Latest / Blue Fairy Book / 026 - The Goose-Girl

Transcript

026 - The Goose-Girl · Blue Fairy Book

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: The Goose Girl of The Blue Fairy Book. This is
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: Recording by Brett Condron. The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: Lang The Goose Girl. Once upon a time, an old
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: queen whose husband had been dead for many years, had
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: a beautiful daughter. When she grew up, she was betrothed
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: to a prince who lived a great way off. Now,
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: when the time drew near for her to be married
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: and to depart into a foreign kingdom, her old mother
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: gave her much costly baggage, and many ornaments, gold and silver,
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: trinkets and knick knacks, and in fact everything that belonged
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: to the royal trousseau, for she loved her daughter very dearly.
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: She gave her a waiting maid also, who was to
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: ride with her and hand her over to the bridegroom,
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: and she provided each of them with a horse for
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: the journey. Now, the princess's horse was called Falada and
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: could speak. When the hour her departure drew near, the
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: old mother went to her bedroom, and, taking a small knife,
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: she cut her fingers till they bled. Then she held
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: a white rag under them, and letting three drops of
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: blood fall into it, she gave it to her daughter
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: and said, dear child, take great care of this rag.
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: It may be of use to you on the journey.
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: So they took a sad farewell of each other, and
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: the princess stuck the rag in front of her dress,
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: mounted her horse, and set forth on the journey to
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: her bridegroom's kingdom. After they had ridden for about an hour,
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: the princess began to feel very thirsty and said to
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: her waiting maid, pray, get down and fetch me some
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: water in my golden cup out of yonder stream. I
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: would like a drink. If you are thirsty, said the maid,
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: dismount yourself and lie down by the water and drink.
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: I don't mean to be your servant any longer. The
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: princess was so thirsty that she got down, bent over
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: the stream and drank, for she wasn't allowed to drink
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: out of the golden goblet. As she drank, she murmured,
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: oh heaven, what am I to do? And the three
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: drops of blood replied, if your mother only knew her
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: heart would surely break in two. But the princess was
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: meek and said nothing about her maid's rude behavior, and
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: quietly mounted her horse again. They rode on their way
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: for several miles, but the day was hot, and the
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: sun's rays smote fiercely on them, so that the princess
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: was soon overcome by thirst again. As they passed by
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: a brook, she called once more to her waiting maid, pray,
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: get down and give me a drink from my golden cup,
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: for she had long ago forgotten her maid's rude words.
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: But the waiting maid replied, more haughtily than ever before.
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: If you want a drink, you can dismount and get it.
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: I don't mean to be your servant. Then the princess
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: was compelled by her thirst to get down, and bending
• 2:54
  Speaker 1: over the flowing water, she cried and said, oh Heaven,
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: what am I to do? And the three drops of
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: blood replied, if your mother only knew, her heart would
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: surely break in two. And as she drank thus and
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: leaned right over the water, the rag containing the three
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: drops of blood fell from her bosom and floated down
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: the stream, and she and her anxiety never even noticed
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: her loss. But the waiting maid had observed it with delight,
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: as she knew it gave her power over the bride,
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: for in losing the drops of blood, the princess had
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: become weak and powerless. When she wished to get on
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: her horse Falada again, the waiting maid called out, I
• 3:34
  Speaker 1: mean to ride Falada, you must mount my beast, And
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: this too she had to submit to. Then the waiting
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: maid commanded her harshly to take off her royal robes
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: and put on common ones. And finally she made her
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: swear by Heaven not to say a word about the
• 3:51
  Speaker 1: matter when they reached the palace. And if she hadn't
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: taken this oath, she would have been killed on the spot.
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: But Falada observed everything and laid it all to heart.
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: The waiting maid now mounted Falada and the real bride
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: the worse horse, and so they continued their journey till
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: at length they arrived at the palace yard. There was
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: great rejoicing over the arrival, and the prince sprang forward
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: to meet them, and taking the waiting maid for his bride,
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: he lifted her down from her horse and led her
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: upstairs to the royal chamber. In the meantime, the real
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: princess was left standing below in the courtyard. The old king,
• 4:28
  Speaker 1: who was looking out of his window, beheld her in
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: this plight, and it struck him how sweet and gentle,
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: even beautiful, she looked. He went at once to the
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: royal chamber and asked the bride who it was she
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: had brought with her and had left thus standing in
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: the court below. Oh, replied the bride, I brought her
• 4:46
  Speaker 1: with me to keep me company on the journey. Give
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: the girl something to do that she may not be idle.
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: But the old king had no work for her and
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: couldn't think of anything. So he said, I've a small
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: boy who looks after the gear. She'd better help him.
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: The youth's name was Curdken, and the real bride was
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: made to assist him in herding geese. Soon after this,
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: the false bride said to the prince dearest husband, I
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: pray you grant me a favor. He answered that, I
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: will then let the slaughterer cut off the head of
• 5:23
  Speaker 1: the horse I rode hereupon, because it behaved very badly
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: on the journey. But the truth was she was afraid
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: lest the horse should speak and tell how she had
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: treated the princess. She carried her point, and the faithful
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: Falada was doomed to die. When the news came to
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: the ears of the real princess, she went to the
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: slaughterer and secretly promised him a piece of gold if
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: he would do something for her. There was in the
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: town a large dark gate through which she had to
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: pass night and morning with the geese. Would he kindly
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: hang up Falada's head there that she might see it
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: once again? The slaughter said he would do it. She desired,
• 6:01
  Speaker 1: chopped off the head and nailed it firmly over the gateway.
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: Early the next morning, as she and Curdken were driving
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: their flock through the gate, she said, as she passed
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: under O Falada, tis you hang there? And the head replied,
• 6:16
  Speaker 1: tis you pass under Princess fair? If your mother only knew,
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: her heart would surely break in two. And she left
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: the tower and drove the geese into a field. And
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: when they had reached the common where the geese fed,
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: she sat down and unloosed her hair, which was of
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: pure gold. Curdken loved to see it glitter in the
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: sun and wanted much to pull some hair out. Then
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: she spoke wind wind gently sway, blow Curdken's hat away,
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: Let him chase or field, and wode till my locks
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: of ruddy gold, now astray and hanging down, be combed
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: and plaited in a crown. Then a gust of wind
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: blew Curdken's hat away, and he had to chase it
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: over hill and dale. When he returned from the pursuit,
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: she had finished her combing and curling, and his chance
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: of getting any hair was gone. Curkkan was very angry
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: and wouldn't speak to her, So they herded the geese
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: till the evening and then went home the next morning.
• 7:12
  Speaker 1: As they passed under the gate, the girl said, O falada,
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: tis you hang there? And the head replied, tis you
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: pass under princess ere? If your mother only knew, her
• 7:23
  Speaker 1: heart would surely break in two. Then she went on
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: her way till she came to the common, where she
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: sat down and began to comb out her hair. Then
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: Curdken ran up to her and wanted to grasp some
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: of the hair from her head, but she called out hastily,
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: wind wind gently sway blow Curdken's hat away. Let him
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: chase or field, and wold till my locks of ruddy
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: gold now astray, and hanging down, be combed and plaited
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: in a crown. Then a puff of wind came and
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: blew Curdken's hat far away, so that he had to
• 7:53
  Speaker 1: run after it. And when he returned, she had long
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: finished putting up her golden locks, and he couldn't get
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: any hair. So they watched the geese till it was dark.
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: But that evening, when they got home, Curdken went to
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: the old King and said, I refuse to herd geese
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: any longer with that girl. For what reason? Asked the
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: old King. Because she does nothing but annoy me all
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: day long, replied Curdken, And he proceeded to relate all
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: her iniquities, and said, every morning, as we drive the
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: flock through the dark gate, she says to a horse's
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: head that hangs on the wall, el felat it, tith
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: you hang here? And the head replies, heise you kieth,
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: and you prince's fear if you read you only knew
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: her heart would surely break in cewe and Curdken went
• 8:36
  Speaker 1: on to tell what passed on the common where the
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: geese fed, and how he had always to chase his hat.
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: The old King bade him go and drive forth his
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: flock as usual the next day, and when morning came,
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: he himself took up his position behind the dark gate
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: and heard how the goose girl greeted Falada. Then he
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: followed her through the field and hid himself behind a
• 8:56
  Speaker 1: bush on the common. He soon saw with his own
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: eyes how the goose boy and goose girl looked after
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: the geese, and how after a time the maiden sat
• 9:04
  Speaker 1: down and loosed her hair that glittered like gold, and
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: repeated wind wind gently sway blow Curdken's hat away, let
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: him chase or field and wode till my locks of
• 9:15
  Speaker 1: ruddy gold, now astray and hanging down, be combed and
• 9:18
  Speaker 1: plaited in a crown. Then a gust of wind came
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: and blew Curdken's hat away, so that he had to
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: fly over hill and dale after it, and the girl,
• 9:26
  Speaker 1: in the meantime quietly combed and plaited her hair. All
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: this the old king observed and returned to the palace
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: without anyone having noticed him. In the evening, when the
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: goose girl came home, he called her aside and asked
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: her why she behaved as she did. I may not
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: tell you why, how dare I confide my woes to
• 9:44
  Speaker 1: any one, for I swore not to by heaven, otherwise
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: I should have lost my life. The old king begged
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: her to tell him all, and left her no peace.
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: But when he could get nothing out of her, at
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: last he said, well, if you won't tell me, confide
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: your trouble to the iron stove there and he went away.
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: And she crept to the stove and began to sob
• 10:06
  Speaker 1: and cry, and to pour out her poor little heart,
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: and said, here I sit deserted by all the world,
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: I who am a king's daughter, and a false waiting
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: maid has forced me to take off my own clothes,
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: and has taken my place with my bridegroom, while I
• 10:19
  Speaker 1: have to fulfill the lowly office of goose girl. If
• 10:23
  Speaker 1: my mother only knew, her heart would surely break in two.
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: But the old King stood outside at the stove chimney
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: and listened to her words. Then he entered the room again,
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: and bidding her leave the stove, he ordered royal apparel
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: to be put on her, in which she looked amazingly lovely.
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: Then he summoned his son and revealed to him that
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: he had got the false bride, who was nothing but
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: a waiting maid, while the real one, in the guise
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: of the ex goose girl, was standing at his side.
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: The young king rejoiced from his heart when he saw
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: her beauty and learned how good she was, and a
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: great banquet was prepared, to which every one was bidden.
• 10:59
  Speaker 1: The bridegroom sat at the head of the table, the
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: princess on one side of him, and the waiting maid
• 11:04
  Speaker 1: on the other side, But she was so dazzled that
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: she did not recognize the princess in her glittering garments. Now,
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: when they had eaten and drunk and were merry, the
• 11:12
  Speaker 1: old king asked the waiting maid to solve a knotty
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: point for him. What he said should be done to
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: a certain person who has deceived every one, And he
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: proceeded to relate the whole story, ending with, now what
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: sentence should be passed? Then the false bride answered, she
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: deserves to be put stark naked into a barrel lined
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: with sharp nails, which should be dragged by two white
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: horses up and down the street till she is dead.
• 11:40
  Speaker 1: You are the person, said the king, and you have
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: passed sentence on yourself, and even so shalit be done
• 11:47
  Speaker 1: to you, And when the sentence had been carried out,
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: the young king was married to his real bride, and
• 11:52
  Speaker 1: both reigned over the kingdom in peace and happiness. End
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: of the Goose Girl