East of the Sun and West of the Moon Part 15

"Here comes my own true love," she said.

Then he took the pot of ointment and rubbed himself on the leg, and after that he rubbed all the wounded, and so they all got well again in a moment.

So he got the _Princess_ to wife; but when he went down into the stable where his horse was on the day the wedding was to be, there it stood so dull and heavy, and hung its ears down, and wouldn't eat its corn. So when the young _King_--for he was now a king, and had got half the kingdom--spoke to him, and asked what ailed him, the _Horse_ said:

"Now I have helped you on, and now I won't live any longer. So just take the sword, and cut my head off."

"No, I'll do nothing of the kind," said the young _King_; "but you shall have all you want, and rest all your life."

"Well," said the _Horse_, "if you don't do as I tell you, see if I don't take your life somehow."

So the _King_ had to do what he asked; but when he swung the sword and was to cut his head off, he was so sorry he turned away his face, for he would not see the stroke fall. But as soon as ever he had cut off the head, there stood the loveliest _Prince_ on the spot where the horse had stood.

"Why, where in all the world did you come from?" asked the _King_.

"It was I who was a horse," said the _Prince_; "for I was king of that land whose king you slew yesterday. He it was who threw this _Troll's_ shape over me, and sold me to the _Troll_. But now he is slain I get my own again, and you and I will be neighbour kings, but war we will never make on one another."

And they didn't either; for they were friends as long as they lived, and each paid the other very many visits.

THE THREE BILLY-GOATS GRUFF

Once on a time there were three _Billy-goats_, who were to go up to the hill-side to make themselves fat, and the name of all three was "_Gruff_."

On the way up was a bridge over a burn they had to cross; and under the bridge lived a great ugly _Troll_, with eyes as big as saucers, and a nose as long as a poker.

So first of all came the youngest billy-goat _Gruff_ to cross the bridge.

"Trip, trap! trip, trap!" went the bridge.

"Who's that tripping over my bridge?" roared the _Troll_.

"Oh! it is only I, the tiniest billy-goat _Gruff_; and I'm going up to the hill-side to make myself fat," said the billy-goat, with such a small voice.

"Now, I'm coming to gobble you up," said the _Troll_.

"Oh, no! pray don't take me. I'm too little, that I am," said the billy-goat; "wait a bit till the second billy-goat _Gruff_ comes, he's much bigger."

"Well! be off with you," said the _Troll_.

A little while after came the second billy-goat _Gruff_ to cross the bridge.

"TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP!" went the bridge.

"WHO'S THAT tripping over my bridge?" roared the _Troll_.

"Oh! It's the second billy-goat _Gruff_, and I'm going up to the hill-side to make myself fat," said the billy-goat, who hadn't such a small voice.

"Now, I'm coming to gobble you up," said the _Troll_.

"Oh, no! don't take me, wait a little till the big billy-goat _Gruff_ comes, he's much bigger."

"Very well! be off with you," said the _Troll_.

But just then up came the big billy-goat _Gruff_.

"TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP! TRIP, TRAP!" went the bridge, for the billy-goat was so heavy that the bridge creaked and groaned under him.

"WHO'S THAT tramping over my bridge?" roared the _Troll_.

"IT'S I! THE BIG BILLY-GOAT GRUFF," said the billy-goat, who had an ugly hoa.r.s.e voice of his own.

"Now, I'm coming to gobble you up," roared the _Troll_.

"Well, come along! I've got two spears, And I'll poke your eyeb.a.l.l.s out at your ears; I've got besides two curling-stones, And I'll crush you to bits, body and bones."

That was what the big billy-goat said; and so he flew at the _Troll_ and poked his eyes out with his horns, and crushed him to bits, body and bones, and tossed him out into the burn, and after that he went up to the hill-side. There the billy-goats got so fat they were scarce able to walk home again; and if the fat hasn't fallen off them, why they're still fat; and so:

Snip, snap, snout, This tale's told out.

THE THREE PRINCESSES IN THE BLUE MOUNTAIN

There were once upon a time a _King_ and _Queen_ who had no children, and they took it so much to heart that they hardly ever had a happy moment. One day the _King_ stood in the portico and looked out over the big meadows and all that was his. But he felt he could have no enjoyment out of it all, since he did not know what would become of it after his time. As he stood there pondering, an old beggar woman came up to him and asked him for a trifle in heaven's name. She greeted him and curtsied, and asked what ailed the _King_, since he looked so sad.

"You can't do anything to help me, my good woman," said the _King_; "it's no use telling you."

"I am not so sure about that," said the beggar woman. "Very little is wanted when luck is in the way. The _King_ is thinking that he has no heir to his crown and kingdom, but he need not mourn on that account,"

she said. "The _Queen_ shall have three daughters, but great care must be taken that they do not come out under the open heavens before they are all fifteen years old; otherwise a snowdrift will come and carry them away."

When the time came the _Queen_ had a beautiful baby girl; the year after she had another, and the third year she also had a girl.

The _King_ and _Queen_ were glad beyond all measure; but although the _King_ was very happy, he did not forget to set a watch at the Palace door, so that the _Princesses_ should not get out.

As they grew up they became both fair and beautiful, and all went well with them in every way. Their only sorrow was that they were not allowed to go out and play like other children. For all they begged and prayed their parents, and for all they besought the sentinel, it was of no avail; go out they must not before they were fifteen years old, all of them.

So one day, not long before the fifteenth birthday of the youngest _Princess_, the _King_ and the _Queen_ were out driving, and the _Princesses_ were standing at the window and looking out. The sun was s.h.i.+ning, and everything looked so green and beautiful that they felt that they must go out, happen what might. So they begged and entreated and urged the sentinel, all three of them, that he should let them down into the garden. "He could see for himself how warm and pleasant it was; no snowy weather could come on such a day." Well, he didn't think it looked much like it either, and if they must go they had better go, the soldier said; but it must only be for a minute, and he himself would go with them and look after them.

When they got down into the garden they ran up and down, and filled their laps with flowers and green leaves, the prettiest they could find. At last they could manage no more, but just as they were going indoors they caught sight of a large rose at the other end of the garden. It was many times prettier than any they had gathered, so they must have that also. But just as they bent down to take the rose a big dense snowdrift came and carried them away.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Just as they bent down to take the rose a big dense snow-drift came and carried them away.]

There was great mourning over the whole country, and the _King_ made known from all the churches that any one who could save the _Princesses_ should have half the kingdom and his golden crown and whichever princess he liked to choose.