The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang (heaven official's blessing novel english txt) ๐
'Good evening, mother. I see you have lived long in this world; doyou know anything about the three bulrushes?'
'Yes, indeed, I've lived long and been much about in the world, butI have never seen or heard anything of what you ask. Still, if youwill wait till to-morrow I may be able to tell you something.'
Well, he waited till the morning, and quite early the old womanappeared and took out a little pipe and blew in it, and in a momentall the crows in the world were flying about her. Not one wasmissing. Then she asked if they knew anything about the threebulrushes, but not one of them did.
The prince went on his way, and a little further on he found anotherhut in which lived an old man. On being questioned the old mansaid he knew nothing, but begged the prince to stay overnight, andthe next morning the old man called all the ravens together, butthey too had nothing to tell.
The prince bade him farewell and set out. He wandered so far thathe crossed seven kingdoms, an
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How he wept and stormed! โOh, light of my eyes,โ he sobbed; โI am indeed punished for my pride. I thought no one good enough to be your husband, and now you are lost in the depths of the sea, and have left me alone! As for all of you who saw this thingโaway with you! Let them be put in irons and lock them up in prison, whilst I think how I can best put them to death!โ
Whilst the King of Busan was raging and lamenting in this fashion, Simonโs ship was swimming like any fish under the sea, and when the island was well out of sight he brought it up to the surface again. At that moment the princess recollected herself. โNurse,โ said she, โwe have been gazing at these wonders only too long. I hope my father wonโt be vexed at our delay.โ
She tore herself away and stepped on deck. Neither the yacht nor the island was in sight! Helena wrung her hands and beat her breast. Then she changed herself into a white swan and flew off. But the fifth Simon seized his bow and shot the swan, and the sixth Simon did not let it fall into the water but caught it in the ship, and the swan turned into a silver fish, but Simon lost no time and caught the fish, when, quick as thought, the fish turned into a black mouse and ran about the ship. It darted towards a hole, but before it could reach it Simon sprang upon it more swiftly than any cat, and then the little mouse turned once more into the beautiful Princess Helena.
Early one morning King Archidej sat thoughtfully at his window gazing out to sea. His heart was sad and he would neither eat nor drink. His thoughts were full of the Princess Helena, who was as lovely as a dream. Is that a white gull he sees flying towards the shore, or is it a sail? No, it is no gull, it is the wonder-ship flying along with billowing sails. Its flags wave, the fiddlers play on the wire rigging, the anchor is thrown out and the crystal plank laid from the ship to the pier. The lovely Helena steps across the plank. She shines like the sun, and the stars of heaven seem to sparkle in her eyes.
Up sprang King Archidej in haste: โHurry, hurry,โ he cried. โLet us hasten to meet her! Let the bugles sound and the joy bells be rung!โ
And the whole Court swarmed with courtiers and servants. Golden carpets were laid down and the great gates thrown open to welcome the princess.
King Archidej went out himself, took her by the hand and led her into the royal apartments.
โMadam,โ said he, โthe fame of your beauty had reached me, but I had not dared to expect such loveliness. Still I will not keep you here against your will. If you wish it, the wonder-ship shall take you back to your father and your own country; but if you will consent to stay here, then reign over me and my country as our queen.โ
What more is there to tell? It is not hard to guess that the princess listened to the kingโs wooing, and their betrothal took place with great pomp and rejoicings.
The brothers Simon were sent again to the Island of Busan with a letter to the king from his daughter to invite him to their wedding. And the wonder-ship arrived at the Island of Busan just as all the knights and soldiers who had escorted the princess were being led out to execution.
Then the seventh Simon cried out from the ship: โStop! stop! I bring a letter from the Princess Helena!โ
The King of Busan read the letter over and over again, and ordered the knights and soldiers to be set free. He entertained King Archidejโs ambassadors hospitably, and sent his blessing to his daughter, but he could not be brought to attend the wedding.
When the wonder-ship got home King Archidej and Princess Helena were enchanted with the news it brought.
The king sent for the seven Simons. โA thousand thanks to you, my brave fellows,โ he cried. โTake what gold, silver, and precious stones you will out of my treasury. Tell me if there is anything else you wish for and I will give it you, my good friends. Do you wish to be made nobles, or to govern towns? Only speak.โ
Then the eldest Simon bowed and said: โWe are plain folk, your Majesty, and understand simple things best. What figures should we cut as nobles or governors? Nor do we desire gold. We have our fields which give us food, and as much money as we need. If you wish to reward us then grant that our land may be free of taxes, and of your goodness pardon the seventh Simon. He is not the first who has been a thief by trade and he will certainly not be the last.โ
โSo be it,โ said the king; โyour land shall be free of all taxes, and Simon the seventh is pardoned.โ
Then the king gave each brother a goblet of wine and invited them to the wedding feast. And what a feast that was!
[From Ungarischen Mahrchen.]
The Language of Beasts Once upon a time a man had a shepherd who served him many years faithfully and honestly. One day, whilst herding his flock, this shepherd heard a hissing sound, coming out of the forest near by, which he could not account for. So he went into the wood in the direction of the noise to try to discover the cause. When he approached the place he found that the dry grass and leaves were on fire, and on a tree, surrounded by flames, a snake was coiled, hissing with terror.
The shepherd stood wondering how the poor snake could escape, for the wind was blowing the flames that way, and soon that tree would be burning like the rest. Suddenly the snake cried: โO shepherd! for the love of heaven save me from this fire!โ
Then the shepherd stretched his staff out over the flames and the snake wound itself round the staff and up to his hand, and from his hand it crept up his arm, and twined itself about his neck. The shepherd trembled with fright, expecting every instant to be stung to death, and said: โWhat an unlucky man I am! Did I rescue you only to be destroyed myself?โ But the snake answered: โHave no fear; only carry me home to my father who is the King of the Snakes.โ The shepherd, however, was much too frightened to listen, and said that he could not go away and leave his flock alone; but the snake said: โYou need not be afraid to leave your flock, no evil shall befall them; but make all the haste you can.โ
So he set off through the wood carrying the snake, and after a time he came to a great gateway, made entirely of snakes intertwined one with another. The shepherd stood still with surprise, but the snake round his neck whistled, and immediately all the arch unwound itself.
โWhen we are come to my fatherโs house,โ said his own snake to him, โhe will reward you with anything you like to askโsilver, gold, jewels, or whatever on this earth is most precious; but take none of all these things, ask rather to understand the language of beasts. He will refuse it to you a long time, but in the end he will grant it to you.โ
Soon after that they arrived at the house of the King of the Snakes, who burst into tears of joy at the sight of his daughter, as he had given her up for dead. โWhere have you been all this time?โ he asked, directly he could speak, and she told him that she had been caught in a forest fire, and had been rescued from the flames by the shepherd. The King of the Snakes, then turning to the shepherd, said to him: โWhat reward will you choose for saving my child?โ
โMake me to know the language of beasts,โ answered the shepherd, โthat is all I desire.โ
The king replied: โSuch knowledge would be of no benefit to you, for if I granted it to you and you told any one of it, you would immediately die; ask me rather for whatever else you would most like to possess, and it shall be yours.โ
But the shepherd answered him: โSir, if you wish to reward me for saving your daughter, grant me, I pray you, to know the language of beasts. I desire nothing elseโ; and he turned as if to depart.
Then the king called him back, saying: โIf nothing else will satisfy you, open your mouth.โ The man obeyed, and the king spat into it, and said: โNow spit into my mouth.โ The shepherd did as he was told, then the King of the Snakes spat again into the shepherdโs mouth. When they had spat into each otherโs mouths three times, the king said:
โNow you know the language of beasts, go in peace; but, if you value your life, beware lest you tell any one of it, else you will immediately die.โ
So the shepherd set out for home, and on his way through the wood he heard and understood all that was said by the birds, and by every living creature. When he got back to his sheep he found the flock grazing peacefully, and as he was very tired he laid himself down by them to rest a little. Hardly had he done so when two ravens flew down and perched on a tree near by, and began to talk to each other in their own language: โIf that shepherd only knew that there is a vault full of gold and silver beneath where that lamb is lying, what would he not do?โ When the shepherd heard these words he went straight to his master and told him, and the master at once took a waggon, and broke open the door of the vault, and they carried off the treasure. But instead of keeping it for himself, the master, who was an honourable man, gave it all up to the shepherd, saying: โTake it, it is yours. The gods have given it to you.โ So the shepherd took the treasure and built himself a house. He married a wife, and they lived in great peace and happiness, and he was acknowledged to be the richest man, not only of his native village, but of all the country-side. He had flocks of sheep, and cattle, and horses without end, as well as beautiful clothes and jewels.
One day, just before Christmas, he said to his wife: โPrepare everything for a great feast, to-morrow we will take things with us to the farm that the shepherds there may make merry.โ The wife obeyed, and all was prepared as he desired. Next day they both went to the farm, and in the evening the master said to the shepherds: โNow come, all of you, eat, drink, and make merry. I will watch the flocks myself tonight in your stead.โ Then he went out to spend the night with the flocks.
When midnight struck the wolves howled and the dogs barked, and the wolves spoke in their own tongue, saying:
โShall we come in and work havoc, and you too shall eat flesh?โ And the dogs answered in their tongue: โCome in, and for once we shall have enough to eat.โ
Now amongst the dogs there was one so old that he had only two teeth left in his head, and he spoke to the wolves,
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