Mother's Nursery Tales
Copyright© 2024 by Katharine Pyle
The Six Companions
A certain man named John had been a faithful soldier, and had served the King all through the war, and had been wounded, too; but when the war came to an end and he was discharged he only received three pieces of silver as payment.
“That is a mean way to treat a fellow,” said John. “But never mind! If I can only get the right sort of friends to help me we will get all the King’s treasure from him before we are done.”
So he shouldered his knapsack and off he set into the world to find the right sort of friends to help him do this.
He walked along and walked along till he came to a wood, and there was a man pulling up trees by the roots as though they were no more than grasses.
“You are the very man for me,” said John. “Come along with me and we will make our fortunes.”
The man was willing. “But wait,” said he, “until I tie these fagots together and take them home to my mother.”
He laid six of the trees together and twisted the seventh around them to hold them. Then he walked off with them on his shoulder as easily as though they were nothing.
When he came back he and the soldier started out in search of their fortunes.
They had not gone far when they came to a hunter who had raised his gun to his shoulder and was taking careful aim. The soldier looked about over the meadows, but could see nothing to shoot.
“What are you aiming at?” asked he.
“Two miles away there is a forest,” said the man. “In the forest is an oak tree. On the top-most leaf of that oak tree there is a fly. I am going to shoot out the left eye of that fly.”
“Come along with me,” said the soldier, “we three will certainly make our fortunes together.”
Very well; the hunter was willing. So he shouldered the gun and off he tramped alongside of the other.
Presently they came to seven mill-wheels, and the sails were turning merrily, and yet there was not a breath of wind stirring. “That is a curious thing!” said the soldier. “Now what is turning those sails I should like to know.”
Two miles farther on they came to a man sitting on top of a hill. He held a finger on one side of his nose and blew through the other.
“What are you doing?” asked the soldier.
“I am blowing to turn the wheels of seven windmills two miles away, so that the miller can grind his corn,” answered the man.
“Come with us,” said the soldier. “We are going out into the world to make our fortunes.”
Very well, the man was willing; the wind was springing up, anyway, so the miller would not need him. So now there were four of them journeying along together.
After awhile they came to a heap of rocks, and there in the shade of it sat a man. He had unfastened one of his legs, and taken it off, and he sat with the other stretched out before him.
“That is a good way to rest,” said the soldier.
“I am not doing this to rest,” said the man. “I am a runner. If I were to put on this other leg and start off I would be out of sight in a twinkling. I have arranged to take off one leg so that I can go more slowly; though ordinary people find it hard to keep up with me even so.”
“Take up your leg and come with us,” said the soldier. “We are going to make our fortunes, and it shall be share and share alike with us if you will come along.”
To this the runner agreed. He took up his one leg and hopped along on the other, and they found it hard work to keep up with him, he went so fast.
They had gone but a mile or so when they met a man who wore a little hat cocked down over one ear.
“Hello!” called the soldier. “Why do you wear your hat in that fashion instead of straight on your head like other people?”
“Oh, every time I set it straight there comes such a heavy frost that the flowers are blighted, and even the birds freeze in the trees.”
“That is a wonderful gift,” said the soldier. “Come along with us, and we will make our fortunes together. And now there are six of us, and that is enough. We will have no more in our company.”
So the six stout comrades journeyed on until they came to the town where the King lived. This King had one daughter, and she could run so fast that it was like a bird skimming along, and the King had said that no one should marry her unless he could run faster than she could; if such a one came along he should have her for a wife. But so far no one had been able to outrun her.
The soldier with his five comrades marched up to the palace and knocked at the door as bold as bold, and asked to see the King.
At first the gatekeeper did not wish to let the six in, for they were worn and dusty, but the soldier looked at him so fiercely that he did not dare to refuse.
The six comrades were brought into the great hall where the King sat with his daughter beside him and all his nobles about him.
Well, and what did the soldier and his fellows want with the King.
Oh, the soldier wanted to try a race with the princess; but he was not much of a runner himself, so he would let his servant run for him.
The King was willing for that, but he warned the soldier that if he failed in the race he and his servant, too, would lose their lives.
The soldier was not afraid to risk that, so the race course was laid out, and the Princess and the runner made ready. They were to run to a fountain miles and miles and miles away, and each was to fill a pitcher with water and bring it back to the palace. Whichever first returned with the water would win the race.
The runner stooped down and buckled on his second leg, and then he was ready, and he and the Princess set out. The Princess flew like a bird, but the runner ran like the wind. He was out of sight in a twinkling, and had filled his pitcher and started home again before the Princess was half-way to the fountain.
The runner sat down to rest a bit. He was very sleepy and he thought he would just take a little nap before going the rest of the way. In order not to be too comfortable and sleep too long he picked up a horse’s skull that lay in a field near by and put it under his head for a pillow.
But the runner slept more soundly than he meant to do.
The Princess also reached the fountain and filled her pitcher and started home again, and then, half-way home, she came across the runner fast asleep with his pitcher of water beside him.
This was the chance for the Princess. Very quietly she poured the water from the runner’s pitcher, and set it down beside him empty. Then she hurried on toward the palace, leaving the runner still asleep.
And now all would have been lost except for the hunter. He had been watching from the palace window and had seen everything that happened. He made haste to load his gun, and took aim and shot the skull from under the sleeper’s head. This awakened the runner. He sat up and looked about him.
There was the Princess almost back at the palace, and his pitcher lay empty beside him.
However, this was nothing to him. He picked up his pitcher and away he went, swifter than the wind. He ran back to the fountain and filled the pitcher, and got back with it to the castle door before the Princess had come in at the outer gate.
And now by rights the Princess belonged to the soldier, but the King could not make up his mind to have her married to a common man like that. As for the Princess she was ready to cry her eyes out at the thought of it. She and the King talked and talked together, and at last they made up a plan between them.
The King had a room made that was all of iron and could be heated until it was hotter than any oven. Then he called the comrades to him and said, “Now you have fairly won the race, and I have ordered food and drink to be set out for you, so that you may make merry over it.”
He then showed the companions into the iron room, and there a grand feast had been made ready. The six sat down at table and began to eat and drink, but the king went on out and locked the doors behind him. Then he ordered a fire to be built under the room, and to be kept up until the room was red hot.
The six companions sat around the table eating and drinking merrily enough, until they began to feel too warm. Then they got up to leave the room, but they found the door was locked and they were fastened in. At once they guessed the trick that had been played upon them, but they were not troubled over that in the least.
“This is something for you to see to,” said the soldier to the man with the hat over one ear.
The man set his hat straight and at once a frost fell upon the room. It grew so cold that the comrades had to turn up their coat collars and walk about to keep warm.
The King waited until he thought the six would certainly be suffocated by the heat, and then he ordered the door to be opened. What was his surprise when all the men walked out just as well and hearty as ever, except that they looked somewhat pinched with the cold.
But the King was as unwilling as ever to give his daughter to the soldier. He called the soldier to him and said, “Listen, if you will give up marrying the Princess I will make you rich for life.”
“Yes, but how much will you give me?” asked the soldier.
“I will give you all the gold you can carry.”
Well, the soldier hardly knew what to say to that. Ever since he had been in the war his back had been weak; but if the King would give him as much as his servant could carry he would give up the Princess and welcome.
The King did not care who carried off the gold. He was quite willing to give as much as the servant could carry.
“Very well,” said the soldier. “In a week’s time I will come back for the gold, and do you gather it together and have it ready for me.”
The next thing the soldier did was to hire all the tailors he could get, and have them make for him an enormous sack, and when it was finished it was as big as a house.
When it was done he and the strong man went back to the palace together, and the week was just up. The strong man carried the sack, rolled up, on his shoulders.
Meanwhile the King had had a ton of gold brought up from his treasure-house, and that, he was sure, was more than the strongest man could carry.
When the soldier and his comrade came where the gold was the strong man opened up the sack, and taking up the ton of gold with one hand he threw it into the sack. “That will do for a beginning,” said he, “but we will have to have more than that.”
The King was frightened. He ordered more gold and more to be brought up from his treasure-house, and still there did not begin to be enough. “I can easily carry twice as much, and more,” cried the strong man.
At last the King’s treasure-house was empty, and he sent out all over the kingdom for more gold, and still there was not enough.
“Oh, well!” cried the strong man at last, “I see you have done your best; we will have to be content with what we have.” Then he swung the sack up over his shoulder and marched off with it, and the soldier and the other comrades went along with him.
But the King was in a terrible state of mind. Here all his treasure had been carried off by a common soldier and his followers. He would almost rather have given up the Princess than that. He stamped and raged, and then he called his horsemen together, and sent out two regiments after the comrades to bring them back again and the treasure with them.
It did not take the horsemen long to catch up to the comrades for they were traveling along quietly enough, and without any haste.
“Stop! stop!” cried the captain of the regiment. “I have come to take you and the treasure back to the King. Will you come along quietly, or will we have to drag you?”
“Wait a bit,” said the blower. “Before we talk further about it suppose you take a dance in the air.” He put one finger to his nostril and blew through the other and away went the captain and his regiment, whirling and dancing through the air like dry leaves when the wind blows them.
After awhile he allowed them to settle down to earth again. “There!” said he. “Have you had enough, or would you like another dance?”
No! the regiment had no wish for another whirl through the air. All they wished for now was to get safely back to the palace again.
“Very well,” said the blower. “Then go back to the King and tell him if he sends his whole army out after us I will treat it in the same way.”
But this the King dared not do. His treasure was gone and he could not risk having his army blown away, into the bargain. The comrades went on their way with no further hindrance, and after awhile they sat down and divided the treasure among them and each one had enough to make him rich and prosperous for life.
THE GOLDEN BIRD
There was once a King who had in his gardens an apple-tree that bore golden apples. Every day the King went out to count the apples, and no one was allowed to touch them but himself.
One morning, when the King went out to count them as usual he found that one of them was gone. He was very much vexed, and ordered that at night a guard should be set around the garden, that no one might steal the apples, but the very next morning still another one was missing. So it happened day after day. Every gate to the garden was carefully guarded, and yet every morning another apple was gone from the tree, and they could not tell who had taken it.
Now the King had three sons, and one day the eldest came to his father and said, “Father, to-night I will watch under the apple-tree, and you may be sure that no one will be able to come near it without my seeing him.”
The King was quite willing for his son to keep watch, so that night the Prince took his place under the tree.
For some hours he sat there and watched, and scarcely winked an eyelid; but in the middle of the night a light shone around him and he heard a sound of music. Then, in spite of himself, he fell into a deep sleep, and when he awoke in the morning another apple had been stolen.
That day the second son came to the King and asked that he might be allowed to watch the apple-tree that night.
Again the King consented, and as soon as night came the second son went out and sat under the apple-tree just as his brother had done. Then just the same thing happened as had happened before. Toward midnight a light shone around the tree, and there was a sound of music, and then, do what he would, he could not stay awake. He slept, and while he slept another apple was taken.
The third day it was the turn of the third son to ask to be allowed to watch under the apple-tree. But the King refused. “Do you think that you are cleverer than your brothers?” he asked. “Why should you succeed when they have failed?” But the Prince begged and entreated until at last the King gave him permission to watch under the tree.
Now the third Prince was a wise youth; he had heard what happened to his brothers on the other two nights, so when evening came he stuffed his ears with cotton, and then he went out and took his place under the apple-tree. There he sat, and just before midnight a light shone through the branches, and there was a sound of music. But the young Prince had stuffed his ears with cotton so he could not hear the music, and he did not go to sleep.
After the music came a sound of wings, though this, too, the Prince could not hear, and a golden bird alighted on the apple-tree. The bird was about to pick one of the apples when the Prince raised his crossbow and shot a bolt at it.
The bird escaped, but one of its golden feathers fluttered down and fell at the Prince’s feet. He picked it up, and the next morning he took it to his father and told him what he had seen in the night.
As soon as the King saw the feather he was filled with the greatest desire to have the bird. “Life is worth nothing to me without that bird,” said he. “I would give my kingdom to possess it.”
When the eldest brother heard that, he at once made up his mind to set out in search of the bird, for he thought it would be a fine thing to gain the kingdom for himself. He went by himself, taking no one with him, for he did not wish anyone else to have a hand in the search.
He journeyed on for some distance and then he came to a cross-road, and there at the cross-roads he saw a little red fox sitting. The Prince drew his bow to shoot, but the animal called to him, “Do not shoot me, Prince, and I will give you a piece of good advice that is worth more than my skin.”
“What can a beast tell me that is worth hearing?” asked the Prince.
“Listen!” said the fox. “I know where you are going, that it is in search of the Golden Bird, but unless you do as I say you will never find it. To-night you will reach a village. In this village there are two inns that stand opposite to each other. One is a fine place. It will be lighted up, and there will be music and dancing inside. But do not enter there. The other inn is poor and miserable looking, but that is where you must stay if you hope to find the Golden Bird.”
“That is foolish talk, and I would be even more foolish to heed it,” cried the Prince, and again drawing his bow he shot a bolt at the fox. The bolt missed the mark, and the fox ran away unharmed.
The King’s son rode on, and at nightfall he entered a village. There on each side of the street stood an inn, and they were just such inns as the fox had told him of. One was a fine place, well-lighted, and with dancing and music going on inside. The other was dark and poor and miserable-looking.
The Prince never gave another thought to the fox’s advice. He turned in to the fine inn, and there he ate and drank and laughed with those who were there before him, and forgot all about the Golden Bird, and his father and the kingdom, too.
Time passed on, and still the eldest son did not return home, and no one knew what had become of him. Then the second son wished to try his luck at finding the Golden Bird. The King did not wish him to go, but the Prince was so eager that at last the father gave his consent.
The Prince journeyed on until he came to the cross-roads, and there sat the fox, just as it had before. The second son was about to shoot it, but the little animal called to him to spare its life and it would give him a piece of good advice.
The Prince was curious to hear what the fox had to say, but after he had heard of the two inns, and that it was the poor mean-looking one he must choose, he laughed aloud.
“A pretty piece of advice,” he cried, “and I would be a great simpleton to follow it.” Then he shot a bolt at the fox, but he missed his aim, and the little animal ran away unharmed.
Then it happened with the second Prince just as it had with his elder brother. He came to the two inns just at nightfall, and it was at the fine well-lighted inn that he stopped. There he spent the night in feasting and merry-making, and by the next day he had forgotten all about the Golden Bird, and his father, and the kingdom he had hoped to gain.
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