AstheyrosethroughtheairthePrincessremarkedafiguremountedonaneagle’sbackflyinginfrontofthechariot。Shewasratheralarmed,butthePrincereassuredher,tellingheritwasthegoodFairytowhomsheowedsomuch,andwhowasnowconductingherinsafetytohermother。
ThatsamemorningtheKingwokesuddenlyfromatroubledsleep。
HehaddreamtthatthePrincesswasbeingcarriedofffromhim,and,transforminghimselfintoaneagle,heflewtothepalace。
Whenhefailedtofindherheflewintoaterriblerage,andhastenedhometoconsulthisbooks,bywhichmeanshediscoveredthatitwashissonwhohaddeprivedhimofthisprecioustreasure。Immediatelyhetooktheshapeofaharpy,and,filledwithrage,wasdeterminedtodevourhisson,andeventhePrincesstoo,ifonlyhecouldovertakethem。
Hesetoutatfullspeed;buthestartedtoolate,andwasfurtherdelayedbyastrongwindwhichtheFairyraisedbehindtheyoungcouplesoastobaffleanypursuit。
YoumayimaginetherapturewithwhichtheQueenreceivedthedaughtershehadgivenupforlost,aswellastheamiablePrincewhohadrescuedher。TheFairyenteredwiththem,andwarnedtheQueenthattheWizardKingwouldshortlyarrive,infuriatedbyhisloss,andthatnothingcouldpreservethePrinceandPrincessfromhisrageandmagicunlesstheywereactuallymarried。
TheQueenhastenedtoinformtheKingherhusband,andtheweddingtookplaceonthespot。
AstheceremonywascompletedtheWizardKingarrived。Hisdespairatbeingsolatebewilderedhimsoentirelythatheappearedinhisnaturalformandattemptedtosprinklesomeblackliquidoverthebrideandbridegroom,whichwasintendedtokillthem,buttheFairystretchedoutherwandandtheliquiddroppedontheMagicianhimself。Hefelldownsenseless,andthePrincess’sfather,deeplyoffendedatthecruelrevengewhichhadbeenattempted,orderedhimtoberemovedandlockedupinprison。
Nowasmagicianslosealltheirpowerassoonastheyareinprison,theKingfelthimselfmuchembarrassedatbeingthusatthemercyofthosehehadsogreatlyoffended。ThePrinceimploredandobtainedhisfather’spardon,andtheprisondoorswereopened。
NosoonerwasthisdonethantheWizardKingwasseenintheairundertheformofsomeunknownbird,exclaimingasheflewoffthathewouldneverforgiveeitherhissonortheFairythecruelwrongtheyhaddonehim。
EveryoneentreatedtheFairytosettleinthekingdomwhereshenowwas,towhichsheconsented。Shebuiltherselfamagnificentpalace,towhichshetransportedherbooksandfairysecrets,andwheresheenjoyedthesightoftheperfecthappinessshehadhelpedtobestowontheentireroyalfamily。
FromtheGerman。Kletke。
Therewasonceuponatimeamillerwhowasverywelloff,andhadasmuchmoneyandasmanygoodsasheknewwhattodowith。
Butsorrowcomesinthenight,andthemillerallofasuddenbecamesopoorthatatlasthecouldhardlycallthemillinwhichhesathisown。Hewanderedaboutalldayfullofdespairandmisery,andwhenhelaydownatnighthecouldgetnorest,butlayawakeallnightsunkinsorrowfulthoughts。
Onemorningheroseupbeforedawnandwentoutside,forhethoughthisheartwouldbelighterintheopenair。Ashewanderedupanddownonthebanksofthemill-pondheheardarustlinginthewater,andwhenhelookednearhesawawhitewomanrisingupfromthewaves。
Herealisedatoncethatthiscouldbenoneotherthanthenixyofthemill-pond,andinhisterrorhedidn’tknowifheshouldflyawayorremainwherehewas。Whilehehesitatedthenixyspoke,calledhimbyhisname,andaskedhimwhyhewassosad。
Whenthemillerheardhowfriendlyhertonewas,hepluckedupheartandtoldherhowrichandprosperoushehadbeenallhislifeuptillnow,whenhedidn’tknowwhathewastodoforwantandmisery。
Thenthenixyspokecomfortingwordstohim,andpromisedthatshewouldmakehimricherandmoreprosperousthanhehadeverbeeninhislifebefore,ifhewouldgiveherinreturntheyoungestthinginhishouse。
Themillerthoughtshemustmeanoneofhispuppiesorkittens,sopromisedthenixyatoncewhatsheasked,andreturnedtohismillfullofhope。Onthethresholdhewasgreetedbyaservantwiththenewsthathiswifehadjustgivenbirthtoaboy。
Thepoormillerwasmuchhorrifiedbythesetidings,andwentintohiswifewithaheavyhearttotellherandhisrelationsofthefatalbargainhehadjuststruckwiththenixy。’Iwouldgladlygiveupallthegoodfortuneshepromisedme,’hesaid,’ifIcouldonlysavemychild。’Butnoonecouldthinkofanyadvicetogivehim,beyondtakingcarethatthechildneverwentnearthemill-pond。
Sotheboythroveandgrewbig,andinthemeantimeallprosperedwiththemiller,andinafewyearshewasricherthanhehadeverbeenbefore。Butallthesamehedidnotenjoyhisgoodfortune,forhecouldnotforgethiscompactwiththenixy,andheknewthatsoonerorlatershewoulddemandhisfulfilmentofit。Butyearafteryearwentby,andtheboygrewupandbecameagreathunter,andthelordofthelandtookhimintohisservice,forhewasassmartandboldahunterasyouwouldwishtosee。Inashorttimehemarriedaprettyyoungwife,andlivedwithheringreatpeaceandhappiness。
Onedaywhenhewasouthuntingaharesprangupathisfeet,andranforsomewayinfrontofhimintheopenfield。Thehunterpursuedithotlyforsometime,andatlastshotitdead。Thenheproceededtoskinit,nevernoticingthathewasclosetothemill-pond,whichfromchildhooduphehadbeentaughttoavoid。
Hesoonfinishedtheskinning,andwenttothewatertowashthebloodoffhishands。Hehadhardlydippedtheminthepondwhenthenixyroseupinthewater,andseizinghiminherwetarmsshedraggedhimdownwithherunderthewaves。
Whenthehunterdidnotcomehomeintheeveninghiswifegrewveryanxious,andwhenhisgamebagwasfoundclosetothemill-pondsheguessedatoncewhathadbefallenhim。Shewasnearlybesideherselfwithgrief,androamedroundandroundthepondcallingonherhusbandwithoutceasing。Atlast,wornoutwithsorrowandfatigue,shefellasleepanddreamtthatshewaswanderingalongaflowerymeadow,whenshecametoahutwhereshefoundanoldwitch,whopromisedtorestoreherhusbandtoher。
Whensheawokenextmorningshedeterminedtosetoutandfindthewitch;soshewanderedonformanyaday,andatlastshereachedtheflowerymeadowandfoundthehutwheretheoldwitchlived。Thepoorwifetoldherallthathadhappenedandhowshehadbeentoldinadreamofthewitch’spowertohelpher。
Thewitchcounselledhertogotothepondthefirsttimetherewasafullmoon,andtocombherblackhairwithagoldencomb,andthentoplacethecombonthebank。Thehunter’swifegavethewitchahandsomepresent,thankedherheartily,andreturnedhome。
Timedraggedheavilytillthetimeofthefullmoon,butitpassedatlast,andassoonasitrosetheyoungwifewenttothepond,combedherblackhairwithagoldencomb,andwhenshehadfinished,placedthecombonthebank;thenshewatchedthewaterimpatiently。Soonsheheardarushingsound,andabigwaverosesuddenlyandsweptthecomboffthebank,andaminuteaftertheheadofherhusbandrosefromthepondandgazedsadlyather。
Butimmediatelyanotherwavecame,andtheheadsankbackintothewaterwithouthavingsaidaword。Thepondlaystillandmotionless,glitteringinthemoonshine,andthehunter’swifewasnotabitbetteroffthanshehadbeenbefore。
Indespairshewanderedaboutfordaysandnights,andatlast,wornoutbyfatigue,shesankoncemoreintoadeepsleep,anddreamtexactlythesamedreamabouttheoldwitch。Sonextmorningshewentagaintotheflowerymeadowandsoughtthewitchinherhut,andtoldherofhergrief。Theoldwomancounselledhertogotothemill-pondthenextfullmoonandplayuponagoldenflute,andthentolaythefluteonthebank。
Assoonasthenextmoonwasfullthehunter’swifewenttothemill-pond,playedonagoldenflute,andwhenshehadfinishedplaceditonthebank。Thenarushingsoundwasheard,andawavesweptthefluteoffthebank,andsoontheheadofthehunterappearedandroseuphigherandhighertillhewashalfoutofthewater。Thenhegazedsadlyathiswifeandstretchedouthisarmstowardsher。Butanotherrushingwavearoseanddraggedhimunderoncemore。Thehunter’swife,whohadstoodonthebankfullofjoyandhope,sankintodespairwhenshesawherhusbandsnatchedawayagainbeforehereyes。
Butforhercomfortshedreamtthesamedreamathirdtime,andbetookherselfoncemoretotheoldwitch’shutintheflowerymeadow。Thistimetheoldwomantoldhertogothenextfullmoontothemill-pond,andtospintherewithagoldenspinning-
wheel,andthentoleavethespinning-wheelonthebank。
Thehunter’swifedidasshewasadvised,andthefirstnightthemoonwasfullshesatandspunwithagoldenspinning-wheel,andthenleftthewheelonthebank。Inafewminutesarushingsoundwasheardinthewaters,andawavesweptthespinning-wheelfromthebank。Immediatelytheheadofthehunterroseupfromthepond,gettinghigherandhighereachmoment,tillatlengthhesteppedontothebankandfellonhiswife’sneck。
Butthewatersofthepondroseupsuddenly,overflowedthebankwherethecouplestood,anddraggedthemundertheflood。Inherdespairtheyoungwifecalledontheoldwitchtohelpher,andinamomentthehunterwasturnedintoafrogandhiswifeintoatoad。Buttheywerenotabletoremaintogether,forthewatertorethemapart,andwhenthefloodwasovertheybothresumedtheirownshapesagain,butthehunterandthehunter’swifefoundthemselveseachinastrangecountry,andneitherknewwhathadbecomeoftheother。
Thehunterdeterminedtobecomeashepherd,andhiswifetoobecameashepherdess。Sotheyherdedtheirsheepformanyyearsinsolitudeandsadness。
Nowithappenedoncethattheshepherdcametothecountrywheretheshepherdesslived。Theneighbourhoodpleasedhim,andhesawthatthepasturewasrichandsuitableforhisflocks。Sohebroughthissheepthere,andherdedthemasbefore。Theshepherdandshepherdessbecamegreatfriends,buttheydidnotrecogniseeachotherintheleast。
Butoneeveningwhenthemoonwasfulltheysattogetherwatchingtheirflocks,andtheshepherdplayeduponhisflute。Thentheshepherdessthoughtofthateveningwhenshehadsatatthefullmoonbythemill-pondandhadplayedonthegoldenflute;therecollectionwastoomuchforher,andsheburstintotears。Theshepherdaskedherwhyshewascrying,andlefthernopeacetillshetoldhimallherstory。Thenthescalesfellfromtheshepherd’seyes,andherecognisedhiswife,andshehim。Sotheyreturnedjoyfullytotheirownhome,andlivedinpeaceandhappinesseverafter。
FromthePolish。Kletke。
OnceuponatimetherewasaGlassMountainatthetopofwhichstoodacastlemadeofpuregold,andinfrontofthecastletheregrewanapple-treeonwhichthereweregoldenapples。
Anyonewhopickedanapplegainedadmittanceintothegoldencastle,andthereinasilverroomsatanenchantedPrincessofsurpassingfairnessandbeauty。Shewasasrichtooasshewasbeautiful,forthecellarsofthecastlewerefullofpreciousstones,andgreatchestsofthefinestgoldstoodroundthewallsofalltherooms。