Жил-был когда-то король, а где он правил и как его звали, о том не знает никто. У короля сыновей не было, а была одна только дочь, но она все болела, и ни один из докторов не мог ее вылечить. Но королю было предсказано, что дочь его выздоровеет, если съест яблочко.
Тогда объявил король по всей земле, что кто принесет ей такое яблоко, от которого она выздоровеет, тот на ней и женится и королевство унаследует. Прослышал об этом один крестьянин; было у него трое сыновей, и говорит он старшему:
- Ступай в сад, набери полную корзину красивых яблок с красными крапинками и отнеси их к королевскому двору. Может, королевна и выздоровеет, когда их отведает, и женишься ты на ней, и королем сделаешься.
Парень на это согласился, и вот двинулся он в путь-дорогу пешком. Прошел он некоторое время, и повстречался ему по дороге маленький человечек и спросил у него, что несет он в корзине. А Улэ - так звали парня - ответил:
- Несу лягушат.
И говорит ему человечек на это:
- Ну, пускай оно так и будет! - и пошел себе дальше.
Подошел Улэ к королевскому замку и велел о себе доложить, что принес он такие, мол, яблоки, что королевна, поев их, враз выздоровеет. Король сильно этому обрадовался, велел парня позвать к себе, но - о, ужас! - только открыли корзину, - и вместо яблок стали из нее выскакивать лягушата. Очень король разозлился и велел за это прогнать парня. Воротился старший сын назад к своему отцу и рассказал все, как было.
Посылает тогда старик среднего сына, которого звали Земэ, - но и с этим случилось то же, что и со старшим. Повстречался и ему по дороге тот самый человечек и спросил его тоже, что несет он в корзине; и говорит Земэ:
- Свиную щетину.
И сказал человечек:
- Пускай оно так и будет!
Подошел парень к королевскому замку и объявил, что у него такие, мол, яблоки, что только отведает их королевна, то враз и выздоровеет; но у замка ему сказали, что им больше яблок не надо, приходил-де какой-то уже с яблоками, но тот дураком оказался. Но парень настаивал, что у него и вправду яблоки настоящие, какие надо. Ему, наконец, поверили и привели к королю. Открыли корзину, глядь - а там всего лишь свиная щетина. Страшно разгневался король и велел прогнать парня плетью из замка. Пришел он к отцу и все рассказал, что с ним было. Услыхал о том младший сын - его звали всегда глупым Гансом - и начал просить у отца дозволить и ему тоже отнести яблоки в замок.
- Нет, - говорит отец, - умные уже ходили и не справились с делом, куда уж тебе, дураку, идти?
Но мальчик все просил:
- Уж дозвольте мне, батюшка, тоже сходить.
- Что ж, ступай, дурень, посмотрим, что из этого выйдет, - ответил старик и начал его попрекать и бранить.
Но Ганс на ругань и попреки внимания не обращал:
- Нет, уж дозвольте, батюшка, и мне тоже в замок сходить!
- Ну, мне что, ступай, - говорит старик, - все равно вернешься ни с чем.
Обрадовался Ганс, так от радости и запрыгал.
- Да ты, вижу, что ни день, то глупее становишься, - молвил опять отец.
Но Ганс внимания на это не обратил и продолжал себе радоваться. Но уже подходила ночь, и Ганс решил обождать до утра, а потом и идти пораньше в королевский замок. Ночью он все не мог никак уснуть, а когда начинал дремать, ему снились красавицы-девушки, разные замки; золото и серебро и тому подобные вещи. Чуть свет он двинулся в путь и вскоре повстречался с маленьким человечком в той же старенькой курточке, и спросил человечек у него, что он несет в корзине. Ганс ответил ему, что несет, мол, королевне яблоки, - если она их съест, то выздоровеет.
- Ну, - сказал человечек, - пусть так и будет!
Но в королевский замок его пускать никак не хотели, ему рассказали, что двое, мол, каких-то уже приходило, они говорили, что с яблоками, а оказалось, что у одного в корзине были лягушата, а у другого свиная щетина. Но Ганс все настаивал на том, что у него вовсе не лягушата, а самые наипрекрасные яблоки, какие только есть во всем королевстве. Когда он все это объяснил, то привратник подумал, что этот, пожалуй, не врет, и пропустил его; и вот принес Ганс королю свою корзину; тот открыл ее, видит, что в ней золотистые яблоки. Король так обрадовался, что велел немедля отнести их своей дочери и стал в нетерпенье и страхе ждать, как они на нее подействуют. Прошло немного времени, и вот сообщают ему радостную весть. Но кто же приносит ее королю? - сама королевна! Только отведала она этих яблок, как вмиг выздоровела и спрыгнула с постели.
Невозможно и описать, как велика была радость короля. И вот надо было отдавать королю свою дочку за Ганса замуж, но королю никак этого не хотелось, и он сказал:
- Ты сделай сначала мне девять таких лодочек, что ходили б и по воде и по суше.
Ганс согласился на это условие, возвратился домой и рассказал отцу все, что случилось. Послал тогда старик старшего сына в лес, велел ему сделать такие лодочки, как сказано. Работал Улэ старательно, к тому же и насвистывал. И вот в полдень, когда солнце стояло над самой головой, вдруг явился тот маленький человечек и спросил у него, что он мастерит.
Улэ ответил:
- Деревянную посуду.
И молвил маленький человечек:
- Что ж, пускай так и будет!
И вот, когда наступил вечер, подумал Улэ, что лодочки, пожалуй, готовы, и хотел в одну из них сесть, но оказались все они деревянной посудой.
На другой день пошел в лес средний, Земэ, но и с ним случилось то же, что вышло и с Улэ.
На третий день пошел глупый Ганс. Работал он прилежно, по всему лесу раздавались сильные удары его топора, он тоже, работая, напевал и весело насвистывал. И явился в полдень тот же самый человечек и спросил у него, что он мастерит.
- Лодочки делаю, что могли бы ходить по воде и по суше. А вот как закончу работу, то выдадут за меня замуж королевну.
- Ну, что ж, - сказал человечек, - пусть так и будет!
Вечером, когда стало солнце садиться, Ганс тоже закончил свою работу над лодочками, кораблями и судами. Сел он в одну из них и поплыл себе прямо к королевскому замку. И летела его лодочка быстро, как ветер. Король увидел его еще издали, но все никак не соглашался выдать свою дочку за Ганса замуж и сказал:
- Ты должен сначала от зари до зари выпасти сотню зайцев, и если хоть один из них от тебя убежит, то замуж я дочку за тебя не выдам.
Ганс согласился на это и тотчас, на другое же утро, чуть стало светать, погнал свое стадо в поле и так внимательно пас, что не убежал от него ни один заяц. Через несколько часов приходит из замка служанка и говорит Гансу, чтоб он дал одного зайца, - ей велено, дескать, зажарить его для гостей. Но Ганс быстро смекнул, к чему дело клонится, и сказал служанке, что не даст ей ни одного, ведь ему-то за каждого зайца перед королем отвечать придется. Явилась служанка еще раз под вечер с такою же просьбой, но Ганс ей сказал, что вот если сама королевна, мол, явится, то он даст ей зайца. Доложила служанка об этом в замке, и вот пошла сама королевна к Гансу. И подошел в это время к Гансу тот маленький человечек и спросил, что он делает.
- Эх, вот должен выпасти я целую сотню зайцев, да так, чтоб ни один не убежал из стада, а за это женюсь я на королевне и королем сделаюсь.
- Хорошо, - сказал человечек, - вот тебе рожок, как только какой-нибудь из зайцев убежит, заиграй в него, и заяц вернется обратно.
И вот, когда явилась королевна, положил ей Ганс зайца в передник.
Но не прошла она и сотню шагов, как заиграл Ганс в свой рожок, и заяц - прыг из передника! - и вернулся в стадо.
Наступил вечер, заиграл Ганс в свой рожок, собрал все стадо вокруг себя, пересчитал всех зайцев и погнал их к замку. Был король сильно удивлен, что сумел Ганс целую сотню зайцев выпасти и что ни один не убежал; а все-таки не хотел выдать дочку за Ганса и сказал:
- Ты сначала добудь мне перо из крыла птицы-Грифа!
Не раздумывая долго, пустился Ганс тотчас в путь и смело двинулся вперед.
Вечером подошел он к какому-то замку, попросился на ночлег; и принял его владелец замка весьма радушно и спросил, куда он идет.
Говорит Ганс в ответ:
- Я иду к птице-Грифу.
- О-о, к птице-Грифу? Эта птица все знает, а я вот как раз потерял ключ от сундучка с деньгами и никак найти его не могу. Попроси-ка ты птицу-Грифа сказать, где ключ мне найти.
- Хорошо, - сказал Ганс, - непременно спрошу.
Рано утром вышел Ганс, шел-шел и пришел он к другому замку и в нем тоже остался ночевать. Когда люди узнали, что идет он к Грифу-птице, ему сказали, что у хозяев замка больна дочь; уж все лекарства перепробовали, ничто ей не помогает, - и вот нельзя ли, мол, будет поспросить Грифа-птицу, чем вылечить дочку.
Ганс ответил, что сделает это охотно, и двинулся дальше в путь-дорогу. Подходит к реке, видит, что на ней вместо парома большой-пребольшой человек на себе людей переносит.
Спросил человек Ганса, куда держит он путь.
- Иду к птице-Грифу, - ответил Ганс.
- Ну, так если придешь к птице-Грифу, то поспроси у ней, долго ли мне еще всех людей на себе через реку переносить?
Ганс сказал:
- Ей-богу, уж я непременно спрошу!
И перенес его человек на плечах через реку. Наконец пришел Ганс к дому птицы-Грифа, но была только дома его жена; а Грифа-птицы не было дома. И спросила жена Грифа, что ему надо? Ганс ей все рассказал: что, мол, нужно ему перо с крыла птицы-Грифа; и хотел бы еще он задать ему вопросы людей, которых он повстречал по дороге: что потерян, мол, в замке одном ключ от сундучка с деньгами, и надо спросить у Грифа, где этот ключ найти; а в другом замке больна дочь хозяина, и никто не знает, как ее вылечить; и что есть на реке перевозчик, так почему он должен все переносить людей через реку на себе.
И говорит жена птицы-Грифа:
- Много, дружок, нельзя с птицей-Грифом беседовать крещеному человеку, а не то он тебя съест! Когда он вернется, ты залезь под кровать и лежи там; я его буду спрашивать, а ты ответы его внимательно слушай, а ночью, когда он крепко уснет, ты и вырви тогда у него перо из крыла.
Ганс так и сделал, забрался под кровать и лег там. К вечеру вернулся Гриф-птица домой и, только вошел в комнату, говорит жене:
- Жена, чую-чую крещеного человека.
- Да, - говорит, - был тут такой, да ушел.
И птица-Гриф потом замолчал, ничего не сказал на это.
А ночью, только он крепко уснул и захрапел, вылез Ганс из-под кровати и вырвал у него перо из крыла. Вдруг проснулся птица-Гриф и говорит:
- Жена, я чую крещеного человека и мне кажется, что кто-то меня по крылу царапнул.
Говорит жена:
- Это, видно, тебе приснилось, - я уж тебе сказала: был здесь крещеный, да ушел. Он рассказывал мне про всякую всячину. Будто в каком-то замке ключ утерялся от сундучка с деньгами и никак не могут его найти.
- Вот дураки! - сказал Гриф-птица. - Ведь ключ-то лежит под порогом за дверью в деревянном доме.
- И рассказывал он мне еще, что в одном замке дочка хозяев больна и не могут найти средства, чтоб ее вылечить.
- Вот дураки-то! - сказал Гриф-птица. - Ведь сидит под порогом в погребе жаба, есть у нее там гнездо, она свила его из волос той девушки. Надо волосы эти у жабы отнять, и девушка снова будет здорова.
- Да еще рассказывал он, что где-то человек вместо парома на плечах людей переносит через реку.
- Вот дурак! - сказал Гриф-птица. - Стоит ему только одного с себя сбросить, и не будет он больше никогда переносить никого.
Только стало светать, поднялся Гриф-птица и улетел. Вылез Ганс из-под кровати и взял с собой прекрасное перо и все хорошо запомнил, что говорил Гриф-птица - и о ключе, и о больной девушке в замке, и о перевозчике. А жена Грифа все это ему еще раз повторила, чтобы он чего не забыл. Потом он снова двинулся в путь. Он сначала пришел на реку к перевозчику, и когда тот спросил, что ответил Гриф-птица, Ганс сказал:
- Ты сначала меня переправь, а потом я тебе скажу.
Перенес его на другой берег перевозчик, и сказал ему Ганс, что стоит ему только одного сбросить с себя в воду, и ему никого больше переносить не придется. Сильно обрадовался этому перевозчик и предложил ему в благодарность за это перенести его еще раз. Но Ганс отказался, - пускай, мол, побережет свои силы, что он-де и этим доволен, - и пошел себе дальше.
Пришел он к тому замку, где была дочка больная; он посадил ее к себе на плечи, она ходить сама не могла, отнес ее по лестнице в погреб, вынул гнездо жабы из-под нижней ступеньки, подал его в руки больной, - и она вмиг выздоровела, спрыгнула у него с плеч и побежала по лестнице вверх совершенно здоровая. Была большая радость у отца и матери, они одарили Ганса золотыми и серебряными подарками и готовы были отдать ему все, что он пожелал бы.
Пришел Ганс к другому замку и тотчас направился в деревянный дом, - и вправду нашел он там под порогом ключ и принес его хозяину замка. И этот тоже сильно обрадовался и дал Гансу за это в награду много золота, что хранилось у него в сундуке, и еще немало всякого добра - коров, и овец, и коз.
Когда Ганс вернулся со всеми этими дарами - с деньгами, золотом, серебром, с коровами, овцами и козами, король спросил у него, откуда он все это набрал? И Ганс ему рассказал, что птица-Гриф дает каждому, что тот пожелает. И подумал король, что и он мог бы, пожалуй, получить не меньше, и отправился в путь к птице-Грифу. Но когда он подошел к перевозу, а после Ганса он явился туда первый, то перевозчик тотчас и сбросил его с себя в реку, и король утонул.
А Ганс женился на королевне и сделался королем.
There was once upon a time a King, but where he reigned and what he was called, I do not know. He had no son, but an only daughter who had always been ill, and no doctor had been able to cure her. Then it was foretold to the King that his daughter should eat herself well with an apple. So he ordered it to be proclaimed throughout the whole of his kingdom, that whosoever brought his daughter an apple with which she could eat herself well, should have her to wife, and be King. This became known to a peasant who had three sons, and he said to the eldest, "Go out into the garden and take a basketful of those beautiful apples with the red cheeks and carry them to the court; perhaps the King's daughter will be able to eat herself well with them, and then thou wilt marry her and be King." The lad did so, and set out.
When he had gone a short way he met a little iron man who asked him what he had there in the basket, to which replied Uele, for so was he named, "Frogs' legs." On this the little man said, "Well, so shall it be, and remain," and went away. At length Uele arrived at the palace, and made it known that he had brought apples which would cure the King's daughter if she ate them. This delighted the King hugely, and he caused Uele to be brought before him; but, alas! when he opened the basket, instead of having apples in it he had frogs' legs which were still kicking about. On this the King grew angry, and had him driven out of the house. When he got home he told his father how it had fared with him. Then the father sent the next son, who was called Seame, but all went with him just as it had gone with Uele. He also met the little iron man, who asked what he had there in the basket. Seame said, "Hogs' bristles," and the iron man said, "well, so shall it be, and remain." When Seame got to the King's palace and said he brought apples with which the King's daughter might eat herself well, they did not want to let him go in, and said that one fellow had already been there, and had treated them as if they were fools. Seame, however, maintained that he certainly had the apples, and that they ought to let him go in. At length they believed him, and led him to the King. But when he uncovered the basket, he had but hogs' bristles. This enraged the King most terribly, so he caused Seame to be whipped out of the house. When he got home he related all that had befallen him, then the youngest boy, whose name was Hans, but who was always called Stupid Hans, came and asked his father if he might go with some apples. "Oh!" said the father, "thou wouldst be just the right fellow for such a thing! If the clever ones can't manage it, what canst thou do?" The boy, however, did not believe him, and said, "Indeed, father, I wish to go." - "Just get away, thou stupid fellow, thou must wait till thou art wiser," said the father to that, and turned his back. Hans, however, pulled at the back of his smock- frock and said, "Indeed, father, I wish to go." - "Well, then, so far as I am concerned thou mayst go, but thou wilt soon come home again!" replied the old man in a spiteful voice. The boy, however, was tremendously delighted and jumped for joy. "Well, act like a fool! thou growest more stupid every day!" said the father again. Hans, however, did not care about that, and did not let it spoil his pleasure, but as it was then night, he thought he might as well wait until the morrow, for he could not get to court that day. All night long he could not sleep in his bed, and if he did doze for a moment, he dreamt of beautiful maidens, of palaces, of gold, and of silver, and all kinds of things of that sort. Early in the morning, he went forth on his way, and directly afterwards the little shabby-looking man in his iron clothes, came to him and asked what he was carrying in the basket. Hans gave him the answer that he was carrying apples with which the King's daughter was to eat herself well. "Then," said the little man, "so shall they be, and remain." But at the court they would none of them let Hans go in, for they said two had already been there who had told them that they were bringing apples, and one of them had frogs' legs, and the other hogs' bristles. Hans, however, resolutely maintained that he most certainly had no frogs' legs, but some of the most beautiful apples in the whole kingdom. As he spoke so pleasantly, the door-keeper thought he could not be telling a lie, and asked him to go in, and he was right, for when Hans uncovered his basket in the King's presence, golden-yellow apples came tumbling out. The King was delighted, and caused some of them to be taken to his daughter, and then waited in anxious expectation until news should be brought to him of the effect they had. But before much time had passed by, news was brought to him: but who do you think it was who came? it was his daughter herself! As soon as she had eaten of those apples, she was cured, and sprang out of her bed. The joy the King felt cannot be described! but now he did not want to give his daughter in marriage to Hans, and said he must first make him a boat which would go quicker on dry land than on water. Hans agreed to the conditions, and went home, and related how it had fared with him. Then the father sent Uele into the forest to make a boat of that kind. He worked diligently, and whistled all the time. At mid-day, when the sun was at the highest, came the little iron man and asked what he was making? Uele gave him for answer, "Wooden bowls for the kitchen." The iron man said, "So it shall be, and remain." By evening Uele thought he had now made the boat, but when he wanted to get into it, he had nothing but wooden bowls. The next day Seame went into the forest, but everything went with him just as it had done with Uele. On the third day Stupid Hans went. He worked away most industriously, so that the whole forest resounded with the heavy strokes, and all the while he sang and whistled right merrily. At mid-day, when it was the hottest, the little man came again, and asked what he was making? "A boat which will go quicker on dry land than on the water," replied Hans, " and when I have finished it, I am to have the King's daughter for my wife." - "Well," said the little man, "such an one shall it be, and remain." In the evening, when the sun had turned into gold, Hans finished his boat, and all that was wanted for it. He got into it and rowed to the palace. The boat went as swiftly as the wind. The King saw it from afar, but would not give his daughter to Hans yet, and said he must first take a hundred hares out to pasture from early morning until late evening, and if one of them got away, he should not have his daughter. Hans was contented with this, and the next day went with his flock to the pasture, and took great care that none of them ran away.
When he had gone a short way he met a little iron man who asked him what he had there in the basket, to which replied Uele, for so was he named, "Frogs' legs." On this the little man said, "Well, so shall it be, and remain," and went away. At length Uele arrived at the palace, and made it known that he had brought apples which would cure the King's daughter if she ate them. This delighted the King hugely, and he caused Uele to be brought before him; but, alas! when he opened the basket, instead of having apples in it he had frogs' legs which were still kicking about. On this the King grew angry, and had him driven out of the house. When he got home he told his father how it had fared with him. Then the father sent the next son, who was called Seame, but all went with him just as it had gone with Uele. He also met the little iron man, who asked what he had there in the basket. Seame said, "Hogs' bristles," and the iron man said, "well, so shall it be, and remain." When Seame got to the King's palace and said he brought apples with which the King's daughter might eat herself well, they did not want to let him go in, and said that one fellow had already been there, and had treated them as if they were fools. Seame, however, maintained that he certainly had the apples, and that they ought to let him go in. At length they believed him, and led him to the King. But when he uncovered the basket, he had but hogs' bristles. This enraged the King most terribly, so he caused Seame to be whipped out of the house. When he got home he related all that had befallen him, then the youngest boy, whose name was Hans, but who was always called Stupid Hans, came and asked his father if he might go with some apples. "Oh!" said the father, "thou wouldst be just the right fellow for such a thing! If the clever ones can't manage it, what canst thou do?" The boy, however, did not believe him, and said, "Indeed, father, I wish to go." - "Just get away, thou stupid fellow, thou must wait till thou art wiser," said the father to that, and turned his back. Hans, however, pulled at the back of his smock- frock and said, "Indeed, father, I wish to go." - "Well, then, so far as I am concerned thou mayst go, but thou wilt soon come home again!" replied the old man in a spiteful voice. The boy, however, was tremendously delighted and jumped for joy. "Well, act like a fool! thou growest more stupid every day!" said the father again. Hans, however, did not care about that, and did not let it spoil his pleasure, but as it was then night, he thought he might as well wait until the morrow, for he could not get to court that day. All night long he could not sleep in his bed, and if he did doze for a moment, he dreamt of beautiful maidens, of palaces, of gold, and of silver, and all kinds of things of that sort. Early in the morning, he went forth on his way, and directly afterwards the little shabby-looking man in his iron clothes, came to him and asked what he was carrying in the basket. Hans gave him the answer that he was carrying apples with which the King's daughter was to eat herself well. "Then," said the little man, "so shall they be, and remain." But at the court they would none of them let Hans go in, for they said two had already been there who had told them that they were bringing apples, and one of them had frogs' legs, and the other hogs' bristles. Hans, however, resolutely maintained that he most certainly had no frogs' legs, but some of the most beautiful apples in the whole kingdom. As he spoke so pleasantly, the door-keeper thought he could not be telling a lie, and asked him to go in, and he was right, for when Hans uncovered his basket in the King's presence, golden-yellow apples came tumbling out. The King was delighted, and caused some of them to be taken to his daughter, and then waited in anxious expectation until news should be brought to him of the effect they had. But before much time had passed by, news was brought to him: but who do you think it was who came? it was his daughter herself! As soon as she had eaten of those apples, she was cured, and sprang out of her bed. The joy the King felt cannot be described! but now he did not want to give his daughter in marriage to Hans, and said he must first make him a boat which would go quicker on dry land than on water. Hans agreed to the conditions, and went home, and related how it had fared with him. Then the father sent Uele into the forest to make a boat of that kind. He worked diligently, and whistled all the time. At mid-day, when the sun was at the highest, came the little iron man and asked what he was making? Uele gave him for answer, "Wooden bowls for the kitchen." The iron man said, "So it shall be, and remain." By evening Uele thought he had now made the boat, but when he wanted to get into it, he had nothing but wooden bowls. The next day Seame went into the forest, but everything went with him just as it had done with Uele. On the third day Stupid Hans went. He worked away most industriously, so that the whole forest resounded with the heavy strokes, and all the while he sang and whistled right merrily. At mid-day, when it was the hottest, the little man came again, and asked what he was making? "A boat which will go quicker on dry land than on the water," replied Hans, " and when I have finished it, I am to have the King's daughter for my wife." - "Well," said the little man, "such an one shall it be, and remain." In the evening, when the sun had turned into gold, Hans finished his boat, and all that was wanted for it. He got into it and rowed to the palace. The boat went as swiftly as the wind. The King saw it from afar, but would not give his daughter to Hans yet, and said he must first take a hundred hares out to pasture from early morning until late evening, and if one of them got away, he should not have his daughter. Hans was contented with this, and the next day went with his flock to the pasture, and took great care that none of them ran away.
Before many hours had passed came a servant from the palace, and told Hans that he must give her a hare instantly, for some visitors had come unexpectedly. Hans, however, was very well aware what that meant, and said he would not give her one; the King might set some hare soup before his guest next day. The maid, however, would not believe in his refusal, and at last she began to get angry with him. Then Hans said that if the King's daughter came herself, he would give her a hare. The maid told this in the palace, and the daughter did go herself. In the meantime, however, the little man came again to Hans, and asked him what he was doing there? He said he had to watch over a hundred hares and see that none of them ran away, and then he might marry the King's daughter and be King. "Good," said the little man, "there is a whistle for thee, and if one of them runs away, just whistle with it, and then it will come back again." When the King's daughter came, Hans gave her a hare into her apron; but when she had gone about a hundred steps with it, he whistled, and the hare jumped out of the apron, and before she could turn round was back to the flock again. When the evening came the hare-herd whistled once more, and looked to see if all were there, and then drove them to the palace. The King wondered how Hans had been able to take a hundred hares to graze without losing any of them; he would, however, not give him his daughter yet, and said he must now bring him a feather from the Griffin's tail. Hans set out at once, and walked straight forwards. In the evening he came to a castle, and there he asked for a night's lodging, for at that time there were no inns. The lord of the castle promised him that with much pleasure, and asked where he was going? Hans answered, "To the Griffin." - "Oh! to the Griffin! They tell me he knows everything, and I have lost the key of an iron money-chest; so you might be so good as to ask him where it is." - "Yes, indeed," said Hans, "I will do that." Early the next morning he went onwards, and on his way arrived at another castle in which he again stayed the night. When the people who lived there learnt that he was going to the Griffin, they said they had in the house a daughter who was ill, and that they had already tried every means to cure her, but none of them had done her any good, and he might be so kind as to ask the Griffin what would make their daughter healthy again? Hans said he would willingly do that, and went onwards. Then he came to a lake, and instead of a ferry-boat, a tall, tall man was there who had to carry everybody across. The man asked Hans whither he was journeying? "To the Griffin," said Hans. "Then when you get to him," said the man, "just ask him why I am forced to carry everybody over the lake." - "Yes, indeed, most certainly I'll do that," said Hans. Then the man took him up on his shoulders, and carried him across. At length Hans arrived at the Griffin's house, but the wife only was at home, and not the Griffin himself. Then the woman asked him what he wanted? Thereupon he told her everything;--that he had to get a feather out of the Griffin's tail, and that there was a castle where they had lost the key of their money-chest, and he was to ask the Griffin where it was?--that in another castle the daughter was ill, and he was to learn what would cure her?--and then not far from thence there was a lake and a man beside it, who was forced to carry people across it, and he was very anxious to learn why the man was obliged to do it. Then said the woman, "But look here, my good friend, no Christian can speak to the Griffin; he devours them all; but if you like, you can lie down under his bed, and in the night, when he is quite fast asleep, you can reach out and pull a feather out of his tail, and as for those things which you are to learn, I will ask about them myself." Hans was quite satisfied with this, and got under the bed. In the evening, the Griffin came home, and as soon as he entered the room, said, "Wife, I smell a Christian." - "Yes," said the woman, "one was here to-day, but he went away again;" and on that the Griffin said no more.
In the middle of the night when the Griffin was snoring loudly, Hans reached out and plucked a feather from his tail. The Griffin woke up instantly, and said, "Wife, I smell a Christian, and it seems to me that somebody was pulling at my tail." His wife said, "Thou hast certainly been dreaming, and I told thee before that a Christian was here to-day, but that he went away again. He told me all kinds of things that in one castle they had lost the key of their money-chest, and could find it nowhere." - "Oh! the fools!" said the Griffin; "the key lies in the wood- house under a log of wood behind the door." - "And then he said that in another castle the daughter was ill, and they knew no remedy that would cure her." - "Oh! the fools!" said the Griffin; "under the cellar-steps a toad has made its nest of her hair, and if she got her hair back she would be well." - "And then he also said that there was a place where there was a lake and a man beside it who was forced to carry everybody across." - "Oh, the fool!" said the Griffin; "if he only put one man down in the middle, he would never have to carry another across." Early the next morning the Griffin got up and went out. Then Hans came forth from under the bed, and he had a beautiful feather, and had heard what the Griffin had said about the key, and the daughter, and the ferry-man. The Griffin's wife repeated it all once more to him that he might not forget it, and then he went home again. First he came to the man by the lake, who asked him what the Griffin had said, but Hans replied that he must first carry him across, and then he would tell him. So the man carried him across, and when he was over Hans told him that all he had to do was to set one person down in the middle of the lake, and then he would never have to carry over any more. The man was hugely delighted, and told Hans that out of gratitude he would take him once more across, and back again. But Hans said no, he would save him the trouble, he was quite satisfied already, and pursued his way. Then he came to the castle where the daughter was ill; he took her on his shoulders, for she could not walk, and carried her down the cellar-steps and pulled out the toad's nest from beneath the lowest step and gave it into her hand, and she sprang off his shoulder and up the steps before him, and was quite cured. Then were the father and mother beyond measure rejoiced, and they gave Hans gifts of gold and of silver, and whatsoever else he wished for, that they gave him. And when he got to the other castle he went at once into the wood- house, and found the key under the log of wood behind the door, and took it to the lord of the castle. He also was not a little pleased, and gave Hans as a reward much of the gold that was in the chest, and all kinds of things besides, such as cows, and sheep, and goats. When Hans arrived before the King, with all these things--with the money, and the gold, and the silver and the cows, sheep and goats, the King asked him how he had come by them. Then Hans told him that the Griffin gave every one whatsoever he wanted. So the King thought he himself could make such things useful, and set out on his way to the Griffin; but when he got to the lake, it happened that he was the very first who arrived there after Hans, and the man put him down in the middle of it and went away, and the King was drowned. Hans, however, married the daughter, and became King.