Fairy Tales From all Nations Part 17

Near the centre of a thick forest once dwelt a forester with his beloved wife. The chase was his occupation, and he lived contentedly on the provision which his ever-active bow procured him from day to day. In this manner he pa.s.sed two years very happily; although the blessing of children, which he earnestly desired, had been hitherto denied him. But the saying, "Patience brings roses," consoled him, and indeed the saying did at last prove true, and in so striking a manner, that it seemed as if destiny had exerted its utmost power to fulfil it, in his case, even to excess. In the third year, whilst the forester was away hunting in the wood, his family was increased by the addition of twelve fine, healthy sons, upon whom the attendant midwife bestowed every necessary care, and then placed them in a circle on the floor in the centre of the room, where the st.u.r.dy infants stretched their limbs and raised their voices for the first time in a tremendously loud Tutti.

Whilst these events were taking place, the day declined, and evening gradually threw its shade over field and mountain. The light-hearted hunter bethought him of his supper, and returned, laden with two or three hares, to his cottage.

But how thunderstruck was he when he heard that Heaven had showered down upon him such an abundant blessing. He entered, gazed, and at the sight of the liberal gift, at once lost his reason, and rushed raving out of doors back into the depths of the dark forest, never to return again.

The poor forsaken wife now remained in her hut with her twelve little sons, desiring nothing more ardently than to be able to leave her bed, in order to provide food for her children.

The midwife afforded her all the a.s.sistance in her power, and when at length she recovered, she prepared a bow and arrows, scoured the woods and hills, and daily brought home as much game as was requisite for the support of herself and her children. Thus she lived fifteen years; during which period the little ones grew strong and healthy, and learned from her to provide, by hunting, for their own necessities.

But before they reached their sixteenth year, it pleased Heaven to call their mother to itself, and now the youths, deprived of parental care, were abandoned to their fate. They continued to live as before, on the products of the chase, which they fraternally divided amongst them, and remained together in harmony and peace.

The distracted father meanwhile continued to wander incessantly through the forest. His habiliments had long been torn to rags, and his appearance terrified every one who beheld him. Although other foresters occasionally met him, and brought tidings of him to his sons, yet no one could ever lay hold of him, as he shunned the approach of everybody, and at the aspect of a human being he hastened like a frightened beast to hide himself in the thicket. But his unhappy fate was a daily increasing source of sorrow to his sons, who at length consulted seriously together, how they might get him into their hands, so as to be able to take care of him, and, if possible, restore him to reason.

They at length agreed to betake themselves, provided with a roasted goose, a pitcher of brandy, and one large boot, to a certain spring in the forest, near which the foresters frequently saw him. With these things they went to the appointed spot, placed them close to the spring, and then concealed themselves in the bushes to watch for his arrival.

They had waited a considerable time when they heard the sound of footsteps, and beheld a dark figure approaching the spring. With ardent curiosity they peeped from their concealment, and at length saw, with surprise and horror, a being more like a ghost than a man, but who, however, perfectly corresponded to the description which the foresters had given them of their unfortunate father.

When he approached the spring to slake his thirst he started on perceiving the unaccustomed objects which were beside it, and prepared to start off at the moment, should he perceive a human form. But as the youths kept themselves entirely concealed, and made not the least noise, his alarm subsided, and he ventured to drink from the spring.

After he had refreshed himself, the roasted goose, the little pitcher, and the large boot seemed again to attract his attention, and he could not resist the desire to make himself master of them. He laid himself down quite leisurely by the boot, devoured the goose with the greatest avidity, and emptied the pitcher with a satyr-like expression of countenance.

The liquor seemed quickly to affect him; for almost as soon as he had swallowed it he manifested his satisfaction by fantastic leaps, and all kinds of ridiculous antics. He soon laid hold of the boot, examined it attentively on all sides, and nodded his head knowingly, as if in self-approval for having devised its purpose.

Thus satisfied with himself, he again seated himself on the ground, and endeavoured to draw the boot over both feet at once; and although it was large enough to admit the foot of a demi-giant, it cost the lunatic extraordinary efforts to effect his object. Overpowered by fatigue, and the strength of the liquor he had drunk, he gradually sank down by the stream, and fell asleep.

His sons, when they perceived this, hastened with the greatest caution from the bushes, raised the intoxicated sleeper from the ground, and carried him home. But before they had half reached the hut, they discovered with horror that the burthen, which at every step had appeared to grow heavier, was a corpse. Whether it was the effect of the too hastily swallowed drink, or the too rapid satisfaction of his appet.i.te after long fasting, in either case, the father lay dead in the arms of his sons. With tears of regret, and self-reproaches for their ill-advised attempt, the afflicted sons buried the beloved corpse, under an oak not far from the cottage.

They lived together for some time after this event, but at length, being imbued with the desire of seeing foreign countries, they resolved to renounce their hitherto rude mode of life, and each to set out in a different direction to seek his fortune.

When they had fixed the day for their separation they once more went hunting together, in order to provide so much food as they might require for at least the first day of their wandering. On the day appointed for their departure they went to the oak which shaded their father's grave, swore eternal brotherly love to each other, and after mutually taking an affectionate leave, each pursued his separate way.

To relate what occurred to each of these twelve brethren, and how each fulfilled his appointed destiny, would be a very tedious task, and the more so as the fate of the younger brother was alone sufficiently remarkable to deserve attention.

This youth had from his earliest years an aversion to all kind of labour and trouble; hence, in all his necessities he always relied on the favour of Fortune, and the more so as he had more than once had reason to surmise that she was favourably inclined towards him. Whilst his brothers laboriously pursued their game under every disadvantage of time, place, and weather, he would lie at his ease, with his weapons beside him, on a gra.s.sy hill, beneath the shade of the trees; and it generally came to pa.s.s that whilst his brothers pursued some poor hare, in the sweat of their brow, a roebuck would come, as if at his call, so near to him that he could shoot it without the least exertion. Owing to this, he had to endure many a jeer from his brethren, whose jealousy was excited by his good luck, and they called him in derision Lazy Bones.

His confidence in the favour of the blind G.o.ddess guided him prosperously on his way. By day he shot all kinds of game, which came in abundance towards him, kindled a fire, roasted and eat it; at night, he stretched himself on the soft gra.s.s, and slept refres.h.i.+ngly till the next morning. After he had pursued his way in this manner for six days, he arrived at a royal city altogether unknown to him. He entered one of the best inns, and offered the host a hare in exchange for a draught of wine, to refresh himself with after the fatigue of his journey. The host gave him credit for more than he was able both to eat and drink, offered him a bed, and charged him the most moderate price.

Just as he sat down to table, a mult.i.tude of persons a.s.sembled in the room of the inn, and conversed with each other about a most remarkable occurrence which had just taken place. The affair was indeed one of no trifling importance, for it concerned the royal establishment. The king had had ninety-nine swineherds, who one and all had disappeared, and in all probability would never again be heard of. The nine-and-ninetieth of these had been missed only the night before, and it was much doubted whether the king would be able to find any one again who would be willing to undertake so perilous a charge. For although the highest wages were offered to any one who would undertake to tend the royal swine but for a single day, yet no one throughout the whole kingdom had yet offered himself, and the ill.u.s.trious owner of the swine was in great risk of losing them all.

The young stranger listened to this narration with surprise, but could not conjecture what could be the difficulty attached to the service.

As the host had for some time been employed in looking out for swineherds for the king, he asked his young guest whether he would undertake the office, adding at the same time, that the king would give a year's wages for a single day's service.

"Why not?" replied Pista, (that was the young adventurer's name) and he declared himself quite willing to undertake the charge, as he thought the business of a swineherd did not demand more skill and trouble than he was accustomed to exert. His consent thus given, the host joyfully conducted him to the king and praised throughout the whole city the courageous resolution of his guest.

The monarch received them both graciously, and not only confirmed the offer made by the host to the youth, but promised him a gratuity into the bargain, in case of his discharging his duty with zeal and perseverance.

He commanded a capital supper to be placed before him, and appointing him to drive the swine in the morning to the heath, he dismissed him with the most gracious wishes for his welfare.

Before the dawn of day, Pista was already at his post. The heath lay in a pleasant district, inclosed on the one side by mountains, and on the other by a thick forest. On his arrival there he found all tranquil, and could not imagine what danger was to be apprehended.

He pa.s.sed the day in expectation, and the evening approached as peacefully as the day had departed. The moon and stars shed their light over the district, and the refres.h.i.+ng coolness of the air invited the carefree herdsman to repose. He lay calmly down near his herd, commended them and himself to fortune, and slept in peace.

He had not slept an hour, when the most extraordinary of all night visions awakened him. The oldest patriarch of the herd stood before him, and thus addressed him: "Fear not, for I am thy friend, and come to thee as a well-intentioned counsellor, to warn thee of the danger that awaits thee. As I have selected thee for my protege, I will a.s.sist thee to the best of my power. When thou drivest us home to-morrow, mind to request the king to give thee a loaf of bread and a flask of wine, for the following day. These shall preserve thee from all misfortune. A great dragon who rules this forest, will endeavour to overthrow and swallow thee. But if thou givest him these gifts, thou wilt not only be able to resist him, but after he shall have drunk the wine thou mayest destroy him."

Pista was not a little astonished at this apparition; he rubbed his eyes, p.r.i.c.ked up his ears, and collected all his senses, to convince himself that he was really awake and not dreaming. But when he saw the boar standing bodily before him, and distinctly heard every word, he at last returned him grateful thanks for his friendly admonition, and promised punctually to observe his instructions.

The following evening he drove the herd home. The king met him, not without astonishment, caused the year's wages to be paid to him immediately, and gave him permission further to ask some favour.

Pista, well pleased, put the money in his pocket, and for the present asked for nothing more than bread and wine for the following evening.

The c.o.c.k had scarcely crowed to welcome the first hour of the morning, when our herdsman again pa.s.sed out at the city gate with his herd. He betook himself to the same heath where he had pa.s.sed the foregoing night, and had had the strange _tete-a-tete_ with the boar.

As soon as he reached the spot, his bristly Mentor again approached him and said:--

"Up and mount me without fear, Swift on my back I thee will bear; So that, ere many minutes' s.p.a.ce, Thou shalt reach the appointed place."

The youth bestrode the boar, and in a trice found himself in the neighbouring wood, and deposited under an enormous oak. The boar then repeated what he had said to his protege the preceding day, and hastened back to the herd.

Pista prepared himself for his adventure, and before he could accurately reconnoitre the field of battle, so dreadful a noise proceeding from the interior of the forest pierced his ears, that all the trees round him creaked and rustled as in a storm. It came nearer and nearer, and he soon perceived a monstrous dragon, rapidly making towards him, tearing the bushes and trees as he pa.s.sed, and even throwing them to the ground. Mindful of his Mentor's words, Pista took courage, offered the bread and wine to the dragon, and besought him to spare his life.

This liberal offer astonished the dragon more than the resistance of a whole band of herdsmen would have done. He quietly received the gifts, devoured the bread with much satisfaction, and as the wine speedily took effect, he drowsily tumbled on the earth. Pista did not delay to avail himself of the opportunity. When he perceived that the dragon slept, he drew out his knife and cut the throat of the drunken monster; before, however, he had completed the operation, he saw a copper key fall out of his jaws, which he picked up and put in his pocket.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FORTUNE'S FAVOURITE. P. 292.]

In the meantime, the herd had gradually moved towards the interior of the forest, to a considerable distance from the spot where the dragon had met his death. Pista, fearing he might lose the objects of his charge, resolved to cut across the bend of the forest, and to go in a straight line, the same by which the dragon had come, to look after them.

He had not gone far, when a new overwhelming surprise banished them from his thoughts. An immense castle, entirely built of copper, stood before him, far surpa.s.sing in splendour the residence of his king, and which seemed the more to invite him to enter, inasmuch as he could nowhere descry a single guard to forbid his approach.

Solitary and silent was all around him: not even the song of a bird broke the stillness. Hastening up to the castle, he found all the gates locked; but suddenly remembering the key in his pocket, he drew it out and tried it in the nearest gate, and discovered to his joyful surprise that it opened every lock. He soon found himself in the interior of a most magnificent palace, with such a number of state rooms opening round him, that he could hardly tell which he should first enter. He pa.s.sed through the grand hall and went from room to room, until he at last reached a great saloon, the walls of which were mirrors, whilst all manner of gold and silver articles of furniture glittered round him. In the centre of the room stood a table of silver, whereon lay a golden rod. Without precisely knowing wherefore, he took up the rod and struck the table with it, upon which a young dragon immediately appeared, and with indescribable courtesy begged that he would honour him with his commands.

Recovering from his surprise, Pista expressed a wish to be shown the whole interior of the palace, with the gardens belonging to it. The obliging dragon immediately complied with, and requested his guest to follow him. He led him through all the chambers and halls of the palace, each of which seemed to contain the treasure of a whole kingdom; thence into the stables, where splendid coursers fed from silver mangers on golden oats, and who neighed loudly at the entrance of their visitors.

At last Pista and his attendant came into a garden full of marvellously beautiful flowers and delicious fruits, which seemed to the stranger like a second paradise. He could not refrain from plucking a rose, which he stuck in his cap.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

When he had seen all, he inquired of the dragon for the lord of the palace. The dragon bowed before him with the greatest reverence, and begged him, as the owner from thenceforth of the palace and its treasures, graciously to accept his homage, promising at the same time that he would guard all with the utmost vigilance, and endeavour to deserve his approbation.

Pista was not a little astonished at this address, but as all the events which had befallen him within the last few days, appeared to him to be nothing less than natural, he accepted the dragon's homage, and played the part of master as well as he could. Having nodded approbation to his new servitor, he left the castle with proud gravity. The portals closed of themselves after him with thundering noise; he then carefully locked all the gates with his key, and returned to seek his swine.

It was not long before he met the whole herd in the best order. The sun was already glowing in the west, and the shadows of the mountains stretched across the plains. It seemed time to turn homewards; he whistled; the herd put itself in motion; and before the evening star shone in the heavens, they were all at home again in their sheds.

Pista had no sooner housed his charge, than the king's daughters came running towards him with the most unusual friendliness. The youngest had seen from afar the rose in his cap, and as she could not resist the desire to possess it, she begged from him the lovely flower. The swineherd instantly presented it to the princess, and thought himself highly honoured when he saw his gift placed in the bosom of the most charming of the royal maidens.

The king, meanwhile, deeply amazed at the no less punctual than safe return of his herdsman, sent for him into his presence, and inquired particularly about all that had occurred to him on the heath. But Pista carefully avoided satisfying his curiosity; gave very brief answers to his questions; and said nothing that could betray his fortunate adventure.

"This rose," said he, "which I found already plucked, and lying on the stem of a tree, is all that I saw on my way. I stuck it in my hat that it might not fade quite unenjoyed."

The king again expressed his entire satisfaction and favour; and promised for the future days the same rich reward he had already enjoyed.