Of course the chamberlain gladly gave her what she asked, and in return she informed him that the case and the hair belonged to Zoulvisia.
"Bring her hither, old crone, and you shall have gold enough to stand up in," said the chamberlain. And the old woman answered that she would try what she could do.
She went back to her hut in the middle of the forest, and standing in the doorway, whistled softly. Soon the dead leaves on the ground began to move and to rustle, and from underneath them there came a long train of serpents. They wriggled to the feet of the witch, who stooped down and patted their heads, and gave each one some milk in a red earthen basin. When they had all finished, she whistled again, and bade two or three coil themselves round her arms and neck, while she turned one into a cane and another into a whip. Then she took a stick, and on the river bank changed it into a raft, and seating herself comfortably, she pushed off into the centre of the stream.
All that day she floated, and all the next night, and towards sunset the following evening she found herself close to Zoulvisia"s garden, just at the moment that the king, on the horse of flame, was returning from hunting.
"Who are you?" he asked in surprise; for old women travelling on rafts were not common in that country. "Who are you, and why have you come here?"
"I am a poor pilgrim, my son," answered she, "and having missed the caravan, I have wandered foodless for many days through the desert, till at length I reached the river. There I found this tiny raft, and to it I committed myself, not knowing if I should live or die. But since you have found me, give me, I pray you, bread to eat, and let me lie this night by the dog who guards your door!"
This piteous tale touched the heart of the young man, and he promised that he would bring her food, and that she should pa.s.s the night in his palace.
"But mount behind me, good woman," cried he, "for you have walked far, and it is still a long way to the palace." And as he spoke he bent down to help her, but the horse swerved on one side.
And so it happened twice and thrice, and the old witch guessed the reason, though the king did not.
"I fear to fall off," said she; "but as your kind heart pities my sorrows, ride slowly, and lame as I am, I think I can manage to keep up."
At the door he bade the witch to rest herself, and he would fetch her all she needed. But Zoulvisia his wife grew pale when she heard whom he had brought, and besought him to feed the old woman and send her away, as she would cause mischief to befall them.
The king laughed at her fears, and answered lightly:
"Why, one would think she was a witch to hear you talk! And even if she were, what harm could she do to us?" And calling to the maidens he bade them carry her food, and to let her sleep in their chamber.
Now the old woman was very cunning, and kept the maidens awake half the night with all kinds of strange stories. Indeed, the next morning, while they were dressing their mistress, one of them suddenly broke into a laugh, in which the others joined her.
"What is the matter with you?" asked Zoulvisia. And the maid answered that she was thinking of a droll adventure told them the evening before by the new-comer.
"And, oh, madam!" cried the girl, "it may be that she is a witch, as they say; but I am sure she never would work a spell to harm a fly!
And as for her tales, they would pa.s.s many a dull hour for you, when my lord was absent!"
So, in an evil hour, Zoulvisia consented that the crone should be brought to her, and from that moment the two were hardly ever apart.
One day the witch began to talk about the young king, and to declare that in all the lands she had visited she had seen none like him.
"It was so clever of him to guess your secret so as to win your heart," said she. "And of course he told you his, in return?"
"No, I don"t think he has got any," returned Zoulvisia.
"Not got any secrets?" cried the old woman scornfully. "That is nonsense! Every man has a secret, which he always tells to the woman he loves. And if he has not told it to _you_, it is that he does not love you!"
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE WITCH AND HER SNAKES]
These words troubled Zoulvisia mightily, though she would not confess it to the witch. But the next time she found herself alone with her husband, she began to coax him to tell her in what lay the secret of his strength. For a long while he put her off with caresses, but when she would be no longer denied, he answered:
"It is my sabre that gives me strength, and day and night it lies by my side. But now that I have told you, swear upon this ring, that I will give you in exchange for yours, that you will reveal it to n.o.body." And Zoulvisia swore; and instantly hastened to betray the great news to the old woman.
Four nights later, when all the world was asleep, the witch softly crept into the king"s chamber and took the sabre from his side as he lay sleeping. Then, opening her lattice, she flew on to the terrace and dropped the sword into the river.
The next morning everyone was surprised because the king did not, as usual, rise early and go off to hunt. The attendants listened at the keyhole and heard the sound of heavy breathing, but none dared enter, till Zoulvisia pushed past. And what a sight met their gaze! There lay the king almost dead, with foam on his mouth, and eyes that were already closed. They wept, and they cried to him, but no answer came.
Suddenly a shriek broke from those who stood hindmost, and in strode the witch, with serpents round her neck and arms and hair. At a sign from her they flung themselves with a hiss upon the maidens, whose flesh was pierced with their poisonous fangs. Then turning to Zoulvisia, she said:
"I give you your choice--will you come with me, or shall the serpents slay you also?" And as the terrified girl stared at her, unable to utter one word, she seized her by the arm and led her to the place where the raft was hidden among the rushes. When they were both on board she took the oars, and they floated down the stream till they had reached the neighbouring country, where Zoulvisia was sold for a sack of gold to the king.
Now, since the young man had entered the three huts on his way through the forest, not a morning had pa.s.sed without the sons of the three fairies examining the scissors, the razor and the mirror, which the young king had left them. Hitherto the surfaces of all three things had been bright and undimmed, but on this particular morning, when they took them out as usual, drops of blood stood on the razor and the scissors, while the little mirror was clouded over.
"Something terrible must have happened to our little brother," they whispered to each other, with awestruck faces; "we must hasten to his rescue ere it be too late." And putting on their magic slippers they started for the palace.
The servants greeted them eagerly, ready to pour forth all they knew, but that was not much; only that the sabre had vanished, none knew where. The new-comers pa.s.sed the whole of the day in searching for it, but it could not be found, and when night closed in, they were very tired and hungry. But how were they to get food? The king had not hunted that day, and there was nothing for them to eat. The little men were in despair, when a ray of the moon suddenly lit up the river beneath the walls.
"How stupid! Of course there are fish to catch," cried they; and running down to the bank they soon succeeded in landing some fine fish, which they cooked on the spot. Then they felt better, and began to look about them.
Further out, in the middle of the stream, there was a strange splashing, and by-and-by the body of a huge fish appeared, turning and twisting as if in pain. The eyes of all the brothers were fixed on the spot, when the fish leapt in the air, and a bright gleam flashed through the night. "The sabre!" they shouted, and plunged into the stream, and with a sharp tug, pulled out the sword, while the fish lay on the water, exhausted by its struggles. Swimming back with the sabre to land, they carefully dried it in their coats, and then carried it to the palace and placed it on the king"s pillow. In an instant colour came back to the waxen face, and the hollow cheeks filled out. The king sat up, and opening his eyes he said:
"Where is Zoulvisia?"
"That is what we do not know," answered the little men; "but now that you are saved you will soon find out." And they told him what had happened since Zoulvisia had betrayed his secret to the witch.
"Let me go to my horse," was all he said. But when he entered the stable he could have wept at the sight of his favourite steed, which was nearly in as sad a plight as his master had been. Languidly he turned his head as the door swung back on its hinges, but when he beheld the king he rose up, and rubbed his head against him.
"Oh, my poor horse! How much cleverer were you than I! If I had acted like you I should never have lost Zoulvisia; but we will seek her together, you and I."
For a long while the king and his horse followed the course of the stream, but nowhere could he learn anything of Zoulvisia. At length, one evening, they both stopped to rest by a cottage not far from a great city, and as the king was lying outstretched on the gra.s.s, lazily watching his horse cropping the short turf, an old woman came out with a wooden bowl of fresh milk, which she offered him.
He drank it eagerly, for he was very thirsty, and then laying down the bowl, began to talk to the woman, who was delighted to have someone to listen to her conversation.
"You are in luck to have pa.s.sed this way just now," said she, "for in five days the king holds his wedding banquet. Ah! but the bride is unwilling, for all her blue eyes and her golden hair! And she keeps by her side a cup of poison, and declares that she will swallow it rather than become his wife. Yet he is a handsome man too, and a proper husband for her--more than she could have looked for, having come no one knows whither, and bought from a witch----"
The king started. Had he found her after all? His heart beat violently, as if it would choke him; but he gasped out:
"Is her name Zoulvisia?"
"Ay, so she says, though the old witch---- But what ails you?" she broke off, as the young man sprang to his feet and seized her wrists.
"Listen to me," he said. "Can you keep a secret?"
"Ay," answered the old woman again, "if I am paid for it."
"Oh, you shall be paid, never fear--as much as your heart can desire!
Here is a handful of gold: you shall have as much again if you will do my bidding." The old crone nodded her head.
"Then go and buy a dress such as ladies wear at court, and manage to get admitted into the palace, and into the presence of Zoulvisia. When there, show her this ring, and after that she will tell you what to do."