held a hunt in this wood, and saw the snow-daughter wandering about in the open air. He wondered very much who the beautiful girl clad in such garments could be, and he stopped and spoke to her. He soon learned that she could not stand heat, and that her brother could not endure cold. The king was so charmed by the snow-daughter that he asked her to be his wife. The girl consented, and the wedding was held with much state. The king had a huge house of ice made for his wife underground, so that even in summer it did not melt. But for his brother-in-law he had a house built with huge ovens all round it that were kept heated all day and night. The fire-son was delighted, but the perpetual heat in which he lived made his body so hot that it was dangerous to go too close to him. One day the king gave a great feast, and asked his brother-in-law among the other guests. The fire-son did not appear till every one had assembled, and when he did, every one fled outside to the open air, so intense was the heat he gave forth. The king was very angry, and said, if I had known what a lot of trouble you would have been, I would never have taken you into my house. Then the fire-son replied with a laugh, don't be angry, dear brother. I love heat, and my sister loves cold. Come here, and let me embrace you, and then I'll go home at once. And before the king had time to reply, the fire-son ceased him and his height embraced. The king screamed aloud in agony, and when his wife, the snow-daughter, who had taken refuge from her brother in the next room, hurried to him, the king lay dead on the ground, burned to a cinder. When the snow-daughter saw this, she turned on her brother and flew at him. Then a fight began, the like of which had never been seen on earth. When the people, attracted by the noise, hurried to the spot, they saw the snow-daughter melting into water, and the fire-son burned to a cinder. And so ended the unhappy brother and sister. CHAPTER 32 THE STORY OF KING FROST There was once upon a time a peasant woman who had a daughter, and a step-daughter. The daughter had her own way in everything, and whatever she did was right in her mother's eyes. But the poor step-daughter had a hard time. Let her do what she would. She was always blamed, and got small thanks for all the troubles she took. Nothing was right, everything wrong, and yet, if the truth were known, the girl was worth her weight in gold. She was so unselfish and good-hearted. But her stepmother did not like her, and the poor girl's days were spent in weeping, for it was impossible to live peacefully with a woman. The wicked shrew was determined to get rid of the girl by fair means or foul, and kept saying to her father, Send her away, old man, send her away, anywhere so that my eyes shan't be plagued any longer by the sight of her, or my ears tormented by the sound of her voice. Send her out into the fields and let the cutting frost do for her. In vain did the poor old father weep and implore her pity. She was firm, and he dared not gainsay her. So he placed his daughter in a sledge, not even daring to give her a horsecloth to keep herself warm with, and drove her out on the bare open fields, where he kissed her and left her, driving home as fast as he could that he might not witness her miserable death. Deserted by her father, the poor girl sat down under a fir tree at the edge of the forest, and began to weep silently. Suddenly she heard a faint sound. It was King Frost, springing from tree to tree, and cracking his fingers as he went. At length he reached the fir tree beneath which she was sitting, and with a crisp crackling sound he had lighted beside her, and looked at her lovely face. Well, maiden, he snapped out, do you know who I am? I am King Frost, King of the Red Noses. All hail to you, great king! answered the girl in a gentle, trembling voice. Have you come to take me? Are you warm, maiden? he replied. Quite warm, King Frost! she answered, though she shivered as she spoke. Then King Frost stooped down and bent over the girl, and the crackling sound grew louder, and the air seemed to be full of knives and darts, and again he asked, Maiden, are you warm? Are you warm, you beautiful girl? And though her breath was almost frozen on her lips, she whispered gently, Quite warm, King Frost! Then King Frost gnashed his teeth and cracked his fingers, and his eyes sparkled, and the crackling crisp sound was louder than ever, and for the last time he asked her, Maiden, are you still warm? Are you still warm, little love? And the poor girl was so stiff and numb that she could just gasp, Still warm, oh King! Now her gentle, courteous words and her uncomplaining ways touched King Frost, and he had pity on her, and he wrapped her up in furs and covered her with blankets, and he fetched a great box in which were beautiful jewels and a rich robe embroidered in gold and silver, and she put it on and looked more lovely than ever, and King Frost stepped with her into his sledge with six white horses. In the meantime the wicked stepmother was waiting at home for news of the girl's death and preparing pancakes for the funeral feast, and she said to her husband, Old man, you had better go out into the fields and find your daughter's body and bury her. Once as the old man was leaving the house the little dog under the table began to bark, saying, Your daughter shall live to be your delight. Her daughter shall die this very night. Hold your tongue, you foolish beast, scolded the woman. There's a pancake for you, but you must say her daughter shall have much silver and gold. His daughter is frozen quite stiff and cold. The doggie ate up the pancake and barked, saying, His daughter shall wear a crown on her head. Her daughter shall die unwood, unwed. Then the old woman tried to coax the doggie with more pancakes and to terrify it with blows, but he barked on, always repeating the same words. And suddenly the door creaked and flew open, and a great heavy chest was pushed in, and behind it came the stepdaughter, radiant and beautiful, in a dress all glittering with silver and gold. For a moment the stepmother's eyes were dazzled. Then she called to her husband, Old man, yoke the horses at once into the sledge, and take my daughter to the same field and leave her on the same spot exactly. And so the old man took the girl and left her beneath the same tree where he had parted from his daughter. In a few minutes King Frost came past, and, looking at the girl, he said, Are you warm, maiden? What a blind old fool you must be to ask such a question, she answered angrily. Can't you see that my hands and feet are nearly frozen? Then King Frost sprang to and fro in front of her, questioning her and getting only rude rough words and reply, till at last he got very angry, and cracked his fingers and gnashed his teeth, and froze her to death. But in the hut her mother was waiting for her return, and as she grew impatient she said to her husband, Get out the horses, old man, to go and fetch her home, but see that you are careful not to upset the sledge and lose the chest. But the doggie beneath the table began to bark, saying, Your daughter is frozen quite stiff and cold, and shall never have a chest full of gold. Don't tell such wicked lies, scolded the woman. There's a cake for you. Now say, Her daughter shall marry a mighty king. At that moment the door flew open, and she rushed out to meet her daughter, and as she took her frozen body in her arms she, too, was chilled to death. CHAPTER 33 THE DEATH OF THE SON-HERO FROM THE BOOKER-WINNER TALES AND LEGENDS VON VLE OLOCKY Many many thousand years ago they lived a mighty king whom heaven had blessed with a clever and beautiful son. When he was only ten years old the boy was cleverer than all the king's counsellors put together, and when he was twenty he was the greatest hero in the whole kingdom. His father could not make enough of his son, and always had him clothed in golden garments which shone and sparkled like the sun, and his mother gave him a white horse which never slept and which flew like the wind. All the people in the land loved him dearly and called him the son-hero, for they did not think his like existed under the sun. Now it happened one night that both his parents had the same extraordinary dream. They dreamt that a girl all dressed in red had come to them and said, If you wish that your son should really become the son-hero indeed, and not only in name, let him go out into the world and search for the tree of the sun, and when he has found it, let him pluck a golden apple from it and bring it home. When the king and queen had each related their dreams to the other, they were much amazed that they should have both dreamt exactly the same about their son, and the king said to his wife, This is clearly a sign from heaven that we should send our son out into the world in order that he may come home the great son-hero, as the red girl said, not only in name, but indeed. The queen consented with many tears, and the king at once bade his son set forth in search of the tree of the sun from which he was to pluck a golden apple. The prince was delighted at the prospect and set out on his travels that very day. For a long time he wandered all through the world, and it was not till the ninety-ninth day after he started that he found an old man who was able to tell him where the tree of the sun grew. He followed his directions and rode on his way, and after another ninety-nine days he arrived at a golden castle which stood in the middle of a vast wilderness. He knocked at the door, which was opened noiselessly and by invisible hands. Finding no one about, the prince rode on and came to a great meadow where the sun-tree grew. When he reached the tree he put out his hand to pick a golden apple, but all of a sudden the tree grew higher so that he could not reach its fruit. Then he heard someone behind him laughing. Turning round he saw the girl in red walking towards him who addressed him in these words. Do you really imagine, brave son of the earth, that you can pluck an apple so easily from the tree of the sun? Before you can do that you have a difficult task before you. You must guard the tree for nine days and nine nights from the ravages of two wild black wolves who will try to harm it. Do you think you can undertake this? Yes, answered the sun-hero. I will guard the tree of the sun nine days and nine nights. Then the girl continued. Remember though, if you do not succeed the sun will kill you. Now begin your watch. With these words the red girl went back into the golden castle. She had hardly left him when the two black wolves appeared, but the sun-hero beat them off with his sword and they retired, only, however, to reappear in a very short time. The sun-hero chased them away once more, but he had hardly sat down to rest when the two black wolves were on the scene again. This went on for seven days and seven nights. When the white horse, who had never done such a thing before, turned to the sun-hero and said in a human voice, Listen to what I am going to say. A fairy gave me to your mother in order that I might be of service to you. So let me tell you that if you go to sleep and let the wolves harm the tree, the sun will surely kill you. The fairy foreseeing this put everyone in the world under a spell which prevents their obeying the sun's command to take your life. But all the same she has forgotten one person who will certainly kill you if you fall asleep and let the wolves damage the tree. So watch and keep the wolves away. Then the sun-hero strove with all his might and kept the black wolves at bay and conquered his desire to sleep, but on the eighth night his strength failed him and he fell fast asleep. When he awoke a woman in black stood beside him who said, You have fulfilled your task very badly, for you have let the two black wolves damage the tree of the sun. I am the mother of the sun, and I command you to ride away from here at once, and I pronounce sentence of death upon you, for you proudly let yourself be called the sun-hero without having done anything to deserve the name. The youth mounted his horse sadly and rode home. The people all thronged round him on his return, anxious to hear his adventures, but he told them nothing, and only to his mother did he confide what had befallen him. But the old queen laughed and said to her son, Don't worry, my child, you see the fairy has protected you so far, and the sun has found no one to kill you, so cheer up and be happy. After a time the prince forgot all about his adventure, and married a beautiful princess, with whom he lived very happily for some time. But one day when he was out hunting he felt very thirsty, and coming to a stream he stooped down to drink from it, and this caused his death, for a crab came swimming up and with its claws tore out his tongue. He was carried home in a dying condition, and as he lay on his deathbed the black woman appeared and said, So the sun has, after all, found someone who was not under the fairy's spell who has caused your death, and a similar fate will overtake everyone under the sun who wrongfully assumes a title to which he has no right. CHAPTER 34 THE WHICH Once upon a time there was a peasant whose wife died. Leaving him with two children, twins, a boy and a girl. For some years the poor man lives on alone with his children, caring for them as best he could, but everything in the house seemed to go wrong without a woman to look after it, and at last he made up his mind to marry again, feeling that a wife would bring peace and order to his household, and take care of his motherless children. So he married, and in the following year several children were born to him. But peace and order did not come to the household, for the stepmother was very cruel to the twins, and beat them and half starved them, and constantly drove them out of the house. For her one idea was to get them out of the way. All day she thought of nothing but how she should get rid of them, and at last an evil idea came to her head. She was determined to send them out into the great gloomy wood where the wicked witch lived. And so one morning she spoke to them, saying, You have been such good children that I am going to send you to visit my granny, who lives in a dear little hut in the woods. You will have to wait upon her and serve her, but you will be well rewarded, and she will give you the best of everything. So the little children left the house together, and the little sister, who was very wise for her years, said to her brother, We will first go to see our dear grandmother, and tell her where our stepmother is sending us. And when the grandmother heard where they were going, she cried and said, Your poor mother, this children, how I pity you, and yet I can do nothing to help you. Your stepmother is not sending you to her granny, but to a wicked witch who lives in the great gloomy wood. Now listen to me, children. You must be civil and kind to everyone, and never say a cross word to anyone, and never touch a crumb belonging to anyone else. Who knows if, after all, help may not be sent to you. And she gave her grandchildren a bottle of milk and a piece of ham and a loaf of bread, and they set out for the great gloomy wood. When they reached it, they saw in front of them, in the thickest of the trees, a queer little hut. And when they looked into it, there lay the witch, with her head on the threshold of the door, with one foot in one corner, and the other in the other corner, and her knees cocked up, almost touching the ceiling. Who's there? She smiled in an awful voice when she saw the children, and they answered civilly, though they were so terrified they hid behind one another, and said, Good morning, Granny. Our stepmother has sent us to wait upon you and serve you. See that you do it well, then. Groud the witch. If I am pleased with you, I'll reward you, but if I am not, I'll put you in a pan and fry you in the oven. That's what I'll do to you, my pretty dears. You have been gently veered, but you'll find my work hard enough. See if you don't. And so, saying, she set the girl down to spin yarn, and she gave the boy a sieve in which to carry water from the well, and she herself went into the wood. Now, as the girl was sitting at a distaff, weeping bitterly because she could not spin, she heard the sound of hundreds of little feet, and from every hole and corner in the hut, mice came pattering along the floor, squeaking and saying, Little girl, why are your eyes so red? If you want help, then give us some bread. And the girl gave them the bread that her grandmother had given her. Then the mice told that the witch had a cat, and the cat was very fond of ham. If she would give the cat her ham, it would show her the way out of the wood. And in the meantime they would spin the yarn for her. So the girls set out to look for the cat, and as she was hunting about, she met her brother in great trouble because he could not carry water from the well in a sieve, as it came pouring out as fast as he put it in. And as she was trying to comfort him, they heard a rustling of wings, and a flight of wrens alighted on the ground beside them. And the wrens said, Give us some crumbs, and do not grieve, for you'll find that that water will stay in your sieve. Then the twins crumbled their bread on the ground, and the wrens pecked it, and chirped and chirped. And then when they had eaten the last crumb, they told the boy to fill up the holes of the sieve with clay, and then to draw water from the well. So he did as they said, and carried the sieve full of water into the hut without spilling a drop. When they entered the hut, the cat was curled up on the floor, so they stroked her and fed her with ham, and said to her, Pussy, gray pussy, tell us how we might get away from the witch. Then the cat thanked them for the ham, and gave them a pocket handkerchief and a comb, and told them that when the witch pursued them, as she certainly would, all they had to do was throw the handkerchief on the ground, and run as fast as they could. As soon as the handkerchief touched the ground, a deep, broad river would spring up, which would hinder the witch's progress. If she managed to get across it, they must throw the comb behind them, and run for their lives. For where the comb fell, a dense forest would start up, which would delay the witch so long that they would be able to get safely away. The cat had scarcely finished speaking, when the witch returned to see if the children had finished their tasks. You've done well enough for today, she grumbled, but tomorrow you'll find something more difficult to do, and if you don't do it well, you pamper-brats, straight into the oven you go. Half dead with fright, and trembling in every limb, the poor children lay down to sleep on a hemp of straw in the corner of the hut. But they dared not close their eyes, and scarcely ventured to breathe. In the morning the witch gave the girl two pieces of linen to weave before night, and the boy a pile of wood to cut into chips. Then the witch left them to their tasks, and went into the wood. As soon as she had gone out of sight, the children took the comb and henkerchief, and, taking one another by the hand, they started to run, and run, and run. And first they met the watchdog, who was going to leap on them, and tear them to pieces. But they threw the remains of their bread to him, and he ate them, and wagged his tail. Then they were hindered by the birch-tree, whose branches almost put their eyes out. But the little sister tied the twigs together with a piece of ribbon, and they got past safely, and, after running through the wood, came out onto the open fields. In the meantime in the hut the cat was busy weaving the linen and tangling the threads as it wove. And the witch returned to see how the children were getting on, so she crept up to the window and whispered, Are you weaving, my little dear? Yes, Granny, I am weaving, answered the cat. When the witch saw that the children had escaped her, she was furious, and, hitting the cat with the pouring her, she said, Why did you let the children leave the hut? Why did you not scratch their eyes out? But the cat curled up its tail and put its back up, and answered, I have served you all these years, and you never even threw me a bone. But the dear children gave me their own piece of hat. Then the witch was furious with the watchdog and with the birch-tree, because they had let the children pass. But the dog answered, I have served you all these years, and you never gave me so much as a hard crust. But the dear children gave me their own loaf of bread, and the birch-tree rustled its leaves and said, I have served you longer than I can say, and you never tied a bit of twine ever round my branches, and the dear children bound them up with their brightest ribbons. So the witch saw that there was no help to be got from her old servants, and that the best thing she could do was to mount on her broom and set off in pursuit of the children. And as the children ran, they heard the sound of the broom sweeping the ground close behind them. So instantly they threw the handkerchief down over their shoulder, and in a moment a deep, broad river flowed behind them. The witch came up to it, it took her a long time before she found a place which she could forward over on her broomstick. But at last she got across, and continued the chase faster than before, and as the children ran they heard a sound, and the little sister put her ear to the ground, and heard the broom sweeping the earth close behind them. So quick as thought, she threw the comb down on the ground, and in an instant, as the cat had said, a dense forest sprung up, in which the roots and branches were so closely intertwined that it was impossible to force away through it. So when the witch came upon it on her broom, she found that there was nothing for it but to turn around and go back to her hut. But the twins ran straight on till they reached their own house. Then they told their father all that they had suffered, and he was so angry with their stepmother that he drove her out of the house, and never let her return. But he and the children lived happily together, and he took care of them himself, and never let a stranger come near them. THE END OF CHAPTER XXXIV There was once upon a time a couple who had no children, and they prayed heaven every day to send them a child, though it were no bigger than a hazelnut. At last, heaven heard their prayer, and sent them a child exactly the size of a hazelnut, and it never grew an inch. The parents were very devoted to the little creature, and nursed and tended it carefully. Their tiny son, too, was as clever as he could be, and so sharp and sensible that all the neighbors marveled over the wise things he said and did. When the hazelnut child was fifteen years old, and was sitting one day in an eggshell on the table beside his mother, she turned to him and said, You are now fifteen years old, and nothing can be done with you. What do you intend to be? A messenger, answered the hazelnut child. Then his mother burst out laughing and said, What an idea! You, a messenger? Why your little feet would take an hour to go the distance an ordinary person could do in a minute? But the hazelnut child replied, Nevertheless, I mean to be a messenger. Just send me a message, and you'll see that I shall be back in next in no time. So his mother said, Very well. Go to your aunt in a neighboring village, and fetch me a comb. The hazelnut child jumped quickly out of the eggshell and ran out into the street. Here he found a man on horseback who was just setting out for the neighboring village. He crept up the horse's leg, sat down under the saddle, and then began to pinch the horse and prick it with a pin. The horse plunged and reared and then set off at a hard gallop, which he continued in spite of its rider's efforts to stop it. When they reached the village, the hazelnut child left off pricking the horse, and the poor, tired creature pursued its way at a snail's pace. The hazelnut child took advantage of this and crept down the horse's leg. Then he ran to his aunt and asked her for a comb. On the way home he met another rider and did the return journey in exactly the same way. When he handed his mother the comb that his aunt had given him, she was much amazed and asked him, But how did you manage to get back so quickly? Ah, mother, he replied. You see, I was quite right when I said I knew a messenger was the profession for me. His father, too, possessed a horse which he often used to take out into the fields to graze. One day he took the hazelnut child with him. At midday the father turned to his small son and said, Stay here and look after the horse. I must go home and give your mother a message, but I shall be back soon. When his father had gone a robber passed by and saw the horse grazing without anyone watching it, for, of course, he could not see the hazelnut child hidden in the grass. So he mounted the horse and rode away. But the hazelnut child, who is the most active little creature, climbed up the horse's tail and began to bite it on the back, enraging the creature to such an extent that it paid no attention to the direction the robber tried to make it go in, but galloped straight home. The father was much astonished when he saw a stranger riding his horse, but the hazelnut child climbed down quickly and told him all that had happened, and his father had the robber arrested at once and put into prison. One autumn, when the hazelnut child was twenty years old, he said to his parents, Farewell, my dear father and mother, I am going to set out into the world and as soon as I have become rich I will return home to you. The parents laughed at the little man's words, but did not believe him for a moment. In the evening the hazelnut child crept onto the roof where some storks had built their nest. The storks were fast asleep, and he climbed onto the back of the father's stork and bound a silk cord around the joint of one of its wings. Then he crept among its soft, downy feathers and fell asleep. The next morning the storks flew towards the south, for winter was approaching. The hazelnut child flew through the air on the stork's back, and when he wanted to rest he bound his silk cord onto the joint of the bird's other wing so that it could not fly any farther. In this way he reached the country of the black people, where the storks took up their abode close to the capital. When the people saw the hazelnut child they were much astonished and took him with the stork to the king of the country. The king was delighted with the little creature and kept him always beside him, and he soon grew so fond of the little man that he gave him a diamond four times as big as himself. The hazelnut child fastened the diamond firmly under the stork's neck with a ribbon, and when he saw that the other storks were getting ready for their northern flight he untied the silk cord from his stork's wings, and away they went, getting nearer home every minute. At length the hazelnut child came to his native village. Then he undid the ribbon from the stork's neck and the diamond fell to the ground. He covered it first with sand and stones, and then ran to get his parents so that they might carry the treasure home, for he himself was not able to lift the great diamond. So the hazelnut child and his parents lived in happiness and prosperity after this till they died. End of Chapter 35. Both were called Claus, but one owned four horses and the other only one. In order to distinguish the one from the other, the one who had four horses was called Big Claus, and the one who had only one horse, Little Claus. Now you shall hear what befell them both, for this is a true story. The whole week through Little Claus had to plow for Big Claus, and lint him his one horse. Then Big Claus lint him his four horses, but only once a week. And that was on Sunday. Hurrah! how loudly Little Claus cracked his whip over all the five horses, for they were indeed as good as his on this one day. The sun shone brightly, and all the bells and the church towers were peeling. The people were dressed in their best clothes and were going to church, with their hymn books under their arms to hear the minister preach. They saw Little Claus plowing with the five horses, but he was so happy that he kept on cracking his whip and calling out, Geek up my five horses! You must not say that, said Big Claus. Only one horse is yours. But as soon as someone else was going by, Little Claus forgot that he must not say it. And called out, Geek up my five horses! Now you had better stop that, said Big Claus, for if you say it once more, I will give your horse such a crack on the head that it will drop down dead on the spot. I really won't say it again, said Little Claus, but as soon as more people passed by and nodded him good morning, he became so happy and thinking how well it looked for him to have five horses plowing his field, cracking his whip he called out, Geek up my five horses! I'll see to your horses, said Big Claus, and seizing an iron bar he struck Little Claus's one horse, such a blow on the head that it fell down and died on the spot. Alas, now I have no horse, said Claus, beginning to cry. Then he flayed the skin off his horse, dried it and put it in a sack which he threw over his shoulder, and went into the town to sell it. He had a long way to go, and had to pass through a great dark forest. A dreadful storm came on, in which he lost his way, and before he'd get on to the right road, night came on, and it was impossible to reach the town that evening. Right in front of him was a large farmhouse. The wind shutters were closed, but the light came through the chinks. I should very much like to be allowed to spend the night there, thought Little Claus, and he went and knocked at the door. The farmer's wife opened it, but she heard what he wanted, and she told him to go away. Her husband was not at home, and she took in no strangers. Well, I must lie down outside, said Little Claus, and the farmer's wife shut the door in his face. Close by stood a large haystack, and between it was the house, a little outhouse covered with a flat thatched roof. I can lie down there, thought Little Claus, looking at the roof. It will make a splendid bed, if only the stork won't fly down and bite my legs. For a live stork was standing on the outhouse where he lay down, and made himself comfortable for the night. The wooden shutters over the windows were not shut at the top, and he could just see into the room. There stood a large table, spread with wine, and roast meat, and a beautiful fish. The farmer's wife and the sexton sat at the table, but there was no one else. She was filling up his glass, while he stuck his fork into the fish, which was his favorite dish. If one could only get some of that, thought Little Claus, stretching his head toward the window. Ah, what delicious cakes he saw standing there! It was a feast! Then he heard someone riding along the road toward the house. It was the farmer coming home. He was a very worthy man, but he had one great peculiarity, namely, that he could not bear to see a sexton. If he saw one, he was made quite mad. That was why the sexton had gone to say good day to the farmer's wife, when he knew that her husband was not at home. And the good woman, therefore, put in front of him the best food she had. But when they heard the farmer coming, they were frightened, and the farmer's wife begged the sexton to creep into an empty chest. He did so, as he knew the poor man could not bear to see a sexton. The wife hastily hid all the beautiful food and the wine in her oven. For if her husband had seen it, he would have been sure to ask what it all meant. Oh dear, oh dear, grown Little Claus up in the shed, when he saw the good food disappearing. Is anybody up there? Asked the farmer, catching sight of Little Claus. Where are you lying there? Come with me into the house. Then Little Claus told him how he had lost his way, and begged to be allowed to spend the night there. Yes, certainly, said the farmer, but we must first have something to eat. The wife received them both very kindly, spread a long table and gave them a large plate of porridge. The farmer was hungry and ate with a good appetite, but Little Claus could not help but thinking of the delicious dishes of fish and meats and cakes which he knew were in the oven. Under the table at his feet he had laid the sack with the horse-skin in it, for as we know he was going to town to sell it. The porridge did not taste good to him, so he trod upon a sack, and the dry skin in the sack squeaked loudly. Hush! said Little Claus, to his sack at the time treading on it again so that it squeaked even louder than before. Hello, what have you got in your sack? asked the farmer. The wizard, said Claus, he says we should not eat porridge, for he has conjured the whole oven full of roast meats and fish and cakes. Goodness me, said the farmer, opening the oven he saw all the delicious tempting dishes his wife had hidden there, but which he now believed the wizard in the sack had conjured up for them. The wife could say nothing, but she put the food at once on the table, and they ate the fish, the roast meat, and the cakes. Little Claus now trod again on his sack so that the skin squeaked. What does he say now? says the farmer. He says, replied Little Claus, that he also conjured up for us three bottles of wine. They are standing in the corner by the oven. The wife had to fetch the wine which she had hidden, and the farmer drank and grew very merry. He would very much like to have such a wizard as Little Claus. Can he conjure up the devil? asked the farmer. I should like to see him very much, for I feel just now in a very good spirits. Yes, said Little Claus. My wizard can do everything that I ask. Isn't that true? he asked, treading on the sack, so that it squeaked. Dear here, he says yes, but that the devil looks so ugly that we should not like to see him. Oh, I am not at all afraid. What does he look like? He will show himself in the shape of a sexton. I say, said the farmer, he must be ugly. You must know that I can't bear to look at a sexton. But it doesn't matter. I know that it is the devil and I shan't mind. I feel up to it now, but he must not come too near me. I must ask my wizard, said Little Claus, treading on the sack and putting his ear to it. What does he say? He says you can open the chest in the corner there and you will see the devil squatting inside of it. But you must hold the lid so that he shall not escape. Will you help me to hold him? begged the farmer, going towards the chest where his wife had hidden the real sexton, who was inside in a terrible fright. The farmer opened the lid a little way and then he saw him inside. Ug, he screeched, Yes, now I have seen him. He looks just like our sexton. Oh, it was horrid. So he had to drink again and they drank till far into the night. You must sell me the wizard, said the farmer. Ask anything you like. I will pay you down a bushelful of money on the spot. No, I really can't, said Little Claus. Just think how many things I can get from this wizard. Oh, I should like to have him so much, said the farmer, begging very hard. Well, said Little Claus at last, as you have been so good as to give me shelter, tonight I will sell him. You shall have the wizard for a bushelful of money, but I must have full measure. That you shall, said the farmer, but you must take the chest with you. I won't keep it for another hour in this house. Who knows that he isn't in there still? Little Claus gave the farmer his sack with the dry skin and got instead a good bushelful of money. The farmer also gave him a wheelbarrow to carry away his money and the chest. Farewell, said Little Claus, and away he went with his money and the big chest, wherein sat the sexton. On the other side of the wood was a large deep river. The water flowed so rapidly that you could scarcely swim against the stream. A great new bridge had been on the middle of which Little Claus stopped and said aloud so that the sexton might hear. Now what am I going to do with this stupid chest? It is as heavy as if it were filled with stones. I shall only be tired dragging it along. I will throw it into the river. If it swims home to me, well, and good. And if it doesn't, it's no matter. Then he took the chest with one hand and lifted it up a little as if he were going to throw it into the water. No! Don't do that! called out the sexton in the chest. Let me out first! Oh, oh, said Little Claus, pretending that he was afraid. He is still in there. I must throw him in quickly into the water to drown him. Oh, no, no! cried the sexton. I will give you a whole bushel full of money if you will let me go. Ah, that's quite another thing, said Claus, opening the chest. The sexton crept out very quickly, pushed the empty chest into the water, and went to his house where he gave Little Claus a bushel of money. One he had had already from the farmer, and now he had his wheelbarrow full of money. Well, I have got a good price for the horse, said he to himself when he shook all his money out in the heap in his room. This will put big Claus in a rage when he hears how rich I have become through my one horse, but I won't tell him just yet. So he sent a boy to big Claus to borrow a bushel measure from him. Now what can he want with it? He thought big Claus as he smeared some tar at the bottom so that of whatever his measure a little who should remain in it. And this is just what happened. For when he got his measure back, three new silver, five shelling pieces were sticking to it. What does this mean? said big Claus, and he ran off at once to Little Claus. Where did you get so much money from? Oh, that was for my horse, skin. I sold it yesterday evening. That's certainly a good price, said big Claus, and running home in a great haste he took an axe, knocked all his four horses on the head, skinned them, and went into town. Skin, skins, who will buy skins? he cried through the streets. All the shoemakers and tanners came running out to ask him what he wanted for them. A bushel of money for each, said big Claus. Are you mad? They all exclaimed, do you think we have money by the bushel? Skin, skins, who will buy my skins? he cried again, and to all who asked him what they cost, he answered, a bushel of money. He is making a game of us, they said, and the shoemakers seized their yard measures, and the tanners, their leather aprons, and they gave big Claus a good beating. Skin, skins, they cried mockingly, yes, we will tan your skin for you, out of the town with him, they shouted, and big Claus had to hurry off as quickly as he could, if he wanted to save his life. Aha! he said he, when he came home, little Claus shall pay dearly for this, I will kill him. Little Claus's grandmother had just died. Though she had been very unkind to him, he was very much distressed, and he took the dead woman and laid her in his warm bed to try, if he could, not bring her back to life. There she lay, the whole night, while he sat in the corner and slept on a chair, which he had often done before, and in the night, as he sat there, the door opened, and big Claus came in with his axe. He knew quite well where little Claus's bed stood, and going up to it he struck the grandmother on the head, just where he thought little Claus would be. There, he said he, now you won't get the best of me again, and he went home. What a very wicked man, thought little Claus. He was going to kill me. It was a good thing for my grandmother that she was dead already, or else he would have killed her. Then he dressed his grandmother in her Sunday clothes, borrowed a horse from his neighbor, harnessed the cart to it, sat his grandmother on the back seat so that she could not fall out when he drove, in a way they went. When the sun rose, they were in front of the large inn. Little Claus got down and went to get something to drink. The host was very rich. He was a very worthy, but hot tempered man. Good morning, said he to little Claus. You are early on, the road. Yes, said little Claus, I'm going to the town with my grandmother. She's sitting outside in the cart. I cannot bring her in. Will you not give her a glass of mead? But you'll have to speak loud, or she is very hard of hearing. Oh yes, certainly I will, said the host, and pouring out a large glass of mead, he took it out to the dead grandmother, who was sitting upright in the cart. Here's a glass of mead from your son, said the host, but the dead woman did not answer a word and sat still. Don't you hear? cried the host as loud as he could. Here's a glass of mead from your son. Then he shouted the same thing again and yet again. But she never moved in her place and at last he grew angry and threw the glass in her face so that she fell back in the cart for she was not tied in her place. Hello! cried little Klaus, running out of the door and seizing the host by the throat. You've killed my grandmother! Look! There's a great bull in her forehead! Oh, what a misfortune! cried the host, wringing his hands. It all comes from my hot temper. Dear little Klaus, I will give you a bushel of money and will bury your grandmother as if she were my own. Only don't tell anyone about it or I shall have my head cut off and that would be very uncomfortable. So little Klaus got a bushel of money and the host buried his grandmother as if she'd been his very own. Now when little Klaus again reached home with so much money he sent his boy to big Klaus to borrow his bushel measure. What is this? said big Klaus. I must see to this myself. So he went himself to little Klaus with the measure. Well now where did you get all this money? He asked he, opening his eyes at the heap. You killed my grandmother. Not me, said little Klaus. I sold her. I got a bushel of money for her. That is indeed a good price. said big Klaus and herring home he took an axe. He killed his grandmother. Later in the cart and drove off to the apothecaries and asked whether he wanted to buy a dead body. Who is it? And how did you get it? asked the apothecary. It is my grandmother. said big Klaus. I killed her in order to get a bushel of money. You are mad. said the apothecary. Don't mention such things or you will lose your head. And he began to tell him what a dreadful thing he had done and what a wicked man he was and that he ought to be punished till big Klaus was so frightened that he drove home as hard as he could. The apothecary and all the people thought he must be mad so they let him go. You shall pay for this said big Klaus as he drove home. You shall pay for this dearly little Klaus. As soon as he got home he took the largest sack he could find and went to little Klaus and said you have fooled me again. First I killed my horses then my grandmother is all your fault but you shan't do it again. And he sees little Klaus pushed him in the sack threw it over his shoulder crying out now I'm going to drown you. He had to go a long way before he came to the river and little Klaus was not very light. The road passed by the church the organ was sounding and the people were singing most beautifully. Big Klaus put down the sack with little Klaus in it by the church door thought that he might as well go in and hear a psalm before going on farther. Little Klaus could not get out and everybody was in church. So he went in oh dear oh dear grown little Klaus in the sack twisting and turning himself but he could not undo the string. There came by an old old shepherd with snow white hair and a long staff in his hand he was driving a herd of cows and oxen these pushed against the sack so that it was overturned. Alas little Klaus I am young and yet I must die and I poor man said the cattle driver I am so old and yet I cannot die open the sack called out little Klaus creep in here instead of me and you will die in a moment I will gladly do that said the cattle driver and he opened the sack and little Klaus struggled out at once you will take care of the cattle won't you? asked the old man creeping into the sack with little Klaus fastened up and then went on with the cows and the oxen soon after big Klaus came out of the church and taking up the sack on his shoulders it seemed to him as if it had become lighter for the old cattle driver was not half as heavy as little Klaus how easy he is to carry now that must be because I heard part of the service so he went to the river which was deep and broad threw in the sack with the old driver and called after it for he thought little Klaus was inside down you go you won't mock me anymore now then he went home but when he came to the crossroads there he met little Klaus who was driving his cattle what is this? said big Klaus haven't I drowned you? yes replied little Klaus he threw me into the river a good half hour ago but how did you get those splendid cattle? asked big Klaus they are sea cattle said little Klaus I will tell you the whole story and I thank you for having drowned me because now I'm on dry land and really rich how frightened I was when I was in the sack how the wind whistled in my ears as you threw me from the bridge into the cold water I sank it once to the bottom but I did not hurt myself for underneath was growing the most beautiful soft grass I fell on this and immediately the sack opened the loveliest maiden in snow white garments with a green garland around her wet hair took me by the hand and said are you little Klaus? here are some cattle for you to begin with and a mile farther down the road there is another herd which I will give you as a present now I saw that the river was a great high road for the sea people along they traveled underneath from the sea to the land till the river ends it was so beautiful full of flowers and fresh grass the fish which were swimming in the water shot past my ears as the birds do here in the air what lovely people they were the cattle were grazing in the ditches in the dykes but why did you come up to us again? asked big Klaus I should not have done so if it was so beautiful down below oh said little Klaus that was just so politic of me you heard what I told you that the sea maiden said to me a mile farther along the road and by the road she meant the river for she can go by no other way there was another herd of cattle waiting for me but I know what windings the river makes now here now there so that was a long way around therefore it makes it much shorter if one comes on the land and drives across the fields the river thus I have spared myself quite a mile and have come quicker to my sea cattle oh you're a lucky fellow said big Klaus do you think I should also get some cattle if I went to the bottom of the river oh yes I think so said little Klaus but I can't carry you in a sack to the river you are too heavy for me if you like to go there yourself and creep into the sack I'll throw you in with the greatest of pleasure thank you said big Klaus don't get any sea cattle when I come there you will have a good hiding mind oh no don't be so hard on me then they went to the river when the cattle which were thirsty caught side of the river they ran as quickly as they could to drink look how they are running said little Klaus they want to go to the bottom again yes but help me first said big Klaus or else you shall have the beating and so he crept into the large sack which was lying on the back of one of the oxen put a stone in for I'm afraid I may not reach the bottom said big Klaus it goes alright said little Klaus but still he laid a big stone in the sack fastened it up tight and then pushed it in plump there was big Klaus in the water and he sank like lead to the bottom so if you will find any cattle said little Klaus as he drove his own home end of chapter 36 recording by Cat Shurf of Pennsylvania Chapter 37 of the yellow fairy book this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Lizzie Black the yellow fairy book edited by Andrew Lang Chapter 37 Prince Ring from the Icelandic once upon a time there was a king and a queen in their kingdom they had one daughter who was called Ingeborg and one son whose name was Ring he was less fond of adventures the men of rank usually wear in those days and was not famous for strength or feats of arms when he was 12 years old one fine wind today he rode into the forest along with his men to enjoy himself they went on a long way until they caught sight of a hind with a gold ring on its horns the prince was eager to catch it if possible so they gave chase and rode on without stopping until all the horses began to fonder beneath them at last the prince's horse gave way to and then there came of them a darkness of black that they couldn't no longer see the hind by this time they were far away from any house and though it was eye time to be making their way home again but they found it got lost now at first they all kept together but soon each began to think that he knew the right way best so they separated and all went in different directions the prince too had got lost like the rest and wandered on for a time until he came to a little clearing in the forest not far from the sea where is so a woman sitting on a chair and a big barrel standing beside her the prince went up to her and saluted her politely and she received him very graciously he looked down into the barrel then and so lying at the bottom an unusually beautiful gold ring which placed him so much that he could not take his eyes of it the woman saw this and said that he might have it if he would take the trouble to get it for which the prince tanked her and say it was at least worth trying so he leaned over into the barrel which he did not seem very deep and thought he would easily reach the ring but the more he stretched down after it the deeper grew the barrel as it was thus bending down into it suddenly rose up and pushed him in head first saying that now he could take up his quarters there then she fixed the top of the barrel and threw it out into the sea the prince thought himself in a bad plight now as he felt the barrel floating out from the land and tossing about on the waist how many days he spent tossed he could not tell but at last he felt that the barrel was knocking against rocks at which he was a little chid thinking it was probably land and not merely a reef in the sea being something of a swimmer he at last made up his mind to keep the bottom out of the barrel and having done so he was able to get on the shore for the rocks by the sea were smooth and level but overhead there were high cliffs it seems difficult to get up days but he went along the foot of them for a little till at last he tried to climb up which at last he did having got to the top he looked around about him and saw that he was on an island which was covered with forest with apples growing and altogether pleasing as far as the land was concerned after he had been there several days he one day heard a great noise in the forest which made him terribly afraid so that he ran to hide himself among the trees then he saw a giant approaching dragging a sledge loaded with wood and making a straight for him so that he could see nothing for it but to lie down just where it was when the giant came across him he stood still and looked at the prince for a little then he took him hopping his arms and carried him home to his house and was exceedingly kind to him he gave him to his wife saying he had found his child in the wood and she could have it to help her in the house the old woman was greatly pleased and began to fondle the prince with the utmost delight he stayed there with them and was very willing and obedient to them in everything well they grew kinder to him every day one day the giant took him around and showed him all his room except the parlor this made the prince curious to have a look into it thinking there must be some very rare treasure there so one day when the giant had gone into the forest he tried to get into the parlor and managed to get the door opened half way then he saw that some living creature and run along the floor towards him and said something which made him so frightened that he sprung back from the door and shot it again as soon as the fright began to pass off he tried it again for it would be interesting to hear what it said but things went just as before with him he then got angry with itself and summoning up all his courage tried it a third time and opened the door of the room and stood firm then he said that he was a big dog which spoke to him and said choose me Prince Ring the prince went away rather afraid thinking with himself that he was no great treasure after all but all the same what it had said to him stuck in his mind it was not said along the prince stayed with the giant but one day the latter came to him and said he will now take him over to the mainland out of the island for he himself had no long time to live he also tanked him for his good service and told him to choose some one of his possessions for he would get whatever he wanted Ring tanked him hurtly and said there wasn't a need to pay him for his services they were so little worth but if he did wish to give him anything he would choose what was in the parlor the giant was taken by surprise and said there you choose my old woman's right hand but I must not break my word upon this he went to get the dog which came running with signs of great delight but the prince was so much afraid of it it was all he could do to keep from showing his alarm after this the giant accompanied him down to the sea where he saw a storm boat which was just big enough to hold the two of them and the dog on reaching the mainland the giant took a friend to Farwell of Ring and told him he might take possession of all that was in the island after he and his wife died in two weeks from that time the prince tanked him for this and for all his other kindnesses and the giant returned home wiring when top some distance from the sea but he did not know what land he had come to and was afraid to speak to the dog after he had woken on in a silence for a time the dog spoke to him and said you don't seem to have much curiosity see you never ask my name the prince then forced himself to ask what is your name you had best call me snotty snotty said the dog now we are coming to a king's seat and you must ask the king to keep us all winter and to give you a little room for both of us the prince now began to be less afraid of the dog they came to the king to keep them all the winter to which he agreed when the king's man saw the dog they began to laugh at it and make as if they would tease it but when the prince saw this he advised them not to do it for they might have the worst of it they replied that they didn't care a bit what he thought after ring a bit with the king for some days the latter began to think there was a great deal in him and the steam dimmed more than the others the king however the counselor called the red would become very jealous when he saw how much the king had steam ring and one day he told to him and said he could not understand why he had so good an opinion of this stranger who had not yet shown himself superior to the other man in anything the king replied that it was only a short time since he had come there ran then asked him to send them both to cook down wood next morning and see which of them could do most work snotty snotty heard this and told it to ring advising him to ask the king for two axes so that he might have one in reserve if the first one got broken next morning the king asked ring and red to go and cut down trees for him and both agreed ring got the two axes and each went his own way but when the prince had got out into the wood snotty took one of the axes and become to you along with him in the evening the king came to look over the day's work as well as proposed and found that the ring's wood hip was more than twice as big I suspected said the king that ring was not quite useless never have I seen such a day's work ring was now in far greater esteem with the king than before and red was all the more discontented one day he came to the king and said if ring is such a mighty man I think you might ask him to kill the wild oxen in the wood here and flay them the same day and bring you the holes and the highs in the evening don't you think that a desperate errand said the king seeing they are so dangerous and no one has ever yet ventured to go against them red answered that he had only one life to lose and it would be interesting to see how brave he was besides the king would have good reason to ennobling him if he overcame them the king at last allowed himself though rather unwillingly to be worn over by red's persistency and one day asked ring to go and kill the oxen that were in the wood for him and bring their holes and highs to him in the evening not knowing how dangerous the oxen were ring was quite ready and went off at once the great light of red was not sure of his death as soon as ring came inside of the oxen they came bellowing to meet him one of them was tremendously big the other rather less ring grew terribly afraid how do you like them asked Znati not well at all said the prince we can do nothing else then attack them if it is to go well you will go against the little one and I shall take the other with this Znati leapt at the big one and was not long in bringing in down meanwhile the prince went against the other with fear and trembling and by the time Znati came to help him the ox had nearly got him under but Znati was not slow to kill it each of them then began to play their own ox but ring was only half through by the time Znati had finished his in the evening after they had finished this task the prince told himself unfit to carry all the horns and body heights so Znati told him to lay them all on his back until they got to the palace gate the prince agreed and laid everything on the dog except the skin of the smaller rocks which he staggered along with himself at the palace gate he left everything lying when before the king and asked him to come that land with him and there ended over to him the heist and horns of the oxen the king was greatly surprised at his valor and said he knew no one like him and thanked him earthly after this the king set a ring next to himself and all esteemed him highly and held him to be a great hero nor could Red any longer say anything against him though he grew still more determined to destroy him one day a good idea came into his head he came to the king and said he had something to say to him what is that said the king Red said that he had just remember the gold clock, gold chess board and bright gold piece that the king had lost about a year before don't remind me of them said the king Red however went on to say that since ring was such a mighty man that he could do everything it had occurred to him to advise the king to ask him to search for these treasures and come back with them before Christmas return the king should promise him his daughter the king replied that he thought it altogether unbecoming to propose such a thing to ring seen that he could not tell him where the things were but Red pretended not to hear the king's excuses and went on talking about it until the king gave into him one day a month or so before Christmas the king spoke to ring saying that he wished to ask a great fervor of him what is that said ring it is this said the king that you find for me my gold clock my gold chess board and my bright gold piece that was stolen from me a year ago if you can bring them to me before Christmas I will give you my daughter a marriage where am I to look for them then that you must find out for yourself said the king I don't know ring now left the king and was very silent for so he was in great difficulty but on the other hand he thought it was excellent to have such a chance of winning the king's daughter it's not he noticed that his master was at a loss and said to him that he should now disregard what the king had asked him to do but he would have to act upon his advice otherwise he would get into great difficulties the prince ascended to this and began to prepare for the journey after he had taken leave of the king and was setting out on the search snotty said to him now you must first of all go about the neighborhood and gather as much salt as ever you can the prince did so and gather so much salt that he could hardly carry it but snotty said throw it on my back which he accordingly did and the dog then arrived before the prince until they came to the foot of a steep cliff we must go up here said snotty I don't think that will be Charles play said the prince all fast by my tail said snotty and in this way he pulled the ring up on the lowest shelf of the rock the prince began to get giddy but up went snotty on the second shelf ring was nearly soon him by this time but snotty made a third fort and reached the top of the cliff where the prince fell down in a faint after a little however he recovered again and they went a short distance along a level plain until they came to a cave these walls on Christmas Eve they went up above the cave and found a window in it through which they looked and so four trolls lined a slip beside the fire over which a large porridge pot was hanging now you must empty all the salt into the porridge pot said snotty ring did so and soon the trolls waken it up the old egg was the most frightful went first to taste the porridge how comes this she said the porridge is salt I got a mig by witchcraft yesterday out of four kingdoms and now it is salt all the others then came to taste the porridge and thought it was nice but after they had finished it the whole egg grew so thirsty that she could stand it no longer and asked her daughter to go out and bring her some water from the river that ran nearby I won't go said she unless you lend me your bright gold piece though I should die you shan't have it said the egg die then said the girl well then take it you brat say the old egg and be off with you and may cast with the water the girl took the gold and run out with it it was so bright that it shone all over the plain as soon as she came to the river she laid down to take a drink of the water but meanwhile the two of them had got down off the roof and threw her head first into the river the old egg began now to long for the water and said that the girl will be running about with the gold piece all over the plain so she asked her son to go and get her a drop of water I won't go said he unless I get the gold cloak though I should die you shan't have it said the egg die then said the son well then take it said the old egg and be off with you put on the cloak and when he came outside it shone so bright that it could see to go with it on reaching the river you went to take a drink like a sister but at that moment ring and snotty sprang upon him took the cloak from him and threw him into the river the old egg could stand to thirst no longer and asked her husband to drink for her the brats she said were off course running about and playing themselves just as she had expected they would little wretches that they were I won't go said the old troll unless you lend me the gold chessboard though I should die you shan't have it said the egg I think you may such a little favor take it then you utter disgrace since you are just lie these two brats the old troll now went out with the gold chessboard and down to the river and was about to take a drink when ring and snotty came upon him took the chessboard from him and threw him into the river before they had got back again however they ended up on top of the cave they saw the poor old fellow's ghost came marching up from the river snotty immediately sprang upon him and ring assistant in that attack and after a hard struggle they mustered him a second time when they got back again the window they saw that the old egg was moving toward the door now we must go in at once said snotty and tried to master her there for if she once gets out we shall have no chance with her she's the worst witch that ever lived and no iron can cut her one of us must pour boiling porridge out of the pot on her and the other punch her with the red hot iron and they went then and no sooner did the hag see then she said so you have come Prince Ring you must have seen to my husband and children snotty saw that she was about to attack them and sprang at her with the red hot iron from the fire while Ring kept pouring boiling porridge on her without stopping and in this way they at last got her killed then they burned the old troll and there to ashes and explored the cave where they found plenty of gold and treasures the most valuable of these they carried with them as far as the cliff and left them there then they astounded home to the king with his three treasures where they arrived late on Christmas night and Ring handed them over to him the king was beside himself with joy he finished at how clever a man Ring was in all kinds of fits so that he steamed him still more highly than before and betrothed his daughter to him and the feast for this was to last all through Christmas tide Ring tanked the king courteously for this and all these other kindnesses and as soon as he had finished eating and drinking in the hole went out to sleep in his own room so that he, however, asked permission to sleep in the prince's bed for the night while the prince should sleep where the dog usually lay Ring said he was welcome to do so and that he deserved more from him than that came to so that he went up into the prince's bed but after a time he came back and told Ring he could go there himself now but to take care not to meddle was in the bed now the story comes back to red who came into the hole and showed the king his right arm wanting the hand and said that now he could see what kind of man his intended son in law was for he had done this to him without any cause whatever the king became very angry and said he would soon find out the truth about it and if Ring had cut off his hand without cause he should be hanged but if it was otherwise then red should die so the king sent for Ring and asked him for what reason he had done this it's nutty, however I just told Ring what had happened during the night and in reply he asked the king to go with him and he would show him something the king went with him in the sleeping room and saw a line on the bed a man's hand holding a sword this hand said Ring came over the partition during the night and was about to run me through in my bed if I had not defended myself the king answered that in that case he could not blame him for protecting his own life and that red was well worthy of death the king was angry and Ring married the king's daughter the first night that they went to bed together it's nutty asked Ring to allow him to lie at their feet and this ring allowed him to do during the night we heard the all in and out cry beside them struck a light in a hurry and saw an ugly dog's skin lying near him and the beautiful prince in the bed took the ring instantly to the skin and burned it and then shook the prince who was lying unconscious until he woke up the bridegroom then asked his name he replied that it was called Ring and was a king's son in his youth he had lost his mother and in her place his father had married a witch who had laid a spell on him and never be released from the spell unless a prince of the same name as himself allowed him to sleep at his feet the first night after his marriage he added further as soon as she knew that you were my name's sake she tried to get you destroyed so that you might not free me from the spell she was the hind that you and your companions chased she was the woman that you found in the clearing with the barrel and the old egg that we just now killed in the cave after the feasting was over the two name's sakes along with other men went to the cliff and brought all the treasure home to the palace then they went to the island and removed all that was valuable from it Ring gave to his name's sake whom he had freed from the spell his sister Ingber and his kingdom to look after but he himself stayed with his father in law the king and had half the kingdom while he lived and the war of it after his death and of chapter 37 recording by Liz Black Italy please visit LibriVox.org there was once a poor prince he possessed a kingdom which though small was yet large enough for him to marry on and married he wished to be now it was certainly a little audacious of him to venture to say to the emperor's daughter will you marry me but he did venture to say so to the emperor and wide there were hundreds of princesses who would gladly have said yes but would she say the same well we shall see on the grave of the prince's father grew a rose tree a very beautiful rose tree it only bloomed every five years and then bore but a single rose but oh such a rose it sent was so sweet that when you smelt it you forgot all your cares and troubles and he had also a nightingale which could sing as if all the beautiful melodies in the world were shut up in its little throat this rose and this nightingale the princess was to have and so they were both put into silver caskets and sent to her the emperor had them brought to him in the great hall where the princess was playing here comes a duke riding with her ladies and waiting and when she caught sight of the big caskets which contained presents she clapped her hands for joy if only it were a little pussy cat she said but the rose tree with the beautiful rose came out but how pitily it is made said all the ladies and waiting it is more than pretty said the emperor it is charming but the princess felt it and then she almost began to cry ug papa she said it's not artificial it is real ug said all the ladies and waiting it is real let's first see what is in the other casket before we begin to get angry thought the emperor and there came out the nightingale it sang so beautifully that one could scarcely utter a cross word against it super bae, charmante said the ladies and waiting for they all chattered french each one worse than the other how much the bird reminds me of the musical snuff box of the late empress said the old cordier same tone the same execution yes said the emperor and then he wept like a little child I hope that this at least is not real yes it is a real bird said those who had brought it then let the bird fly away said the princess and she would not on any account allow the prince to come but he was nothing daunted he painted his face brown and black drew his cap well over his face and knocked at the door good day emperor he said can I get a place here as a servant in the castle yes said the emperor but there are so many who ask for a place that I don't know whether there will be one for you but still I will think of you stay it has just occurred to me that I want someone to look after the swine for I have so very many of them and the prince got the situation of imperial swinard he had a wretched little room close to the pigsties here he had to stay but the whole day he sat working and when evening was come he had made a pretty little pot all around it were little bells and when the pot boiled they jingled most beautifully and played the old tune where is Augustus dear alas he is not here here here but the most wonderful thing was that when one held then at once one could smell what dinner was ready in any fireplace in the town that was indeed something quite different from the rose now the princess came walking past with all her ladies and waiting and when she heard the tune she stood still and her face beamed with joy where she also could play where is Augustus dear it was the only tune she knew but she could play it with one finger why that is what I play he must be a most accomplished swineard listen go down and ask him what the instrument costs and one of the ladies in waiting had to go down but she put on wooden clogs what will you take for the pot asked the lady in waiting I will have ten kisses from the princess answered the swineard heaven forbid said the lady in waiting yes I will sell it for nothing less replied the swineard what does he say asked the princess I really hardly like to tell you answered the lady in waiting oh then you can whisper it to me he is disabliging said the princess and went away but she had only gone a few steps when the bills rang out so prettily where is Augustus dear alas he is not here here here listens to the princess ask him whether he will take ten kisses from my ladies in waiting oh thank you said the swineard ten kisses from the princess or else I keep my pot that is very tiresome said the princess but you must put yourselves in front of me so that no one can see and the ladies in waiting place themselves in front and then spread out their dresses so the swineard got his ten kisses and she got the pot what happiness that was the whole night and the whole day the pot was made to boil there was not a fireplace in the whole town where they did not know what was being cooked whether it was at the chancellors or the shoemakers the ladies in waiting danced and clapped their hands we know who is going to have soup and pancakes we know who is going to have porridge and sausages isn't it interesting yes very interesting said the first lady in waiting but don't say anything about it for I am the emperor's daughter oh no of course we won't the swineard that is to say the prince though they did not know he was anything but a true swineard let no day pass without making something and one day he made a rattle which when it was turned around played all the waltzes, gallops and polkas that had ever been known since the world began but that is superb so the princess as she passed by I have never heard a more beautiful composition listen go down and ask him what this instrument costs but I won't kiss him again he wants a hundred kisses from the princess said the lady in waiting who had gone down to ask him I believe he is mad said the princess and then she went on but she had only gone a few steps when she stopped one ought to encourage art she said I am the emperor's daughter tell him he shall have as before ten kisses the rest he can take for my ladies in waiting I feel like being kissed by him said the ladies in waiting that's nonsense said the princess and if I can kiss him you can too besides remember I give you board and lodging so the ladies in waiting had to go down to him again a hundred kisses from the princess said he or each keeps his own put yourselves in front of us she said then and all the ladies in waiting put themselves in front and he began to kiss the princess in motion be by the pig sty asked the emperor who was standing on the balcony he rubbed his eyes and put on his spectacles why those are the ladies in waiting playing their games I must go down to them so he took off his shoes which were shoes though he had trodden them down into slippers what a hurry he was in to be sure as soon as he came into the yard he walked very softly and the ladies in waiting were so busy in the kisses and seeing fair play that they never noticed the emperor he stood on tiptoe what is that he said when he saw the kissing and then he threw one of his slippers at their heads just as the swineard was taking his 68th kiss be off with you said the emperor for he was very angry and the princess and the swineard were driven out of the empire then she stood still and wept the swineard was scolding and the rain was streaming down alas what an unhappy creature I am saw the princess if only I had taken the beautiful prince alas how unfortunate I am and the swineard went behind a tree washed the black and brown off his face threw away his old clothes and then stepped forward in his splendid dress looking so beautiful that the princess was obliged to curtsy I now come to this I despise you he said you would have nothing to do with a noble prince you did not understand the rose or the nightingale but you could kiss the swineard for the sake of a toy this is what you get for it and he went into his kingdom and shut the door in her face and she had to stay outside singing where is my Augustus dear alas he's not here here here end of chapter 38 chapter 39 of the yellow fairy book this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Jennifer the yellow fairy book edited by Andrew Lang chapter 39 how to tell a true princess there was once upon a time a prince who wanted to marry a princess but she must be a true princess so he traveled through the whole world to find one but there was always something against each there were plenty of princesses but he could not find out if they were true princesses in every case there was some little defect which showed the genuine article was not yet found so he came home again in very low spirits for he had wanted very much to have a true princess one night there was a dreadful storm it thundered and lightninged and the rain streamed down in torrents it was fearful there was a knocking heard at the palace gate and the old king went to open it there stood a princess outside the gate but oh in what a sad plight she was from the rain and the storm the water was running down from her hair and her dress into the points of her shoes and out at the heels again and yet she said she was a true princess well we shall soon find that thought the old queen but she said nothing and went into the sleeping room took off all the bed clothes and laid a pea on the bottom of the bed then she put 20 mattresses on top of the pea and 20 eater down quilts on the top of the mattresses and this was the bed in which the princess was to sleep the next morning she asked how she had slept very badly said the princess I scarcely closed my eyes all night I am sure I don't know what was in the bed I laid on something so hard that my whole body is black and blue it is dreadful now they perceived that she was a true princess because she had felt the pea through the 20 mattresses and the 20 eater down quilts no one but a true princess could be so sensitive though the prince married her for now he knew that at last he had got hold of a true princess and the pea was put into the royal museum where it is still to be seen if no one has stolen it now this is a true story End of Chapter 39 Recording by Jennifer Hilo, Hawaii