Fairy Tales From all Nations Part 24

The fox into whose head it never entered that a fox could ever be duped, found himself, however, deceived by a woman; for he had scarcely given his a.s.sent to accompanying Grannonia, and had not gone fifty paces with her, before she ungratefully knocked him down with the stick she carried, killed him, and poured his blood into the flask.

She then ran off as fast as she could, until she reached Ballone-Grosso. There she went straight to the royal palace, and caused the king to be informed she was come to cure the prince's wounds.

The king had her immediately brought into his presence, greatly surprised that a young maiden should promise to do that which the most skilful surgeons in his kingdom acknowledged themselves incompetent to effect. But as there would be no harm in trying, he gave her permission to make the experiment.

Grannonia, however, said: "If I fulfil your wishes, you must promise to give me your son for my husband." The king, who had lost all hope of seeing his son restored, replied: "Only restore him to health and spirits, and you shall have him just as you make him. For it is not too much for me to give a husband to one who gives me a son."

So they went into the prince's room, and no sooner had Grannonia anointed him with the blood than he was entirely cured. Now when Grannonia saw him well and cheerful, she said to the king that he must keep his word; whereupon the latter turned to his son, and spoke thus: "My dear son, but lately I looked upon you as dead, and now, when I least expected, I see you again living and well; and since I promised this young maiden in case she restored you, that you should become her husband, and as heaven has been so gracious to me, enable me, if you have any regard for me, to fulfil my promise, for grat.i.tude constrains me to recompense this service."

The prince replied: "My lord and father, I wish my will were as free as my love for you is great. But since I have already given my word to another woman, you would not wish that I should break my promise; and this young maiden herself will not counsel me to act so faithlessly to her whom I love, therefore I must remain true to my choice."

When Grannonia heard these words, and perceived that the prince retained the memory of her so vividly in his heart, she felt unspeakable joy, and said, whilst she blushed to crimson: "But if I persuade the maiden whom you love, to renounce her claim on you, would you then comply with my wish?"

"Far be it from me," replied the prince, "that I should ever efface the fair image of my beloved from my breast. Whatever she may do, my desire and my sentiments will remain unaltered; and were I to risk my life for it, still I never would consent to the change."

Grannonia, who could no longer conceal her feelings, now made herself known; for the darkness of the chamber, where all the curtains were drawn on account of the prince's illness, and her own disguise, had entirely prevented him from recognising her. The moment he perceived who she was, he embraced her with indescribable joy, and then related to his father who she was, and what she had done for him.

Then they sent for the parents of the princess, and the marriage festival was celebrated with great rejoicings, so that it was again made manifest that for the joys of love, sorrow is ever the best seasoning.

THE PROPHETIC DREAM.

[Oral]

In a little obscure village, there once dwelt a poor shepherd, who, for many years, supported himself and his family upon the very trifling wages he earned by his labour. Besides his wife he had one only child, a boy. He had accustomed this boy, from a very early age, to go out with him to the pastures, and had instructed him in the duties of a faithful shepherd, so that as the child grew up he could entrust the flocks to his care, whilst he himself could earn a few pence by basket weaving. The young shepherd gaily led his flocks over the fields and pastures, whistling or singing some cheerful song, or cracking his whip, that the time should not pa.s.s heavily with him. At noon he lay down at his ease by his flock, ate his bread, and quenched his thirst at the rivulet, and then slept for a short time before he drove it further.

One day when he had lain down under a shady tree for his noontide rest, the young shepherd slept and had a remarkable dream. He was journeying on, far, far on--he heard a loud clinking sound, like to a heap of coins incessantly falling on the ground--a thundering noise like the report of incessant firing--he saw a countless band of soldiers, with glittering armour and weapons--all these sights and sounds encircled him and resounded about him. Then he seemed to wander on, constantly ascending a mountain until he arrived at the summit, where a throne was erected on which he seated himself, leaving beside him a vacant place, which a beautiful woman who suddenly appeared, immediately occupied. The young shepherd still dreaming, rose up, saying in a solemn and earnest voice: "I am King of Spain;" and at that moment he awoke.

Pondering on his strange dream, the youth led on his flock, and in the evening, whilst he a.s.sisted his parents in their work as they sat before their cottage door cutting fodder, he related it to them, and concluded by saying: "Verily, if I dream that again, I will be off to Spain to see whether I shall be made king."

"Foolish boy," murmured the old father; "thou be made king? Don't go and make yourself a laughingstock."

His mother laughed outright, rubbing her hands, and repeating in amaze, "King of Spain! king of Spain!"

The next day at noon he lay down again under the same tree, and oh, wonder! the same dream took possession of his senses. He hardly had patience to watch his flock till evening; gladly would he have run home, and at once set out on his journey to Spain. When at length his work was done, he again related his romantic dream, saying: "If I do but dream this once again, I will go off directly, on the very same day."

The third day he lay down again under the same tree, and the same dream again visited him for the third time. The youth raised himself up in his sleep, exclaiming: "I am King of Spain," and thereupon he awoke. He gathered up his hat, his whip, and his provision bag, collected his sheep, and went back straight to the village. When he got there the people began to chide him for returning so long before vespers; but the youth was so excited that he paid no heed to the reproofs either of the neighbours or of his parents, but packed up his Sunday clothes, hung the bundle on a hazel stick, and throwing it over his shoulder started off without another word. He put his best foot foremost, and ran so fast that one would have thought he hoped to reach Spain that same night.

He got no further however that day than to the borders of a forest, and not a village nor even a solitary cottage could he descry; so he resolved to take his night's rest in a thick bush. He had scarcely fallen asleep when he was disturbed by a great noise. A company of men, conversing loudly, pa.s.sed before the bush which he had made his bed. The youth crept softly forward, and followed the men at a little distance, saying to himself: "Perhaps thou mayest still find a lodging; where these men pa.s.s the night, thou surely mayest also sleep." They had not gone much further before they came to a house of considerable dimensions, which, however, was situated in the centre of the dark forest. The men knocked, and were admitted, and the young shepherd unperceived slipped in with them into the house. Another door was then thrown open, and they all entered a large and very imperfectly lighted room, on the floor of which lay numerous trusses of straw, beds and coverlids, which seemed ready prepared for the men's night repose. The shepherd boy crept quickly under a heap of straw, which was scattered near the door, and lay in his concealment on the look-out for all he might see and hear. As he was a very sharp boy, with all his senses about him, it was not long before he made out that he was amongst a band of robbers, whose captain was the owner of the house. This latter, as soon as the newly arrived members of the band had stretched themselves on their couches, ascended an elevated seat, and said in a deep ba.s.s voice: "My brave comrades, give me an account of your day's work; where you have been, and what booty you have got!"

A tall man, with a coal black beard, was the first to raise himself from his bed, and answered: "My good captain, early this morning I robbed a rich n.o.bleman of his leathern breeches; these have two pockets, and as often as they are turned inside out, and well shaken, a heap of ducats falls on the ground."

"That sounds well, indeed!" said the captain.

Then uprose another, and said: "I stole from a great general his three-cornered hat; and this hat has the property, that so long as it is turned round upon the head shots are fired off incessantly from its three corners."

"That's worth hearing," replied the captain; upon which a third man sat up, saying: "I have deprived a knight of his sword, and when you stick the point of this sword into the earth, up starts at that very moment a regiment of soldiers."

"A brave deed," exclaimed the captain; as the fourth robber then began: "I drew off the boots of a traveller whilst he slept, and whoever puts on those boots goes seven miles at every step."

"I commend a bold deed," said the captain, highly pleased; "hang up your prizes against the wall, and now eat and drink heartily, and sleep well." So saying, he left the sleeping apartment of the robbers, who caroused l.u.s.tily, and then slept soundly. When all was still and the men in deep sleep, the young shepherd stole from his hiding-place, put on the leathern breeches, set the hat upon his head, girded on the sword, drew on the boots, and slipped softly out of the house. As soon as he was outside the door, the boots, to his infinite delight, at once manifested their magic virtue, and it was not long before the youth entered the great capital of Spain; it is called Madrid.

He asked the very first person he met to direct him to the most considerable hotel in the city; but received for answer, "You little urchin, get off with you to some place where such as yourself lodge, and not to where great lords dine." A s.h.i.+ning gold piece, however, soon made his adviser a little more courteous, so that now he willingly conducted the youth to the best hotel. Arrived there, he at once engaged the best apartments, and said to his host: "Well, how goes it in your city? What is the latest news here?"

The host made a long face, and replied: "My little gentleman, you must be indeed quite a stranger here. It seems that you have not yet heard that his majesty, our king, is on the eve of departing for the wars with an army of twenty thousand men. You must know we have enemies, powerful enemies. Oh, these are, indeed, dreadful times! Is your little wors.h.i.+p disposed to join the army?"

"No doubt!" said the stripling, whose countenance beamed with joy.

No sooner had the host left him, than he quickly drew off his leather breeches, shook out a heap of gold pieces, and purchased for himself costly garments with arms and accoutrements, dressed himself in them, and then craved an audience of the king. As he entered the palace, and was being conducted by two chamberlains through a s.p.a.cious and magnificent hall, he was met by a young and wondrously beautiful lady, who graciously saluted him, and whom he beheld surrounded by courtiers, who bowed to her as he pa.s.sed, whilst they whispered to him, "That is the princess--the king's daughter."

The young shepherd was not a little enraptured by the beauty of the princess; and he was so inspired by his admiration and delight, that he was able to speak boldly and confidently to the monarch.

"I come," said he, "most humbly to offer to your majesty my services as a warrior. The army I bring to you shall gain the victory for you; and it shall win for your majesty whatever you may be pleased to desire. But I ask of you one recompense, namely, that if I gain the victory for you, I may receive your lovely daughter in marriage. Will you grant me this, my most gracious king?"

The king was astonished at the youth's bold address, and answered: "Be it so--I agree to your request. If you return home a conqueror, you shall be my successor, and I will give you my daughter in marriage."

The _ci-devant_ shepherd now betook himself all alone to the open plain, and began to strike his sword here and there in the ground, and in a few minutes there stood on the plain many thousand well-armed combatants, and the youth himself, richly armed and adorned, sat as their leader on a n.o.ble horse decked with gold embroidered housings and a l.u.s.trous bridle. The young general led his troops against the foe, and a b.l.o.o.d.y battle was fought. Unceasing death-shots thundered from the commander's hat, and his sword called up one regiment after another from the ground, so that in a few hours the enemy was vanquished and scattered, and the flag of victory waved above the conquered camp. The victor pursued and conquered from his foe a considerable portion of his country. Victorious, and crowned with glory, he returned to Spain, where his greatest good fortune still awaited him. The fair daughter of the king had been no less struck by the handsome youth whom she met in the hall, than he had been by her; and the most gracious monarch knew how to value duly the great service rendered to him by the brave young man. He kept his word--gave him his daughter in marriage, and made him heir to his throne.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE PROPHETIC DREAM. P. 406.]

The nuptials were celebrated with the greatest magnificence, and he who had so shortly before been only a shepherd youth sat now in high estate. Soon after the wedding the old king resigned his crown and sceptre into the hands of his son-in-law, who, seated proudly on the throne, with his beautiful consort beside him, received the oath of allegiance from his people.

Then he thought of his so quickly-fulfilled dream and of his poor parents, and when he was alone with his wife, he thus addressed her: "My beloved, know that I have parents living still, but they are very poor; my father is a village herdsman, dwelling far away in Germany, where I myself, as a boy, looked after cattle, until a marvellous dream revealed to me that I should become king of Spain. Fortune has been favourable to me; I am now a king, but I would willingly see my parents also prosperous, therefore with your kind consent I will return to my former home, and bring my parents. .h.i.ther."

The young queen was well content that her husband should do as he proposed, so he set off and travelled of course very fast, being possessed of the seven-mile boots. On his way the young monarch restored the magical articles which he had taken from the robbers to their rightful owners, retaining only the boots; he carried back with him his parents, who were almost beside themselves for joy, and to the former owner of the boots he gave a dukedom in exchange for them.

After that he lived happily and worthily all the rest of his days.

THE END.