94 lines
5.4 KiB
Text
94 lines
5.4 KiB
Text
The Three Feathers
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There was once on a time a King who had three sons, of whom two were
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clever and wise, but the third did not speak much, and was simple, and
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was called the Simpleton. When the King had become old and weak, and
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was thinking of his end, he did not know which of his sons should
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inherit the kingdom after him. Then he said to them, “Go forth, and he
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who brings me the most beautiful carpet shall be King after my death.”
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And that there should be no dispute amongst them, he took them outside
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his castle, blew three feathers in the air, and said, “You shall go as
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they fly.” One feather flew to the east, the other to the west, but the
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third flew straight up and did not fly far, but soon fell to the
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ground. And now one brother went to the right, and the other to the
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left, and they mocked Simpleton, who was forced to stay where the third
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feather had fallen. He sat down and was sad, then all at once he saw
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that there was a trap-door close by the feather. He raised it up, found
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some steps, and went down them, and then he came to another door,
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knocked at it, and heard somebody inside calling,
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“Little green maiden small,
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Hopping hither and thither;
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Hop to the door,
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And quickly see who is there.”
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The door opened, and he saw a great, fat toad sitting, and round about
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her a crowd of little toads. The fat toad asked what he wanted? He
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answered, “I should like to have the prettiest and finest carpet in the
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world.” Then she called a young one and said,
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“Little green maiden small,
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Hopping hither and thither,
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Hop quickly and bring me
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The great box here.”
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The young toad brought the box, and the fat toad opened it, and gave
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Simpleton a carpet out of it, so beautiful and so fine, that on the
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earth above, none could have been woven like it. Then he thanked her,
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and ascended again. The two others had, however, looked on their
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youngest brother as so stupid that they believed he would find and
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bring nothing at all. “Why should we give ourselves a great deal of
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trouble to search?” said they, and got some coarse handkerchiefs from
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the first shepherds’ wives whom they met, and carried them home to the
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King. At the same time Simpleton also came back, and brought his
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beautiful carpet, and when the King saw it he was astonished, and said,
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“If justice be done, the kingdom belongs to the youngest.” But the two
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others let their father have no peace, and said that it was impossible
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that Simpleton, who in everything lacked understanding, should be King,
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and entreated him to make a new agreement with them. Then the father
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said, “He who brings me the most beautiful ring shall inherit the
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kingdom,” and led the three brothers out, and blew into the air three
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feathers, which they were to follow. Those of the two eldest again went
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east and west, and Simpleton’s feather flew straight up, and fell down
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near the door into the earth. Then he went down again to the fat toad,
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and told her that he wanted the most beautiful ring. She at once
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ordered her great box to be brought, and gave him a ring out of it,
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which sparkled with jewels, and was so beautiful that no goldsmith on
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earth would have been able to make it. The two eldest laughed at
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Simpleton for going to seek a golden ring. They gave themselves no
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trouble, but knocked the nails out of an old carriage-ring, and took it
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to the King; but when Simpleton produced his golden ring, his father
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again said, “The kingdom belongs to him.” The two eldest did not cease
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from tormenting the King until he made a third condition, and declared
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that the one who brought the most beautiful woman home, should have the
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kingdom. He again blew the three feathers into the air, and they flew
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as before.
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Then Simpleton without more ado went down to the fat toad, and said, “I
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am to take home the most beautiful woman!” “Oh,” answered the toad,
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“the most beautiful woman! She is not at hand at the moment, but still
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thou shalt have her.” She gave him a yellow turnip which had been
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hollowed out, to which six mice were harnessed. Then Simpleton said
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quite mournfully, “What am I to do with that?” The toad answered, “Just
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put one of my little toads into it.” Then he seized one at random out
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of the circle, and put her into the yellow coach, but hardly was she
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seated inside it than she turned into a wonderfully beautiful maiden,
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and the turnip into a coach, and the six mice into horses. So he kissed
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her, and drove off quickly with the horses, and took her to the King.
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His brothers came afterwards; they had given themselves no trouble at
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all to seek beautiful girls, but had brought with them the first
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peasant women they chanced to meet. When the King saw them he said,
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“After my death the kingdom belongs to my youngest son.” But the two
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eldest deafened the King’s ears afresh with their clamour, “We cannot
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consent to Simpleton’s being King,” and demanded that the one whose
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wife could leap through a ring which hung in the centre of the hall
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should have the preference. They thought, “The peasant women can do
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that easily; they are strong enough, but the delicate maiden will jump
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herself to death.” The aged King agreed likewise to this. Then the two
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peasant women jumped, and jumped through the ring, but were so stout
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that they fell, and their coarse arms and legs broke in two. And then
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the pretty maiden whom Simpleton had brought with him, sprang, and
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sprang through as lightly as a deer, and all opposition had to cease.
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So he received the crown, and has ruled wisely for a length of time.
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