The Blue Fairy Book

by Andrew Lang

  ‘If your mother only knew,

  Her heart would surely break in two.’

  And as she drank thus, and leant right over the water, the rag containing the three drops of blood fell from her bosom and floated down the stream, and she in her anxiety never even noticed her loss. But the waiting-maid had observed it with delight, as she knew it gave her power over the bride, for in losing the drops of blood the Princess had become weak and powerless. When she wished to get on her horse Falada again, the waiting-maid called out:‘I mean to ride Falada : you must mount my beast;’ and this too she had to submit to. Then the waiting-maid commanded her harshly to take off her royal robes, and to put on her common ones, and finally she made her swear by heaven not to say a word about the matter when they reached the palace ; and if she hadn’t taken this oath she would have been killed on the spot. But Falada observed everything, and laid it all to heart.

  The waiting-maid now mounted Falada, and the real bride the worse horse, and so they continued their journey till at length they arrived at the palace yard. There was great rejoicing over the arrival, and the Prince sprang forward to meet them, and taking the waiting-maid for his bride, he lifted her down from her horse and led her upstairs to the royal chamber. In the meantime the real Princess was left standing below in the courtyard. The old King, who was looking out of his window, beheld her in this plight, and it struck him how sweet and gentle, even beautiful, she looked. He went at once to the royal chamber, and asked the bride who it was she had brought with her and had left thus standing in the court below. ‘Oh!’ replied the bride,‘I brought her with me to keep me company on the journey; give the girl something to do, that she mayn’t be idle.’ But the old King had no work for her, and couldn’t think of anything; so he said, ‘I’ve a small boy who looks after the geese, she’d better help him.’ The youth’s name was Curdken, and the real bride was made to assist him in herding geese.

  Soon after this the false bride said to the Prince : ‘Dearest husband, I pray you grant me a favour.’ He answered : ‘That I will.’ ‘Then let the slaughterer cut off the head of the horse I rode here upon, because it behaved very badly on the journey.’ But the truth was she was afraid lest the horse should speak and tell how she had treated the Princess. She carried her point, and the faithful Falada was doomed to die. When the news came to the ears of the real Princess she went to the slaughterer, and secretly promised him a piece of gold if he would do something for her. There was in the town a large dark gate, through which she had to pass night and morning with the geese; would he‘kindly hang up Falada’s head there, that she might see it once again ?’ The slaughterer said he would do as she desired, chopped off the head, and nailed it firmly over the gateway.

  Early next morning, as she and Curdken were driving their flock through the gate, she said as she passed under:

  ‘Oh! Falada, ’tis you hang there;’

  and the head replied :

  ‘ ’Tis you ; pass under, Princess fair:

  If your mother only knew,

  Her heart would surely break in two.’

  Then she left the tower and drove the geese into a field. And when they had reached the common where the geese fed she sat down and unloosed her hair, which was of pure gold. Curdken loved to see it glitter in the sun, and wanted much to pull some hair out. Then she spoke:

  ‘Wind, wind, gently sway,

  Blow Curdken’s hat away ;

  Let him chase o’er field and wold

  Till my locks of ruddy gold,

  Now astray and hanging down,

  Be combed and plaited in a crown.’

  Then a gust of wind blew Curdken’s hat away, and he had to chase it over hill and dale. When he returned from the pursuit she had finished her combing and curling, and his chance of getting any hair was gone. Curdken was very angry, and wouldn’t speak to her. So they herded the geese till evening and then went home.

  The next morning, as they passed under the gate, the girl said:

  ‘Oh! Falada, ’tis you hang there;’

  and the head replied:

  ‘ ’Tis you ; pass under, Princess fair

  If your mother only knew,

  Her heart would surely break in two.

  Then she went on her way till she came to the common, where she sat down and began to comb out her hair ; then Curdken ran up to her and wanted to grasp some of the hair from her head, but she called out hastily:

  ‘Wind, wind, gently sway,

  Blow Curdken’s hat away;

  Let him chase o’er field and wold

  Till my locks of ruddy gold,

  Now astray and hanging down,

  Be combed and plaited in a crown.’

  Then a puff of wind came and blew Curdken’s hat far away, so that he had to run after it ; and when he returned she had long finished putting up her golden locks, and he couldn’t get any hair; so they watched the geese till it was dark.

  But that evening when they got home Curdken went to the old King, and said : ‘I refuse to herd geese any longer with that girl.’ ‘For what reason?’ asked the old King. Because she does nothing but annoy me all day long,’ replied Curdken; and he proceeded to relate all her iniquities, and said: Every morning as we drive the flock through the dark gate she says to a horse’s head that hangs on the wall:

  ‘ “Oh! Falada, ’tis you hang there; ”

  and the head replies:

  ‘ “ ’Tis you; pass under, Princess fair:

  If your mother only knew,

  Her heart would surely break in two.” ’

  And Curdken went on to tell what passed on the common where the geese fed, and how he had always to chase his hat.

  The old King bade him go and drive forth his flock as usual next day; and when morning came he himself took up his position behind the dark gate, and heard how the goose-girl greeted Falada. Then he followed her through the field, and hid himself behind a bush on the common. He soon saw with his own eyes how the goose-boy and the goose-girl looked after the geese, and how after a time the maiden sat down and loosed her hair, that glittered like gold, and repeated:

  ‘Wind, wind, gently sway,

  Blow Curdken’s hat away;

  Let him chase o’er field and wold

  Till my locks of ruddy gold,

  Now astray and hanging down,

  Be combed and plaited in a crown.’

  Then a gust of wind came and blew Curdken’s hat away, so that he had to fly over hill and dale after it, and the girl in the meantime quietly combed and plaited her hair: all this the old King observed, and returned to the palace without any one having noticed him. In the evening when the goose-girl came home he called her aside, and asked her why she behaved as she did. ‘I mayn’t tell you why; how dare I confide my woes to anyone? for I swore not to by heaven, otherwise I should have lost my life.’ The old King begged her to tell him all, and left her no peace, but he could get nothing out of her. At last he said:‘Well, if you won’t tell me, confide your trouble to the iron stove there;’ and he went away. Then she crept to the stove, and began to sob and cry and to pour out her poor little heart, and said: ‘Here I sit, deserted by all the world, I who am a king’s daughter, and a false waiting-maid has forced me to take off my own clothes, and has taken my place with my bridegroom, while I have to fulfil the lowly office of goose-girl.

  ‘If my mother only knew,

  Her heart would surely break in two.’

  But the old King stood outside at the stove chimney, and listened to her words. Then he entered the room again, and bidding her leave the stove, he ordered royal apparel to be put on her, in which she looked amazingly lovely. Then he summoned his son, and revealed to him that he had got the false bride, who was nothing but a waiting-maid, while the real one, in the guise of the ex-goose-girl, was standing at his side. The young King rejoiced from his heart when he saw her beauty and learnt how good she was, and a great banquet was prepared, to which everyone was bidden. The bridegroom sat at the
head of the table, the Princess on one sido of him and the waiting-maid on the other; but she was so dazzled that she did not recognise the Princess in her glittering garments. Now when they had eaten and drunk, and were merry, the old King asked the waiting-maid to solve a knotty point for him. ‘What,’ said he, ‘should be done to a certain person who has deceived everyone?’ and he proceeded to relate the whole story, ending up with, ‘Now what sentence should be passed?’ Then the false bride answered: ‘She deserves to be put stark naked into a barrel lined with sharp nails, which should be dragged by two white horses up and down the street till she is dead.’

  ‘You are the person,’ said the King, ‘and you have passed sentence on yourself; and even so it shall be done to you.’ And when the sentence had been carried out the young King was married to his real bride, and both reigned over the kingdom in peace and happiness.22

  TOADS AND DIAMONDS

  THERE was once upon a time a widow who had two daughters. The eldest was so much like her in the face and humour that whoever looked upon the daughter saw the mother. They were both so disagreeable and so proud that there was no living with them.

  The youngest, who was the very picture of her father for courtesy and sweetness of temper, was withal one of the most beautiful girls ever seeṅ. As people naturally love their own likeness, this mother even doted on her eldest daughter, and at the same time had a horrible aversion for the youngest—she made her eat in the kitchen and work continually.

  Among other things, this poor child was forced twice a day to draw water above a mile and a-half off the house, and bring home a pitcher full of it. One day, as she was at this fountain, there came to her a poor woman, who begged of her to let her drink.

  ‘Oh! ay, with all my heart, Goody, said this pretty little girl; and rinsing immediately the pitcher, she took up some water from the clearest place of the fountain, and gave it to her, holding up the pitcher all the while, that she might drink the easier.

  The good woman having drunk, said to her:

  ‘You are so very pretty, my dear, so good and so mannerly, that I cannot help giving you a gift.’ For this was a fairy, who had taken the form of a poor country-woman, to see how far the civility and good manners of this pretty girl would go. ‘I will give you for gift,’ continued the Fairy, ‘that, at every word you speak, there shall come out of your mouth either a flower or a jewel.’

  When this pretty girl came home her mother scolded at her for staying so long at the fountain.

  ‘I beg your pardon, mamma,’ said the poor girl, ‘for not making more haste.’

  And in speaking these words there came out of her mouth two roses, two pearls, and two diamonds.

  ‘What is it I see there?’ said her mother, quite astonished. ‘I think I see pearls and diamonds come out of the girl’s mouth! How happens this, child?’

  This was the first time she ever called her child.

  The poor creature told her frankly all the matter, not without dropping out infinite numbers of diamonds.

  ‘In good faith,’ cried the mother, ‘I must send my child thither. Come hither, Fanny; look what comes out of thy sister’s mouth when she speaks. Wouldst not thou be glad, my dear, to have the same gift given to thee? Thou hast nothing else to do but go and draw water out of the fountain, and when a certain poor woman asks you to let her drink, to give it her very civilly.’

  ‘It would be a very fine sight indeed,’ said this ill-bred minx, ‘to see me go draw water.’

  ‘You shall go, hussey! ’ said the mother; ‘and this minute.’

  So away she went, but grumbling all the way, taking with her the best silver tankard in the house.

  She was no sooner at the fountain than she saw coming out of the wood a lady most gloriously dressed, who came up to her, and asked to drink. This was, you must know, the very fairy who appeared to her sister, but had now taken the air and dress of a princess, to see how far this girl’s rudeness would go.

  ‘Am I come hither,’ said the proud, saucy slut, ‘to serve you with water, pray? I suppose the silver tankard was brought purely for your ladyship, was it? However, you may drink out of it, if you have a fancy.’

  ‘You are not over and above mannerly,’ answered the Fairy, without putting herself in a passion. ‘Well, then, since you have so little breeding, and are so disobliging, I give you for gift that at every word you speak there shall come out of your mouth a snake or a toad.’

  So soon as her mother saw her coming she cried out:

  ‘Well, daughter?’

  ‘Well, mother?’ answered the pert hussey, throwing out of her mouth two vipers and two toads.

  ‘Oh! mercy,’ cried the mother; ‘ what is it I see? Oh! it is that wretch her sister who has occasioned all this; but she shall pay for it’; and immediately she ran to beat her. The poor child fled away from her, and went to hide herself in the forest, not far from thence.

  The King’s son, then on his return from hunting, met her, and seeing her so very pretty, asked her what she did there alone and why she cried.

  ‘Alas! sir, my mamma has turned me out of doors.’

  The King’s son, who saw five or six pearls and as many diamonds come out of her mouth, desired her to tell him how that happened. She hereupon told him the whole story; and so the King’s son fell in love with her, and, considering with himself that such a gift was worth more than any marriage portion, conducted her to the palace of the King his father, and there married her.

  As for her sister, she made herself so much hated that her own mother turned her off; and the miserable wretch, having wandered about a good while without finding anybody to take her in, went to a corner of the wood, and there died.23

  PRINCE DARLING

  ONCE upon a time there lived a king who was so just and kind that his subjects called him ‘the Good King.’ It happened one day, when he was out hunting, that a little white rabbit, which his dogs were chasing, sprang into his arms for shelter. The King stroked it gently, and said to it :

  ‘Well, bunny, as you have come to me for protection I will see that nobody hurts you.’

  And he took it home to his palace and had it put in a pretty little house, with all sorts of nice things to eat.

  That night, when he was alone in his room, a beautiful lady suddenly appeared before him; her long dress was as white as snow, and she had a crown of white roses upon her head. The good King was very much surprised to see her, for he knew his door had been tightly shut, and he could not think how she had got in. But she said to him :

  ‘I am the Fairy Truth. I was passing through the wood when you were out hunting, and I wished to find out if you were really good, as everybody said you were, so I took the shape of a little rabbit and came to your arms for shelter, for I know that those who are merciful to animals will be still kinder to their fellow-men. If you had refused to help me I should have been certain that you were wicked. I thank you for the kindness you have shown me, which has made me your friend for ever. You have only to ask me for anything you want and I promise that I will give it to you.’

  ‘Madam,’ said the good King, ‘since you are a fairy, you no doubt know all my wishes. I have but one son, whom I love very dearly, that is why he is called Prince Darling. If you are really good enough to wish to do me a favour, I beg that you will become his friend.’

  ‘With all my heart,’ answered the Fairy. ‘I can make your son the handsomest prince in the world, or the richest, or the most powerful; choose whichever you like for him.’

  ‘I do not ask either of these things for my son,’ replied the good King; but if you will make him the best of princes, I shall indeed be grateful to you. What good would it do him to be rich, or handsome, or to possess all the kingdoms of the world if he were wicked? You know well he would still be unhappy. Only a good man can be really contented.’

  ‘You are quite right,’ answered the Fairy; ‘but it is not in my power to make Prince Darling a good man unless he will help me ; he must hims
elf try hard to become good; I can only promise to give him good advice, to scold him for his faults, and to punish him if he will not correct and punish himself.’

  The good King was quite satisfied with this promise; and very soon afterwards he died.

  Prince Darling was very sorry, for he loved his father with all his heart, and he would willingly have given all his kingdoms and all his treasures of gold and silver if they could have kept the good King with him. Two days afterwards, when the Prince had gone to bed, the Fairy suddenly appeared to him and said:

  ‘I promised your father that I would be your friend, and to keep my word I have come to bring you a present.’ At the same time she put a little gold ring upon his finger.

  ‘Take great care of this ring,’ she said: ‘it is more precious than diamonds; every time you do a bad deed it will prick your finger, but if, in spite of its pricking, you go on in your own evil way, you will lose my friendship, and I shall become your enemy.’

  So saying, the Fairy disappeared, leaving Prince Darling very much astonished.

  For some time he behaved so well that the ring never pricked him, and that made him so contented that his subjects called him Prince Darling the Happy.

  One day, however, he went out hunting, but could get no sport, which put him in a very bad temper; it seemed to him as he rode along that his ring was pressing into his finger, but as it did not prick him he did not heed it. When he got home and went to his own room, his little dog Bibi ran to meet him, jumping round him with pleasure. ‘Get away!’ said the Prince, quite gruffly. ‘I don’t want you, you are in the way.’

  The poor little dog, who didn’t understand this at all, pulled at his coat to make him at least look at her, and this made Prince Darling so cross that he gave her quite a hard kick.