Chapter II: Part 2

"He sleeps forty days," said the maiden, "and it is only eight days since he began to sleep; you have thirty-two days more to wait before he will awake. But if you will not wait so long, put yonder ploughshare into the fire, and heating it red-hot, press it on his legs and he will awake."

The lad, heating the ploughshare, pressed it on the legs of the giant, who began to awake, saying, "Oh! what insects are biting my legs?"

"Aha! insects!" said the maiden. "Get up! a human being has come to fight you."

The giant opened his eyes, and seeing the lad, exclaimed:

"What a delicious breakfast this morning!"

"Get up, monster!" said the lad. "Let us see whom fortune will favor--you or me."

They prepared their bows and arrows.

"You shoot first," said the giant to the lad.

"Not I," said the lad; "you shoot first."

The giant shot, but the lad avoided the arrow very cleverly, and it passed by without hurting him. It was now his turn. He took aim and shot the giant through the heart, nailing him to the ground; and then he cut off his head.

Leaving the body of the giant there, the lad went a little farther, and to his great surprise saw another giant asleep with his head in the lap of another beautiful maiden, whose beauty surpassed even that of the moon. She was working with her needle, and before her a golden hen and a golden weasel were playing in a golden basin. The maiden, seeing the lad, said to him:

"Human being! the snake on its belly, and the bird with its wing could not come here. How could you venture to come?"

"Your love brought me hither," answered the lad.

"If you love your life," said the maiden, "avoid this giant while he is asleep. If he wakes he will tear you into pieces."

"Wake him up!" said the lad; "I have come to fight him."

"Do you see that iron?" said the maiden; "heat it red-hot and press it on his feet; he will then awake."

The hot iron being applied on the feet of the giant, he awoke, saying:

"Oh! what gnats are biting me?"

"Gnats!" exclaimed the maiden. "Get up! a human being has come to fight you."

The giant, seeing the lad, exclaimed:

"Oh! what a good morsel has come for me on his own legs."

"Come!" said the lad; "let us see whether fortune will favor you or me."

They fought, and this giant also was killed as the former had been. The lad cut off his head, and leaving the dead body, went away.

Soon he saw a third giant asleep with his head in the lap of another beautiful maiden. So beautiful was she that she could say to the sun, "Sun, you need not shine, since I am shining." She was working with her needle, and before her a golden greyhound and a golden fox were running a race in a golden basin. As soon as the lad saw this maiden he fell in love with her. The maiden also fell in love with the lad, and said:

"Oh, you noble human being! the snake upon its belly, and the bird with its wing cannot enter here. How could you come hither?"

"Your love brought me hither, fair creature," answered the lad.

"Be on your guard, precious youth!" said the maiden. "If this giant awakes he will tear you into pieces."

"Wake him!" said the lad; "I have come to fight him."

A hot iron was applied to the feet of the giant, who awoke, saying: "Oh! what is biting me?"

"What!" said the maiden. "Get up! this human being has come to fight you."

The giant, seeing the lad, said: "Oh! what a good featherless partridge for a breakfast." The lad noticed that the giant was wounded in his leg, and at once recognized him as the one who had tried to steal the Apple of Life.

"Come!" said the lad, "let us see whom fortune will favor."

And they begin to fight. After a long combat, this giant also shared the fate of the former two, and the lad cut his throat.

Then he brought together the three maidens, who told him that they were daughters of three Princes and had been stolen by these giants, who nourished them with the Apples of Life. Then they showed him their houses, their treasure, and everything belonging to the giants. The lad took what he chose from the treasures and prepared three chests for the maidens. He kept only a sword of lightning for himself. Then entering the stable, he found three horses of lightning, one black, a second one red, and the third white. The youngest maiden advised the lad to pick three hairs from the tails of the horses and keep them. The lad did so. Then they came to the bottom of the abyss where the lad had descended, and found the rope still hanging. He, binding the oldest maiden and her chest to the rope, called to his brothers to draw her up.

"This is," he said, "the betrothed of my oldest brother, and the chest is her dowry."

Then he bound the second maiden and her chest, saying: "This is the betrothed of my second brother, and the chest is her dowry."

Now it was the turn of the youngest maiden.

"You go up first," she said to the lad.

"Not I," said the lad; "you must go up first."

"But when your brothers see me," said the maiden, "they will not draw you up, and you will remain here. I love you! I pity you!"

"Why," said the lad, "are they not my brothers? Do you believe my brothers will do me evil? Go up, I say!"

"Alas!" said the maiden; "I will obey. But if you do remain here below, as I am afraid you will, do as I tell you. Next Friday evening three rams will come here, one of them black, the second red, and the third white. As soon as you see them, throw yourself upon the black ram. He will throw you upon the red, the red will throw you upon the white, and the white will throw you to the surface of the upper world. But if you make a mistake you are lost, or there is little hope for your release. Take this magic ring as a token of my love for you. Whatever you desire, kiss this ring and you will certainly have it. And when you are in need, cast the three hairs which you picked from the tails of the three horses in the fire, and they will immediately come to you. So farewell, my love!"

"Farewell!" said the lad; and the maiden was drawn up.

The two brothers were amazed at the beauty of the youngest maiden.

"Lo! lo! lo!" they exclaimed, "he has preserved the most beautiful one for himself, and has given us the uglier ones."

Thus envying their youngest brother, they took the three maidens and went away, leaving the poor lad at the bottom of the abyss.

On Friday evening the three rams came, as foretold by the fair maiden. The lad was so afflicted that he had forgotten the directions of the maiden, and his desire to go up to the surface of the world being very great, he threw himself upon the back of the white ram. It, in turn, threw him upon the back of the red; the red one threw him upon the back of the black; and it, in turn, threw him into the world of Darkness. Oh! it was awfully dark. The lad began to grope his way until he found a door, at which he knocked.

"Who is there?" asked an old woman from behind the door.

"I am a poor orphan without father, without mother," answered the lad in a pitiful voice.

"Come in, then," said the old dame, opening the door. "I have no children; you take me as a mother, and I will take you as a son; so let us live together. God will give us our bread."

They accepted one another as mother and son.

"Mother, please give me some water, I am thirsty," said the lad.

"Oh!" sighed the old dame, "you are asking the hardest thing in the world. We have no water, son; be patient till we get some."

"Why, have you no water now?" asked the lad, surprised.

"Alas!" said the woman, "there is only one fountain in our country, and it is guarded by a terrible dragon. Every day a virgin is cast to him to be devoured; else, he will not let the people take a drop of water. And soon after he finishes his repast upon the virgin, he again stops the fountain from flowing. To-day the last virgin of the country, the only daughter of the Prince, is to be given to the dragon. Hark! I hear an uproar in the streets; I suppose they are taking the maiden to the dragon."

The lad looked out, and saw that indeed a great crowd of people were leading along a maiden as beautiful as the moon. He followed the crowd, which coming to the fountain, left the maiden there alone and went away. The lad approached the maiden, saying:

"Fair virgin, be not afraid. Let me sleep in your lap, and when the dragon comes, awake me; I will save you."

She consented, and he slept in her lap. But soon the dragon began to creep toward the maiden with its mouth wide open, rolling up its terrible tail and hissing like the thunder from joy at finding two victims instead of one. The poor maiden was horror-stricken and mute. She could neither speak nor move to awake the brave hero asleep in her lap. She could only weep. Her warm tears rolling down her cheeks dropped upon the face of the lad, who at once jumped up and saw, to his great terror, that the dragon had partly swallowed the maiden. One minute more, and the maiden would be lost. But what could he do now? He could not cut the throat of the dragon without hurting the feet of the maiden. At once he drew his sword of lightning and placed it in the lap of the maiden. So when the dragon swallowed the maiden the sword cut its mouth and down through its side, and just when the maiden was swallowed entirely the dragon also was cut in two pieces, and the maiden came out uninjured. The lad cutting off the head of the dragon said to the maiden: "Now, fair one, get up and go to your parents."

The maiden, soaking her hand in the blood of the dragon, made a red mark upon the back of the lad; and they departed, she to her father, and he to his adopted mother.

The dragon being killed, the fountain was opened and the people took the water freely.

"Mother, why is your country so dark?" asked the lad of the old woman.

"My son," answered the old dame, sighing, "there is a very large eagle living upon the top of yonder mountain. Every year she hatches young ones, but a dragon eats them up; and the eagle thinking that men are the cause, deprives us of the sunlight."

The lad, taking leave of the old woman, climbed up the mountain till he came to the nest of the eagle. Taking refuge under a rock, he set himself to watch. Soon a gigantic dragon came creeping up toward the young birds, and was just devouring them, when the lad drew his sword of lightning, and cutting the dragon into pieces, gave its flesh to the young eaglets, which began to eat it and to chirp merrily. The mother-eagle hearing the voice of her young ones, hastened to the spot as swiftly as a flash, and thinking that it was the lad that devoured her young ones every year, and that he had come now to destroy them, was about to tear him into pieces when her young ones cried out:

"Take care, mother! it was that noble lad that saved us from the dragon, and killing it gave its flesh to us to eat."

"Now, noble youth!" said the eagle to the lad, "what do you want me to do as a reward for your heroic deed?"

"Nothing," answered the lad, "but to take me to the upper world upon your wings."

"You are requesting the hardest thing in the world," answered the eagle; "but for such a brave hero as you I will do anything, even sacrifice my life if necessary. Go bring me forty bottles of wine and forty sheep's tails, and I will do as you request."

Now let us return for a moment to the maiden who was saved from being devoured by the dragon. She came to her father, who was very angry at seeing her.

"You little rogue!" he said, "you want to save your life, and never care that so many thousands of people are dying of thirst. Go quickly! let the dragon devour you, that we may have water." The maiden told him how a brave hero saved her by killing the monster, and how the fountain was flowing in torrents to quench the thirst of all the people. Upon this the Prince sent heralds to proclaim that the man who had saved his daughter's life must come to him; he should not only be the son-in-law of the Prince by marrying the maiden whom he had saved, but the Prince was ready to bestow upon him any gift which he might ask. Thousands of young men appeared before the Prince's palace, every one of them claiming the credit of killing the dragon and saving the princess, but the maiden said, "No, none of these is the hero."

The people of the town came before the Princess, but the hero was not to be found.

"Is there no other man left in the town?" asked the Prince.

"None," answered the officials, "except a young stranger who is the guest of a poor widow."

"Bring him here!" ordered the Prince. The lad was brought.

"Why," exclaimed the maiden, pointing at the blood mark which she had made with her own hand, "this is the hero!"

"Now, hero," said the Prince, "the maiden whom you saved is yours; ask of me whatever else you please."

"Long live the Prince!" answered the lad. "May Heaven bless the union of your daughter with a suitable husband, and may you enjoy your estates for many, many years! I ask of you only forty bottles of wine and forty sheep's tails, that the eagle may take me to the upper world."

The Prince so commanded, and they were immediately given to the lad, who at once took them to the eagle.

"Now," said the eagle, "place the sheep's tails on my right wing, and the bottles of wine on my left, and seat yourself between. When I say, "Boo," pour in my mouth a bottle of wine, and when I say "Coo," give me a sheep's tail."

The lad went first to take leave of the old woman, who gave him her blessing. As soon as the load was placed on the back of the eagle she took her flight. Every time she said "Boo" a bottle of wine was poured into her mouth, and every time she said "Coo" a sheep's tail was given to her. They ascended and ascended until they came to the world of light. "Coo!" said the eagle, the last time. The lad was so glad and in so great a hurry that the last sheep's tail which he was going to give to the eagle fell from his hand. But he did not wish to disappoint his friend, so he drew his sword, and cutting one of the calves of his own leg, gave it to the eagle. The wise bird knew from the flavor that it was human flesh, and kept it under her tongue. They arrived at their destination.

"Well, now," said the eagle putting the lad on the ground, "go along your way."

"No," said the lad, "you go first; my legs are benumbed, I want to take a little rest."

The eagle insisted till the lad tried to walk, but he could not walk because of his wound. Then the eagle drew the flesh out from under her tongue, and placing it in its proper place, licked it up, and the wound was at once healed. She took her leave of the hero and flew down to her young ones, who were chirping and waiting for her. After that day she never deprived that country of the sun's rays, as she had no longer reason for so doing.

The lad, before entering his father's city, thought he had better disguise himself. So he went to a slaughter house, and getting a sheep's stomach, wrapped it around his head, thus changing himself to a bald-headed youth. Entering the city as a stranger, he soon found out that a wedding ceremony was to be held in his father's palace. His two brothers were to marry the two maidens whom he saved for them, and his own betrothed was to be married to the King. The lad felt his heart bleeding. He went to the market place, and presenting himself to a goldsmith, asked him to accept him as an apprentice. The goldsmith hesitated for a while, but afterwards said:

"Come, bald-headed fellow, be my apprentice."

That very day the officials of the King brought to the goldsmith a large bag of gold, saying:

"You must make of this gold a golden rat and a golden cat that shall play in a golden basin."

"I can make the rat and the cat out of this gold," said the goldsmith, "but I cannot give them life to make them run about."

"That is not our business," said the officials, "it is the command of the King; you must either make them, or lose your head. The lady to whom the King is betrothed refuses to marry him until these are made for her. You must make them by the morrow."

So saying, the officials went away, leaving the gold. The goldsmith was at a loss. Poor man! what could he do? He could not make them, and in case he failed to make them by the appointed time his head was in danger.

"What is the matter, master?" said the lad; "why are you puzzled and sad?"

"Keep silent!" exclaimed the goldsmith. "I have no time to hear your chatter."

"Be of good cheer, master," returned the lad; "if you bring me two or three handfuls of nuts, I will make the golden rat and the golden cat to-night."

"Why, you rascal! you bald-headed dog!" exclaimed the goldsmith; "as if my affliction is not enough for me, do you make fun of me?"

"No, master," said the lad, "do not think I am making fun of you. I really say bring me some nuts, and to-morrow morning come and take what you want."

The goldsmith thought there was no harm if he did what the lad requested of him, and brought the nuts. That night he could not sleep at all, and very often he came to the door of the shop to listen to what the lad was doing, and heard nothing but the crack of the nuts, which the bald-headed apprentice was eating all the time. At daybreak the lad took out of his pocket the magic ring which was given him by his betrothed as a token. He kissed it, and immediately two negroes presented themselves with their hands folded on their breasts, saying:

"Say what is your will, and we will do it at once."

"Bring me here," said the lad, "the golden rat and the golden cat which I saw playing in the golden basin."

He had scarcely finished the sentence, when lo! the golden basin was placed before him. Just at that moment the goldsmith entered with beating heart.

"Here, master," exclaimed the lad; "I have just finished it."

The goldsmith began to dance with excess of joy, and at once took the basin to the King, who was so much pleased with it that he gave him costly presents and invited him to come to the royal wedding. The goldsmith came back. He was so happy that he was dancing all the time.

"Master," said the lad, "please take me with you to the wedding."

"But, my lad," said the goldsmith, "there will be a tournament to-morrow; if you go there, I am afraid you will be trampled down by cavalry and get your bald head broken. You had better stay at home."

On the following day the goldsmith went to the tournament. The lad cast the black horse's hair into the fire, and lo! the black horse of the first giant whom he killed came neighing with a suit of black armor on his back. Immediately the lad put on the suit of armor and mounted the horse; thus being changed to a black knight, he rushed to the place of the tournament. He vanquished all the princes and his brothers, and unhorsing his own master, disappeared, leaving the spectators in utmost surprise. He came to his home, and changing his clothes, was the same bald-headed apprentice. In the evening when the goldsmith came, the lad implored him to tell him what he had seen; and he began to describe the tournament.

"But the unexpected thing," said he, "was the appearance of a black knight, clad in armor at all points. Whether he was a fairy or a human being, I cannot tell. He vanquished all the princes and knights, and disappeared in a hurricane after unhorsing me, too."

"Alas!" exclaimed the lad, shaking his head very sadly, as if understanding nothing.

Now let us return to the maiden. She, seeing the golden rat and the golden cat in a golden basin brought to her, was assured that her betrothed had come from the infernal regions up to the world of light.

"I will not marry you," she said to the King, "until you get me a golden hen and a golden weasel playing in a golden basin."

The King sent his order to the goldsmith, who promised to make them, first getting the consent of the bald-headed apprentice. He brought him nuts; and the lad, kissing the magic ring, the two negroes again appeared, who immediately brought the golden hen and the golden weasel playing in a golden basin. The goldsmith took them to the King, who invited him to the second day's tournament. The lad again asked leave to go with his master, and the goldsmith again refused him. Soon after the goldsmith went, however, the lad cast into the fire the hair of the red horse, which immediately made its appearance with a suit of red armor on its back. The lad, changing his clothes, mounted the horse, which immediately ran to the place of the tournament. At once vanquishing all who were there and unhorsing his own master, the lad disappeared, and coming home changed his clothes and was again the bald-headed apprentice. In the evening the goldsmith began to describe the tournament, and the apprentice listened to his story with great surprise and seriousness.

The maiden was now sure that her betrothed had come, for no one else could do these things. On the following day she said to the King:

"I want you to get for me a golden greyhound and a golden fox running a race in a golden basin, else I will not marry you."

The goldsmith was again called, and promised to make them, first consulting with the bald-headed apprentice, to whom he brought the usual quantity of nuts. The lad cracked and ate the nuts till morning. At daybreak he kissed the magic ring, and for the third time the two negroes appeared, bringing in the golden greyhound and the golden fox running a race in a golden basin. The goldsmith at once took them to the King, who invited him to the third day's tournament. The lad cast into the fire, this time, the white horse's hair, which was the third giant's horse; and immediately it stood before him with a suit of white armor on its back. The lad, putting the armor on, was changed to a white knight; and taking the sword of lightning in hand, rushed to the place of the tournament. After vanquishing all, and killing the King and his own unworthy brothers, he stood in the midst of the crowd and told them who he was, what heroic deeds he had done, and what wrongs he had endured. The people being tired of the tyrannical King, immediately hailed the youth as their monarch.

He married his betrothed, and gave the other two maidens in marriage to two of his best friends. Thus he attained his wishes. May Heaven grant that you may attain your wishes!

Three apples fell from Heaven;--one for me, one for the story-teller, and one for him who entertained the company.

THE FAIRY NIGHTINGALE.

A very interesting story was once told me of a King who built a splendid church. It took the architects seven years to finish the building. The King went to dedicate the church and to pray in it, and lo! there was a fog so dense that the King was almost suffocated. In the very midst of the dense fog a monk stood before the King, saying:

"Long live the King! You have built a fine church, but it lacks one thing."

The monk then quickly disappeared. The King came out and ordered his men to take down the building and to put up another one finer than the first. It took them another seven years to finish the second building. The King again went to dedicate the church and pray in it, and lo! again there was a dense fog, and the same monk stood before the King, saying:

"Long live the King! You have built a beautiful church, but it lacks one thing."

Again the monk mysteriously disappeared. The King again ordered his men to take down the building and to put up a new one. It took them another seven years to finish the third building, and it was this time so splendid that there was nothing like it in all the world. The King again went to dedicate it and to pray in it, and lo! again there was a dense fog, and the same monk stood before the King saying:

"Long live the King! You have built a church incomparably beautiful, but it lacks one thing."

The monk was again about to make his exit when the King took hold of his collar, saying:

"Tell me what is the one thing lacking in my church. This is the third time that you compel me to take down my building, upon which so much labor and time have been spent."

"The Fairy Nightingale is the only thing that is lacking in this magnificent church," said the monk, and disappeared in the fog.

The King returned to his palace, and thereafter was very sad. He had three sons, who seeing their father sad, asked:

"Long live the King! What grieves you, father?"

"My sons," said the King, "I am getting old, and the Fairy Nightingale is needed for the church. I do not know how to get it."

"Be of good cheer, father," said the lads; "we will go and bring it."

And they started. After a long journey they came to a place where the road divided into three branches, with a sign on each. The sign of the broad road was,--"He who goes on this road returns safely." The sign on the middle road was,--"He who goes on this road may return or may not return." And the sign on the third narrow road was,--"He who goes on this road never returns." The oldest brother took the broad road; the second brother took the middle road, and the youngest brother took the narrow road. The oldest lad soon came to a large city, at sight of which he said to himself:

"Why should I go farther and be killed? I would better stay in this place." And he became a servant in one of the inns of the city.

The second brother turned toward the other side of the mountain, and came to a green meadow with shady trees here and there, and benches under the trees. He was tired, and at once sat down upon one of the benches. Soon a giant as black as night came along with an iron rod in his hand. He gave the lad one stroke with the rod, and lo! the lad turned into a round stone, and rolled under the bench.

The youngest of the three brothers started on the road along which there could be no return. A dense fog covered him, and lo! the monk who had talked with his father appeared to him, saying:

"God speed thee, son! Whither are you going?"

"I am going to bring the Fairy Nightingale for our new church," said the lad.

"Good," said the monk; "but this way is dangerous; let me advise you. The owner of the Fairy Nightingale is the Fairy Queen, a very beautiful maiden. On your way you will soon come to a river which the Fairy Queen has by her arts changed into a poisoned stream, and she does not drink of it. But you must drink of it, and say: 'O happy! this is the water of immortality.' After crossing the river you will come to a grove which the queen has changed into a jungle of thorns and thistles. You must smell the trees and shrubs, and say: 'O happy! this grove is the flower of Paradise.' Then you will come to a narrow pass on one side of which there is a wolf bound with chains, and on the other side there is a lamb bound with chains. There is a bundle of grass before the wolf, and a piece of meat before the lamb. You must put the grass before the lamb, and the meat before the wolf. You will then come to a large gate with double doors, one open and one closed. You must open the closed door and shut the open one. Entering in you will find the Fairy Queen, owner of the Fairy Nightingale, sleeping in a splendid bedchamber. She sleeps seven days and nights, and is awake seven days and nights. If you can do what I have told you, and reach there at a time when the Queen is asleep, you can bring the Nightingale; if not, you are lost."

The lad started, and came successively to the river, the grove, the lamb and the wolf, and the gate. He did all that the monk had told him, and entering in, saw an exquisite bedchamber where a maiden as beautiful as the sun was sleeping on a purple bed embroidered with gold and jewelry. The Fairy Nightingale came down from its cage, and standing on the Queen's bedside, sang to her a thousand songs with enchanting melody, and lullabied her to sound sleep. The lad, who was watching from behind the arras, seeing the maiden asleep, and that the Nightingale had returned to its cage, crept in slowly, took the Nightingale's cage, pressed a kiss upon the forehead of the sleeping maiden, thus stamping the sign of his lips there, and started back on his way.

The Queen awoke, and seeing the Nightingale had been stolen, exclaimed:

"Doors, catch the thief!"

"God speed him!" said the doors; "he closed the open one of us and opened the closed one of us."

"Wolf and lamb, catch the thief!" exclaimed the Fairy Queen.

"God speed him!" said the wolf and the lamb; "he gave the meat to the wolf, and the grass to the lamb."

"Grove, catch the thief!" exclaimed the Queen.

"God speed him!" said the grove; "you made me thorns and thistles; he made me a flower of Paradise."

"River, catch the thief!" exclaimed the Queen.

"God speed him!" said the river; "you made me a stream of poison; he made me the water of immortality."

When the Queen saw that all her charms were unavailing, she mounted her horse and started in pursuit of the lad.

But let us return to the lad. He passed all the dangerous places and came to the square where the road divided into the three branches. He saw the monk waiting for him.

"Here is the Fairy Nightingale, holy father," said the lad, and seeing that his brothers had not yet come back, he give the cage to the monk and he himself started in search of his brothers. He went first along the broad road, until he came to the inn where his brother was serving. He secretly made himself known to him, and taking him away brought him to the monk. He then took the next road, and went as far as the green meadow and sat down upon one of the benches. Soon the giant appeared with his iron rod and tried to strike the lad. But the lad cleverly avoided the blow, and snatching the rod from the giant's hand, struck him. Immediately the giant fell down and was changed into a huge round black stone.

"My brother must have been lost somewhere in this place," thought the lad, and began to strike with the iron rod the stones scattered here and there upon the meadow, and lo! the stones were changed into men, who began to run away; but his brother was not among them. He saw a stone under the bench, and struck it. It was changed into his brother, and began to run.

"Brother! brother, do not run, it is I," exclaimed the lad.

He stopped and both returned to the monk. All three, taking the Fairy Nightingale, went toward their father's city. On the way they were thirsty, and came to a well.

They lowered the youngest brother to draw water, and as soon as he reached the bottom of the well, the two older brothers said to one another:

"When we go home to our father all praise and glory will be given to that fellow who is now in the well, and we shall be despised. It shall not be; he shall never come up from that well."

They cut the rope, and leaving the hero in the well, took the Nightingale and went to their father, saying:

"Our youngest brother was killed in our attempt to get the Fairy Nightingale, but we two succeeded in bringing it."

They hung the cage in the new church, but the Fairy Nightingale did not warble a single song; it was sad and silent. Soon the Fairy Queen came riding to the King, and said:

"Who is the hero that has brought my Nightingale?"

"We brought it," said the two brothers.

"Well, what did you meet on the way?" inquired the Queen.

"Nothing," said the lads.

"Then it was not you who brought it," said the Queen; "you are thieves." And she caused them to be arrested and cast into prison, saying:

"You shall not be released until the real hero who brought the Fairy Nightingale is presented to me."

Some women who were gleaning barley in the fields happened to pass near the well where the lad was left, and hearing him groan took him out; one of them, who had no children, adopted him as her son. After a few weeks news came from the city to the village to the effect that the King's sons had brought the Fairy Nightingale, but the Fairy Queen, the owner of the Nightingale, also had come after it. One day the lad asked permission of his adopted mother, saying:

"A new church has been built, let me go and see it."

The old woman consented, and he went to the city as a peasant boy. He went to his father's house and heard that his brothers were imprisoned. He went directly to the prison and set them free. The Fairy Queen, hearing this, came and said to the lad:

"I am the Fairy Queen, the owner of the Nightingale; are you not afraid of me?"

"I am he who brought the Fairy Nightingale," said the lad, "I am not afraid of you."

"What did you see on the way?" asked the Queen.

The lad told her what he had seen and what he had done.

"And moreover," said the lad, "I have put a sign upon your forehead with my own lips. Look at your image in yonder pond, and you will see that you are my betrothed."

The Queen looked at her reflected image in the water, and seeing the mark of the lad's kiss, exclaimed:

"Hero, you are worthy of me; I am yours hereafter."

A wedding festival for forty days and forty nights was celebrated. After this the couple went to the church to be married. The Fairy Nightingale began to warble, and sang them a thousand and one songs. It is still singing, and all the world is wondering at its sweet melodies.

Three apples fell from heaven; one for me, one for the story-teller, and one for him who entertained the company.

THE DREAMER.

A father and mother once lived whose son was a dreamer. One morning the lad arose and said to his mother:

"Mother, I dreamed a dream last night, but I will not tell it."

"Why will you not tell it?" asked the mother.

"I will not," answered the lad.

"The mother beat the lad, who ran to his father, saying:

"Father, I dreamed a dream last night; I did not tell it to mother, and I will not tell it to you."

The father also beat the lad, who was angered and ran away from the house. After a day's journey he met a traveler.

"Good-day!" said the lad.

"Good-day!" replied the traveler.

"I dreamed a dream," said the lad; "I did not tell it to my mother, I did not tell it to my father, and I will not tell it to you."

The lad went on until he came to the Prince's palace. The Prince was sitting at the door. The lad said:

"Prince, I dreamed a dream; I did not tell it to my mother, I did not tell it to my father, I did not tell it to the traveler, and I will not tell it to you."

The Prince was angry, and cast the lad into a prison in the cellar of his palace. The lad dug through the wall of his prison with his dagger and opened a hole into the adjacent room which happened to be the dining-room of the Prince's daughter. The lad finding the maiden's food in the cupboard, ate it all and withdrew to his prison. Soon the maiden came in, and lo! the food was eaten. This was repeated on several days. The maiden was very anxious to know who it was who ate her food, and one day hiding herself in her wardrobe she began to watch. Soon she saw the lad, who lifting a great stone opened a hole in the wall, crept into her room, took the food from the cupboard and began to help himself. She jumped out, and taking hold of the lad, said:

"Who are you, young man?"

"I dreamed a dream," said the lad, "I did not tell it to my mother, I did not tell it to my father, I did not tell it to the traveler, I did not tell it to the Prince; the Prince cast me into prison, and I dug a hole with my dagger and came here. I am at your mercy."

The maiden fell in love with the lad, and thereafter cherished him not only with her food but with her love, and they accepted one another as husband and wife.

One day the King of the East sent messengers to the Prince bearing a stick which had both ends equal, saying:

"Now, tell me which is the bottom and which is the top of this stick. If you solve this, well and good; if not, you must give your daughter in marriage to my son."

The Prince called all his wise men into council, but no one could solve the riddle. The princess told it to the lad. The lad said:

"Go and tell your father to tell them to cast the stick into the pond; the bottom end will sink the deeper in the water."

They did so, and the riddle was solved. On the following day the King of the East sent three horses, all being exactly the same size and having the same appearance, saying:

"Which is the one year old colt, which is the two year old colt, and which is the mother? If you solve this, well and good; if not, you must give your daughter in marriage to my son."

All the learned men of the Prince could not solve this riddle. The princess, in the evening, said to the lad:

"No one could solve the riddle, and they will take me away to-morrow."

"Tell your father," said the lad, "to let them keep the horses in the stable over night. In the morning let them take a bundle of hay, wet and salt it and cast it before the horses outside the stable door. The mother will come out first, the two year old colt after her, and the one year old colt last."

They did as the lad advised, and the riddle was solved. On the following day the King of the East sent to the Prince a steel shield and a steel spear, saying:

"If you can pierce this shield with this spear with one stroke, I will give my daughter to your son in marriage; if you cannot pierce it, you must give your daughter to my son in marriage."

The Prince and all his men tried, and could not pierce the shield. The Prince then said to his daughter:

"Go, send your man; let us see if he can pierce it."

The lad came, and at one stroke pierced the steel shield with the steel spear. Now, the Prince had no son; he therefore adopted the lad, who was already his son-in-law, and made him heir apparent to his throne. Thereupon the lad set out to go and bring the daughter of the King of the East. After a long journey he met a man who was kneeling down with his ear close to the ground.

"What man are you?" asked the lad.

"I lay my ear to the ground," answered the man, "and listen to whatever men say all over the world."

"Aha! what a man!" exclaimed the lad, "he can hear what is said all over the world."

"Man?" said the listener. "A man is he who pierced the steel shield with the steel spear."

"It was I," said the lad.

"Then I am your brother," said the listener, and followed the lad. After another long journey they met a man who was standing with one of his feet upon Mount Ararat and the other upon Mount Taurus.

"Aha! what a man!" exclaimed the lad. "He strides over the world."

"Man?" exclaimed the colossal strider. "A man is he who pierced the steel shield with the steel spear."

"It was I," said the lad.

"Then I am your brother," said the colossus, and followed the lad.

After a long journey they met a man who was eating all the loaves baked in seven ovens, and still crying, "I am hungry! I am famishing! For heaven's sake, give me something to eat!"

"Aha!" said the lad. "What a man! whom seven ovens continually baking cannot satisfy."

"Man?" exclaimed the glutton. "A man is he who pierced the steel shield with the steel spear."

"I am the man," said the lad.

"Then I am your brother," said the glutton, and followed the lad.

Soon they met a man who was carrying the earth upon his shoulders.

"What a man!" exclaimed the lad.

"Man?" replied the carrier of the earth. "A man is he who has pierced the steel shield with the steel spear."

"I am the man," said the lad.

"Then I am your brother," said the carrier of the earth, and he also followed the lad.

They soon met a man who was lying flat on the bank of the Euphrates, and drinking the river dry, but still crying, "I am thirsty! I am dry; more water, for heaven's sake!"

"Aha! what a man," exclaimed the lad, "the river Euphrates does not satisfy his thirst."

"Man?" exclaimed the river-drinker, "a man is he who pierced the steel shield."

"I am he," said the lad.

"Then I am your brother," said the river-drinker, and followed the lad.

They soon met a shepherd who was blowing his horn, and lo! hills and valleys, plains and forests, men and beasts were dancing.

"Aha! what a man!" exclaimed the lad, "all the world is dancing to his music."

"Man!" returned the shepherd, "a man is he who pierced the steel shield."

"I am he," said the lad.

"Then I am your brother," said the shepherd, and he followed the lad. Now they were seven.

"Brother Steel-shield-steel-spear," said the six adopted brothers to the lad, "where shall we go now?"

"We shall go and bring the daughter of the King of the East," answered the lad.

"You are worthy of her," said his six companions.

Soon they arrived at the city of the King of the East, who seeing them said to his servants secretly:

"These seven fellows have come to take away my daughter. Heaven forbid! They are bashful lads and will hardly eat a bowlful of soup. Now go and bake twenty-one ovens full of bread and make twenty-one cauldrons full of soup and put it all before them. If they can eat all at one sitting, I will give them my daughter; if not, I will not."

The lad and his crew were entertained in an apartment some distance from the King's apartment, where he was giving these instructions to his men. The ground-listener, hearing the King's orders, said to the lad:

"Brother Steel-shield-steel-spear, did you hear what the King said to his men?"

"No, blockhead!" said the lad, "how can I hear him while he is in another apartment far from us?"

The ground-listener said: "They are going to serve us twenty-one horse-loads of bread and twenty-one cauldrons full of soup, and in case we fail to eat all at one meal they will refuse to give us the princess."

"Be of good cheer." said the ravenous eater; "I take the responsibility upon myself."

On the following day all the bread and soup was served to one man, and there was not enough to gratify him. He was still crying, "I am hungry! I am famishing! Give me something to eat!"

"A plague upon these fellows!" said the King to his peers; "we could not satisfy one; what if all the seven should eat! Now I tell you what to do; entertain them in another house; bring quantities of wood and rushes at night and pile them round about the building, and in the middle of the night when they are asleep set fire to the piles. Thus they will perish and we shall get rid of them."

The ground-listener hearing everything, told it to the lad.

"Never mind," said the river-drinker, "I can keep in my stomach water enough to extinguish their fire."

He went and drank the neighboring river dry and came back, and all went to bed. At midnight they saw that the house was on fire. The river-drinker blew upon the flames, and lo! a stream of water began to flow from his mouth. It not only extinguished the flames, but drowned all those who were making the fire. That caused the King to be still more angry, and he said to his peers:

"Let come what may, I will not give up my daughter."

"Now it is my turn," said the earth-carrier, "if he does not give us his daughter I will carry away his whole kingdom."

He had hardly finished his words when he put his shoulder under the ground of the King of the East, and lo! he took on his back the whole realm. Then the shepherd began to blow his horn and the mountains and valleys, plains and forests, and all living creatures in them began to dance; the strider-of-the-world walked before them opening the way; and so the procession went on with great merriment. Thereupon the King began to weep and to beg them, saying:

"For heaven's sake, leave me my kingdom! take my daughter and go."

Then the earth-carrier set the kingdom down in its place again; the shepherd ceased blowing his horn, and the universe stopped dancing. The lad thanked his six brothers for their valuable services and sent them to their homes, and he himself took the maiden and came to the Prince's city, where a wedding festival was celebrated for forty days, and he married this maiden also. He sat down with the baby born during his absence, in his arms, and his two wives one on each side, and calling his father and mother to him, said:

"Now shall I tell you what my dream was?"

"Yes, what was it?" said his parents.

"I dreamed in my dream," said the lad, "that there was one sun upon my right side, another sun upon my left side, and a bright star was twinkling upon my heart."

"Was that your dream?" said they.

"Yes, that was my dream," said he.

This tale was a dream. The Sender of dreams has sent three apples from above; one for him who told the story, one for him who asked that the story be told, and one for him who listened to the story.

THE BRIDE OF THE FOUNTAIN.

Somewhere I have heard that there were once three sisters, whose mother went to town to buy them dresses. On her way back to the village she sat down by a fountain to rest.

"Tush!" exclaimed she, remembering that she had forgotten to buy a dress for her youngest daughter.

Suddenly an old man came out from the fountain, and standing before the woman, said:

"My name is Tush; why did you call me?"

"I did not call you," said the woman, "I exclaimed, 'Tush!' because I had forgotten to buy a dress for my youngest daughter."

"Go, bring her," said the old man, "and call on me again; I will give her a dress."

The woman went and brought her daughter to the fountain. As soon as she uttered the word "Tush!" the old man came out. He took the maiden into the fountain and never came back, in spite of the repeated exclamations of the woman, who tired of repeating, "Tush! Tush!" At last she gave up hope, and going home mourned the wonderful disappearance of her pretty daughter. After one or two months she went again to the fountain and uttered the word "Tush!" The old man came out, and seeing the woman he turned toward the fountain, saying:

"Halloo! son, your mother-in-law has come to call on her daughter. Won't you send her out?"

"Certainly," said a voice from within. "I will send her to pay a visit to her mother, as is the custom."

In a few minutes the anxious mother saw her daughter come out from the fountain dressed as a beautiful bride, and she took her home.

"Mamma," said the bride, "give me a separate room; my husband told me that he will come to me every night."

The mother gave her a separate room. The bridegroom visited her every night in the shape of a partridge. He used to come after nightfall, and flapping his wings, perch on the window ledge. She opened the window and took him in. Every morning the partridge flew away before dawn. Her two sisters, envious of the happiness of their youngest sister, brought razors and nailed them around the window. At nightfall the partridge came flying, and when he was perching on the window he struck his wings against the razors, which wounded his body in several places. He was hardly able to fly back to his fountain, and there he was confined to his bed. He vowed to be revenged upon his bride, who he thought had put the razors on the window. The bride, seeing that the partridge did not come for five or six days, went with her mother to the fountain.

"Tush!" they called, and lo! the old man came out, and turning to the fountain, exclaimed:

"Son, your bride and mother-in-law have come."

"Oh! oh!" cried the partridge from within, "I do not want such a bride. I beseech you, put on your eagle's suit, take her to the seventh heaven, and thence cast her to the torrid desert."

Father Tush at once changed himself into an eagle, and carried the bride away and cast her to the sandy desert. There she fell upon the sand, but did not die.

"O Heaven!" exclaimed the maiden, "what have I done to deserve such treatment."