I
ear 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 passed 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 whomthe attendant midwife bestowed every necessary care, and then placed them in a circle on the floor in the centre of the room, where the sturdy 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 assistance 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 forthe 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, providedwith 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 desireto 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, orthe too rapid satisfaction of his appetite 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 grassy hill, beneath the shade of the trees; and it generally came to pass 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 goddess 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 grass, and slept refreshingly 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 thebest 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 multitude of persons assembled 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 illustrious 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 timebeen 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 passed 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 refreshing 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 protégé, I will assist 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, pricked up his ears, and collectedall 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 cock had scarcely crowed to welcome the first hour of the morning, when our herdsman again passed out at the city gate with his herd. He betook himself to the same heath where he had passed the foregoing night, and had had the strangetête-à-têtewith 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' space,Thou shalt reach the appointed place."
"Up and mount me without fear,Swift on my back I thee will bear;So that, ere many minutes' space,Thou shalt reach the appointed place."
FORTUNE'S FAVOURITE.FORTUNE'S FAVOURITE.
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 protégé 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 passed, 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.
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 surpassing 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 magnificentpalace, with such a number of state rooms opening round him, that he could hardly tell which he should first enter. He passed 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 deliciousfruits, which seemed to the stranger like a second paradise. He could not refrain from plucking a rose, which he stuck in his cap.
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 theowner 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 seenfrom 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.
The herdsman thanked his patron and returned to his swine, in order to pass the night near them on his bed of straw.
Just about midnight the friendly boar awakened himas on the preceding night, and said, "Pista must provide himself with bread and wine for the coming day also, as he would have to do with a still larger dragon than the former."
He advised him to double the measure of provisions, and told him he would have nothing to fear if he encountered the monster as courageously as he did that of the day before.
Before day-break Pista supplied himself with two loaves and two flasks of wine, and went as usual with the swine to the heath. Arrived there, the boar again approached him and said:—
"Up and mount me without fear,Swift on my back I will thee bear;This day thou must higher go,And still higher fortune know."
"Up and mount me without fear,Swift on my back I will thee bear;This day thou must higher go,And still higher fortune know."
The youth obeyed the boar, and sooner than if on a racer's back he found himself by an inclosure, considerably beyond the place where he stopped the day before. The boar again deposited him under an oak, repeated several times what he had before enforced, and left him to his destiny.
Pista had not long to wait; he soon heard a terrible rustling descending from the tops of the trees. Bydegrees it grew darker around him, and at once a monstrous dragon, much larger than the first, came sailing through the air, whose out-spread wings shaded, like a thunder-cloud, the district beneath, as with furious haste he seemed descending on the herdsman. But Pista lost no time in offering him the two loaves and the two flasks, which so fortunately appeased the monster that he immediately stretched himself on the grass, and, much at his ease, swallowed the provisions, and then fell asleep and snored like thunder. Pista again seized the favourable moment and cut the dragon's throat, from whose jaws fell a silver key, which he put at once into his pocket.
Then he went, as on the preceding day, into the interior of the forest, and soon saw a palace built entirely of silver, which dazzled his eyes from afar by its brilliancy. All that he saw and did in the Copper Palace, he saw and did here; only the magnificence of the one far exceeded that of the other, and caused him to linger here much longer. After a very obsequious dragon had shown him all the treasures, and at last led him into the garden, he plucked there a silver rose, of which there were great numbers, and stuck it in his cap. He then locked the gates of his beautiful palace with thesilver key, returned to his herd, and as the day was declining, drove them quietly home.
As before, the king's daughters came familiarly to meet him, and the youngest snatched the silver rose from him, and ran playfully with it to her father. The king sent for him as before, questioned him of all that had occurred, and having received satisfactory answers, expressed his entire approbation.
The same adventure occurred on the third day, with the sole difference that the herdsman this time entered a Golden Palace, and brought from the garden a golden rose, which the fair princess appropriated as before.
It happened that a festival which the king had long resolved to give to the suitors of his daughters, was just about to be held. He caused three golden apples of the same size to be made, on each of which he had inscribed the name of one of the princesses. These he ordered to be suspended by golden threads in the front court of his castle, as the prize of a trial of skill, for which the victor was to receive the hand of one of the princesses. Whoever, at full gallop, should succeed in striking down with his lance one of these apples, was to receive the golden fruit and the princess whose name it bore. As thethree sisters were no less extraordinarily beautiful than rich, it may easily be guessed that the number of their suitors was not small. A countless number of princes from far and near were assembled in the royal city, and the king's brother was also present with his nine daughters. The whole kingdom took a lively interest in this festival, and young and old rejoiced at its commencement. Whatever the royal treasures could produce was exhibited there, and all the rich and noble flocked thither to contribute their share towards enhancing the pomp of the long looked for feast.
As it was to be supposed that Pista would not willingly be absent from such a grand sight, the youngest princess, out of gratitude for her three roses, invited him to witness it; advising him not to stay away if he had any curiosity to see all the most precious of her father's possessions, in horses, clothes, and jewels. But to the no small surprise of the princess, the herdsman thanked her for her invitation, but said he preferred remaining with his equals, and would tend the swine as usual.
The morning arrived, and all within and around the city was in motion. The streets swarmed with countless people: even the most helpless cripples dragged themselves along, anxious to see the show. Pista alonedrove forth his swine with the utmost indifference, and did not evince the slightest curiosity.
Who could have guessed, however, what the homely youth had secretly determined, and what a trick he had resolved to play on all the princely suitors? He no sooner reached the heath than he hastened to the forest where his late adventures had occurred. He went to the Copper Palace, entered the hall, and with a stroke of the golden wand commanded the serviceable dragon to provide for him the most magnificent attire and the finest courser. The dragon rapidly obeyed his master's order, dressed him as expeditiously and handily as the most experienced valet could have done, and then as quickly cantered up a splendidly caparisoned steed, who seemed to breathe fire as he neighed with desire for the combat.
Pista mounted his horse, and the courts of the castle thundered beneath his tramp. He flew, as if borne on the lightning's wing, over the heath and road, and suddenly appeared in the lists of the royal disputants. The brilliancy of his attire, the swiftness and strength of his horse, and the costly jewels that adorned him, dazzled all eyes, and it could not have occurred to any one that in him they beheld the swineherd. Theking himself thought he must be his equal in dignity, and offered him the honour of precedence. But Pista declined this distinction, and requested, on the contrary, to be allowed to be the last on the list of suitors.
At last the signal was given. All pressed to the lists, and the race began. Riders and horses flew emulously towards the prize, but not one succeeded in even touching either of the apples with his lance.
Suddenly the unknown guest darted over the course like an arrow, and hit the first of the three apples so dexterously, that it, together with the golden thread to which it was fastened, remained hanging on his lance. The gaze of all was fixed upon him; but without vouchsafing a look on any, he flew with his prize straight across the lists and disappeared.
This unexpected circumstance created universal embarrassment amongst the disconcerted suitors, and determined the king to postpone the remainder of the festival until the following day. Meanwhile he sent some of his swiftest riders in search of the strange fugitive, in order to discover, if possible, whence he came. But before these were ready to start, our knight had already become invisible, and, in his herdsman's dress, had again rejoined his swine.
In the evening, as usual, he brought them home, and attended to them in the customary manner. But before he retired to rest, the youngest of the princesses descried him, and hastening to him, related in great agitation the untoward event which had that day deprived her of the apple destined to her, and at the same time of him who should have been her bridegroom. The herdsman expressed his great sympathy, and tried to console her, by saying that no one could tell whether the misfortune that had happened might not in the end turn out to her advantage.
The next day, before the ceremonies recommenced, Pista was again on the heath with his herd. This day he went to the Silver Palace, attired himself still more splendidly, and mounted a yet finer horse. Swift as the wind, and resplendent in gold and jewels, he again sprang to the lists. All were astonished at this second apparition. All inclined themselves before him, and no one recognised in him the same guest who had so distinguished himself on the preceding day.
But, as yesterday, all eyes were riveted on him; he set spurs to his horse, and sprang with hanging bridle to the prize, then flew like an arrow, bearing the secondapple across the lists, and disappeared from the sight of the astonished multitude.
The king and his illustrious guests now began to apprehend that some supernatural power influenced these events, and they had nearly determined not to renew the trial of skill till the following year. But as already two of the golden apples were lost, they could not resist their curiosity respecting the third and last. The king therefore appointed the conclusion of the festival for the next morning, and in the meantime endeavoured to tranquillise himself as well as he could.
As before, so was it on this third occasion. The herdsman had gone early to the heath, and now appeared in an attire, and mounted on a horse, this time procured from the Golden Palace, both of which infinitely surpassed the two former. He carried off the third apple, and fled, to the wonder of all, swift as the wind, far out of sight.
The festival was now over; the assembly separated; the suitors returned to their homes, and the king lamented the fate of his beloved daughters. The daughters shed many tears, and mourned over their fate as an appointment of Heaven, forbidding them ever to have a bridegroom.
As the very first of these occurrences had caused theking entirely to forget to pay the herdsman his daily wages, the latter had now three days' hire due to him. Pista therefore availed himself of the pretext of demanding his wages as a good opportunity to learn what impression his three adventures had made at court. That same evening, when he brought home his herd, he presented himself before the king, but apprehending that, if he left his three apples in the stall, they might be purloined, he concealed them in his hat, which he retained on his head, although in presence of his monarch.
The king perceived this disrespectful conduct of his herdsman not without surprise; but, as he was exceedingly well disposed towards him, on account of his great services, he indulgently asked him what he required. Pista had scarcely prepared himself to make his request, when the youngest, and now exceedingly discontented princess entered, and with an air of highly offended pride, snatched his hat off his head.
The golden apples fell out of it, and rolled to the monarch's feet.
What was the astonishment of the whole court! The princesses recognised their names, and could not express their delight at finding their apples. Theking pressed the youth in the most gracious terms to explain how he had come by them.
Pista replied, with the utmost frankness, that he was the winner of the three apples, and therefore thought he had a full right to one of the princesses for his bride.
Now, as the king, mindful of the unexampled splendour, as also the extraordinary good fortune by which the stranger had distinguished himself in the lists, anticipated some still greater advantage behind the darkness of this mysterious occurrence, he admitted the herdsman's claim with very little hesitation.
The youngest of the princesses felt herself suddenly cheered, and so powerfully attracted to the metamorphosed swineherd, that in spite of his peasant's dress she threw her arms around his neck. The king immediately decided that he should become her husband, and the following morning the wedding was celebrated with the utmost magnificence, in presence of the whole court, at the Golden Palace in the forest, which Pista immediately selected for his residence.
When the banquet was over, the bridegroom commanded his faithful dragon, who had already the day before provided a numerous establishment of domestics of his own winged race, immediately to bring hitherhis eleven brothers, whose respective names he had furnished him with, and had described their persons as accurately as he could.
Before the sun went down the eleven brothers were seen coming at full gallop to the Golden Palace. By the care of the ever active dragon they were all splendidly dressed, and they rejoiced and wondered not a little at the unexpected change in their destiny.
Two of them married the sisters of their royal sister-in-law, and the rest married the nine daughters of the other king. They soon conquered for themselves as many kingdoms, and lived happily together till their dying day.
A
t Casena, in Romagna, lived a poor widow, a very worthy, industrious woman, by name Lucietta. She unfortunately had an only son, who, for stupidity and laziness, had yet to find his equal. He would lie in bed till noon, and when he did resolve to rise, he took a full hour to rub his eyes, and then he would be nearly as long stretching his arms and legs; in short, he behaved like the veriest sluggard upon earth.
This grieved his mother very much, for she had once hoped that he would some day become the support of her old age; and she never ceased to urge and advise him, in order to make him a little more active and industrious.
"My son," she often said to him, "he who wouldsee good days in this world must exert himself, be industrious, and rise at break of day; for good fortune favours the industrious and the vigilant, but never comes to the lazy and sluggardly. Therefore, my son, if you will believe my counsel, and follow it, then you shall see good days, and all will fall out to your heart's content."
Lucilio—that was the young man's name—the silliest of the silly, unquestionably heard what his mother said, but he did not understand the meaning of her words. He got up as if he were waking out of a deep and heavy sleep, and sauntered along the road before the city gate, where he stretched himself, in order to finish his nap, right across the pathway, so that all entering or leaving the city could not avoid stumbling over him.
It so happened that the very night before, three inhabitants of the city had gone out to bury a treasure which they had accidentally discovered. They had succeeded in finding it again, and were in the act of carrying it home, when they came upon Lucilio, who still lay across the road, but no longer sleeping. He had just waked up, and was looking round him for one of the good days his mother had prophesied to him.
"Heaven send you a good day, friend," said the first of the three men, as he walked over him.
"Heaven be praised!" said Lucilio, when he heard the words. "Now I shall have a good day!"
The man who had buried the treasure, conscious of his fault, fancied directly that these words bore reference to him, and that the secret had been betrayed. This was quite natural; for whoever has a bad conscience, always interprets the most indifferent words as an allusion to himself.
The second man then stumbled over Lucilio, likewise wishing him, as his predecessor had done, a good day. Whereupon Lucilio, still dwelling on the good days, said to himself, but half loud, "Now I have two of them!"
The third followed and saluted him as the two others had done, also wishing that Heaven might send him a good day. Up started Lucilio, overjoyed, and exclaiming, "Oh! delightful! Now I have got all three of them! I am fortunate!"
He alluded only to three lucky days; but the buriers of the treasure thought he meant them; and as they feared he might go and give information of them to the magistrate, they took him aside, told himthe whole affair, and, to bribe him into silence, gave him the fourth part of the treasure.
Well pleased, Lucilio took his portion, carried it home to his mother, and said, "Dear mother, Heaven's blessing has been with me; for, as I did as you desired, so I have found the good days. Take this money, and buy with it all we require."
The mother was not a little pleased at the fortunate occurrence, and urged her son to go on exerting himself that he might find more such good days.
I
ot very far from Drontheim, in Norway, dwelt a powerful man, blessed with all the gifts of fortune. A considerable portion of the land around belonged to him; numerous herds grazed in his pastures, and a numerous establishment of domestics contributed to the grandeur of his dwelling. He had an only daughter called Aslog, whose beauty was celebrated far and near. The most illustrious of her countrymen sought to obtain her hand, but without success; and those who arrived gay and full of hope, rode away in silence and with heavy hearts. Her father, who thought that his daughter's rejection of so many suitors proceeded from her anxiety to make a prudent choice, did not interfere, and rejoiced to think that she was so discreet. At length, however, when he perceived that the noblest and the most wealthy of the land wererejected equally with all others, he grew angry, and thus addressed her:—
"Hitherto I have left you at full liberty to make your own selection; but, as I observe that you reject all indiscriminately, and that the most eligible suitors are yet in your opinion not good enough for you, I shall no longer permit such conduct. Is my race, then, to be extinguished, and are my possessions to fall into the hands of strangers? I am resolved to bend your stubborn will. I give you time for consideration until the great winter nights' festival; if you shall not then have made your election, be prepared to accept him whom I determine upon for you."
Aslog loved a handsome, brave, and noble youth, whose name was Orm. She loved him with her whole soul, and would have preferred death to giving her hand to any one but him. But Orm was poor, and his poverty compelled him to take service in her father's house. Aslog's love for him was therefore kept secret, for her haughty father would never have consented to an alliance with a man in so subordinate a position. When Aslog beheld his stern aspect and heard his angry words, she became deathly pale, for she knew his disposition, and was well aware that he would put his threat inexecution. Without offering a word in reply, she withdrew to her chamber, there to consider how to escape the storm that menaced her.
The great festival drew near, and her anxiety increased daily.
At length the lovers resolved to fly. "I know a hiding place," said Orm, "where we can remain undiscovered till we find an opportunity of quitting the country."
During the night, whilst all were asleep, Orm conducted the trembling Aslog across the snow and fields of ice to the mountains. The moon and stars, which always seem brightest in the cold winter's night, lighted them on their way. They had brought with them some clothes and furs, but that was all they could carry.
They climbed the mountains the whole night long, till they arrived at a solitary spot completely encircled by rock. Here Orm led the weary Aslog into a cave, the dark and narrow entrance to which was scarcely perceptible; it soon widened, however, into a spacious chamber that penetrated far into the mountain. Orm kindled a fire, and they sat beside it, leaning against the rock, shut out from the rest of the world.
Orm was the first who had discovered this cavern, which is now shown as a curiosity; and, as at that time no oneknew of its existence, they were secure from the pursuit of Aslog's father. Here they passed the winter. Orm went out to chase the wild animals of the lonely region, and Aslog remained in the cave, attended to the fire, and prepared their necessary food. She frequently climbed to the summit of the rock, but, far as her eye could reach, it beheld only the sparkling snow-fields.
Spring arrived, the woods became green, the fields arrayed themselves in bright colours, and Aslog dared now only seldom, and with great precaution, to emerge from her cavern.
One evening Orm returned home bringing news that he had recognised, at a distance, her father's people, and that they had no doubt also descried him, as they could see as clearly as himself. "They will surround this place," continued he, "and not rest till they have found us; we must therefore instantly be off."
They immediately descended the mountain on the other side, and reached the sea-shore, where they fortunately found a boat. Orm pushed off, and the boat was driven into the open sea. They had, it is true, escaped their pursuers, but they were now exposed to perils of another kind. Whither should they turn? They dared not land, for Aslog's father was lord of thewhole coast, and they would so fall into his hands. Nothing remained, therefore, for them, but to commit the boat to the winds and waves, which pursued its way all night, so that at day-break the coast had disappeared, and they saw only sky and water; they had not brought any provisions with them, and hunger and thirst began to torture them. Thus they drove on for three days, and Aslog, weak and exhausted, foresaw their certain destruction.
At length, on the evening of the third day, they beheld an island of considerable size, surrounded by a multitude of lesser islets. Orm immediately steered towards it, but, as they approached it, a gale arose and the waves swelled higher and higher; he turned the boat in hopes to be able to land on some other side, but equally without success. Whenever the bark approached the island, it was driven back as if by some invisible force.
Orm, gazing on the unhappy Aslog, who seemed dying from exhaustion, crossed himself, and uttered an exclamation, which had scarcely passed his lips, when the storm ceased, the waves sank, and the little bark landed without further obstruction. He then sprang on shore, and a few mussels which he collected,so revived and strengthened the exhausted Aslog, that in a short time she also was able to quit the boat.
The island was entirely covered with dwarf mushrooms, and appeared to be uninhabited; but when they had penetrated nearly to the centre of it they perceived a house, half of which only was above the ground, and the other half under it. In the hope that they might find human help they joyfully approached it; they listened for some sound, but the deepest silence prevailed all around. At length Orm opened the door and entered with his companion; great was their astonishment, however, when they perceived everything prepared as if for inhabitants, but no living being visible. The fire burnt on the hearth in the middle of the room, and a kettle with fish hung over it, waiting, probably, for some one to make a meal of its contents; beds were ready prepared for the reception of sleepers. Orm and Aslog stood for a time doubtful, and looked fearfully about; at length, impelled by hunger, they took the food and eat it. When they had satisfied their hunger, and, by the last rays of the sun, could not discover any one far and wide, they yielded to fatigue and lay down on the beds, a luxury which they had so long been deprived of.
They had fully expected to be awakened in the night by the return of the owners of the house, but they were deceived in their expectation; throughout the following day, also, no one appeared, and it seemed as if some invisible power had prepared the house for their reception. Thus did they pass the whole summer most happily; it is true they were alone, but the absence of mankind was not felt by them. The eggs of wild-fowl and the fish which they caught afforded them sufficient provision.
When autumn approached, Aslog bore a son, and in the midst of their rejoicing at his arrival they were surprised by a wonderful apparition.—The door opened suddenly, and an old woman entered; she wore a beautiful blue garment, and in her form and manner was something dignified, and at the same time unusual and strange.
"Let not my sudden appearance alarm you," said she. "I am the owner of this house, and I thank you for having kept it so clean and well, and that I now find everything in such good order. I would willingly have come sooner, but I could not until the little heathen there—pointing to the infant—had established himself here. Now I have free access; but do not, Ipray you, fetch a priest here from the main-land to baptise him, for then I shall be obliged to go away again. If you fulfil my wish, not only may you remain here, but every good you can desire I will bestow on you; whatever you undertake shall succeed; good fortune shall attend you wherever you go. But if you break this condition, you may assure yourselves that misfortune on misfortune shall visit you, and I will even avenge myself on the child. If you stand in need of anything, or are in danger, you have only to pronounce my name thrice: I will appear and aid you. I am of the race of the ancient giants, and my name is Guru. Beware, however, of pronouncing, in my presence, the name that no giant likes to hear, and never make the sign of the cross, nor cut it in any of the boards in the house. You may live here the year round; only on Yule evening be so kind as to leave the house to me as soon as the sun goes down. Then we celebrate our great festival, the only occasion on which we are permitted to be merry. If, however, you do not like to quit the house, remain as quietly as possible under ground, and, as you value your lives, do not look into the room before midnight; after that hour you may again take possession of all."
When the old woman had thus spoken, she disappeared, and Aslog and Orm, thus rendered easy as to their position, lived on without disturbance contented and happy. Orm never cast his net without a good draught—never shot an arrow that did not hit—in short, whatever he undertook, however trifling it might be, prospered visibly.
When Christmas came they made the house as clean as possible, set everything in order, kindled a fire on the hearth, and on the approach of twilight descended to the under part of the house, where they remained quiet and silent. At length it grew dark, and they fancied they heard a rustling and snorting in the air, like that which the swans make in the winter season. In the wall over the hearth was an aperture that could be opened and shut to admit light, or to let out smoke. Orm raised the lid, which was covered with a skin, and put out his head, when a wonderful spectacle presented itself. The little surrounding islets were illuminated by countless little blue lights, which moved incessantly, danced up and down, then slid along the shore, collected together, and approached nearer and nearer to the island in which Orm and Aslog dwelt. When they reached it theyarranged themselves in a circle round a great stone, which stood not very far from the shore, and which was well known to Orm. But how great was his astonishment, when he saw that the stone had assumed a perfectly human form, although of gigantic stature. He could now clearly distinguish that the lights were carried by dwarfs, whose pale earth-coloured faces, with large noses and red eyes, in the form of birds' beaks and owls' eyes, surmounted mis-shapen bodies. They waddled and shuffled here and there, and seemed to be sad and gay at the same time. Suddenly the circle opened, the little people drew back on either side, and Guru, who now appeared as large as the stone, approached with giant steps. She threw her arms around the stony figure, which at that moment received life and movement. At the first indication of this, the little people set up, accompanied by extraordinary grimaces and gestures, such a song, or rather howl, that the whole island resounded and shook with the noise. Orm, quite terrified, drew in his head, and he and Aslog now remained in the dark so quiet, that they scarcely dared to breathe.