Fairy Tales of the Slav Peasants and Herdsmen
The oak moved, and shook its branches: but instead of golden acorns, a
tablecloth fell into the fool's hands. And the tree said, "Keep this
cloth always in your possession, and for your own use. When you want a
benefit by it, you need only say:
"'O Tablecloth, who for the poor,
The hungry, and thirsty, makes cheer,
May he who begs from door to door
Feed off you without stint or fear.'"
When it had uttered these words the oak ceased to speak, and the fool,
thanking her, bowed, and turned towards home. On his way he wondered
to himself how he should tell his brothers, and what they would say,
but above all he thought how his good mother would rejoice to see the
feast-giving tablecloth. When he had walked about half the distance he
met an old beggar who said to him, "See what a sick and ragged old man
I am: for the love of God give me a little money or some bread."
The fool spread his tablecloth on the grass, and inviting the beggar
to sit down, said:
"O Tablecloth, who for the poor,
The hungry, and thirsty, makes cheer,
May he who begs from door to door
Feed off you without stint or fear."
Then a whistling was heard in the air, and overhead something shone
brightly. At the same instant a table, spread as for a royal banquet,
appeared before them. Upon it were many different kinds of food,
flasks of mead, and glasses of the choicest wine. The plate was of
gold and silver.
The fool and the beggar man crossed themselves and began to feast.
When they had finished the whistling was again heard, and everything
vanished. The fool folded up his tablecloth and went on his way. But
the old man said, "If you will give me your tablecloth you shall have
this wand in exchange. When you say certain words to it, it will set
upon the person or persons pointed out, and give them such a
thrashing, that to get rid of it they will give you anything they
possess."
The fool thought of his brothers and exchanged the tablecloth for the
wand, after which they both went on their respective ways.
Suddenly the fool remembered that the oak had ordered him to keep the
tablecloth for his own use, and that by parting with it he had lost
the power of giving his mother an agreeable surprise. So he said to
the wand:
"Thou self-propelling, ever willing, fighting Wand,
Run quick and bring
My feast-providing tablecloth back to my hand,
Thy praise I'll sing."
The wand went off like an arrow after the old man, quickly overtook
him, and throwing itself upon him began to beat him dreadfully, crying
out in a loud voice:
"For others' goods you seem to have a liking,
Stop, thief, or sure your back I'll keep on striking."
The poor beggar tried to run away, but it was of no use, for the wand
followed him, striking all the time and repeating the same words over
and over again. So in spite of his anxiety to keep the tablecloth he
was forced to throw it away and flee.
The wand brought the cloth back to the fool, who again went on his way
towards home, thinking of the surprise in store for his mother and
brothers. He had not gone very far when a traveller, carrying an empty
wallet, accosted him, saying, "For the love of God, give me a small
coin or a morsel of food, for my bag is empty and I am very hungry. I
have, too, a long journey before me."
The fool again spread his tablecloth on the grass and said:
"O Tablecloth, who for the poor,
The hungry, and thirsty, makes cheer,
May he who begs from door to door
Feed off you without stint or fear."
A whistling was heard in the air, something shone brightly overhead,
and a table, spread as for a royal feast, placed itself before them.
It was laid with a numerous variety of dishes, hydromel and costly
wines. The fool and his guest sat down, crossed themselves, and ate to
their hearts' content. When they had finished whistling was again
heard, and everything vanished. The fool folded the cloth up
carefully, and was about to continue his journey when the traveller
said, "Will you exchange your tablecloth for my waistband? When you
say to it certain words it will turn into a deep lake, upon which you
may float at will. The words run thus:
"'O marvellous, wonderful, lake-forming Band,
For my safety, and not for my fun,
Bear me in a boat on thy waves far from land,
So that I from my foes need not run.'"
The fool thought his father would find it very convenient always to
have water at hand for the king's flocks, so he gave his tablecloth in
exchange for the belt, which he wound round his loins, and taking the
wand in his hand, they went off in opposite directions. After a little
while the fool began to reflect on what the oak had told him about
keeping the tablecloth for his own use, and he remembered, too, that
he was depriving himself of the power of giving his mother a pleasant
surprise. Thereupon he said the magic words to his wand:
"Thou self-propelling, ever willing, fighting Wand,
Run quick and bring
My feast-providing tablecloth back to my hand,
Thy praise I'll sing."
The wand at once started in pursuit of the poor traveller, whom it
began to beat, at the same time crying out:
"For others' goods you seem to have a liking,
Stop, thief, or sure your back I'll keep on striking."
The man was scared out of his wits, and tried to escape the wand's
blows, but it was of no use, so he was forced to throw the tablecloth
away and run at the top of his speed. The wand brought the tablecloth
back to his master. The latter hid it under his coat, rearranged the
waistband, and taking the faithful wand in his hand, again went
towards home. As he walked he rejoiced to think of the pleasure he
should have in exercising the wand on his wicked brothers, of his
father's satisfaction when, by the help of the waistband, he could
always have water for the king's flocks, even in the driest weather,
and of his mother's joy on witnessing the wonders of the feast-giving
tablecloth. These pleasant thoughts were interrupted by a soldier,
lame, clothed in rags, and covered with wounds. He had once been a
famous warrior.
"I am pursued by misfortunes," said he to the fool. "I was once a
brave soldier, and fought valiantly in my youth. Now I am lamed for
life, and on this lonely road have found no one to give me a morsel of
food. Have pity on me and give me a little bread."
The fool sat down on the grass, and spreading out his tablecloth,
said:
"O Tablecloth, who for the poor,
The hungry, and thirsty, makes cheer,
May he who begs from door to door
Feed off you without stint or fear."
A whistling was heard in the air, something bright shone overhead, and
then before them stood a table, spread as for a royal feast, loaded
with dainty dishes, mead, and costly wines. When they had eaten and
drunk as much as they wanted the whistling was again heard, and then
everything vanished.
The fool was folding up his tablecloth, when the soldier said:
"Will you give me your tablecloth in exchange for this six-horned
helmet? It will fire itself off and instantly destroy the object
pointed out. You have but to turn it round on your head and repeat
these words:
"'O Magic Helmet, never thou
Dost want for powder nor shot;
Allay my fears and fire now
Just where I point. Fail not.'
You will see that it fires off immediately: and even if your enemy
were a mile away he would fall."
The fool was delighted with the idea, and thought how useful such a
hat would be in any sudden danger; it would even serve him to defend
his country, the king, or himself. So he handed the tablecloth to the
soldier, put the helmet on his head, took his wand in his hand, and
again set his face towards home.
When he had gone some distance, and the soldier was almost out of
sight, he began to think of what the oak had said about not parting
with the tablecloth, and of how his dear mother could not now enjoy
the pleasant surprise he had been dreaming about. So he said to the
wand:
"Thou self-propelling, ever willing, fighting Wand,
Run quick, and bring
My feast-providing tablecloth back to my hand,
Thy praise I'll sing."
The wand dashed after the soldier, and having reached him began to
beat him, crying out:
"For others' goods you seem to have a liking,
Stop, thief, or sure your back I'll keep on striking."
The soldier was still a powerful man, and in spite of his wound turned
right about face, intending to give blow for blow. But the wand was
too much for him, and he soon found resistance useless. So, overcome
by pain rather than fear, he threw away the tablecloth and took to his
heels.
The faithful wand brought the tablecloth back to his master, who, glad
to have it again, once more turned towards home.
He soon left the forest, crossed the fields, and came in sight of his
father's house. At a little distance therefrom his brothers met him,
and said crossly, "Well, stupid, where are the golden acorns?"
The fool looked at them and laughed in their faces. Then he said to
his wand:
"O self-propelling, ever willing, fighting Wand
Strike with thy usual fire
My ever-scolding, teasing, worrying brother band,
For they have roused my ire."
The wand needed no second bidding, and darting out of his hand began
to thrash the brothers soundly, crying out like a reasoning creature:
"Your brother has often your blows felt, alack!
Now taste it yourselves; hope you like it, whack, whack."
The brothers were overpowered, and felt all the while as if boiling
water were being poured over their heads. Yelling with pain they began
to run at full speed, and soon disappeared with clouds of dust flying
round them.
The wand then came back to the fool's hand. He went into the house,
climbed on the stove, and told his mother all that had happened. Then
he cried:
"O Tablecloth, who for the poor,
The hungry, and thirsty, makes cheer,
Let us within our cottage door
Feed off you without stint or fear."
A whistling was heard in the air, something bright shone overhead, and
then a table, laid as for a royal banquet, was placed before them,
covered with dainty meats, glasses, and bottles of mead and wine. The
whole service was of gold and silver. As the fool and his mother were
about to begin the feast the herdsman entered. He stopped, dumb with
amazement, but when invited to partake, began to eat and drink with
great enjoyment.
At the end of the meal the whistling was again heard, and everything
vanished completely.
The herdsman set off in hot haste to the court, to tell the king of
this new marvel. Thereupon his majesty sent one of his heroes in
search of the fool, whom he found stretched on the stove.
"If you value your life, listen, and obey the king's orders," said the
paladin. "He commands you to send him by me your tablecloth, then you
shall have your share of his royal favour. But if not you will always
remain a poor fool, and will, moreover, be treated as a refractory
prisoner. We teach them how to behave; you understand?"
"Oh yes, I understand." And then he pronounced the magic words:
"O self-propelling, ever willing, fighting Wand,
Go, soundly thrash that man--
The most deceiving, dangerous wretch in all the land,
So hurt him all you can."
The wand sprang from the fool's hand with the speed of lightning and
struck the paladin three times in the face. He immediately fled, but
the wand was after him, hitting him all the time, and crying out:
"Mere promises are children's play,
So do not throw your breath away,
But think of something true to say,
You rogue, when next you come our way."
Defeated and filled with consternation, the paladin returned to the