Fairy Tales of the Slav Peasants and Herdsmen
The king received them kindly, and after hearing their request said:
"Reflect well before engaging yourselves in this, for if the princess
should escape you will have to die."
"We very much doubt her escaping from us," they replied, "but come
what will, we intend to make the attempt and to begin at once."
"My duty was to warn you," replied the monarch, smiling, "but if you
still persist in your resolution I myself will take you to the lady's
apartments."
Matthias was dazzled at the loveliness of the royal maiden, while she,
on her side, received the brilliant and handsome young man most
graciously, not trying to hide how much she liked his good looks and
gentle manner. Hardly had the king retired when Broad lay down across
the threshold; Tall and the Man with Eyes of Flame placed themselves
near the window; while Matthias talked with the princess, and watched
her every movement attentively.
Suddenly she ceased to speak, then after a few moments said, "I feel
as if a shower of poppies were falling on my eyelids."
And she lay down on the couch, pretending to sleep.
Matthias did not breathe a word. Seeing her asleep he sat down at a
table near the sofa, leaned his elbows upon it, and rested his chin in
the hollow of his hands. Gradually he felt drowsy and his eyes closed,
as did those of his companions.
Now this was the moment the princess was waiting for. Quickly changing
herself into a dove, she flew towards the window. If it had not
happened that one of her wings touched Tall's hair he would not have
awakened, and he would certainly never have succeeded in catching her
if it had not been for the Man with Eyes of Flame, for he, as soon as
he knew which direction she had taken, sent such a glance after her,
that is, a flame of fire, that in the twinkling of an eye her wings
were burnt, and having been thus stopped, she was obliged to perch on
the top of a tree. From thence Tall reached her easily, and placed her
in Matthias' hands, where she became a princess again. Matthias had
hardly awakened out of his sleep.
Next morning and the morning after the king was greatly astonished to
find his daughter sitting by the prince's side, but he was obliged to
keep silent and accept facts as they were, at the same time
entertaining his guests royally. At the approach of the third night he
spoke with his daughter, and begged her to practise all the magic of
which she was capable, and to act in such a way as to free him from
the presence of intruders of whom he knew neither the rank nor the
fortune.
As for Matthias, he used every means in his power to bring about a
happy ending to such a hitherto successful undertaking. Before
entering the princess's apartments he took his comrades aside and
said, "There is but one more stroke of luck, dear friends, and then we
have succeeded. If we fail, do not forget that our four heads will
roll on the scaffold."
"Come along," replied the three; "never fear, we shall be able to keep
good watch."
When they came into the princess's room they hastened to take up their
positions, and Matthias sat down facing the lady. He would have much
preferred to remain with her without being obliged to keep watch all
the time for fear of losing her for ever. Resolving not to sleep this
time, he said to himself, "Now I will keep watch upon you, but when
you are my wife I will rest."
At midnight, when sleep was beginning to overpower her watchers, the
princess kept silence, and, stretching herself on the couch, shut her
beautiful eyes as if she were really asleep.
Matthias, his elbows on the table, his chin in the palms of his hand,
his eyes fixed upon her, admired her silently. But as sleep closes
even the eyes of the eagle, so it shut those of the prince and his
companions.
The princess, who all this time had been watching them narrowly and
only waiting for this moment, got up from her seat, and changing
herself into a little fly, flew out of the window. Once free, she
again changed herself into a fish, and falling into the palace well,
plunged and hid herself in the depths of the water.
She would certainly have made her escape if, as a fly, she had not
just touched the tip of the nose of the Man with Eyes of Flame. He
sneezed, and opened his eyes in time to notice the direction in which
she had disappeared. Without losing an instant he gave the alarm, and
all four ran into the courtyard. The well was very deep, but that did
not matter. Tall soon stretched himself to the required depth, and
searched in all the corners: but he was unable to find the little
fish, and it seemed impossible that it could ever have been there.
"Now then, get out of that, I will take your place," said Broad.
And getting in at the top by the rim, he filled up all the inside of
the well, stopping it so completely with his huge body that the water
sprang out: but nothing was seen of the little fish.
"Now it is my turn," said the Man with Eyes of Flame, "I warrant I'll
dislodge this clever magician."
When Broad had cleared the well of his enormous person the water
returned to its place, but it soon began to boil from the heat of the
eyes of flame. It boiled and boiled, till it boiled over the rim;
then, as it went on boiling and rising ever higher and higher, a
little fish was seen to throw itself out on the grass half cooked. As
it touched the ground it again took the form of the princess.
Matthias went to her and kissed her tenderly.
"You have conquered, my master and husband," she said, "you have
succeeded in preventing my escape. Henceforth I am yours, both by
right of conquest and of my own free will."
The young man's courtesy, strength, and gentleness, as well as his
beauty, were very pleasing to the princess; but her father, the king,
was not so ready to approve of her choice, and he resolved not to let
her go with them. But this did not trouble Matthias, who determined to
carry her off, aided by his three comrades. They soon all left the
palace.
The king was furious, and ordered his guards to follow them and bring
them back under pain of death. Meanwhile Matthias, the princess, and
the three comrades had already travelled a distance of some miles.
When she heard the steps of the pursuers she begged the Man with Eyes
of Flame to see who they were. Having turned to look, he told her that
a large army of men on horseback were advancing at a gallop.
"They are my father's guards," said she, "we shall have some
difficulty in escaping them."
Then, seeing the horsemen draw nearer she took the veil from her face,
and throwing it behind her in the direction of the wind, said, "I
command as many trees to spring up as there are threads in this veil."
Instantly, in the twinkling of an eye, a high thick forest rose up
between them. Before the soldiers had time to clear for themselves a
pathway through this dense mass, Matthias and his party had been able
to get far ahead, and even to take a little rest.
"Look," said the princess, "and see if they are still coming after
us."
The Man with Eyes of Flame looked back, and replied that the king's
guards were out of the forest and coming towards them with all speed.
"They will not be able to reach us," cried she. And she let fall a
tear from her eyes, saying as she did so, "Tear, become a river."
At the same moment a wide river flowed between them and their
pursuers, and before the latter had found means of crossing it,
Matthias and his party were far on in front.
"Man with Eyes of Flame," said the princess, "look behind and tell me
how closely we are followed."
"They are quite near to us again," he replied, "they are almost upon
our heels."
"Darkness, cover them," said she.
At these words Tall drew himself up. He stretched and stretched and
stretched until he reached the clouds, and there, with his hat he half
covered the face of the sun. The side towards the soldiers was black
as night, while Matthias and his party, lit up by the shining half,
went a good way without hindrance.
When they had travelled some distance, Tall uncovered the sun, and
soon joined his companions by taking a mile at each step. They were
already in sight of Matthias' home, when they noticed that the royal
guards were again following them closely.
"Now it is my turn," said Broad; "go on your way in safety, I will
remain here. I shall be ready for them."
He quietly awaited their arrival, standing motionless, with his large
mouth open from ear to ear. The royal army, who were determined not to
turn back without having taken the princess, advanced towards the town
at a gallop. They had decided among themselves that if it resisted
they would lay siege to it.
Mistaking Broad's open mouth for one of the city gates, they all
dashed through and disappeared.
Broad closed his mouth, and having swallowed them, ran to rejoin his
comrades in the palace of Matthias' father. He felt somewhat disturbed
with a whole army inside him, and the earth groaned and trembled
beneath him as he ran. He could hear the shouts of the people
assembled round Matthias, as they rejoiced at his safe return.
"Ah, here you are at last, brother Broad," cried Matthias, directly he
caught sight of him. "But what have you done with the army? Where have
you left it?"
"The army is here, quite safe," answered he, patting his enormous
person. "I shall be very pleased to return them as they are, for the
morsel is not very easy to digest."
"Come then, let them out of their prison," said Matthias, enjoying the
joke, and at the same time calling all the inhabitants to assist at
the entertainment.
Broad, who looked upon it as a common occurrence, stood in the middle
of the palace square, and putting his hands to his sides, began to
cough. Then--it was really a sight worth seeing--at each cough
horsemen and horses fell out of his mouth, one over the other,
plunging, hopping, jumping, trying who could get out of the way the
quickest. The last one had a little difficulty in getting free, for he
somehow got into one of Broad's nostrils and was unable to move. It
was only by giving a good sneeze that Broad could release him, the
last of the royal cavaliers, and he lost no time in following his
companions at the top of his speed.
A few days later a splendid feast was given at the wedding of Prince
Matthias and the princess. The king, her father, was also present.
Tall had been sent to invite him. Owing to his knowledge of the road
and the length of his limbs, he accomplished the journey so quickly
that he was there before the royal horsemen had time to get back. It
was well for them that it was so, for, had he not pleaded that their
lives might be saved, their heads would certainly have been cut off
for returning empty-handed.
Everything was now arranged to everybody's satisfaction. The
princess's father was delighted to know that his daughter was married
to a rich and noble prince, and Matthias generously rewarded his brave
travelling companions, who remained with him to the end of their days.
THE HISTORY OF PRINCE SLUGOBYL OR THE INVISIBLE KNIGHT
THE HISTORY OF PRINCE SLUGOBYL; OR, THE INVISIBLE KNIGHT
There was once a king who had an only son, called Prince Slugobyl. Now
this young prince loved nothing better than travelling; so fond of it
was he that when he was twenty years old he gave his father no rest
until he allowed him to go on a long journey, in short, to travel all
over the world. Thus he hoped to see many beautiful and strange
things, to meet with marvellous adventures, to gain happiness,
knowledge, and wisdom, and to return a better man in every way than
when he left. Fearing his youth and want of experience might lead him