昔、裕福だったときには子供がいなくて貧しい時に男の子ができた亭主とおかみさんがいました。二人は子供の名付け親を見つけられなかったので、父親が、名付け親が見つかるか他の村へ行ってみよう、と言いました。途中で貧しい男に会い、その男がどこへいくのかね？と言いました。父親は、名付け親を見つけにいくところさ、なにしろ貧乏なものだから誰も名付け親になってくれなくてね、と言いました。「そうか」と貧しい男は言いました。「あんたが貧乏で、おれも貧乏だ。おれが名付け親になろう。暮らし向きが悪いから、子供に何もやれないがね。家へ帰って産婆さんに子供と一緒に教会へくるように言っとくれ。」みんなが教会に着くと、その乞食はもうそこにいて、子供に「実意ありフェレナンド」と名前をつけました。
教会からでるときに乞食は「さあ、家へお帰り、お前に何もあげられないよ。だからお前も何もくれなくていいよ。」と言いました。しかし、乞食は産婆さんに鍵を渡し、家へ着いたらこの鍵を父親にやってくれ、子供が14歳になるまで大事にしまっておくようにと言ってな、そのときに子供が荒れ野に行くとその鍵が合う城がある、その城の中のものは子供の物だ、と言いました。
さて、子供がとても大きく7歳になったあるとき、他の子供たちと遊びに行きました。子供たちがめいめい、名付け親から自分の方が多くもらったと自慢をしていましたが、その子供は何も言うことができなくて困りました。それで家に帰ると父親に、「ねえ、僕は名付け親から何ももらわなかったのかい？」と言いました。「いや、もらったよ。」と父親は言いました。「鍵が一本あるよ。荒れ野に城が立ってれば、そこへ行って開けてみな。」そこで子供はそこへ行きましたが、城は見えなかったし誰も聞いたことがありませんでした。
それからまた7年経ち、14歳になったとき、子供はまたそこへ行きました。今度は城がありました。城の戸をあけると、中には一頭の馬、一頭の白馬しかいませんでした。そうして子供は馬が手に入ったので大喜びして、その馬に乗り、父親のところに走って戻りました。「僕には白馬があるんだから、旅に出るよ。」と子供は言いました。
そうして子供はでかけました。進んでいくとペンが道に落ちていました。はじめは拾おうと思いましたが、それからまた「まあいいや、そこにおいておこう。行く先で必要ならペンなんかいつだってみつかるさ」と思いなおしました。こうして通りすぎようとしたら、後ろから「実意ありフェレナンド、そのペンを持って行くんだよ。」と呼びかける声がしました。振り返りましたが、誰も見えませんでした。それでも声に従って戻りペンを拾いました。
さらに少し進むと、湖のそばを通りました。一匹の魚が岸にいて、息ができなくて喘いでいました。そこで実意ありフェレナンドは「待ってな、魚さん、水に入れて助けてやろう。」と言って魚の尻尾をつかみ湖に投げ入れました。すると魚は水から頭を出して「泥から助け出してくれたお礼に笛をあげます。困ったとき笛を吹いてください。そうすれば助けてあげます。それから何か水に落としたら、笛を吹いてください。そうすればとってきて水から出してあげます。」
それからまた馬を進めていくと男に出会いました。その男はどこに行くんだい？と尋ねました。「ああ、次の場所だよ」「名前は？」「実意ありフェレナンドだ」「へぇ、じゃあ、おれたちは同じような名前なんだ。おれは実意なしフェレナンドというんだ。」それで二人とも近くの町の宿屋へでかけました。
さて、具合の悪いことに、実意なしフェレナンドは、もう一人のフェレナンドが考えたりやろうとした何でも分かってしまうのでした。実意なしフェレナンドはいろいろな悪いわざを使ってそれを知るのでした。宿に誠実な娘がいて、明るい顔をし、とても愛らしく振る舞いました。この娘が、実意ありフェレナンドがハンサムな男だったので好きになり、どこへ行くんですか？と尋ねました。「ああ、ただあちこち旅して回ってるだけです。」と実意ありフェレナンドは言いました。すると、娘は、ここにいなさいよ、この国の王様が召使か乗馬従者を雇おうとしてるのよ、そこへお務めしたらいいわ、と言いました。実意ありフェレナンドは、そのような人のところへ行って申し込むのはあまりうまくやれないんだ、と答えました。すると娘は、「あら、だけど私がすぐそれをやってあげるわ。」と言いました。そこで娘はすぐに王様のところへ行き、とてもすぐれた召使のことを知っています、と言いました。王様はそれを聞いて喜び、その男を呼び出して召使にしようとしました。ところが実意ありフェレナンドは乗馬従者の方をやりたかったのです。というのは、自分の馬がいるところに自分もいたかったからです。それで王様はこの男を乗馬従者にしました。
実意なしフェレナンドはそれを知ると、娘に、「何だって？あいつは助けてやっておれにはやってくれないのか？」と言いました。「まあ」と娘は言いました。「あなたも助けてあげるわよ。」娘は、（この男と仲良くしておかなくちゃ、だって信用できないんだもの）と思ったのです。それで、王様のところへ行き、この男を召使に勧めました。王様は承知しました。
さて、王様は朝に貴族たちに会うといつも嘆いて、「ああ、愛する人と一緒ならばなあ」と言っていました。ところで実意なしフェレナンドはいつも実意ありフェレナンドに敵意を持っていました。そこであるとき、王様がこんなふうにこぼしたとき、「王様には乗馬従者がいますよ。その男をやってその方を連れてこさせたらいかがですか。それで仕損じたら首をはねるのです。」と言いました。
そこで王様は実意ありフェレナンドを呼びにやり、これこれのところに愛する娘がいる、その娘を連れて参れ、仕損じれば命は無いぞ、と言いました。実意ありフェレナンドは馬小屋の白馬のところに行き、嘆いて言いました。「ああ、おれはなんと不幸せなんだ」すると後ろの誰かが、「実意ありフェレナンド、どうして泣いてるの？」と叫びました。男は見回しましたが、誰も見えませんでした。それでまた嘆き続けました。「ああ、かわいい白馬よ、もうお前と別れなくちゃならない、もう死ななくてはいけないんだ」すると誰かがまた叫びました。「実意ありフェレナンド、どうして泣いてるの？」すると初めてそう尋ねているのは自分の白馬だと気づきました。「お前が話してるのか？白馬よ、お前は口がきけるのか？」そしてもう一度、「これこれの場所に行って花嫁を連れて来なくてはいけないのだよ。どうしたらいいかわかるかい？」と言いました。すると白馬は言いました、「王様のところに行って、必要なものを用意してくださるなら花嫁をお連れしましょうと言いなさい。王様が肉でいっぱいの船一そうとパンでいっぱいの船一そうを用意してくれれば、うまくいきますよ。湖に住んでいる巨人たちにやる肉を持っていかなければ、巨人たちはあなたを引き裂いてしまいます。それから、パンを持っていってやらなかったら、大きな鳥があなたの目をつついてとってしまいます。」そこで王様は国じゅうの肉屋に家畜を殺させ、パン屋にはみなパンを焼かせて、船をいっぱいにしました。
船がいっぱいになると、白馬は実意ありフェレナンドに言いました。「さあ、私に乗って、一緒に船にのるのです。それから巨人たちがきたら、『静かに、静かに、巨人さんたち、あなた方のことを考えてきましたよ、おみやげを持ってきました』と言うんです。それから鳥たちがきたら、同じように『静かに、静かに、鳥さんたち、あなた方のことを考えてきましたよ、おみやげを持ってきました』と言うんです。そうすればあなたに何もしませんから。そしてお城に着いたら、巨人たちが手伝ってくれます。だからお城に行くときは巨人たちを二、三人連れていきなさい。お城では王女は眠っています。だけど起こしてはいけなくて、巨人たちに持ち上げさせてベッドのまま王女を船に運ばせなさい。」
そして何もかも白馬が言った通りになりました。実意ありフェレナンドは巨人たちと鳥たちに持ってきた物をやり、それで巨人たちは喜んで、ベッドに寝たままの王女を王様のところへ運びました。さて王女は王様のところへ来ると、私は生きていけない、書いたものがなくてはいけないのです、それはお城に置きっ放しにされました、と言いました。
すると、実意なしフェレナンドがそそのかして、実意ありフェレナンドが呼ばれました。王様は、お城から書き物をとって参れ、さもないと命は無いぞ、と言いました。それで実意ありフェレナンドはまた馬小屋に行き、嘆いて言いました。「ああ、かわいい白馬よ、私はまた行かなくてはならないのだ。どうすればいいのだろう？」すると白馬は、また船にいっぱい積めばいいだけだ、と言いました。それでまた前と同じようになり、巨人たちと鳥たちは満足して、食べ物でおとなしくなりました。お城に着くと、白馬は実意ありフェレナンドに、あなたが入っていかなくてはならない、王女の寝室のテーブルに書き物はあります、と言いました。そこで実意ありフェレナンドは入っていき、書き物をとってきました。湖の上にいたとき、実意ありフェレナンドはペンを水に落としてしまいました。すると、白馬は、「今度は私は全然助けられません。」と言いました。しかし、笛のことを思い出し、吹き始めると、魚がペンを口にくわえてやってきて、フェレナンドに渡しました。そうして書き物を城に持って行きました。それから城で結婚式が行われました。
ところが、お后は、王様に鼻がなかったので、好きではなく、むしろ実意ありフェレナンドの方が好きでした。それで、宮廷の貴族たちがみんな集まったとき、お后は、私は奇術のわざができます、人の首を切り落としてまたくっつけられます、どなたか試してごらんなさい、と言いました。しかし、誰も最初にやりたい人はいませんでした。それで実意なしフェレナンドがまた王様をそそのかして、実意ありフェレナンドがそれをひきうけました。お后は首を切り落とし、またくっつけると、首はすぐにつながって、ただ喉の周りに赤い糸があるかのように見えるだけでした。すると王様はお后に、「お前、どこでそれを習ったのかね？」と言いました。「あら」とお后は言いました。「自分でこの技を心得ているのよ。あなたにもやってみましょうか？」「ああ、頼むよ」と王様は言いました。そこでお后は王様の頭を切り落としましたが、またくっつけないで、うまくのせられなくて、頭がすわらないふりをしました。それで王様は葬られましたが、お后は実意ありフェレナンドと結婚しました。
ところで、実意ありフェレナンドはいつも自分の白馬に乗りました。あるとき白馬にまたがっていると、白馬が、あなたの知っている荒れ野に行ってください、そしてその周りを三回走ってください、と言いました。そして、フェレナンドがその通りにやると、白馬は後ろ足で立ち上がり、王様の息子の姿に変わりました。
Once on a time lived a man and a woman who so long as they were rich had no children, but when they were poor they had a little boy. They could, however, find no godfather for him, so the man said he would just go to another place to see if he could get one there. As he went, a poor man met him, who asked him where he was going. He said he was going to see if he could get a godfather, that he was poor, so no one would stand as godfather for him. "Oh," said the poor man, "you are poor, and I am poor; I will be godfather for you, but I am so ill off I can give the child nothing. Go home and tell the nurse that she is to come to the church with the child."
When they all got to the church together, the beggar was already there, and he gave the child the name of Ferdinand the Faithful.
When they all got to the church together, the beggar was already there, and he gave the child the name of Ferdinand the Faithful.
When he was going out of the church, the beggar said, "Now go home, I can give you nothing, and you likewise ought to give me nothing." But he gave a key to the nurse, and told her when she got home she was to give it to the father, who was to take care of it until the child was fourteen years old, and then he was to go on the heath where there was a castle which the key would fit, and that all which was therein should belong to him. Now when the child was seven years old and had grown very big, he once went to play with some other boys, and each of them boasted that he had got more from his godfather than the other; but the child could say nothing, and was vexed, and went home and said to his father, "Did I get nothing at all, then, from my godfather?" - "Oh, yes," said the father, "thou hadst a key if there is a castle standing on the heath, just go to it and open it." Then the boy went thither, but no castle was to be seen, or heard of.
After seven years more, when he was fourteen years old, he again went thither, and there stood the castle. When he had opened it, there was nothing within but a horse, a white one. Then the boy was so full of joy because he had a horse, that he mounted on it and galloped back to his father. "Now I have a white horse, and I will travel," said he. So he set out, and as he was on his way, a pen was lying on the road. At first he thought he would pick it up, but then again he thought to himself, "Thou shouldst leave it lying there; thou wilt easily find a pen where thou art going, if thou hast need of one." As he was thus riding away, a voice called after him, "Ferdinand the Faithful, take it with thee." He looked around, but saw no one, then he went back again and picked it up. When he had ridden a little way farther, he passed by a lake, and a fish was lying on the bank, gasping and panting for breath, so he said, "Wait, my dear fish, I will help thee get into the water," and he took hold of it by the tail, and threw it into the lake. Then the fish put its head out of the water and said, "As thou hast helped me out of the mud I will give thee a flute; when thou art in any need, play on it, and then I will help thee, and if ever thou lettest anything fall in the water, just play and I will reach it out to thee." Then he rode away, and there came to him a man who asked him where he was going. "Oh, to the next place." Then what his name was? "Ferdinand the Faithful." - "So! then we have got almost the same name, I am called Ferdinand the Unfaithful." And they both set out to the inn in the nearest place.
Now it was unfortunate that Ferdinand the Unfaithful knew everything that the other had ever thought and everything he was about to do; he knew it by means of all kinds of wicked arts. There was, however, in the inn an honest girl, who had a bright face and behaved very prettily. She fell in love with Ferdinand the Faithful because he was a handsome man, and she asked him whither he was going. "Oh, I am just travelling round about," said he. Then she said he ought to stay there, for the King of that country wanted an attendant or an outrider, and he ought to enter his service. He answered he could not very well go to any one like that and offer himself. Then said the maiden, "Oh, but I will soon do that for you." And so she went straight to the King, and told him that she knew of an excellent servant for him. He was well pleased with that, and had Ferdinand the Faithful brought to him, and wanted to make him his servant. He, however, liked better to be an outrider, for where his horse was, there he also wanted to be, so the King made him an outrider. When Ferdinand the Unfaithful learnt that, he said to the girl, "What! Dost thou help him and not me?" - "Oh," said the girl, "I will help thee too." She thought, "I must keep friends with that man, for he is not to be trusted." She went to the King, and offered him as a servant, and the King was willing.
Now when the King met his lords in the morning, he always lamented and said, "Oh, if I had but my love with me." Ferdinand the Unfaithful was, however, always hostile to Ferdinand the Faithful. So once, when the King was complaining thus, he said, "You have the outrider, send him away to get her, and if he does not do it, his head must be struck off." Then the King sent for Ferdinand the Faithful, and told him that there was, in this place or in that place, a girl he loved, and that he was to bring her to him, and if he did not do it he should die.
Ferdinand the Faithful went into the stable to his white horse, and complained and lamented, "Oh, what an unhappy man I am!" Then someone behind him cried, "Ferdinand the Faithful, why weepest thou?" He looked round but saw no one, and went on lamenting; "Oh, my dear little white horse, now must I leave thee; now must I die." Then some one cried once more, "Ferdinand the Faithful, why weepest thou?" Then for the first time he was aware that it was his little white horse who was putting that question. "Dost thou speak, my little white horse; canst thou do that?" And again, he said, "I am to go to this place and to that, and am to bring the bride; canst thou tell me how I am to set about it?" Then answered the little white horse, "Go thou to the King, and say if he will give thou what thou must have, thou wilt get her for him. If he will give thee a ship full of meat, and a ship full of bread, it will succeed. Great giants dwell on the lake, and if thou takest no meat with thee for them, they will tear thee to pieces, and there are the large birds which would pick the eyes out of thy head if thou hadst no bread for them." Then the King made all the butchers in the land kill, and all the bakers bake, that the ships might be filled. When they were full, the little white horse said to Ferdinand the Faithful, "Now mount me, and go with me into the ship, and then when the giants come, say,
"Peace, peace, my dear little giants,
I have had thought of ye,
Something I have brought for ye;"
and when the birds come, thou shalt again say,
I have had thought of ye,
Something I have brought for ye;"
and when the birds come, thou shalt again say,
"Peace, peace, my dear little birds,
I have had thought of ye,
Something I have brought for ye;"
then they will do nothing to thee, and when thou comest to the castle, the giants will help thee. Then go up to the castle, and take a couple of giants with thee. There the princess lies sleeping; thou must, however, not awaken her, but the giants must lift her up, and carry her in her bed to the ship." And now everything took place as the little white horse had said, and Ferdinand the Faithful gave the giants and the birds what he had brought with him for them, and that made the giants willing, and they carried the princess in her bed to the King. And when she came to the King, she said she could not live, she must have her writings, they had been left in her castle. Then by the instigation of Ferdinand the Unfaithful, Ferdinand the Faithful was called, and the King told him he must fetch the writings from the castle, or he should die. Then he went once more into the stable, and bemoaned himself and said, "Oh, my dear little white horse, now I am to go away again, how am I to do it?" Then the little white horse said he was just to load the ships full again. So it happened again as it had happened before, and the giants and the birds were satisfied, and made gentle by the meat. When they came to the castle, the white horse told Ferdinand the Faithful that he must go in, and that on the table in the princess's bed-room lay the writings. And Ferdinand the Faithful went in, and fetched them. When they were on the lake, he let his pen fall into the water; then said the white horse, "Now I cannot help thee at all." But he remembered his flute, and began to play on it, and the fish came with the pen in its mouth, and gave it to him. So he took the writings to the castle, where the wedding was celebrated.
The Queen, however, did not love the King because he had no nose, but she would have much liked to love Ferdinand the Faithful. Once, therefore, when all the lords of the court were together, the Queen said she could do feats of magic, that she could cut off any one's head and put it on again, and that one of them ought just to try it. But none of them would be the first, so Ferdinand the Faithful, again at the instigation of Ferdinand the Unfaithful, undertook it and she hewed off his head, and put it on again for him, and it healed together directly, so that it looked as if he had a red thread round his throat. Then the King said to her, "My child, and where hast thou learnt that?" - "Yes," she said, "I understand the art; shall I just try it on thee also?" - "Oh, yes," said he. But she cut off his head, and did not put it on again; but pretended that she could not get it on, and that it would not keep fixed. Then the King was buried, but she married Ferdinand the Faithful.
I have had thought of ye,
Something I have brought for ye;"
then they will do nothing to thee, and when thou comest to the castle, the giants will help thee. Then go up to the castle, and take a couple of giants with thee. There the princess lies sleeping; thou must, however, not awaken her, but the giants must lift her up, and carry her in her bed to the ship." And now everything took place as the little white horse had said, and Ferdinand the Faithful gave the giants and the birds what he had brought with him for them, and that made the giants willing, and they carried the princess in her bed to the King. And when she came to the King, she said she could not live, she must have her writings, they had been left in her castle. Then by the instigation of Ferdinand the Unfaithful, Ferdinand the Faithful was called, and the King told him he must fetch the writings from the castle, or he should die. Then he went once more into the stable, and bemoaned himself and said, "Oh, my dear little white horse, now I am to go away again, how am I to do it?" Then the little white horse said he was just to load the ships full again. So it happened again as it had happened before, and the giants and the birds were satisfied, and made gentle by the meat. When they came to the castle, the white horse told Ferdinand the Faithful that he must go in, and that on the table in the princess's bed-room lay the writings. And Ferdinand the Faithful went in, and fetched them. When they were on the lake, he let his pen fall into the water; then said the white horse, "Now I cannot help thee at all." But he remembered his flute, and began to play on it, and the fish came with the pen in its mouth, and gave it to him. So he took the writings to the castle, where the wedding was celebrated.
The Queen, however, did not love the King because he had no nose, but she would have much liked to love Ferdinand the Faithful. Once, therefore, when all the lords of the court were together, the Queen said she could do feats of magic, that she could cut off any one's head and put it on again, and that one of them ought just to try it. But none of them would be the first, so Ferdinand the Faithful, again at the instigation of Ferdinand the Unfaithful, undertook it and she hewed off his head, and put it on again for him, and it healed together directly, so that it looked as if he had a red thread round his throat. Then the King said to her, "My child, and where hast thou learnt that?" - "Yes," she said, "I understand the art; shall I just try it on thee also?" - "Oh, yes," said he. But she cut off his head, and did not put it on again; but pretended that she could not get it on, and that it would not keep fixed. Then the King was buried, but she married Ferdinand the Faithful.
He, however, always rode on his white horse, and once when he was seated on it, it told him that he was to go on to the heath which he knew, and gallop three times round it. And when he had done that, the white horse stood up on its hind legs, and was changed into a King's son.