The Gold-Children

There was once a poor man and a poor woman who had nothing but a little
cottage, and who earned their bread by fishing, and always lived from
hand to mouth. But it came to pass one day when the man was sitting by
the water-side, and casting his net, that he drew out a fish entirely
of gold. As he was looking at the fish, full of astonishment, it began
to speak and said, "Hark you, fisherman, if you will throw me back
again into the water, I will change your little hut into a splendid
castle." Then the fisherman answered, "Of what use is a castle to me,
if I have nothing to eat?" The gold fish continued, "That shall be
taken care of, there will be a cupboard in the castle in which, when
you open it, shall be dishes of the most delicate meats, and as many of
them as you can desire." "If that be true," said the man, "then I can
well do you a favour." "Yes," said the fish, "there is, however, the
condition that you shall disclose to no one in the world, whosoever he
may be, whence your good luck has come, if you speak but one single
word, all will be over." Then the man threw the wonderful fish back
again into the water, and went home. But where his hovel had formerly
stood, now stood a great castle. He opened wide his eyes, entered, and
saw his wife dressed in beautiful clothes, sitting in a splendid room,
and she was quite delighted, and said, "Husband, how has all this come
to pass? It suits me very well." "Yes," said the man, "it suits me too,
but I am frightfully hungry, just give me something to eat." Said the
wife, "But I have got nothing and don't know where to find anything in
this new house." "There is no need of your knowing," said the man, "for
I see yonder a great cupboard, just unlock it." When she opened it,
there stood cakes, meat, fruit, wine, quite a bright prospect.

Then the woman cried joyfully, "What more can you want, my dear?" and
they sat down, and ate and drank together. When they had had enough,
the woman said, "But husband, whence come all these riches?" "Alas,"
answered he, "do not question me about it, for I dare not tell you
anything; if I disclose it to any one, then all our good fortune will
fly." "Very good," said she, "if I am not to know anything, then I do
not want to know anything." However, she was not in earnest; she never
rested day or night, and she goaded her husband until in his impatience
he revealed that all was owing to a wonderful golden fish which he had
caught, and to which in return he had given its liberty. And as soon as
the secret was out, the splendid castle with the cupboard immediately
disappeared, they were once more in the old fisherman's hut, and the
man was obliged to follow his former trade and fish. But fortune would
so have it, that he once more drew out the golden fish. "Listen," said
the fish, "if you will throw me back into the water again, I will once
more give you the castle with the cupboard full of roast and boiled
meats; only be firm, for your life's sake don't reveal from whom you
have it, or you will lose it all again!" "I will take good care,"
answered the fisherman, and threw the fish back into the water. Now at
home everything was once more in its former magnificence, and the wife
was overjoyed at their good fortune, but curiosity left her no peace,
so that after a couple of days she began to ask again how it had come
to pass, and how he had managed to secure it. The man kept silence for
a short time, but at last she made him so angry that he broke out, and
betrayed the secret. In an instant the castle disappeared, and they
were back again in their old hut. "Now you have got what you want,"
said he; "and we can gnaw at a bare bone again." "Ah," said the woman,
"I had rather not have riches if I am not to know from whom they come,
for then I have no peace."

The man went back to fish, and after a while he chanced to draw out the
gold fish for a third time. "Listen," said the fish, "I see very well
that I am fated to fall into your hands, take me home and cut me into
six pieces; give your wife two of them to eat, two to your horse and
bury two of them in the ground, then they will bring you a blessing."
The fisherman took the fish home with him, and did as it had bidden
him. It came to pass, however, that from the two pieces that were
buried in the ground two golden lilies sprang up, that the horse had
two golden foals, and the fisherman's wife bore two children who were
made entirely of gold. The children grew up, became tall and handsome,
and the lilies and horses grew likewise. Then they said, "Father, we
want to mount our golden steeds and travel out in the world." But he
answered sorrowfully, "How shall I bear it if you go away, and I know
not how it fares with you?" Then they said, "The two golden lilies
remain here. By them you can see how it is with us; if they are fresh,
then we are in health; if they are withered, we are ill; if they
perish, then we are dead." So they rode forth and came to an inn, in
which were many people, and when they perceived the gold-children they
began to laugh, and jeer. When one of them heard the mocking he felt
ashamed and would not go out into the world, but turned back and went
home again to his father. But the other rode forward and reached a
great forest. As he was about to enter it, the people said, It is not
safe for you to ride through, the wood is full of robbers who would
treat you badly. You will fare ill, and when they see that you are all
of gold, and your horse likewise, they will assuredly kill you.'

But he would not allow himself to be frightened, and said, "I must and
will ride through it." Then he took bear-skins and covered himself and
his horse with them, so that the gold was no more to be seen, and rode
fearlessly into the forest. When he had ridden onward a little he heard
a rustling in the bushes, and heard voices speaking together. From one
side came cries of, "There is one," but from the other, "Let him go,
'tis an idle fellow, as poor and bare as a church-mouse, what should we
gain from him?"

So the gold-child rode joyfully through the forest, and no evil befell
him. One day he entered a village wherein he saw a maiden, who was so
beautiful that he did not believe that any more beautiful than she
existed in the world. And as such a mighty love took possession of him,
he went up to her and said, "I love thee with my whole heart, wilt thou
be my wife?" He, too, pleased the maiden so much that she agreed and
said, "Yes, I will be thy wife, and be true to thee my whole life
long." Then they were married, and just as they were in the greatest
happiness, home came the father of the bride, and when he saw that his
daughter's wedding was being celebrated, he was astonished, and said,
"Where is the bridegroom?" They showed him the gold-child, who,
however, still wore his bear-skins. Then the father said wrathfully, "A
vagabond shall never have my daughter!" and was about to kill him. Then
the bride begged as hard as she could, and said, "He is my husband, and
I love him with all my heart!" until at last he allowed himself to be
appeased. Nevertheless the idea never left his thoughts, so that next
morning he rose early, wishing to see whether his daughter's husband
was a common ragged beggar. But when he peeped in, he saw a magnificent
golden man in the bed, and the cast-off bear-skins lying on the ground.
Then he went back and thought, "What a good thing it was that I
restrained my anger! I should have committed a great crime." But the
gold-child dreamed that he rode out to hunt a splendid stag, and when
he awoke in the morning, he said to his wife, "I must go out hunting."
She was uneasy, and begged him to stay there, and said, "You might
easily meet with a great misfortune," but he answered, "I must and will
go."

Thereupon he got up, and rode forth into the forest, and it was not
long before a fine stag crossed his path exactly according to his
dream. He aimed and was about to shoot it, when the stag ran away. He
gave chase over hedges and ditches for the whole day without feeling
tired, but in the evening the stag vanished from his sight, and when
the gold-child looked round him, he was standing before a little house,
wherein was a witch. He knocked, and a little old woman came out and
asked, "What are you doing so late in the midst of the great forest?"
"Have you not seen a stag?" "Yes," answered she, "I know the stag
well," and thereupon a little dog which had come out of the house with
her, barked at the man violently. "Wilt thou be silent, thou odious
toad," said he, "or I will shoot thee dead." Then the witch cried out
in a passion, "What! will you slay my little dog?" and immediately
transformed him, so that he lay like a stone, and his bride awaited him
in vain and thought, "That which I so greatly dreaded, which lay so
heavily on my heart, has come upon him!" But at home the other brother
was standing by the gold-lilies, when one of them suddenly drooped.
"Good heavens!" said he, "my brother has met with some great
misfortune! I must away to see if I can possibly rescue him." Then the
father said, "Stay here, if I lose you also, what shall I do?" But he
answered, "I must and will go forth!"

Then he mounted his golden horse, and rode forth and entered the great
forest, where his brother lay turned to stone. The old witch came out
of her house and called him, wishing to entrap him also, but he did not
go near her, and said, "I will shoot you, if you will not bring my
brother to life again." She touched the stone, though very unwillingly,
with her forefinger, and he was immediately restored to his human
shape. But the two gold-children rejoiced when they saw each other
again, kissed and caressed each other, and rode away together out of
the forest, the one home to his bride, and the other to his father. The
father then said, "I knew well that you had rescued your brother, for
the golden lily suddenly rose up and blossomed out again." Then they
lived happily, and all prospered with them until their death.
