"Put them in a basket and go to the Green Knight"s palace," said she.
"And what am I to do with them when I get there?" she cried, blushing all over, though there was no one to see her but the bird.
"Dress yourself as a kitchen-maid and ask for a place. _Tu-whit!_ Then you must make soup out of the snakes. Give it three times to the knight and he will be cured. _Tu-whit!_"
"But what has made him ill?" asked the princess. The bird, however, had flown away, and there was nothing for it but to go to her father"s palace and look for the snakes. When she came there she found the mother snake with the nine little snakes all curled up so that you could hardly tell their heads from their tails. The princess did not like having to touch them, but when the old snake had wriggled out of the nest to bask a little in the sun, she picked up the young ones and put them in a basket as the bird had told her, and ran off to find the Green Knight"s castle. All day she walked along, sometimes stopping to pick the wild berries, or to gather a nosegay; but though she rested now and then, she would not lie down to sleep before she reached the castle. At last she came in sight of it, and just then she met a girl driving a flock of geese.
"Good-day!" said the princess; "can you tell me if this is the castle of the Green Knight?"
"Yes, that it is," answered the goose girl, "for I am driving his geese. But the Green Knight is very ill, and they say that unless he can be cured within three days he will surely die."
At this news the princess grew as white as death. The ground seemed to spin round, and she closed her hand tight on a bush that was standing beside her. By-and-by, with a great effort, she recovered herself and said to the goose girl:
"Would you like to have a fine silk dress to wear?"
The goose girl"s eyes glistened.
"Yes, that I would!" answered she.
"Then take off your dress and give it to me, and I will give you mine," said the princess.
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE PRINCESS CHANGES CLOTHES WITH THE GOOSE-GIRL]
The girl could scarcely believe her ears, but the princess was already unfastening her beautiful silk dress, and taking off her silk stockings and pretty red shoes; and the goose girl lost no time in slipping out of her rough linen skirt and tunic. Then the princess put on the other"s rags and let down her hair, and went to the kitchen to ask for a place.
"Do you want a kitchen-maid?" she said.
"Yes, we do," answered the cook, who was too busy to ask the new-comer many questions.
The following day, after a good night"s rest, the princess set about her new duties. The other servants were speaking of their master, and saying to each other how ill he was, and that unless he could be cured within three days he would surely die.
The princess thought of the snakes, and the bird"s advice, and lifting her head from the pots and pans she was scouring, she said: "I know how to make a soup that has such a wonderful power that whoever tastes it is sure to be cured, whatever his illness may be. As the doctors cannot cure your master shall I try?"
At first they all laughed at her.
"What! a scullion cure the knight when the best physicians in the kingdom have failed?"
But at last, just because all the physicians _had_ failed, they decided that it would do no harm to try; and she ran off joyfully to fetch her basket of snakes and make them into broth. When this was ready she carried some to the knight"s room and entered it boldly, pushing aside all the learned doctors who stood beside his bed. The poor knight was too ill to know her, besides, she was so ragged and dirty that he would not have been likely to do so had he been well; but when he had taken the soup he was so much better that he was able to sit up.
The next day he had some more, and then he was able to dress himself.
"That is certainly wonderful soup!" said the cook.
The third day, after he had eaten his soup, the knight was quite well again.
"Who are you?" he asked the girl; "was it you who made this soup that has cured me?"
"Yes," answered the princess.
"Choose, then, whatever you wish as a reward," said the knight, "and you shall have it."
"I would be your bride!" said the princess.
The knight frowned in surprise at such boldness, and shook his head.
"That is the one thing I cannot grant," he said, "for I am pledged to marry the most beautiful princess in the world. Choose again."
Then the princess ran away and washed herself and mended her rags, and when she returned the Green Knight recognised her at once.
You can think what a joyful meeting that was!
Soon after, they were married with great splendour. All the knights and princes in the kingdom were summoned to the wedding, and the princess wore a dress that shone like the sun, so that no one had ever beheld a more gorgeous sight. The princess"s father, of course, was present, but the wicked queen and her daughter were driven out of the country, and as n.o.body has seen them since, very likely they were eaten by wild beasts in the forest. But the bride and bridegroom were so happy that they forgot all about them, and they lived with the old king till he died, when they succeeded him.
(From "_Eventyr fra Jylland_," _samlede og optegnede af Evald Tang Kristensen_. Translated from the Danish by Mrs. Skovgaard-Pedersen.)
_THE FIVE WISE WORDS OF THE GURU_[4]
Once there lived a handsome young man named Ram Singh, who, though a favourite with everyone, was unhappy because he had a scold for a step-mother. All day long she went on talking, until the youth was driven so distracted that he determined to go away somewhere and seek his fortune. No sooner had he decided to leave his home than he made his plans, and the very next morning he started off with a few clothes in a wallet, and a little money in his pocket.
But there was one person in the village to whom he wished to say good-bye, and that was a wise old guru, or teacher, who had taught him much. So he turned his face first of all towards his master"s hut, and before the sun was well up was knocking at his door. The old man received his pupil affectionately; but he was wise in reading faces, and saw at once that the youth was in trouble.
"My son," said he, "what is the matter?"
"Nothing, father," replied the young man, "but I have determined to go into the world and seek my fortune."
"Be advised," returned the guru, "and remain in your father"s house; it is better to have half a loaf at home than to seek a whole one in distant countries."
But Ram Singh was in no mood to heed such advice, and very soon the old man ceased to press him.
"Well," said he at last, "if your mind is made up I suppose you must have your way. But listen carefully, and remember five parting counsels which I will give you; and if you keep these no evil shall befall you. First--always obey without question the orders of him whose service you enter; second--never speak harshly or unkindly to anyone; third--never lie; fourth--never try to appear the equal of those above you in station; and fifth--wherever you go, if you meet those who read or teach from the holy books, stay and listen, if but for a few minutes, that you may be strengthened in the path of duty."
Then Ram Singh started out upon his journey, promising to bear in mind the old man"s words.
After some days he came to a great city. He had spent all the money which he had at starting, and therefore resolved to look for work however humble it might be. Catching sight of a prosperous-looking merchant standing in front of a shop full of grain of all kinds, Ram Singh went up to him and asked whether he could give him anything to do. The merchant gazed at him so long that the young man began to lose heart, but at length he answered:
"Yes, of course; there is a place waiting for you."
"What do you mean?" asked Ram Singh.
"Why," replied the other, "yesterday our rajah"s chief wazir dismissed his body servant and is wanting another. Now you are just the sort of person that he needs, for you are young and tall, and handsome; I advise you to apply there."
Thanking the merchant for this advice, the young man set out at once for the wazir"s house, and soon managed, thanks to his good looks and appearance, to be engaged as the great man"s servant.