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Polish Fairy Tales - A J Glinski · The Flame Tree and Other Folk-Lore Stories from Uganda

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  Speaker 1: There once was a king who was very old, but
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  Speaker 1: he had three grown up sons. So he called to
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  Speaker 1: them and said, my dear sons, I am very old,
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  Speaker 1: and the cares of government pressed heavily upon me. I
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: must therefore give them over to one of you. But
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  Speaker 1: as it is the law among us that no unmarried
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  Speaker 1: prince may be king, I wish you all to get married,
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  Speaker 1: and whoever chooses the best wife shall be my successor.
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  Speaker 1: So they determined each to go a different way, and
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  Speaker 1: settled it. Thus they went to the top of a
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  Speaker 1: very high tower, and each one, at a given signal,
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  Speaker 1: shot an arrow in a different direction to the others.
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  Speaker 1: Wherever their arrows fell, they were to go in search
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  Speaker 1: of their future wives. The eldest prince's arrow fell on
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  Speaker 1: a palace in the city where lived a senator who
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  Speaker 1: had a beautiful daughter, so he went there and married her.
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  Speaker 1: The second prince's arrow struck upon a country house where
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  Speaker 1: a very pretty young lay, the daughter of a rich gentleman,
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  Speaker 1: was sitting. So he went there and proposed to her,
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  Speaker 1: and they were married. But the youngest princess arrow shot
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  Speaker 1: through a green wood and fell into a lake. He
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  Speaker 1: saw his arrow floating among the reeds, and a frog
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  Speaker 1: sitting thereon, looking fixedly at him. But the marshy ground
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  Speaker 1: was so unsafe that he could not venture upon it,
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  Speaker 1: so he sat down in despair. What is the matter,
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  Speaker 1: prince asked the frog. What does the matter? Why I
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  Speaker 1: cannot reach that arrow on which you are sitting. Take
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  Speaker 1: me for your wife, and I will give it to you.
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  Speaker 1: But how can you be my wife? Little frog? That
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  Speaker 1: is just what has got to be. You know that
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  Speaker 1: you shot your arrow from the tower, thinking that where
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  Speaker 1: it fell you would find a loving wife, So you
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  Speaker 1: will have her in me. You are very wise, I see,
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  Speaker 1: little frog. But tell me how can I marry you?
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  Speaker 1: Or introduce you to my father? And what will the
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  Speaker 1: world say? Take me home with you and let nobody see.
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  Speaker 1: Tell them you have married an eastern lady who must
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  Speaker 1: not be seen by any man except her husband, nor
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  Speaker 1: even by another woman. The prince considered a little The
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  Speaker 1: arrow had now floated to the margin of the lake.
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  Speaker 1: He took the arrow from the little frog, put her
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  Speaker 1: in his pocket, carried her home, and then went to bed,
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  Speaker 1: sighing very deeply. Next morning, the kings told that all
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  Speaker 1: his sons were married. So we called them all together,
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  Speaker 1: and said, well, children, are you pleased? With your wives?
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  Speaker 1: Very pleased? Indeed, Father and King, well we shall see
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  Speaker 1: who has chosen best. Let each of my daughters in
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  Speaker 1: law weave me a carpet by tomorrow, and the one
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  Speaker 1: whose carpet is the most beautiful shall be queen. The
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  Speaker 1: elder princes hastened at once to their ladies, but the youngest,
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  Speaker 1: when he reached home, was in despair. What is the matter,
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: prince asked the frog, What is the matter. My father
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  Speaker 1: has ordered that each of his daughters in law shall
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  Speaker 1: weave him apart, shall weave him a carpet, and the
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  Speaker 1: one whose carpet proves the most beautiful shall be first
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  Speaker 1: in rank. My brother's wives are most likely working at
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  Speaker 1: their looms already. But you, little frog, although you can
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  Speaker 1: give back an arrow and talk like a human being,
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  Speaker 1: will not be able to weave a carpet as far
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  Speaker 1: as I can see. Don't be afraid, she said, go
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  Speaker 1: to sleep, and before you wake, the carpet shall be ready.
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  Speaker 1: So he lay down and went to sleep. But the
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  Speaker 1: little frogs stood on their hind legs and sang, ye
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  Speaker 1: breezes that blow, ye winds, that sigh come hither on
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  Speaker 1: airy wing, and all of you straight to my dwelling
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  Speaker 1: high and various treasures. Bring two fleeces I crave of
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  Speaker 1: the finest wood, and of the loveliest flowers, a basketful
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  Speaker 1: from the depths of the ocean. Bring sands of gold
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  Speaker 1: and pearl drops of luster manifold, so that I may
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  Speaker 1: fashion a carpet bright, adorned with fair flowerets and gems
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  Speaker 1: of light, and weave it in one short day and night,
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  Speaker 1: when my true love's hands must the treasure hold. There
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  Speaker 1: was a gentle murmur of the breezes, and from the
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  Speaker 1: sunbeams descended several lovely maidens, who floated into the room
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  Speaker 1: carrying baskets of various colored wolves, pearls, and flowers. They
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  Speaker 1: curtsied deeply to the little frog, and in a few
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  Speaker 1: minutes they wove a wonderfully beautiful carpet. And then they
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  Speaker 1: curtsied again and flew away. Meanwhile, the wives of the
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  Speaker 1: other princes bought the most beautifully colored wolves and the
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  Speaker 1: best designs they could find, and worked hard at their
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  Speaker 1: looms all the next day. Then all the princes came
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  Speaker 1: before the king and spread out their carpets before them.
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  Speaker 1: The king looked at the first in the second, but
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  Speaker 1: when he came to the third, he exclaimed, that's the
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  Speaker 1: carpet for me. I give the first place to my
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  Speaker 1: youngest son's wife. But there must be another trial. Yet.
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  Speaker 1: He ordered that each of his daughters in law should
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  Speaker 1: make him a cake the next day, and the husband
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  Speaker 1: of the one whose cake proved the best should be
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  Speaker 1: his successor. The youngest prince came back to his frog wife.
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  Speaker 1: He looked very thoughtful and sighed deeply. What is the matter, prince,
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  Speaker 1: she asked, My father demands another proof of skill, and
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  Speaker 1: I am not so sure that we shall succeed so
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  Speaker 1: well as before, For how can you bake a cake?
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  Speaker 1: Do not be afraid, she said, Lie down and sleep,
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  Speaker 1: and when you wake, you will be in a happier
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  Speaker 1: frame of mind. The prince went to sleep, and the
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  Speaker 1: frog sprang up to the window and sang, ye breezes
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  Speaker 1: that blow, ye winds that sigh. Come hither on airy ring,
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  Speaker 1: and all of you straight to my dwelling high. These
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  Speaker 1: various gifts to bring from the sunbeams bright bring me
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  Speaker 1: heat and light, and soft waters distill from a pure
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  Speaker 1: flowing rill from the flowers of the field, the sweet
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  Speaker 1: odors they yield from the wheat fields, obtain five full
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  Speaker 1: measures of grain, that so I may bake in the
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  Speaker 1: nighttime a cake for my true love's sake. The winds
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  Speaker 1: began to rise, and the seven beautiful maidens floated down
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  Speaker 1: into the room, carrying baskets with flower water, sweetmeats, and
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  Speaker 1: all sorts of dainties. They curtsied to the little frog
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  Speaker 1: and got the cake ready in a few minutes, then
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  Speaker 1: curtsied again and flew away. The next day, the three
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  Speaker 1: princes brought their cakes to the king. They were all
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  Speaker 1: very good, but when he tasted the one made by
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  Speaker 1: his youngest son's wife, he exclaimed, this is the cake
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  Speaker 1: for me, light, flowery, white and delicious. I see, my son,
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  Speaker 1: you have made the best choice. But we must wait
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  Speaker 1: a little longer. The two elder sons went away much depressed,
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  Speaker 1: but the youngest greatly elated. When he reached home, he
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  Speaker 1: took up his little frog, stroked and kissed her, and said,
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  Speaker 1: tell me, my love, how it was that you, being
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  Speaker 1: only a little frog, could we have such a beautiful
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  Speaker 1: carpet or make such a delicious cake. Because my prince,
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  Speaker 1: I am not what I see I am a princess,
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  Speaker 1: and my mother is the renowned Queen of Light and
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  Speaker 1: a great enchantress. But she has many enemies who, as
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  Speaker 1: they could not injure her, were always seeking to destroy me.
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  Speaker 1: To conceal me from them, she was obliged to turn
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  Speaker 1: me into a frog, and for seven years I have
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  Speaker 1: been forced to stay in the marsh where you found me,
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  Speaker 1: under this frog skin. I am really more beautiful than
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  Speaker 1: you can imagine. Yet until my mother has conquered all
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  Speaker 1: her enemies, I must wear this disguise. After that takes place,
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  Speaker 1: you shall see me as I really am. While they
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  Speaker 1: were talking, two courtiers entered with the king's orders to
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  Speaker 1: the young prince to come to a banquet at the
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  Speaker 1: king's palace and to bring his wife with him, as
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  Speaker 1: his brothers were doing by theirs. He knew not what
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  Speaker 1: to do, but the little frog said, do not be afraid,
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  Speaker 1: my prince, go to your father alone, and when he
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  Speaker 1: asks for me, it will be in to rain. You
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  Speaker 1: must then say that your wife will follow you, but
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  Speaker 1: she is now bathing and may do. When it lightens,
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  Speaker 1: say I am dressing, and when it thunders that I
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  Speaker 1: am coming. The prince, trusting to her word set out
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  Speaker 1: for the palace, and the frog, jumping up to the
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  Speaker 1: window and standing on her hind legs, began to sing,
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  Speaker 1: Ye breezes that blow, ye winds that sigh. Come hither
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  Speaker 1: on airy wing, and all of you straight to my
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  Speaker 1: dwelling high. These several gifts to bring my beauty of
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  Speaker 1: yore and my bright youth once more, all my dresses
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  Speaker 1: so far, and my jewels so rare, And let me
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  Speaker 1: delight my dear love by the sight. Then the seven
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  Speaker 1: beautiful damsels, who were the handmaidens of the princess when
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  Speaker 1: she lived with her mother, floated on the sunbeams into
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  Speaker 1: the room. They curtsied, walked three times around her, and
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  Speaker 1: produced some magical words. Then the frog skin fell off,
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  Speaker 1: and she stood among them, a miracle of beauty, and
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  Speaker 1: the lovely princess she was. Meanwhile, the Prince, her husband,
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  Speaker 1: had arrived at the royal banquet hall, which was already
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  Speaker 1: full of guests. The old king welcomed him warmly and
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  Speaker 1: asked him, where is your wife, my son. Then a
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  Speaker 1: light rain began to fall, and the Prince said, she
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  Speaker 1: will not be long. She is now bathing herself, and
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  Speaker 1: may do Then there came a flash of lightning, which
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  Speaker 1: illuminated all the palace, and he said, she is now
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  Speaker 1: adorning herself. When it thundered, he ran to the door, exclaiming,
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  Speaker 1: here she is. And the lovely princess came in, seeming
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  Speaker 1: to bring the sunshine with her. They stood amazed at
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  Speaker 1: her beauty. The king could not contain his delight, and
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  Speaker 1: she seemed to him all the more beautiful because he
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  Speaker 1: thought her the very image of his long deceased queen.
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  Speaker 1: The prince himself was no less astonished and overjoyed to
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  Speaker 1: find such loveliness in her, whom he had only as
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  Speaker 1: yet seen in the shape of a little frog. Tell me,
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  Speaker 1: my son, said the king, Well, why did you not
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  Speaker 1: let me know what a fortunate choice you had made?
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  Speaker 1: The prince told him everything in a whisper, and the
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  Speaker 1: King said, go home, then, my son, at once, and
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  Speaker 1: pick up that frog skin of her his throws in
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  Speaker 1: the fire, and come back here as fast as you can.
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  Speaker 1: She will have to remain just as she is now.
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  Speaker 1: The prince did as his father told him, went home
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  Speaker 1: and threw the frog skin into the fire, where it
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  Speaker 1: was at once consumed. But things did not turn out
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  Speaker 1: as they expected for the lovely princess, and coming home,
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  Speaker 1: sought for her frog skin, and, not finding it, began
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  Speaker 1: to cry bitterly. When the prince confessed the truth, she
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  Speaker 1: shrieked aloud, and, taking out a green poppy head, threw
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  Speaker 1: it at him. He went to sleep at once, but
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  Speaker 1: she sprang up to the window and sang her songs
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  Speaker 1: to the wind, upon which she was changed into a
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  Speaker 1: druck and flew away. The prince woke up in the
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  Speaker 1: morning and grieved sadly when he found his beautiful princess gone.
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  Speaker 1: He got on horseback and set out to find her,
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  Speaker 1: inquiring everywhere for the kingdom of the Queen of Light
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  Speaker 1: is Princess's mother, to whom he supposed she must have fled.
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  Speaker 1: He rode on for a very very long time, until
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  Speaker 1: one day he came to a wide plain, all covered
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  Speaker 1: with poppies in full flower, the odor of which so
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  Speaker 1: overpowered him that he could scarce keep upright in his saddle.
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  Speaker 1: Then he saw a queer little horse supported on four
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  Speaker 1: crooked legs. There was no door to the house, but
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  Speaker 1: knowing what he ought to do, he said, little house,
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  Speaker 1: move on your crooked legs free, turn your back to
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  Speaker 1: the wood and your front door to me. The hut
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  Speaker 1: with the crooked legs made a creaking noise and turned
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  Speaker 1: round with its door towards the prince. He went straight
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  Speaker 1: in and found an old shuri whose name was Yenjar.
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  Speaker 1: Inside she was spinning from distaff and singing. How are you, prince,
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  Speaker 1: she said, And what brings you here? So the prince
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  Speaker 1: told her, and she said, you have done wisely to
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  Speaker 1: tell me the truth. I know your bride, the beautiful
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  Speaker 1: daughter of the Queen of Light. She flies to my
• 12:01
  Speaker 1: house daily in the shape of a duck, and this
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  Speaker 1: is where she sits. Hide yourself under this table, and
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  Speaker 1: watch your opportunity to lay hold of her. Hold her
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  Speaker 1: fast whatever shape she assumes. When she is tired, she
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  Speaker 1: will turn into a spindle. You must then break the
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  Speaker 1: spindle in two, and you will find that which you
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  Speaker 1: are seeking. Presently, the duck flew in, sat down beside
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  Speaker 1: the old fury, and began to preen her feathers with
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  Speaker 1: her beak. The prince seized her by the wing. The
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  Speaker 1: duck quacked, fluttered and struggled to get loose, but seeing
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  Speaker 1: this was useless, she changed herself into a pigeon. Then
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  Speaker 1: into a hawk, then into a serpent, which so frightened
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  Speaker 1: the prince that he let her go, on which she
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  Speaker 1: became a duck again, quacked aloud, and flew out of
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  Speaker 1: the window. The prince sighed the mistake, and the old
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  Speaker 1: woman cried aloud, what have you done, you careless fellow.
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  Speaker 1: You will find her away from me forever. But as
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  Speaker 1: she's your bride, I must find some other way to
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  Speaker 1: help you. Take this ball of thread, throw it before you,
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  Speaker 1: and wherever it goes, follow after it, and then you
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  Speaker 1: will come to my sister's house, and she will tell
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  Speaker 1: you what to do next. So the prince went on
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  Speaker 1: day and night, following the ball of thread, till he
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  Speaker 1: came to another queer little house like the first, to
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  Speaker 1: which he said the same rhyme, and going in, found
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  Speaker 1: the second old fury, and told her his story. Hid
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  Speaker 1: under the bench, she exclaimed, your bride is just coming in.
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  Speaker 1: The duck flew in as before, and the Prince caught
• 13:33
  Speaker 1: her by the wing. She cracked and tried to get away.
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: Then she changed herself into a turkey, then into a dog,
• 13:38
  Speaker 1: then into a cat, and into an eel, so that
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  Speaker 1: she slipped through his hands and glided out of the window.
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: The prince was in despair, but the old woman gave
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  Speaker 1: him another ball of thread, and he followed it, determining
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: not to let the princess escape so easily, so going
• 13:53
  Speaker 1: on after the thread as it kept unwinding, he came
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  Speaker 1: to another front of little house and light the two first,
• 13:58
  Speaker 1: he said, house, move on your crooked legs free, turn
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  Speaker 1: your back to the wood at your front door to me.
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  Speaker 1: The little house turned round so that he could go in,
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: and he found a third old fury in side, much
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: older than her sister's and having white hair. He told
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  Speaker 1: her his story and begged for help. Why did you
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: go against the wishes of your clever and sensible wife,
• 14:19
  Speaker 1: said the old woman. You see, she knew better than
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: you what her frog skin was good for. But you
• 14:25
  Speaker 1: must needs be in such a hurry to display her
• 14:27
  Speaker 1: beauty to gain the world's applause, that you have lost her,
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: and she was forced to fly away from you. The
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  Speaker 1: prince hid himself under the bench. The duck flew in
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: and set at the old woman's feet, on which he
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: caught her by the wings. She struggled hard, but she
• 14:41
  Speaker 1: felt his strength was too great for her to resist,
• 14:43
  Speaker 1: so she turned herself into a spindle. At once. He
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: broke it across his knee, and lo and behold, instead
• 14:49
  Speaker 1: of the two halves of the spindle there remained. He
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: held the hands of his beautiful princess. He looked at
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  Speaker 1: him lovingly with her beautiful eyes, and smiled sweetly, and
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: she promised him that she would always remain as she was. Then,
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: since her mother's enemies were all dead, she had nothing
• 15:02
  Speaker 1: to fear. They embraced each other and went out of
• 15:05
  Speaker 1: the old furies hut. Then the princess spoke some magical spells,
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: and in the twinkling of an eye, there appeared a
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: wonderful bridge, reaching from where they stood hundreds of miles
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: up into the very gallery of the palace belonging to
• 15:16
  Speaker 1: the prince's father. It was then all made of crystal,
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: with golden handrails and diamond bosses upon them. The prince
• 15:22
  Speaker 1: spoke more magical words, and a golden coach appeared, drawn
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: by eight horses and a coachman and two tall footmen,
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: all in golden liveries. And there were four outriders on
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: special horses riding by the side of the coach, and
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: an inquiry riding in the front and blowing a brazen trumpet,
• 15:38
  Speaker 1: and a long procession of followers and splendid dresses came
• 15:41
  Speaker 1: after them. Then the Prince and Princess got into the
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: golden coach and drove away, thus accompanied across the crystal
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: bridge till they reached home, when the old King came
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: out to meet them and embraced them both tenderly. He
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: appointed the Prince's successor, and such magnificent festivities were held
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: at the occasion as never were seen or heard of before.
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: End of chapter one. The Frog Princess recording by Sarah
• 16:07
  Speaker 1: and Gracia Parshall Sarah Parshall dot blogspot dot com, New York.
• 16:20
  Speaker 2: Chapter two of Polish Fairy Tales. This is a libervrox recording.
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: All libervrox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: information or to volunteer, please visit libervrox dot org. Recording
• 16:35
  Speaker 2: by Don Leary. Polish Fairy Tales by A. J. Glinsky,
• 16:42
  Speaker 2: translated by maud Ashurst Biggs. Chapter two, Princess Miranda and
• 16:51
  Speaker 2: Prince Hero. Far away in the wide ocean, there was
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  Speaker 2: once a green island where lived the most beautiful princess
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  Speaker 2: in the world, named Miranda, she had lived there ever
• 17:03
  Speaker 2: since her birth and was queen of the island. Nobody
• 17:07
  Speaker 2: knew who were her parents or how she had come there.
• 17:10
  Speaker 2: But she was not alone, for there were twelve beautiful
• 17:13
  Speaker 2: maidens who had grown up with her on the island
• 17:15
  Speaker 2: and were her ladies in waiting. But a few strangers
• 17:19
  Speaker 2: had visited the island and spoken of the princess's great beauty,
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: and many more came in time and became her subjects,
• 17:26
  Speaker 2: and built a magnificent city, in which she had a
• 17:29
  Speaker 2: splendid palace of white marble to live in. And in
• 17:32
  Speaker 2: course of time a great many young princes came to
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: woo her, but she did not care to marry any
• 17:38
  Speaker 2: of them, And if anyone persisted and tried to compel
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: her by force to be his wife, she could turn
• 17:44
  Speaker 2: him and all his soldiers into ice by merely fixing
• 17:47
  Speaker 2: her eyes upon them. One day, the wicked Caushe, the
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: king of the underground Realm, came into the upper world
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: and began to gaze all around it with his telescope.
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: Various empires and kingdoms passed in review before him, and
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: at last he saw the green island and the rich
• 18:05
  Speaker 2: city upon it, and the marble palace in this city,
• 18:08
  Speaker 2: and in this palace the twelve beautiful young ladies of honor,
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: and among them he beheld lying on a rich couch
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: of swansdown the Princess Miranda asleep. She slept like an
• 18:20
  Speaker 2: innocent child. But she was dreaming of a young knight,
• 18:23
  Speaker 2: wearing a golden helmet, on a gallant steed, and carrying
• 18:27
  Speaker 2: an invisible mace that fought of itself. And she loved
• 18:31
  Speaker 2: him better than life. Caushay looked at her, he was
• 18:35
  Speaker 2: delighted with her beauty. He struck the earth three times
• 18:39
  Speaker 2: and stood upon the green island. Princess Miranda called together
• 18:42
  Speaker 2: her brave army and led them into the field to
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: fight the wicked Caushet, But he, blowing on them with
• 18:48
  Speaker 2: his poisonous breath, sent them all fast asleep. And he
• 18:52
  Speaker 2: was just going to lay hands upon the princess, when she,
• 18:55
  Speaker 2: throwing a glance of scorn at him, changed him into
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: a lump of ice, and fled to her capital. Kashet
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: did not long remain ice. So soon as the princess
• 19:04
  Speaker 2: was away, he freed himself from the power of her glance, and,
• 19:07
  Speaker 2: regaining his usual form, followed her to her city. Then
• 19:11
  Speaker 2: he sent all the inhabitants of the island to sleep,
• 19:15
  Speaker 2: and among them the princesses, twelve faithful damsels. She was
• 19:20
  Speaker 2: the only one whom he could not injure, But being
• 19:22
  Speaker 2: afraid of her glances, he surrounded the castle, which stood
• 19:26
  Speaker 2: upon a high hill, with an iron rampart, and placed
• 19:29
  Speaker 2: a dragon with twelve heads on guard before the gate,
• 19:32
  Speaker 2: and waited for the princess to give herself up of
• 19:35
  Speaker 2: her own accord. The days passed by, then weeks, then months,
• 19:41
  Speaker 2: while her kingdom became a desert. All her people were asleep,
• 19:44
  Speaker 2: and her faithful soldiers also lay sleeping on the open fields,
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: their steel armor all rested, and wild plants were growing
• 19:52
  Speaker 2: over them undisturbed. Her twelve maidens were all asleep in
• 19:56
  Speaker 2: different rooms of the palace, just where they happened to
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: be at the time, and she herself, all alone, kept
• 20:03
  Speaker 2: walking sadly to and fro in a little room up
• 20:06
  Speaker 2: in a tower where she had taken refuge, wringing, her
• 20:09
  Speaker 2: white hands weeping, and her bosom heaving with sighs. Around
• 20:14
  Speaker 2: her all were silent, as though dead. Only every now
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: and then, Caushey, not daring to encounter her angry Glance
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: knocked at the door, asking her to surrender, promising to
• 20:25
  Speaker 2: make her queen of his underground realm. But it was
• 20:28
  Speaker 2: all of no use. The princess was silent and only
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: threatened him with her looks. But grieving in her lonely prison,
• 20:35
  Speaker 2: Princess Miranda could not forget the lover of whom she
• 20:38
  Speaker 2: had been dreaming. She saw him just as he had
• 20:41
  Speaker 2: appeared to her in her dream, and she looked up
• 20:44
  Speaker 2: with her blue eyes to heaven, and seeing a cloud
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: floating by, she said, Oh, cloud, through the bright sky, flying,
• 20:52
  Speaker 2: stay and hearken my piteous sighing in my sorrow, I
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: call upon thee Oh where is my loved one? Say? Oh,
• 21:00
  Speaker 2: where do his footsteps stray? And does he now think
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: of me? I know not, the cloud replied, Ask the wind,
• 21:08
  Speaker 2: and she looked out into the wide plain, and, seeing
• 21:10
  Speaker 2: how the wind was blowing freely, she said, Oh, wind,
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: or the wide world flying, Do thou pity my grief
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: and crying? Have pity on me? Oh, where is my
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: loved one? Say? Oh, where do his footsteps stray? And
• 21:24
  Speaker 2: does he now think of me? Ask the stars? The
• 21:27
  Speaker 2: wind replied, they know more than I do. So she
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: cried to the stars, Oh, Stars, with your bright beams glowing,
• 21:36
  Speaker 2: look down on my tears fast flowing, have pity, have
• 21:39
  Speaker 2: pity on me. Oh where is my loved one? Say? Oh,
• 21:43
  Speaker 2: where do his footsteps stray? And does he now think
• 21:46
  Speaker 2: of me? Ask the moon, said the stars, who, being
• 21:50
  Speaker 2: nearer to the earth, knows more of what happens there
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: than we do. So she said to the moon, Bright Moon,
• 21:57
  Speaker 2: as you're watch you keep from the starry skies or
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: this land of sleep, look down now and pity me.
• 22:03
  Speaker 2: Oh where is my loved one? Say where where do
• 22:07
  Speaker 2: his footsteps stray? And does he now think of me?
• 22:10
  Speaker 2: I know nothing about your loved one, princess replied the moon.
• 22:14
  Speaker 2: But here comes the sun, who will surely be able
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: to tell you. And the sun rose up in the dawn,
• 22:20
  Speaker 2: and at noontide stood just over the Princess's tower, and
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: she said, thou soul of the world, bright Sun, look
• 22:29
  Speaker 2: on me in this prison, undone, have pity on me?
• 22:32
  Speaker 2: Oh where is my loved one? Say through what lands
• 22:36
  Speaker 2: do his footsteps stray? Does he now think of me?
• 22:40
  Speaker 2: Princess Miranda said, the sun, dry your tears, comfort your heart,
• 22:45
  Speaker 2: Your lover is hastening to you from the bottom of
• 22:48
  Speaker 2: the deep sea, from under the coral reefs. He has
• 22:51
  Speaker 2: won the enchanted ring. When he puts it on his finger,
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: his army will increase by thousands, regiment after regiment, with
• 22:58
  Speaker 2: horse and foot, the drums beating, the sabers cleaming, the
• 23:02
  Speaker 2: colors flying, the cannon roaring. They are bearing down on
• 23:05
  Speaker 2: the Empire of Kashet. But he cannot conquer him by
• 23:09
  Speaker 2: force of mortal weapons. I will teach him a surer way,
• 23:13
  Speaker 2: and there is good hope that he will be able
• 23:16
  Speaker 2: to deliver you from Kashet and save your country. I
• 23:19
  Speaker 2: will hasten to your prince farewell. The sun stood over
• 23:24
  Speaker 2: a wide country, beyond the deep seas, beyond high mountains,
• 23:27
  Speaker 2: where Prince hero in a golden helmet on a gallant horse,
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: was drawing up his army and preparing to march against Kashe,
• 23:35
  Speaker 2: the besieger of the fair princess. He had seen her
• 23:39
  Speaker 2: three times in a dream, and had heard much about her,
• 23:42
  Speaker 2: for her beauty was famous throughout the world. Dismiss your army,
• 23:47
  Speaker 2: said the son. No army can conquer Kashe, no bullet
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: can reach him. You can only free Princess Miranda by
• 23:54
  Speaker 2: killing him. And how you are to do it you
• 23:57
  Speaker 2: must learn from the old woman Djanza. I can only
• 24:01
  Speaker 2: tell you where you will find the horse that must
• 24:04
  Speaker 2: carry you to her. Go hence towards the east, you
• 24:07
  Speaker 2: will come to a green meadow in which there are
• 24:09
  Speaker 2: three oak trees, and among them you will find hidden
• 24:13
  Speaker 2: in the ground an iron door with a brazen padlock.
• 24:17
  Speaker 2: Behind this door you will find a battle charger and
• 24:20
  Speaker 2: a mace. The rest you will learn afterwards. Farewell. Prince
• 24:26
  Speaker 2: Hero was most surprised, but he took off his enchanted
• 24:29
  Speaker 2: ring and threw it into the sea. With it, all
• 24:32
  Speaker 2: his great army vanished directly into mist, leaving no trace behind.
• 24:38
  Speaker 2: He turned to the east and traveled onwards. After three
• 24:42
  Speaker 2: days he came to the green meadow, where he found
• 24:45
  Speaker 2: the three oak trees and the iron door. As he
• 24:48
  Speaker 2: had been told, it opened upon a narrow, crooked stairway
• 24:52
  Speaker 2: going downwards, leading into a deep dungeon, where he found
• 24:56
  Speaker 2: another iron door closed by a heavy iron padlock. Behind this,
• 25:01
  Speaker 2: he heard a horse naying so loudly that it made
• 25:05
  Speaker 2: the door fall to the ground, and at the same moment,
• 25:08
  Speaker 2: eleven other doors flew open and there came out a
• 25:12
  Speaker 2: war horse, which had been shut up there for ages
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: by a wizard. The prince whistled to the horse. The
• 25:19
  Speaker 2: horse tugged at his fastenings and broke twelve chains by
• 25:22
  Speaker 2: which he had been fettered. He had eyes like stars,
• 25:26
  Speaker 2: flaming nostrils, and a mane like a thunder cloud. He
• 25:29
  Speaker 2: was a horse of horses, the wonder of the world.
• 25:33
  Speaker 2: Prince Hero said the horse. I have long waited for
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: such a rider as you, and I am ready to
• 25:39
  Speaker 2: serve you forever. Mount on my back. Take that mace
• 25:42
  Speaker 2: in your hand which you see hanging to the saddle.
• 25:45
  Speaker 2: You need not fight with it yourself, for it will
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: strike wherever you commanded and beat a whole army. I
• 25:51
  Speaker 2: know the way everywhere. Tell me where you want to go,
• 25:54
  Speaker 2: and you will presently be there. The prince told him everything,
• 25:58
  Speaker 2: took the self fighting mason his head hand, and sprang
• 26:01
  Speaker 2: on his back. The horse reared, snorted, spurned the ground,
• 26:05
  Speaker 2: and they flew over mountains and forests higher than the
• 26:08
  Speaker 2: flying clouds, over rapid rivers and deep seas. But when
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: they flew along the ground, the charger's light feet never
• 26:15
  Speaker 2: trampled down a blade of grass nor raised an atom
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: of dust on the sandy soil. Before sunset, Prince Hero
• 26:23
  Speaker 2: had reached the primeval forest in which the old woman
• 26:26
  Speaker 2: Janza lived. He was amazed at the size and age
• 26:30
  Speaker 2: of the mighty oaks, pine trees and firs, where there
• 26:33
  Speaker 2: reigned a perpetual twilight, and there was absolute silence, not
• 26:38
  Speaker 2: a leaf or a blade of grass stirring, and no
• 26:41
  Speaker 2: living thing, not so much as a bird or the
• 26:44
  Speaker 2: hum of an insect. Only amidst this grave like stillness
• 26:48
  Speaker 2: the sound of his horses hoofs. The Prince stopped before
• 26:52
  Speaker 2: a little house, supported on crooked legs, and said, little house,
• 26:57
  Speaker 2: move on your crooked legs free, turn your back to
• 27:00
  Speaker 2: the wood and your front to me. The house turned
• 27:04
  Speaker 2: round with a door towards him. The Prince went in,
• 27:07
  Speaker 2: and the old woman Chanza asked him, how did you
• 27:12
  Speaker 2: get here, Prince Hero, where no living soul has penetrated
• 27:16
  Speaker 2: till now? Don't ask me, but welcome your guest politely.
• 27:21
  Speaker 2: So the old woman gave the prince food and drink,
• 27:24
  Speaker 2: made up a soft bed for him to rest on
• 27:26
  Speaker 2: after his journey, and left him for the night. Next morning,
• 27:31
  Speaker 2: he told her all and what he had come. For
• 27:34
  Speaker 2: you have undertaken a great and splendid task, Prince. So
• 27:38
  Speaker 2: I will tell you how to kill Caushey. In the
• 27:41
  Speaker 2: ocean sea, on the island of Everlasting Life, there is
• 27:44
  Speaker 2: an old oak tree. Under this tree is buried a
• 27:48
  Speaker 2: coffer bound with iron. In this coffer is a hare.
• 27:52
  Speaker 2: Under the hare sits a gray duck. This duck carries
• 27:56
  Speaker 2: within her an egg, and in this egg isn't close
• 27:59
  Speaker 2: the life of When you break the egg, he will
• 28:02
  Speaker 2: die at once. Now, goodbye, Prince, and good luck. Go
• 28:06
  Speaker 2: with you. Your horse will show you the way. The prince
• 28:10
  Speaker 2: got on horseback, and they soon left the forest behind
• 28:13
  Speaker 2: them and came to the shore of the ocean. On
• 28:16
  Speaker 2: the beach was a fisherman's net, and in the net
• 28:18
  Speaker 2: was a great fish, who, when he saw the Prince,
• 28:21
  Speaker 2: cried out piteously, Prince, Hero, take me out of the
• 28:25
  Speaker 2: net and throw me back into the sea. I will
• 28:28
  Speaker 2: repay you. The Prince took the fish out of the
• 28:31
  Speaker 2: net and threw it into the sea. It splashed in
• 28:34
  Speaker 2: the water and vanished. The prince looked over the sea
• 28:38
  Speaker 2: and saw the island in the gray distance, far far away.
• 28:42
  Speaker 2: But how is he to get there? He leaned upon
• 28:45
  Speaker 2: his mace, deep in thought. What are you thinking of? Prince,
• 28:50
  Speaker 2: asked the horse, I am thinking how am I to
• 28:53
  Speaker 2: get to the island when I cannot swim over that
• 28:56
  Speaker 2: breadth of seam. Sit on my back, Prince, and hold last.
• 29:01
  Speaker 2: So the Prince sat firm on the horse's back and
• 29:03
  Speaker 2: held fast by the thick mane. A window rose, and
• 29:06
  Speaker 2: the sea was somewhat rough, But rider and horse pushed
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: on through the billows, and at last came to shore
• 29:13
  Speaker 2: on the Island of Everlasting Life. The Prince took off
• 29:16
  Speaker 2: his horse's bridle and led him loose to feed in
• 29:19
  Speaker 2: a meadow of luxuriant grass, and walked on quickly to
• 29:23
  Speaker 2: a high hill where grew the old oak tree. Taking
• 29:26
  Speaker 2: it in both hands, he tugged at it. The oak
• 29:29
  Speaker 2: resisted all his efforts. He tugged again. The oak began
• 29:32
  Speaker 2: to creak and moved a little. He mustered all his
• 29:35
  Speaker 2: strength and tugged again. The oak fell with a crash
• 29:39
  Speaker 2: to the ground with its roots uppermost, And there where
• 29:43
  Speaker 2: they had stood firmly fixed so many hundred years, was
• 29:46
  Speaker 2: a deep hole. Looking down he saw the iron bound coffer.
• 29:50
  Speaker 2: He fetched it up, broke open the lock with a
• 29:53
  Speaker 2: stone raised the lid picked up the hare lying in
• 29:56
  Speaker 2: it by its ears. But at that moment the duck,
• 29:59
  Speaker 2: which had been seen under the hair, took the alarm
• 30:02
  Speaker 2: and flew off straight to sea. The prince fired a
• 30:05
  Speaker 2: shot after her. The bullet hit the duck. She gave
• 30:08
  Speaker 2: one loud quack and fell, but in that same instant
• 30:12
  Speaker 2: the egg fell from her down to the bottom of
• 30:14
  Speaker 2: the sea. The prince gave a cry of despair, but
• 30:18
  Speaker 2: just then a great fish came swimming, dived down to
• 30:21
  Speaker 2: the depths of the sea, and coming to the shore,
• 30:24
  Speaker 2: with the egg in its jaws, left it on the sand.
• 30:29
  Speaker 2: The dragon, who kept watch the fish, swam away, but
• 30:34
  Speaker 2: the prince, taking up the egg, mounted his horse once more,
• 30:38
  Speaker 2: and they swam till they reached Princess Miranda's island, where
• 30:41
  Speaker 2: they saw a great iron wall stretching all round her
• 30:44
  Speaker 2: white marble palace. There was only one entrance through this
• 30:48
  Speaker 2: iron wall to the palace, and before this lay the
• 30:51
  Speaker 2: monstrous dragon with the twelve heads, six of which kept
• 30:54
  Speaker 2: guard alternately. When the one half slept, the other six
• 30:58
  Speaker 2: remained awake. Anyone were to approach the gate, he could
• 31:02
  Speaker 2: not escape the horrid jaws. Nobody could hurt the dragon,
• 31:06
  Speaker 2: for he could only suffer death by his own act.
• 31:09
  Speaker 2: The Prince stood on the hill before that gate and
• 31:12
  Speaker 2: commanded his self fighting mace, which also had the faculty
• 31:15
  Speaker 2: of becoming invisible, to go and clear his entrance to
• 31:18
  Speaker 2: the palace. The invisible self fighting mace fell upon the
• 31:22
  Speaker 2: dragon and began to thunder on all his heads with
• 31:25
  Speaker 2: such force that all his eyes became bloodshot, and he
• 31:29
  Speaker 2: began to hiss fiercely. He shook his twelve heads and
• 31:32
  Speaker 2: stretched wide his twelve horrid jaws. He spread out his
• 31:36
  Speaker 2: forest of claws, but this helped him not at all.
• 31:39
  Speaker 2: The mace kept on smiting him, moving about so fast
• 31:43
  Speaker 2: that not a single head escaped, but could only hiss, groan,
• 31:47
  Speaker 2: and shriek wildly. Now it had given a thousand blows,
• 31:51
  Speaker 2: the blood gushed from a thousand wounds, and there was
• 31:54
  Speaker 2: no help for the dragon. He raged, writhed about, and
• 31:57
  Speaker 2: shrieked in despair. Finally, as blow followed blow, and he
• 32:02
  Speaker 2: could not see who gave them, he gnashed his teeth,
• 32:05
  Speaker 2: belched forth flame, and at length turned his claws upon himself,
• 32:10
  Speaker 2: plunging them deep into his own flesh struggled, writhed, twisted
• 32:15
  Speaker 2: himself round and in and out. His blood flowed freely
• 32:18
  Speaker 2: from his wounds, and now it was all over with
• 32:21
  Speaker 2: the dragon. The Prince, seeing this, went into the courtyard
• 32:25
  Speaker 2: of the palace, put his horse into the stable, and
• 32:28
  Speaker 2: went up by a winding stair towards the tower. Whence
• 32:31
  Speaker 2: the Princess Miranda, having seen him, addressed him, Welcome, Prince hero.
• 32:37
  Speaker 2: I saw how you disposed of the dragon. But do
• 32:40
  Speaker 2: be careful, for my enemy Caushey is in this palace.
• 32:43
  Speaker 2: He is most powerful, both through his own strength and
• 32:47
  Speaker 2: through his sorceries. And if he kills you, I can
• 32:49
  Speaker 2: live no longer. Princess Miranda, do not trouble about me.
• 32:54
  Speaker 2: I have the life of Caushey in this egg. Then
• 32:58
  Speaker 2: he called out, invisible self fighting mace, go into the
• 33:02
  Speaker 2: palace and beat Caushet. The mace bestirred itself, quickly, battered
• 33:07
  Speaker 2: in the iron doors, and set upon Kaschet. It smote
• 33:10
  Speaker 2: him on the neck till he crouched all together. The
• 33:13
  Speaker 2: sparks flew from his eyes, and there was a noise
• 33:15
  Speaker 2: of so many mills in his ears. If he had
• 33:18
  Speaker 2: been an ordinary mortal, it would have been all over
• 33:20
  Speaker 2: with him at once. As it was, he was horribly
• 33:23
  Speaker 2: tormented and puzzled, feeling all these blows and never seeing
• 33:27
  Speaker 2: whence they came. He sprang about, raved and raged, till
• 33:31
  Speaker 2: the whole island resounded with his roaring. At last he
• 33:35
  Speaker 2: looked through the window, and behold there he saw Prince
• 33:38
  Speaker 2: hero Ah. That is all you are doing, he exclaimed,
• 33:43
  Speaker 2: and sprang out into the courtyard to rush straight at
• 33:45
  Speaker 2: him and beat him to a jelly. But the Prince
• 33:48
  Speaker 2: held the egg in one hand ready, and he squeezed
• 33:51
  Speaker 2: it so hard that the shell cracked, and the yolk
• 33:54
  Speaker 2: and the white were all spilled together, and Caushey fell lifeless.
• 33:59
  Speaker 2: And with the death of the enchanter, all his charms
• 34:02
  Speaker 2: were dissolved. At once, all the people in the island
• 34:04
  Speaker 2: who were asleep woke up and began to stir. The
• 34:08
  Speaker 2: soldiers woke from sleep, and the drums began to beat.
• 34:11
  Speaker 2: They formed their ranks, masked themselves in order, and began
• 34:15
  Speaker 2: to march towards the palace. And in the palace there
• 34:19
  Speaker 2: was great joy for Princess Miranda came towards the Prince,
• 34:22
  Speaker 2: gave him her white hand and thanked him warmly. They
• 34:25
  Speaker 2: went to the throne room, and, following the princess's example,
• 34:29
  Speaker 2: her twelve waiting maids pared off with twelve young officers
• 34:32
  Speaker 2: of the army, and the couples grouped themselves round the
• 34:35
  Speaker 2: throne on which the prince and princess were sitting. And
• 34:39
  Speaker 2: then a priest, arrayed in all his vestments, came in
• 34:42
  Speaker 2: at the open door, and the prince and princess exchanged
• 34:46
  Speaker 2: rings and were married, and all the other couples were
• 34:49
  Speaker 2: married at the same time. And after the wedding there
• 34:52
  Speaker 2: was a feast, dancing and music, which it is a
• 34:55
  Speaker 2: pleasure to think of. Everywhere there was rejoicing. End of
• 35:01
  Speaker 2: chapter two. Princess Miranda and Prince Hero Chapter three of
• 35:12
  Speaker 2: Polish Fairy Tales. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
• 35:17
  Speaker 2: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
• 35:21
  Speaker 2: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Don Leary.
• 35:29
  Speaker 2: Polish Fairy Tales by A. J. Glinsky, translated by maud
• 35:36
  Speaker 2: Ashurst Biggs. Chapter three the Eagles. There was once a
• 35:44
  Speaker 2: king who had lost his wife. They had a family
• 35:48
  Speaker 2: of thirteen twelve gallant sons and one daughter who was
• 35:52
  Speaker 2: exquisitely beautiful. For twelve years after his wife's death, the
• 35:56
  Speaker 2: king grieved very much. He used to go daily to
• 35:59
  Speaker 2: her tomb, and there weep and pray and give away
• 36:03
  Speaker 2: alms to the poor. He thought never to marry again,
• 36:06
  Speaker 2: for he had promised his dying wife never to give
• 36:09
  Speaker 2: her children a stepmother. One day, when visiting his dead
• 36:13
  Speaker 2: wife's grave as usual, he saw beside him a maiden
• 36:17
  Speaker 2: so entrancingly fair that he fell in love with her
• 36:20
  Speaker 2: and soon made her his second queen. But before long
• 36:24
  Speaker 2: he found out that he had made a great mistake.
• 36:27
  Speaker 2: Though she was so beautiful, she turned out to be
• 36:30
  Speaker 2: a wicked sorceress, and not only made the king himself unhappy,
• 36:34
  Speaker 2: but proved most unkind to his children, whom she wished
• 36:37
  Speaker 2: out of the way, so that her own little son
• 36:39
  Speaker 2: might inherit the kingdom. One day, when the king was
• 36:43
  Speaker 2: far away at war against his enemies, the queen went
• 36:47
  Speaker 2: into her step children's apartments and pronounced some magical words,
• 36:51
  Speaker 2: on which every one of the twelve princes flew away
• 36:55
  Speaker 2: in the shape of an eagle, and the princess was
• 36:58
  Speaker 2: changed into a dove. The queen looked out of the
• 37:01
  Speaker 2: window to see in what direction they would fly, when
• 37:04
  Speaker 2: she saw right under the window an old man with
• 37:07
  Speaker 2: a beard as white as snow. What are you here for,
• 37:11
  Speaker 2: old man? She asked, to be witness of your deed?
• 37:16
  Speaker 2: He answered, then you saw it. I saw it. Then
• 37:20
  Speaker 2: be what I command. She whispered some magical words. The
• 37:25
  Speaker 2: old man disappeared in a blaze of sunshine, and the queen,
• 37:29
  Speaker 2: as she stood there, dumb with terror, was changed into
• 37:32
  Speaker 2: a basilisk. The basilisk ran off in fright, trying to
• 37:37
  Speaker 2: hide herself under ground, but her glance was so deadly
• 37:40
  Speaker 2: that it killed every one she looked at, so that
• 37:43
  Speaker 2: all the people in the palace were soon dead, including
• 37:46
  Speaker 2: her own son, whom she slew by merely looking at him.
• 37:50
  Speaker 2: And this once populous and happy royal residence quickly became
• 37:54
  Speaker 2: an uninhabited ruin which no one dared approach for fear
• 37:59
  Speaker 2: of the basle lurking in its underground vaults. The old
• 38:05
  Speaker 2: man blesses the princess. Meanwhile, the princess, who had been
• 38:11
  Speaker 2: changed into a dove, flew after her brothers the eagles,
• 38:15
  Speaker 2: but not being able to overtake them, she rested under
• 38:18
  Speaker 2: a wayside cross and began cooing mournfully. What are you
• 38:23
  Speaker 2: grieving for, pretty dove, asked an old man with a
• 38:27
  Speaker 2: snow white beard, who just then came by. I am
• 38:31
  Speaker 2: grieving for my poor dear father, who is fighting in
• 38:34
  Speaker 2: the wars far away, for my loved brothers who have
• 38:37
  Speaker 2: flown away from me into the clouds. I am grieving
• 38:40
  Speaker 2: also for myself. Not long ago, I was a happy princess,
• 38:44
  Speaker 2: and now I must wander over the world as a dove,
• 38:47
  Speaker 2: to hide from the birds of prey, and be parted
• 38:50
  Speaker 2: forever from my dear father and brothers. You may grieve
• 38:54
  Speaker 2: and weep, little dove, but do not lose hope, said
• 38:58
  Speaker 2: the old man. Sorrow is only for a time, and
• 39:02
  Speaker 2: all will come right in the end, so saying, he
• 39:06
  Speaker 2: stroked the little dove, and she at once regained her
• 39:09
  Speaker 2: natural shape. She kissed the old man's hand in her gratitude, saying,
• 39:14
  Speaker 2: how can I ever thank you enough? But since you
• 39:17
  Speaker 2: are so kind, will you not tell me how to
• 39:19
  Speaker 2: rescue my brothers. The old man gave her an ever
• 39:23
  Speaker 2: growing loaf and said, this loaf is enough to sustain
• 39:28
  Speaker 2: not only you, but a thousand people for a thousand years,
• 39:32
  Speaker 2: without ever diminishing, go towards the sunset, and weep your
• 39:37
  Speaker 2: tears into this little bottle, And when it is full,
• 39:41
  Speaker 2: and the old man told her what else to do,
• 39:44
  Speaker 2: blessed her and disappeared. The princess traveled on towards the sunset,
• 39:49
  Speaker 2: and in about a year she reached the boundary of
• 39:52
  Speaker 2: the next world and stood before an iron door, where
• 39:56
  Speaker 2: Death was keeping guard with his scythe st princess. He said,
• 40:02
  Speaker 2: you can proceed no further, for you are not yet
• 40:06
  Speaker 2: parted by death from your own world. But what am
• 40:10
  Speaker 2: I to do? She asked? Must I go back without
• 40:14
  Speaker 2: my poor brothers? Your brothers, said Death, fly here every
• 40:19
  Speaker 2: day in the guise of eagles. They want to reach
• 40:22
  Speaker 2: the other side of this door, which leads into the
• 40:25
  Speaker 2: other world, for they hate the one they live in. Nevertheless,
• 40:29
  Speaker 2: they and you also must remain there until your time
• 40:34
  Speaker 2: be come. Therefore, every day I must compel them to
• 40:37
  Speaker 2: go back, which they can do because they are eagles.
• 40:41
  Speaker 2: But how are you going to get back yourself? Look there?
• 40:45
  Speaker 2: The princess looked around her and wept bitterly, For though
• 40:49
  Speaker 2: she had not perceived this before, nor seen how she
• 40:52
  Speaker 2: got there, she saw now that She was in a
• 40:55
  Speaker 2: deep abyss, shut in on all sides by such high
• 40:58
  Speaker 2: precipices that she wondered how her brothers, even with eagle wings,
• 41:02
  Speaker 2: could fly to the top. But remembering what the mysterious
• 41:06
  Speaker 2: old man had said, she took courage and began to
• 41:10
  Speaker 2: pray and weep till she had filled the little bottle
• 41:13
  Speaker 2: with her tears. Soon she heard the sound of wings
• 41:17
  Speaker 2: over her head and saw twelve eagles flying. The eagles
• 41:21
  Speaker 2: dashed themselves against the iron portal, beating their wings upon
• 41:25
  Speaker 2: it and imploring Death to open it to them. But
• 41:28
  Speaker 2: Death only threatened them with his scythe saying, hence, ye
• 41:34
  Speaker 2: enchanted princes, you must fulfill your penance on earth till
• 41:39
  Speaker 2: I come for you myself. The eagles were about to
• 41:43
  Speaker 2: turn and fly, when all at once they perceived their sister.
• 41:48
  Speaker 2: They came round her and caressed her hands lovingly with
• 41:51
  Speaker 2: their beaks. She at once began to sprinkle them with
• 41:55
  Speaker 2: her tears from the lachrymatory, and in one moment the
• 41:59
  Speaker 2: twelve of eagles were changed back into the twelve princes
• 42:03
  Speaker 2: and joyfully embraced their sister. The princess then fed them
• 42:08
  Speaker 2: all round from her ever growing loaf. But when their
• 42:11
  Speaker 2: hunger was appeased, they began to be troubled as to
• 42:14
  Speaker 2: how they were to ascend from the abyss, since they
• 42:17
  Speaker 2: had no longer eagle's wings to fly up. But the
• 42:20
  Speaker 2: princess knelt down and prayed, Bird of heavenly pity. Here
• 42:25
  Speaker 2: by each labor, prayer, and tear, come in nine unvanquished power,
• 42:30
  Speaker 2: come and aid us in this hour, And all at
• 42:34
  Speaker 2: once there shot down from heaven to the depth of
• 42:37
  Speaker 2: the abyss a ray of sunshine, on which descended a
• 42:41
  Speaker 2: gigantic bird with rainbow wings, a bright, sparkling crest, and
• 42:46
  Speaker 2: peacock's eyes all over his body, a golden tail and
• 42:49
  Speaker 2: silvery breast. What are your commands, princess asked the bird.
• 42:55
  Speaker 2: Carry us from this threshold of eternity to our own
• 42:58
  Speaker 2: world will. But you must know, Princess, that before I
• 43:03
  Speaker 2: can reach the top of this precipice with you on
• 43:05
  Speaker 2: my back, three days and nights must pass, and I
• 43:09
  Speaker 2: must have food on the way, or my strength will
• 43:12
  Speaker 2: fail me, and I shall fall down with you to
• 43:15
  Speaker 2: the bottom, and we shall all perish. I have an
• 43:18
  Speaker 2: ever growing loaf which will suffice both for you and ourselves,
• 43:23
  Speaker 2: replied the princess. Then climb upon my back, and whenever
• 43:28
  Speaker 2: I look round, give me some bread to eat. The
• 43:31
  Speaker 2: bird was so large that all the princes, and the
• 43:35
  Speaker 2: princess in the midst of them, could easily find place
• 43:38
  Speaker 2: on his back, and he began to fly upwards. He
• 43:42
  Speaker 2: flew higher and higher, and whenever he looked round at her,
• 43:46
  Speaker 2: she gave him bits of the loaf, and he flew
• 43:48
  Speaker 2: on and upwards. So they went on steadily for two
• 43:52
  Speaker 2: nights and days. But upon the third day, when they
• 43:55
  Speaker 2: were hoping in a short time to view the summit
• 43:58
  Speaker 2: of the precipice and to land upon the borders of
• 44:00
  Speaker 2: this world, the bird looked round as usual for a
• 44:03
  Speaker 2: piece of the loaf. The princess was just going to
• 44:07
  Speaker 2: break off some to give him, when a sudden, violent
• 44:10
  Speaker 2: gust of wind from the bottom of the abyss snatched
• 44:12
  Speaker 2: the loaf from her hand and sent it whistling downwards.
• 44:17
  Speaker 2: Not having received his usual meal, the bird became sensibly
• 44:21
  Speaker 2: weaker and looked round once more. The princess trembled with fear.
• 44:26
  Speaker 2: She had nothing more to give him, and she felt
• 44:28
  Speaker 2: that he was becoming exhausted. In utter desperation, she cut
• 44:33
  Speaker 2: off a piece of her flesh and gave it to him.
• 44:37
  Speaker 2: Having eaten this, the bird recovered strength and flew upwards
• 44:41
  Speaker 2: faster than before. But after an hour or two he
• 44:44
  Speaker 2: looked round once more, so she cut off another piece
• 44:49
  Speaker 2: of her flesh. The bird seized it greedily and flew
• 44:52
  Speaker 2: on so fast that in a few minutes he reached
• 44:55
  Speaker 2: the ground at the top of the precipice. When they alighted,
• 44:58
  Speaker 2: and he asked her, princess, what were those two delicious
• 45:03
  Speaker 2: morsels you gave me last? I never ate anything so
• 45:06
  Speaker 2: good before. Uh, they were part of my my flesh.
• 45:12
  Speaker 2: I I had nothing else for you, replied the princess
• 45:15
  Speaker 2: in a faint voice, for she was swooning away with
• 45:18
  Speaker 2: pain and loss of blood. The bird breathed upon her wounds,
• 45:22
  Speaker 2: and the flesh at once healed over and grew again
• 45:25
  Speaker 2: as before.
• 45:26
  Speaker 1: Then.
• 45:27
  Speaker 2: He flew up again to heaven and was lost in
• 45:29
  Speaker 2: the clouds. The princess and her brothers resumed their journey,
• 45:34
  Speaker 2: this time towards the sunrise, and at last arrived in
• 45:38
  Speaker 2: their own country, where they met their father, returning from
• 45:41
  Speaker 2: the wars. The king was coming back victorious over his enemies,
• 45:45
  Speaker 2: and on his way home, had first heard of the
• 45:48
  Speaker 2: sudden disappearance of his children and of the queen, and
• 45:52
  Speaker 2: how his palace was tenanted only by a basilisk with
• 45:55
  Speaker 2: a death dealing glance. He was therefore most and overjoyed
• 46:01
  Speaker 2: to meet his dear children once more, and on the
• 46:04
  Speaker 2: way his daughter told him all that had come to pass.
• 46:08
  Speaker 2: When they got back to the palace, the king sent
• 46:10
  Speaker 2: one of his nobles with a looking glass down into
• 46:13
  Speaker 2: the underground vaults. The basilisk saw herself reflected in this mirror,
• 46:19
  Speaker 2: and her own glance slew her immediately. They gathered up
• 46:24
  Speaker 2: the remains of the basilisk and burnt them in a
• 46:26
  Speaker 2: great fire in the courtyard, afterwards, scattering the ashes to
• 46:31
  Speaker 2: the four winds. When this was done, the King, his sons,
• 46:35
  Speaker 2: and his daughter returned to live in their former home
• 46:39
  Speaker 2: and were all as happy as could be ever after.
• 46:45
  Speaker 3: End of the Eagles, Chapter four of Polish Fairy Tales.
• 46:55
  Speaker 3: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
• 47:00
  Speaker 3: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 47:04
  Speaker 3: visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Maria Casper, Polish Fairy
• 47:11
  Speaker 3: tales by A. J. Glinski, translated by maud Ashurst Biggs,
• 47:17
  Speaker 3: Chapter four, The Whirlwind. In a far off country, beyond
• 47:23
  Speaker 3: the sea and the mountains, there lived a king and
• 47:26
  Speaker 3: queen with a beautiful daughter, who was called Princess Wadna.
• 47:31
  Speaker 3: A great many princes came to woo her, but she
• 47:34
  Speaker 3: liked only one of them, called Prince Dobretek. So they
• 47:39
  Speaker 3: confessed their love for one another to the king, who
• 47:42
  Speaker 3: gave his consent, and the wedding day was fixed. Now
• 47:46
  Speaker 3: among the princesses rejected suitors, there was one who, though
• 47:50
  Speaker 3: he had changed himself into the shape of a prince
• 47:53
  Speaker 3: in order to come and make love to her, really
• 47:55
  Speaker 3: was an ugly dwarf, only seven inches high, but with
• 47:59
  Speaker 3: a beard more than seven feet long and a great
• 48:02
  Speaker 3: hump on his back. He was so offended with the
• 48:05
  Speaker 3: princess for refusing him that he determined to carry her off.
• 48:10
  Speaker 3: So he watched his opportunity. As the young couple, with
• 48:14
  Speaker 3: all their followers and their guests, were leaving the palace
• 48:17
  Speaker 3: to go to church, a violent wind began to blow,
• 48:21
  Speaker 3: a regular whirlwind, raising a column of sand and lifting
• 48:25
  Speaker 3: the princess off her feet. She was carried up over
• 48:29
  Speaker 3: the clouds to the top of some inaccessible mountains, and
• 48:33
  Speaker 3: dropped down into a magnificent palace with a golden roof
• 48:37
  Speaker 3: and a high wall all round. After a while, the
• 48:41
  Speaker 3: princess woke up from the fainting fit into which she
• 48:44
  Speaker 3: had fallen. She looked round the splendid apartment in which
• 48:47
  Speaker 3: she was, and came to the conclusion that some young
• 48:51
  Speaker 3: and handsome prince must have carried her off. In the room,
• 48:55
  Speaker 3: there was a table ready spread. All the plates and dishes,
• 48:59
  Speaker 3: as well as the knives, forks, and spoons, were of
• 49:01
  Speaker 3: silver and gold, and the dinner itself was so good that,
• 49:06
  Speaker 3: in spite of her grief and terror, she could not
• 49:08
  Speaker 3: refrain from tasting it, and she had no sooner tasted
• 49:12
  Speaker 3: than she ate till her appetite was appeased. Then the
• 49:16
  Speaker 3: doors opened, and there came in a company of negroes
• 49:19
  Speaker 3: bearing a great chair, in which sat the ugly dwarf
• 49:23
  Speaker 3: with the long beard and the great hump. The dwarf
• 49:27
  Speaker 3: now began to pay his court to the princess and
• 49:29
  Speaker 3: explain how he had carried her off in the guise
• 49:32
  Speaker 3: of the whirlwind, because he loved her so much but
• 49:36
  Speaker 3: she would not listen to him, and gave him a
• 49:38
  Speaker 3: sounding slap with her open hand right in his face,
• 49:41
  Speaker 3: so that sparks danced before his eyes. Of course, he
• 49:45
  Speaker 3: was in a great passion, but for love of her,
• 49:47
  Speaker 3: he managed to keep his temper and turned round to
• 49:50
  Speaker 3: leave the room. But in his haste he caught his
• 49:53
  Speaker 3: feet in his long beard and was thrown down on
• 49:55
  Speaker 3: the threshold, and in his fall he dropped his cap,
• 49:59
  Speaker 3: which he was whold in one hand. The negroes helped
• 50:03
  Speaker 3: him again into the chair and carried him out, but
• 50:06
  Speaker 3: the princess jumped up, locked the door, and took up
• 50:09
  Speaker 3: the cap that was lying on the ground. She put
• 50:12
  Speaker 3: it on and went to the glass to see how
• 50:14
  Speaker 3: she looked in it. But what was her surprise to
• 50:18
  Speaker 3: find that she could not see herself till she took
• 50:21
  Speaker 3: it off. So she came to the wise conclusion that
• 50:25
  Speaker 3: this was an invisible cap, at which she was greatly delighted.
• 50:29
  Speaker 3: She put the cap on again and began to walk
• 50:32
  Speaker 3: about the room. The door opened once more with a
• 50:35
  Speaker 3: loud noise, and the dwarf came in with his long
• 50:38
  Speaker 3: beard thrown back and twisted all round his hump to
• 50:41
  Speaker 3: be out of the way, but not seeing either his
• 50:45
  Speaker 3: cap or the princess, he guessed what had happened. So
• 50:50
  Speaker 3: full of wild despair, he began to rush madly about
• 50:53
  Speaker 3: the room, knocking himself against the tables and chairs, while
• 50:56
  Speaker 3: the princess made her escape through the door and ran
• 50:59
  Speaker 3: out into the garn garden. The garden was very extensive
• 51:03
  Speaker 3: and full of beautiful fruit trees, so she lived upon
• 51:07
  Speaker 3: these fruits and drank the water of a spring in
• 51:09
  Speaker 3: the garden. For some time, she used to make fun
• 51:12
  Speaker 3: of the dwarf's impotent rage. Sometimes, when he rushed wildly
• 51:16
  Speaker 3: about the garden, she would tease him by taking off
• 51:19
  Speaker 3: the invisible cap, so that he saw her before him
• 51:22
  Speaker 3: in all her beauty. But when he made a rush
• 51:25
  Speaker 3: after her, she would put it on again and become
• 51:28
  Speaker 3: invisible to him. And she would then throw cherry stones
• 51:31
  Speaker 3: at him, come close to him, and laugh loudly, and
• 51:34
  Speaker 3: then run away again. One day, while she was playing
• 51:37
  Speaker 3: about in this manner, her cap got caught in the
• 51:40
  Speaker 3: boughs of a tree and fell upon a gooseberry bush.
• 51:44
  Speaker 3: The dwarf saw it and seized hold of the princess
• 51:47
  Speaker 3: with one hand, and of the cap with the other.
• 51:51
  Speaker 3: But just then, from the summit of the mountain above
• 51:54
  Speaker 3: the garden itself, was heard the sound of a trumpet challenge,
• 51:58
  Speaker 3: three times repeated. At this the dwarf trembled with rage,
• 52:03
  Speaker 3: but first breathing upon the princess, he put her to
• 52:06
  Speaker 3: sleep with his breath, then placed his invisible cap on
• 52:10
  Speaker 3: her head. Having done this, he seized his two edged
• 52:13
  Speaker 3: sword and flew up into the clouds, so as to
• 52:17
  Speaker 3: strike the knight who had challenged him from above, and
• 52:19
  Speaker 3: destroy him at one stroke. But where did this knight
• 52:22
  Speaker 3: come from? When Princess Wadna had been carried off on
• 52:27
  Speaker 3: her wedding day by the whirlwind, there was the greatest
• 52:30
  Speaker 3: consternation among all the bystanders. Her distracted father and her
• 52:35
  Speaker 3: bridegroom rushed about in all directions, and sent courtiers everywhere
• 52:39
  Speaker 3: in search of her. But the princess had been neither
• 52:42
  Speaker 3: seen nor heard of, nor was any trace left of her.
• 52:46
  Speaker 3: The king very unnecessarily told Prince Dubritek that if he
• 52:51
  Speaker 3: did not get back his daughter, the princess, he would
• 52:54
  Speaker 3: not only put him to death, but would reduce his
• 52:57
  Speaker 3: whole country to ashes. He also told all the princes
• 53:00
  Speaker 3: there that whoever should bring back his daughter should have
• 53:03
  Speaker 3: her to wife and receive half of his kingdom into
• 53:06
  Speaker 3: the bargain. When they heard this, they all got to
• 53:09
  Speaker 3: horse and galloped in various directions, among them Prince Dobertek.
• 53:15
  Speaker 3: He went on for three days, never stopping for food
• 53:18
  Speaker 3: or rest. But on the fourth day, at dusk, he
• 53:21
  Speaker 3: felt overcome by sleep, so he let his horse go
• 53:24
  Speaker 3: free in a meadow and himself lay down on the grass.
• 53:28
  Speaker 3: Then all at once he heard a piercing shriek, and
• 53:31
  Speaker 3: straight before him beheld a hare and an owl perched
• 53:34
  Speaker 3: upon it, its claws digging into the poor creature's side.
• 53:38
  Speaker 3: The prince caught up the first thing that lay near
• 53:41
  Speaker 3: him and aimed at the screech owl so truly that
• 53:44
  Speaker 3: he killed it on the spot, and the hare ran
• 53:47
  Speaker 3: up to him like a tame creature, licked his hands,
• 53:50
  Speaker 3: and ran away. Then the prince saw that the thing
• 53:54
  Speaker 3: he had thrown at the owl was a human skull,
• 53:57
  Speaker 3: and it spoke to him in these words, Prince Dolbretek,
• 54:02
  Speaker 3: I thank you for what you have done for me.
• 54:05
  Speaker 3: When I was alive, I committed suicide and was therefore
• 54:09
  Speaker 3: condemned to lie unburied at this cross way till I
• 54:12
  Speaker 3: should be the means of saving life. I have lain
• 54:16
  Speaker 3: here for seven hundred and seventy seven years, and Heaven
• 54:20
  Speaker 3: knows how much longer I should have had to remain
• 54:22
  Speaker 3: if you had not chanced to throw me at the
• 54:24
  Speaker 3: screech owl, and so saved the life of the poor hare.
• 54:28
  Speaker 3: Now bury me so that I may lie peacefully in
• 54:31
  Speaker 3: the ground at this same place, and I will tell
• 54:34
  Speaker 3: you how to summon the gray seer horse with the
• 54:37
  Speaker 3: golden maine, who will always help you in case of need.
• 54:41
  Speaker 3: Go out into a plain, and without looking behind you,
• 54:45
  Speaker 3: call out gray seer horse with golden Maine, like a bird,
• 54:51
  Speaker 3: and not like Steed on the blast, and not the
• 54:54
  Speaker 3: mead fly. Thou hither unto me. Thus having spoken, the
• 54:59
  Speaker 3: head was silent, but a blue light shot up from
• 55:02
  Speaker 3: it towards the sky. It was the soul of the deceased, which,
• 55:06
  Speaker 3: having now expiated its sin by its long imprisonment in
• 55:10
  Speaker 3: the skull, had attained heaven. The Prince then dug a
• 55:14
  Speaker 3: grave and buried the skull. He then called out, gray
• 55:20
  Speaker 3: seer horse with golden Maine, like a bird, and not
• 55:23
  Speaker 3: like Steed on the blast, and not the mead, Do
• 55:27
  Speaker 3: thou hither fly to me? The wind rose, the lightning flashed,
• 55:32
  Speaker 3: the thunder roared, and the wonderful horse with the golden
• 55:36
  Speaker 3: mane appeared. He flew as fast as the storm wind,
• 55:40
  Speaker 3: flames shot from his nostrils, sparks from his eyes, and
• 55:43
  Speaker 3: clouds of smoke from his mouth. He stood still and said,
• 55:47
  Speaker 3: in human tones, what are your commands? Prince Dobrotek. I
• 55:53
  Speaker 3: am in trouble. I wish you to help me, And
• 55:55
  Speaker 3: he told him all that had occurred. Creep in at
• 55:59
  Speaker 3: my left ear, said the horse, and creep out again
• 56:02
  Speaker 3: at the right. So the prince crept in at the
• 56:05
  Speaker 3: horse's left ear, and came out again at the right one,
• 56:09
  Speaker 3: all clad in golden armor. He also found himself miraculously
• 56:14
  Speaker 3: increased in strength, so that when he stamped on the ground,
• 56:18
  Speaker 3: it trembled, and when he shouted, a storm arose, which
• 56:22
  Speaker 3: shook the leaves from the trees. Then he asked the horse,
• 56:27
  Speaker 3: what is to be done next, your betrothed, Princess Wadna said.
• 56:32
  Speaker 3: The horse was carried off by the seven inch high
• 56:35
  Speaker 3: dwarf with the seven foot long beard. He is a
• 56:38
  Speaker 3: powerful magician. He dwells beyond the seven seas, among inaccessible mountains.
• 56:45
  Speaker 3: He can only be conquered by the all cutting sword,
• 56:48
  Speaker 3: which sword is jealously guarded by his own brother, the
• 56:51
  Speaker 3: giant head with basilisk eye. To this giant head, we
• 56:56
  Speaker 3: must therefore go, Prince Dobritek mounted on horseback, and they
• 57:01
  Speaker 3: flew like an arrow over lands and seas, high mountains,
• 57:05
  Speaker 3: and wide oceans. They stopped at length upon a wide
• 57:09
  Speaker 3: plain strewn with bones, before a moving mountain. And the
• 57:13
  Speaker 3: horse said, this moving mountain, which you see before you,
• 57:17
  Speaker 3: is the giant's head with the basilisk eyes. And the
• 57:21
  Speaker 3: bones strewn so thickly hereabouts prove how deadly his looks are.
• 57:26
  Speaker 3: So be careful. He is now asleep from the heat
• 57:29
  Speaker 3: of the sun. But only two steps before him lies
• 57:33
  Speaker 3: the sword, with which alone you can conquer your enemy.
• 57:37
  Speaker 3: Lie down along my back, so that his glance cannot
• 57:40
  Speaker 3: reach you through my neck and mane. But when you
• 57:43
  Speaker 3: get near to it, lay hold of the sword. When
• 57:46
  Speaker 3: you have it, you will not only be safe from
• 57:49
  Speaker 3: his basilisk glances, but you will even have the giant's
• 57:52
  Speaker 3: head at your mercy. And the horse drew near lightly,
• 57:57
  Speaker 3: and the Prince bent down and secured the wonder sword,
• 58:01
  Speaker 3: but he shouted so loud that the giant head woke up,
• 58:04
  Speaker 3: sniffed hard, and looked about with his bloodshot eyes, and
• 58:09
  Speaker 3: seeing the wonderful sword in the Prince's hand, he called out,
• 58:14
  Speaker 3: Sir knight, are you weary of the world that you
• 58:17
  Speaker 3: court speedy death? You need not boast like that, you
• 58:21
  Speaker 3: empty head, replied Prince Dobertek. Your looks cannot hurt me now,
• 58:26
  Speaker 3: and you shall die by this all cutting sword. But
• 58:30
  Speaker 3: I would first know who and what you are, then
• 58:33
  Speaker 3: I confess. Prince replied the head that I am in
• 58:36
  Speaker 3: your power, but be merciful to me, for I am
• 58:40
  Speaker 3: worthy of pity. I am a knight of the race
• 58:43
  Speaker 3: of Giants, and were it not for the envy of
• 58:46
  Speaker 3: my brother, I should still have been happy. He was
• 58:50
  Speaker 3: the black sheep of our family, and was born an
• 58:52
  Speaker 3: ugly dwarf with a long beard, and my handsome, giant
• 58:56
  Speaker 3: like proportions caused him to hate me bitterly. His only
• 59:00
  Speaker 3: good point is his great strength, and it all resides
• 59:03
  Speaker 3: in his long beard, and so long as it is
• 59:06
  Speaker 3: not cut, he cannot be conquered. And this can only
• 59:09
  Speaker 3: be done by that sword which you now hold. One day,
• 59:13
  Speaker 3: being bent upon my destruction, he said to me, brother,
• 59:17
  Speaker 3: do not refuse to help me. I have read in
• 59:20
  Speaker 3: my books of magic, that beyond the mountains, on the
• 59:23
  Speaker 3: plain lies buried a certain sword, whereby a knight seeking
• 59:27
  Speaker 3: for his betrothed, shall compass the destruction of us both.
• 59:31
  Speaker 3: Let us therefore go and dig it up, so that
• 59:33
  Speaker 3: we shall escape the threatened doom. To this I agreed.
• 59:38
  Speaker 3: I took a hundred year old pine, torn up from
• 59:41
  Speaker 3: its roots, on one arm, and carried my brother on
• 59:44
  Speaker 3: the other. We set out. He showed me the spot,
• 59:47
  Speaker 3: and I dug up the sword on this same plain.
• 59:51
  Speaker 3: Then we began to quarrel about who should possess it.
• 59:54
  Speaker 3: After a long dispute, he said, we were best decided
• 59:58
  Speaker 3: by lot. Brother. Let each of us lay his ear
• 1:00:01
  Speaker 3: on the ground, and whoever first hears the sound of
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 3: the evening bell shall have the sword. So he laid
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 3: his ear to the ground, and I mine. I listened,
• 1:00:11
  Speaker 3: but heard nothing, and he, meantime, having got hold of
• 1:00:15
  Speaker 3: the sword, crept up to me and cut my head
• 1:00:18
  Speaker 3: from my shoulders. My headless trunk left unburied, rotted away,
• 1:00:23
  Speaker 3: and the grass grew over it, but my head endowed
• 1:00:27
  Speaker 3: with supernatural life by the malicious dwarf. My brother was
• 1:00:30
  Speaker 3: left here with a charge to guard this sword and
• 1:00:34
  Speaker 3: kill every one who came near with my deadly glance.
• 1:00:38
  Speaker 3: After many centuries, you have won it. So I implore
• 1:00:41
  Speaker 3: you to cut off his seven foot beard and make
• 1:00:44
  Speaker 3: him into mince meat, and avenge me. You shall be avenged,
• 1:00:49
  Speaker 3: said the prince, And at once gray seer horse carry
• 1:00:53
  Speaker 3: me to the kingdom of the dwarf magician with the
• 1:00:56
  Speaker 3: seven foot long beard. So they set off at once,
• 1:01:00
  Speaker 3: flying with lightning speed through the air, over the seas
• 1:01:04
  Speaker 3: and over the forests. In an hour or two, they
• 1:01:07
  Speaker 3: halted on the summit of a high mountain, and the
• 1:01:10
  Speaker 3: horse said, these mountains are the kingdom of the dwarf
• 1:01:14
  Speaker 3: magician who carried off your betrothed, and they are both
• 1:01:18
  Speaker 3: now in the garden. Challenge him to a fight. Prince
• 1:01:22
  Speaker 3: Dobratek sounded a challenge three times, and the dwarf, as
• 1:01:26
  Speaker 3: we have seen, flew up into the air so as
• 1:01:28
  Speaker 3: to swoop down upon his antagonist, unperceived of him. All
• 1:01:33
  Speaker 3: at once, the prince heard a murmuring sound above him,
• 1:01:37
  Speaker 3: and he saw when he looked up the dwarf soaring
• 1:01:39
  Speaker 3: above him like an eagle in the clouds, for he
• 1:01:42
  Speaker 3: had the magic power of increasing his size and strength.
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 3: With his sword drawn ready to fall upon him, the
• 1:01:49
  Speaker 3: Prince sprang aside, and the dwarf came down with such
• 1:01:52
  Speaker 3: an impetus that his head and neck were rammed into
• 1:01:55
  Speaker 3: the ground. The Prince dismounted, seized the dwarf by the beard,
• 1:02:00
  Speaker 3: wound it about his left hand, and began to sever
• 1:02:03
  Speaker 3: it with the all cutting sword. The dwarf saw that
• 1:02:07
  Speaker 3: he had to do with no feather bed knight, so
• 1:02:10
  Speaker 3: he tugged with all his strength and flew up again
• 1:02:12
  Speaker 3: into the clouds. But the Prince, holding fast with his
• 1:02:16
  Speaker 3: left hand to the beard, kept on severing it with
• 1:02:18
  Speaker 3: his sword, so that he had nearly cut half of
• 1:02:21
  Speaker 3: it through. And the dwarf became weaker and weaker the
• 1:02:24
  Speaker 3: more hair he lost, so he began to cry for mercy.
• 1:02:29
  Speaker 3: Drop down to the ground off which you took me,
• 1:02:32
  Speaker 3: said the prince. The dwarf dropped down slowly, but the
• 1:02:36
  Speaker 3: Prince cut off the remainder of his beard and threw him.
• 1:02:40
  Speaker 3: When thus deprived of his charms and his strength, alike
• 1:02:43
  Speaker 3: on to the ground, wreathed the severed beard round his
• 1:02:46
  Speaker 3: own helmet, and entered the palace. The invisible servants of
• 1:02:51
  Speaker 3: the dwarf, seeing their master's beard wreathed about the prince's helmet,
• 1:02:55
  Speaker 3: threw open all the doors to him at once. He
• 1:02:59
  Speaker 3: went through all the room rooms, but not finding his
• 1:03:02
  Speaker 3: princess anywhere, went into the garden, traversing all the paths
• 1:03:06
  Speaker 3: and lawns, and calling her name. He could find her nowhere,
• 1:03:11
  Speaker 3: but thus running from one place to another, he chanced
• 1:03:14
  Speaker 3: to touch the invisible cap. He caught hold of it
• 1:03:18
  Speaker 3: and pulled it away from where it was on the
• 1:03:20
  Speaker 3: head of the princess, and saw her at once, in
• 1:03:23
  Speaker 3: all her loveliness, but fast asleep. Overcome with joy, he
• 1:03:28
  Speaker 3: called her by her name, but she had been cast
• 1:03:31
  Speaker 3: into such a deep sleep by the dwarf's poisonous breath
• 1:03:35
  Speaker 3: that he could not rouse her. He took her up
• 1:03:38
  Speaker 3: in his arms, put the invisible cap into his pocket,
• 1:03:41
  Speaker 3: also picking up the wicked dwarf, whom he carried along
• 1:03:44
  Speaker 3: with him. He then mounted his horse, flew like an arrow,
• 1:03:48
  Speaker 3: and in a few minutes stood before the giant head
• 1:03:51
  Speaker 3: with the basilisk eyes. He threw the dwarf into its
• 1:03:54
  Speaker 3: open jaws, where he was ground at once into powder.
• 1:03:58
  Speaker 3: The prince then cut up the monstrous head into small
• 1:04:01
  Speaker 3: pieces and scattered them all over the plain. Thus having
• 1:04:05
  Speaker 3: got rid of both the dwarf and the giant. The
• 1:04:07
  Speaker 3: prince rode on with the sleeping princess upon the golden
• 1:04:11
  Speaker 3: main horse, and at sunset they came to the same
• 1:04:14
  Speaker 3: cross roads where he had first summoned him. Here, Prince,
• 1:04:19
  Speaker 3: we must part, said the golden man. But here in
• 1:04:22
  Speaker 3: the meadow is your own horse, and it is not
• 1:04:25
  Speaker 3: far to your own home. So creep into my right
• 1:04:28
  Speaker 3: ear and come out at my left. The prince did
• 1:04:31
  Speaker 3: as he was told, and came out as he was before.
• 1:04:35
  Speaker 3: His own horse recognized him and came running with a
• 1:04:38
  Speaker 3: joyful neigh to meet his master. The prince was tired
• 1:04:42
  Speaker 3: out with the long journey, so, having laid down his
• 1:04:46
  Speaker 3: betrothed wife, still sleeping on the soft grass, and covered
• 1:04:50
  Speaker 3: her up from the cold, he laid down himself and
• 1:04:53
  Speaker 3: went to sleep. But that very night, one of Princess
• 1:04:57
  Speaker 3: Vadna's rejected suitors riding that way, saw, by the light
• 1:05:01
  Speaker 3: of the moon, those two asleep, and recognized in them,
• 1:05:05
  Speaker 3: the princess and the Prince his fortunate rival, So first
• 1:05:09
  Speaker 3: stabbing the latter through with his saber, he carried off
• 1:05:12
  Speaker 3: the princess and bore her on horseback before him to
• 1:05:15
  Speaker 3: her father. The king welcomed him rapturously as his daughter's deliverer,
• 1:05:22
  Speaker 3: but when he found, to his dismay that he could
• 1:05:24
  Speaker 3: not awake her with all his caresses, he asked the
• 1:05:27
  Speaker 3: supposed rescuer what this meant? I do not know, Sir King,
• 1:05:31
  Speaker 3: replied the knight. After I had overtaken and slain the
• 1:05:35
  Speaker 3: great enchanter, who was carrying off the Princess, I found
• 1:05:38
  Speaker 3: her as she is now, sound asleep. Prince Dobritek, meanwhile,
• 1:05:43
  Speaker 3: mortally wounded, had just strength enough left to summon the
• 1:05:47
  Speaker 3: wonderful gray horse, who came instantly, and, seeing what was
• 1:05:51
  Speaker 3: the matter, flew off to the top of the Mountain
• 1:05:54
  Speaker 3: of Everlasting Life. On its summit were three springs, the
• 1:05:58
  Speaker 3: water of loosening, the water of healing, and the water
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 3: of life. He sprinkled the dead prince with all three.
• 1:06:05
  Speaker 3: Prince Dobretek opened his eyes and exclaimed, oh, how well
• 1:06:10
  Speaker 3: I have slept. You were sleeping the sleep of death.
• 1:06:13
  Speaker 3: Returned the Golden Main. One of your rivals killed you sleeping,
• 1:06:17
  Speaker 3: and carried off your princess home to her father, pretending
• 1:06:20
  Speaker 3: to be her deliverer, in the hope of gaining her hand.
• 1:06:24
  Speaker 3: But do not be afraid. She is still asleep, and
• 1:06:27
  Speaker 3: only you can awaken her by touching her forehead with
• 1:06:30
  Speaker 3: the beard of the dwarf, which you have with you.
• 1:06:33
  Speaker 3: Go then to her. I must be elsewhere. The golden
• 1:06:37
  Speaker 3: mane vanished, and the Prince, calling his own horse, and
• 1:06:40
  Speaker 3: taking with him his invisible cap, betook himself to the
• 1:06:44
  Speaker 3: court of his loved one's father. But when he drew near,
• 1:06:48
  Speaker 3: he found that the city was all surrounded by enemies
• 1:06:52
  Speaker 3: who had already mastered the outer defenses and were threatening
• 1:06:55
  Speaker 3: the town itself, and half of its defenders being slain,
• 1:06:59
  Speaker 3: the rest were thinking of surrender. Prince Dobritek put on
• 1:07:03
  Speaker 3: his invisible cap, and drawing his all cutting sword, fell
• 1:07:07
  Speaker 3: upon the enemy. They fell to right and left, as
• 1:07:10
  Speaker 3: the sword smote them on each side, till one half
• 1:07:13
  Speaker 3: of them were slain, and the rest ran away into
• 1:07:15
  Speaker 3: the forest unseen by any one. The prince entered the
• 1:07:20
  Speaker 3: city and arrived at the royal palace where the King,
• 1:07:23
  Speaker 3: surrounded by his knights, was hearing the account of this
• 1:07:26
  Speaker 3: sudden attack, whereby his foes had been discomfited, but by
• 1:07:30
  Speaker 3: whom no one could inform him. Then Prince Dbratek took
• 1:07:35
  Speaker 3: off his invisible cap, and, appearing suddenly in the midst
• 1:07:39
  Speaker 3: of the assembly, said, King and Father, it was I
• 1:07:43
  Speaker 3: who beat your enemies. But where is my betrothed Princess Wadnah,
• 1:07:48
  Speaker 3: whom I rescued from the wizard Dwarf with the seven
• 1:07:51
  Speaker 3: foot beard, whom one of your knights treacherously stole from me.
• 1:07:55
  Speaker 3: Let me see her that I may waken her from
• 1:07:57
  Speaker 3: her magic sleep. When the traitor Knight heard this, he
• 1:08:01
  Speaker 3: took to his heels. Prince Dobritek touched the sleeping princess's
• 1:08:06
  Speaker 3: forehead with the beard. She woke up directly, gazed at
• 1:08:10
  Speaker 3: him fondly with her lovely eyes, but could not at
• 1:08:13
  Speaker 3: first understand where she was or what had happened to her.
• 1:08:17
  Speaker 3: The King caught her in his arms, pressed her to
• 1:08:20
  Speaker 3: his heart, and that very evening he married her to
• 1:08:23
  Speaker 3: Prince Dobratec. He gave them half his kingdom, and there
• 1:08:26
  Speaker 3: was a splendid wedding such as had never been seen
• 1:08:29
  Speaker 3: or heard of before end of chapter four The Whirlwind
• 1:08:36
  Speaker 3: recording by Maria Casper, Chapter five of Polish fairy Tales.
• 1:08:48
  Speaker 3: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
• 1:08:52
  Speaker 3: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
• 1:08:57
  Speaker 3: visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Maria Casper. Polish Fairy
• 1:09:04
  Speaker 3: Tales by A. J. Glinski, translated by maud Ashurst Biggs.
• 1:09:12
  Speaker 3: Chapter five, The Good Fairyman and the Water Nymphs. There
• 1:09:18
  Speaker 3: was once an old man, very poor, with three sons.
• 1:09:23
  Speaker 3: They lived chiefly by ferrying people over a river. But
• 1:09:27
  Speaker 3: he had had nothing but ill luck all his life,
• 1:09:31
  Speaker 3: and to crown all. On the night he died, there
• 1:09:34
  Speaker 3: was a great storm, and in it the crazed old
• 1:09:37
  Speaker 3: fairy boat on which his sons depended for a living,
• 1:09:40
  Speaker 3: was sunk. As they were lamenting both their father and
• 1:09:45
  Speaker 3: their poverty, an old man came by, and, learning the
• 1:09:50
  Speaker 3: reason of their sorrow, said, never mind, all will come
• 1:09:54
  Speaker 3: right in time. Look there is your boat as good
• 1:09:56
  Speaker 3: as new. And there was a fine, new fairerry boat
• 1:10:00
  Speaker 3: on the water in place of the old one, and
• 1:10:03
  Speaker 3: a number of people waiting to be ferried over. The
• 1:10:07
  Speaker 3: three brothers arranged to take turns with the boat and
• 1:10:10
  Speaker 3: divide the fares they took. They were, however, very different
• 1:10:15
  Speaker 3: in disposition. The two elder brothers were greedy and avaricious,
• 1:10:21
  Speaker 3: and would never take any one over the river without
• 1:10:23
  Speaker 3: being handsomely paid for it. But the youngest brother took
• 1:10:28
  Speaker 3: over poor people who had no money for nothing, and
• 1:10:32
  Speaker 3: moreover frequently relieved their wants out of his own pocket.
• 1:10:37
  Speaker 3: One day, at sunset, when the eldest brother was at
• 1:10:40
  Speaker 3: the faery, the same old man who had visited them
• 1:10:44
  Speaker 3: on the night their father died, came and asked for
• 1:10:46
  Speaker 3: a passage. I have nothing to pay you with but
• 1:10:50
  Speaker 3: this empty purse, he said, go and get something to
• 1:10:54
  Speaker 3: put in it. Then first replied the fairy man, and
• 1:10:57
  Speaker 3: be off with you now. Next day it was the
• 1:11:00
  Speaker 3: second brother's turn, and the same old man came and
• 1:11:04
  Speaker 3: offered his empty purse as his fare, but he met
• 1:11:08
  Speaker 3: with a like reply. The third day it was the
• 1:11:12
  Speaker 3: youngest brother's turn, and when the old man arrived and
• 1:11:15
  Speaker 3: asked to be ferried over for charity, he answered, yes,
• 1:11:19
  Speaker 3: get in, old man. And what is the fair? Asked
• 1:11:23
  Speaker 3: the old man? That depends upon whether you can pay
• 1:11:27
  Speaker 3: or not, was the reply. But if you cannot, it
• 1:11:30
  Speaker 3: is all the same to me. A good deed is
• 1:11:34
  Speaker 3: never without its reward, said the old man. But in
• 1:11:37
  Speaker 3: the meantime, take this empty purse, though it is very
• 1:11:41
  Speaker 3: worn and looks worth nothing. But if you shake it,
• 1:11:46
  Speaker 3: and say, for his sake, who gave it? This purse
• 1:11:49
  Speaker 3: I hold, I wish may always be full of gold.
• 1:11:54
  Speaker 3: It will always afford you as much gold as you wish.
• 1:11:57
  Speaker 3: For the youngest brother came home, and his brothers, who
• 1:12:03
  Speaker 3: were sitting over a good supper, laughed at him because
• 1:12:07
  Speaker 3: he had taken only a few copper coins that day,
• 1:12:10
  Speaker 3: and they told him he should have no supper. But
• 1:12:13
  Speaker 3: when he began to shake his purse and scatter gold
• 1:12:16
  Speaker 3: coins all about, they jumped up from the table and
• 1:12:19
  Speaker 3: began picking them up eagerly. And as it was share
• 1:12:23
  Speaker 3: and share alike, they all grew rich very quickly. The
• 1:12:28
  Speaker 3: youngest brother made good use of his riches, for he
• 1:12:31
  Speaker 3: gave away money freely to the poor. But the greedy
• 1:12:35
  Speaker 3: elder brothers envied him the possession of the wonderful purse
• 1:12:39
  Speaker 3: and contrived to steal it from him. Then they left
• 1:12:43
  Speaker 3: their old home, and the one bought a ship laded
• 1:12:47
  Speaker 3: it with all sorts of merchandise for a trading voyage.
• 1:12:52
  Speaker 3: But the ship ran upon a rock, and every one
• 1:12:54
  Speaker 3: on board was drowned. The second brother was no more fortunate,
• 1:13:00
  Speaker 3: for as he was traveling through a forest with an
• 1:13:02
  Speaker 3: enormous treasure of precious stones, in which he had laid
• 1:13:05
  Speaker 3: out his wealth to sell at a prophet, he was
• 1:13:08
  Speaker 3: waylaid by robbers, who murdered him and shared the spoil
• 1:13:12
  Speaker 3: among them. The youngest brother, who remained at home, having
• 1:13:17
  Speaker 3: lost his purse, became as poor as before, but he
• 1:13:21
  Speaker 3: still did as formerly, took pay from passengers who could
• 1:13:25
  Speaker 3: afford it, ferried over poor folks for nothing, and helped
• 1:13:29
  Speaker 3: those who were poorer than himself so far as he could.
• 1:13:34
  Speaker 3: One day, the same old man with the long white
• 1:13:37
  Speaker 3: beard came by. The fairy man welcomed him as an
• 1:13:41
  Speaker 3: old friend, and while rowing him over the river, told
• 1:13:44
  Speaker 3: him all that had happened since he last saw him.
• 1:13:49
  Speaker 3: Your brothers did very wrong, and they have paid for it,
• 1:13:52
  Speaker 3: said the old man. But you were in fault yourself still.
• 1:13:57
  Speaker 3: I will give you one more chance. Take this hook
• 1:14:00
  Speaker 3: and line, and whatever you catch, mind you hold fast
• 1:14:04
  Speaker 3: and not let it escape you, or you will bitterly
• 1:14:07
  Speaker 3: repent it. The old man then disappeared, and the fairyman
• 1:14:12
  Speaker 3: looked in wonder at his new fishing tackle, a diamond hook,
• 1:14:16
  Speaker 3: a silver line, and a golden rod. All at once.
• 1:14:21
  Speaker 3: The hook sprang of itself into the water. The line
• 1:14:25
  Speaker 3: lengthened out along the river current, and there came a
• 1:14:28
  Speaker 3: strong pull upon it. The fisherman drew it in and
• 1:14:32
  Speaker 3: beheld a most lovely creature upwards from the waist, a woman,
• 1:14:36
  Speaker 3: but with a fish's tail. Good Fairyman, let me go,
• 1:14:42
  Speaker 3: she said, take your hook out of my hair. The
• 1:14:45
  Speaker 3: sun is setting, and after sunset I can no longer
• 1:14:48
  Speaker 3: be a water nymph again. But without answering, the fairyman
• 1:14:53
  Speaker 3: only held her fast and covered her over with his
• 1:14:56
  Speaker 3: coat to prevent her escaping. Then the sun set and
• 1:15:00
  Speaker 3: she lost her fish tail. Now she said, I am yours,
• 1:15:06
  Speaker 3: so let us go to the nearest church and get married.
• 1:15:10
  Speaker 3: She was already dressed as a bride, with a myrtle
• 1:15:13
  Speaker 3: garland on her head, in a white dress, with a
• 1:15:16
  Speaker 3: rainbow colored girdle, and rich jewels in her hair and
• 1:15:19
  Speaker 3: on her neck, and she held in her hand the
• 1:15:22
  Speaker 3: wonderful purse that was always full of gold. They found
• 1:15:26
  Speaker 3: the priest and all ready at the church, were married
• 1:15:29
  Speaker 3: in a few minutes, and then came home to their
• 1:15:31
  Speaker 3: wedding feast, to which all the neighbors were invited. They
• 1:15:36
  Speaker 3: were royally entertained, and when they were about to leave,
• 1:15:39
  Speaker 3: the bride shook the wonderful purse and sent a shower
• 1:15:41
  Speaker 3: of gold pieces flying among the guests. So they all
• 1:15:45
  Speaker 3: went home very well pleased. The good Fairyman and his
• 1:15:50
  Speaker 3: marvelous wife lived most happily together. They never wanted for anything,
• 1:15:55
  Speaker 3: and gave freely to all who came. He continued to
• 1:15:59
  Speaker 3: ply ferry boat, but now he took all the passengers
• 1:16:03
  Speaker 3: over for nothing, and gave each of them a piece
• 1:16:05
  Speaker 3: of gold into the bargain. Now there was a king
• 1:16:10
  Speaker 3: over that country, who a year ago had just succeeded
• 1:16:13
  Speaker 3: to his elder brother. He had heard of the fairyman
• 1:16:17
  Speaker 3: who was so marvelously rich, and, wishing to ascertain the
• 1:16:21
  Speaker 3: truth of the story he had heard, came on purpose
• 1:16:24
  Speaker 3: to see for himself. But when he saw the Fairyman's
• 1:16:28
  Speaker 3: beautiful young wife, he resolved to have her for himself,
• 1:16:32
  Speaker 3: and determined to get rid of her husband somehow. At
• 1:16:36
  Speaker 3: that time, there was an eclipse of the sun, and
• 1:16:40
  Speaker 3: the king sent for the fairyman and told him he
• 1:16:42
  Speaker 3: must find out the cause of this eclipse or be
• 1:16:45
  Speaker 3: put to death. He came home in great distress to
• 1:16:49
  Speaker 3: his wife, but she replied, never mind, my dear, I
• 1:16:52
  Speaker 3: will tell you what to do and how to gratify
• 1:16:55
  Speaker 3: the King's curiosity. So she gave him a wonderful ball
• 1:16:59
  Speaker 3: of the read, which he was to throw before him
• 1:17:02
  Speaker 3: and follow the thread as it kept unwinding towards the east.
• 1:17:07
  Speaker 3: He went on a long way, over high mountains, deep rivers,
• 1:17:12
  Speaker 3: and wide regions. At last he came to a ruined city,
• 1:17:17
  Speaker 3: where a number of corpses were lying about unburied, tainting
• 1:17:21
  Speaker 3: the air with pestilence. The good man was sorry to
• 1:17:25
  Speaker 3: see this, and took the panes to summon men from
• 1:17:28
  Speaker 3: the neighboring cities and get the bodies properly buried. He
• 1:17:33
  Speaker 3: then resumed his journey. He came at last to the
• 1:17:37
  Speaker 3: ends of the earth. Here he found a magnificent golden
• 1:17:41
  Speaker 3: palace with an amber roof and diamond doors and windows.
• 1:17:47
  Speaker 3: The ball of thread went straight into the palace, and
• 1:17:50
  Speaker 3: the ferryman found himself in a vast apartment where sat
• 1:17:54
  Speaker 3: a very dignified old lady spinning from a golden distaff.
• 1:18:01
  Speaker 3: Wretched man, what are you here for, she exclaimed when
• 1:18:04
  Speaker 3: she saw him. My son will come back presently and
• 1:18:07
  Speaker 3: burn you up. He explained to her how he had
• 1:18:12
  Speaker 3: been forced to come out of sheer necessity. Well I
• 1:18:16
  Speaker 3: must help you, replied the old lady, who was no
• 1:18:19
  Speaker 3: less than the mother of the son, because you did
• 1:18:23
  Speaker 3: sol that good turn some days ago in burying the
• 1:18:26
  Speaker 3: inhabitants of that town when they were killed by a dragon.
• 1:18:31
  Speaker 3: He journeys every day across the wide arch of Heaven
• 1:18:34
  Speaker 3: in a diamond car, drawn by twelve gray horses with
• 1:18:38
  Speaker 3: golden manes, giving heat and light to the whole world.
• 1:18:42
  Speaker 3: He will soon be back here to rest for the night.
• 1:18:45
  Speaker 3: But here he comes, hide yourself and take care to
• 1:18:49
  Speaker 3: observe what follows. So saying, she changed her visitor into
• 1:18:54
  Speaker 3: a lady bird and let him fly to the window.
• 1:18:58
  Speaker 3: Then the neighing of the one wonderful horses and the
• 1:19:01
  Speaker 3: rattling of chariot wheels were heard, and the bright sun
• 1:19:05
  Speaker 3: himself presently came in and stretching himself upon a coral bed,
• 1:19:09
  Speaker 3: remarked to his mother, I smell a human being here.
• 1:19:15
  Speaker 3: What nonsense you talk, replied his mother. How could any
• 1:19:18
  Speaker 3: human being come here? You know it is impossible. The son,
• 1:19:23
  Speaker 3: as if he did not quite believe her, began to
• 1:19:26
  Speaker 3: peer anxiously about the room. Don't be so restless, said
• 1:19:30
  Speaker 3: the old lady, But tell me why you suffered eclipse
• 1:19:34
  Speaker 3: a month or two ago. How could I help it,
• 1:19:38
  Speaker 3: answered the Sun. When the dragon from the deep abyss
• 1:19:41
  Speaker 3: attacked me and I had to fight him. Perhaps I
• 1:19:44
  Speaker 3: should have been fighting with the monster till now if
• 1:19:47
  Speaker 3: a wonderful mermaid had not come to help me. When
• 1:19:51
  Speaker 3: she began to sing and looked at the dragon with
• 1:19:53
  Speaker 3: her beautiful eyes, all his rage softened at once. He
• 1:19:58
  Speaker 3: was absorbed in gazing upon her beauty, and I meanwhile
• 1:20:02
  Speaker 3: burnt him to ashes and threw them into the sea.
• 1:20:06
  Speaker 3: The Sun then went to sleep, and his mother again
• 1:20:09
  Speaker 3: touched the fairyman with her spindle. He then returned to
• 1:20:12
  Speaker 3: his natural shape and slipped out of the palace following
• 1:20:17
  Speaker 3: the ball of thread. He reached home at last, and
• 1:20:20
  Speaker 3: next day went to the king and told him all.
• 1:20:25
  Speaker 3: But the king was so enchanted at the description of
• 1:20:27
  Speaker 3: the beautiful sea maiden that he ordered the fairyman to
• 1:20:31
  Speaker 3: go and bring her to him on pain of death.
• 1:20:35
  Speaker 3: He went home very sad to his wife, but she
• 1:20:38
  Speaker 3: told him she would manage this, also so saying. She
• 1:20:42
  Speaker 3: gave him another ball of thread to show him which
• 1:20:45
  Speaker 3: way to go, and she also gave him a carriage
• 1:20:48
  Speaker 3: load of costly ladies, apparel and jewels and ornaments, told
• 1:20:52
  Speaker 3: him what he was to do, and they took leave
• 1:20:55
  Speaker 3: of one another. On the way, the fairyman met a
• 1:20:59
  Speaker 3: youth riding on a fine gray horse, who asked, what
• 1:21:03
  Speaker 3: have you got there, man? A woman's wearing apparel, most
• 1:21:07
  Speaker 3: costly and beautiful. He had several dresses, not simply one.
• 1:21:13
  Speaker 3: I say, give me some of those as a present
• 1:21:15
  Speaker 3: for my intended whom I am going to see. I
• 1:21:18
  Speaker 3: can be of use to you, for I am the
• 1:21:21
  Speaker 3: storm Wind. I will come whenever you call upon me. Thus,
• 1:21:25
  Speaker 3: storm Wind, storm Wind, come with speed, help me in
• 1:21:29
  Speaker 3: my sudden need. The fairy man gave him some of
• 1:21:33
  Speaker 3: the most beautiful things he had, and the storm Wind
• 1:21:37
  Speaker 3: passed a little further on, he met an old man,
• 1:21:42
  Speaker 3: gray haired, but strong and vigorous looking who also said,
• 1:21:46
  Speaker 3: what have you got there, women's garments costly and beautiful.
• 1:21:52
  Speaker 3: I am going to my daughter's wedding. She is to
• 1:21:55
  Speaker 3: marry the storm Wind. Give me something as a wedding
• 1:21:58
  Speaker 3: present for her, and I will be of use to you.
• 1:22:02
  Speaker 3: I am the Frost. If you need me, call upon me. Thus, Frost,
• 1:22:07
  Speaker 3: I call thee. Come with speed, help me and my
• 1:22:10
  Speaker 3: sudden need. The fairyman let him take all he wanted
• 1:22:14
  Speaker 3: and went on. And now he came to the sea coast.
• 1:22:19
  Speaker 3: Here the ball of thread stopped and would go no further.
• 1:22:23
  Speaker 3: The fairyman waded up to his waist into the sea
• 1:22:27
  Speaker 3: and set up two high poles with cross bars between them,
• 1:22:31
  Speaker 3: upon which he hung dresses of various colors, scarves and ribbons,
• 1:22:36
  Speaker 3: gold chains and diamond, ear rings and pins, shoes and
• 1:22:40
  Speaker 3: looking glasses, and then hid himself with his wonderful hook
• 1:22:45
  Speaker 3: and line ready. As soon as the morning rose from
• 1:22:49
  Speaker 3: the sea, there appeared far away on the smooth waters
• 1:22:53
  Speaker 3: a silvery boat, in which stood a beautiful maiden with
• 1:22:58
  Speaker 3: a golden oar in one hand, while with the other
• 1:23:01
  Speaker 3: she gathered together her long golden hair, all the while
• 1:23:05
  Speaker 3: singing so beautifully to the rising sun that if the
• 1:23:09
  Speaker 3: fairyman had not quickly stopped his ears, he would have
• 1:23:11
  Speaker 3: fallen into a delicious reverie, and then asleep. She sailed
• 1:23:16
  Speaker 3: along a long time in her silver boat, and round
• 1:23:20
  Speaker 3: her leaped and played golden fishes with rainbow wings and
• 1:23:23
  Speaker 3: diamond eyes. But all at once she perceived the rich
• 1:23:28
  Speaker 3: clothes and ornaments hung up on the poles, And as
• 1:23:31
  Speaker 3: she came nearer, the fairyman called out, storm Wind, Storm Wind,
• 1:23:37
  Speaker 3: come with speed, help me in my sudden need. What
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 3: do you want? Asked the storm wind. The fairyman, without
• 1:23:45
  Speaker 3: answering him, called out, Frost, I call thee, come with speed,
• 1:23:50
  Speaker 3: help me in my sudden need. What do you want?
• 1:23:54
  Speaker 3: Asked the frost, I want to capture the sea maiden.
• 1:23:59
  Speaker 3: Then the wind wind blue and blue, so that the
• 1:24:02
  Speaker 3: silver boat was capsized, and the frost breathed on the
• 1:24:06
  Speaker 3: sea till it was frozen over. Then the fairyman rushed
• 1:24:10
  Speaker 3: up to the sea maiden, entangling his hook in her
• 1:24:13
  Speaker 3: golden hair, lifted her on his horse, and rode off
• 1:24:17
  Speaker 3: as swift as the wind. After his wonderful ball of thread.
• 1:24:21
  Speaker 3: She kept weeping and lamenting all the way, but as
• 1:24:25
  Speaker 3: soon As they reached the Fairyman's home and saw his wife,
• 1:24:29
  Speaker 3: all her sorrow changed into joy. She laughed with delight
• 1:24:33
  Speaker 3: and threw herself into her arms, And then it turned
• 1:24:36
  Speaker 3: out that the two were sisters. Next morning, the ferryman
• 1:24:41
  Speaker 3: went to court with both his wife and sister in law,
• 1:24:45
  Speaker 3: and the king was so delighted with the beauty of
• 1:24:47
  Speaker 3: the latter that he at once offered to marry her,
• 1:24:51
  Speaker 3: but she could give him no answer till he had
• 1:24:53
  Speaker 3: the self playing guitar. So the king ordered the ferryman
• 1:24:58
  Speaker 3: to procure him this wonderful guitar or be put to death.
• 1:25:02
  Speaker 3: His wife told him what to do and gave him
• 1:25:04
  Speaker 3: a handkerchief of hers embroidered with gold, telling him to
• 1:25:08
  Speaker 3: use this in case of need. Following the Ball of Thread,
• 1:25:13
  Speaker 3: he came at last to a great lake, in the
• 1:25:16
  Speaker 3: midst of which was a green island. He began to
• 1:25:19
  Speaker 3: wonder how he was to get there when he saw
• 1:25:22
  Speaker 3: a boat approaching, in which was an old man with
• 1:25:25
  Speaker 3: a long white beard, and he recognized him with delight
• 1:25:29
  Speaker 3: as his former benefactor. How are you, fairy man, he asked,
• 1:25:34
  Speaker 3: Where are you going? I am going wherever the ball
• 1:25:38
  Speaker 3: of Thread leads me, for I must fetch the self
• 1:25:41
  Speaker 3: playing guitar. This guitar, said the old man belongs to Goldmore,
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 3: the lord of that island. It is a difficult matter
• 1:25:51
  Speaker 3: to have to do with him, but perhaps you may succeed.
• 1:25:55
  Speaker 3: You have often ferried me over the water. I will
• 1:25:58
  Speaker 3: ferry you now. The old man pushed off, and they
• 1:26:02
  Speaker 3: reached the island. On arriving, the ball of thread went
• 1:26:06
  Speaker 3: straight into a palace, where Goldmore came out to meet
• 1:26:10
  Speaker 3: the traveler and asked him where he was going and
• 1:26:12
  Speaker 3: what he wanted. He explained, I am come for the
• 1:26:17
  Speaker 3: self playing guitar. I will only let you have it
• 1:26:22
  Speaker 3: on condition that you do not go to sleep for
• 1:26:25
  Speaker 3: three days and three nights, And if you do, you
• 1:26:29
  Speaker 3: will not only lose all chance of the self playing guitar,
• 1:26:32
  Speaker 3: but you must die. What could the poor man do
• 1:26:36
  Speaker 3: but agree to this. So Goldmore conducted him to a
• 1:26:40
  Speaker 3: great room and locked him in. The floor was strewn
• 1:26:44
  Speaker 3: with sleepy grass, so he fell asleep. Directly next morning
• 1:26:49
  Speaker 3: in came Goldmore, and, on waking him up, said, so
• 1:26:53
  Speaker 3: you went to sleep very well, you shall die. And
• 1:26:57
  Speaker 3: he touched a spring in the floor, and the unhappy
• 1:27:00
  Speaker 3: ferryman fell down into an apartment beneath, where the walls
• 1:27:04
  Speaker 3: were of looking glass, and there were great heaps of
• 1:27:07
  Speaker 3: gold and precious stones lying about. For three days and
• 1:27:12
  Speaker 3: nights he lay there, he was fearfully hungry, and then
• 1:27:16
  Speaker 3: it dawned upon him that he was to be starved
• 1:27:18
  Speaker 3: to death. He called out and entreated in vain. Nobody answered,
• 1:27:24
  Speaker 3: and though he had piles of gold and jewels about him,
• 1:27:27
  Speaker 3: they could not purchase him a morsel of food. He
• 1:27:31
  Speaker 3: sought in vain for any means of exit. There was
• 1:27:35
  Speaker 3: a window of clearest crystal, but it was barred by
• 1:27:38
  Speaker 3: a heavy iron grating. But the window looked into a garden,
• 1:27:43
  Speaker 3: whence he could hear nightingales singing, doves cooing, and the
• 1:27:47
  Speaker 3: murmur of a brook. But inside he saw only heaps
• 1:27:52
  Speaker 3: of useless gold and jewels, and his own face worn
• 1:27:55
  Speaker 3: and haggard, reflected a thousand times. He could now only
• 1:28:00
  Speaker 3: pray for a speedy death, and took out a little
• 1:28:04
  Speaker 3: iron cross, which he had kept by him since his boyhood.
• 1:28:08
  Speaker 3: But in doing so he also drew out the gold
• 1:28:11
  Speaker 3: embroidered handkerchief given him by his wife, and which he
• 1:28:15
  Speaker 3: had quite forgotten till now. Goldmore had been looking on,
• 1:28:20
  Speaker 3: as he often did from an opening in the ceiling,
• 1:28:24
  Speaker 3: to enjoy the sight of his prisoner's sufferings. All at
• 1:28:28
  Speaker 3: once he recognized the handkerchief as belonging to his own sister,
• 1:28:33
  Speaker 3: the Fairyman's wife. He at once changed his treatment of
• 1:28:37
  Speaker 3: his brother in law as he had discovered him to be.
• 1:28:41
  Speaker 3: Took him out of the prison, led him to his
• 1:28:43
  Speaker 3: own apartments, gave him food and drink, and the self
• 1:28:47
  Speaker 3: playing guitar into the bargain. Coming home, the Faeryman met
• 1:28:51
  Speaker 3: his wife half way the ball of thread came home alone.
• 1:28:55
  Speaker 3: She explained, So I judged that some misfortune had befallen you,
• 1:29:00
  Speaker 3: and I was coming to help you. He told her
• 1:29:03
  Speaker 3: all his adventures, and they returned home together. The king
• 1:29:07
  Speaker 3: was all eagerness to see and hear the self playing guitar,
• 1:29:11
  Speaker 3: so he ordered the Fairyman, his wife, and her sister
• 1:29:14
  Speaker 3: to come with it to the palace at once. Now
• 1:29:18
  Speaker 3: the property of this self playing guitar was such that
• 1:29:22
  Speaker 3: wherever its music was heard, the sick became well, those
• 1:29:26
  Speaker 3: who were sad, merry, ugly folks became handsome. Sorceries were dissolved,
• 1:29:33
  Speaker 3: and those who had been murdered rose from the dead
• 1:29:35
  Speaker 3: and slew their murderers. So, when the king, having been
• 1:29:40
  Speaker 3: told the charm to set the guitar playing, said the words,
• 1:29:44
  Speaker 3: all the court began to be merry and dance, except
• 1:29:48
  Speaker 3: the king himself. For all at once the door opened,
• 1:29:53
  Speaker 3: the music ceased, and the figure of the late King
• 1:29:56
  Speaker 3: stood up in his shroud and said, I was the
• 1:30:00
  Speaker 3: rightful possessor of the throne, and you wicked brother, who
• 1:30:04
  Speaker 3: caused me to be murdered, shall now reap your reward.
• 1:30:09
  Speaker 3: So saying, he breathed upon him, and the king fell dead,
• 1:30:13
  Speaker 3: on which the phantom vanished. But as soon as they
• 1:30:17
  Speaker 3: recovered from their fright, all the nobility who were present
• 1:30:21
  Speaker 3: acclaimed the fairyman as their king. The next day, after
• 1:30:26
  Speaker 3: the burial of the late King, the beautiful Sea Maiden,
• 1:30:29
  Speaker 3: the beloved of the Sun, went back to the sea
• 1:30:33
  Speaker 3: to float about in her silvery canoe in the company
• 1:30:36
  Speaker 3: of the rainbow fishes, and to rejoice in the sunbeams.
• 1:30:41
  Speaker 3: But the good Fairyman and his wife lived happily ever
• 1:30:44
  Speaker 3: after as king and Queen, and they gave a grand
• 1:30:47
  Speaker 3: ball to the nobility and to the people, the self
• 1:30:51
  Speaker 3: playing guitar furnished the music, the wonderful purse scattered gold
• 1:30:55
  Speaker 3: all the time, and the King entertained all the guests
• 1:30:59
  Speaker 3: right royally. End of chapter five. The Good Ferrymen and
• 1:31:05
  Speaker 3: the Water Nymphs.
• 1:31:11
  Speaker 4: Chapter six of Polish fairy Tales. This is a LibriVox recording.
• 1:31:17
  Speaker 4: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 1:31:21
  Speaker 4: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Polish
• 1:31:27
  Speaker 4: fairy Tales by A. J. Glinsky, translated by Maude Ashurst Biggs.
• 1:31:34
  Speaker 4: Chapter six, The Princess of the Brazen Mountain. There was
• 1:31:40
  Speaker 4: a young prince who was not only most handsome and
• 1:31:43
  Speaker 4: well grown, but also most kind hearted and good. Now
• 1:31:48
  Speaker 4: sooner or later, kindness always meets its reward, though it
• 1:31:52
  Speaker 4: may not seem so at first. One summer's evening, the
• 1:31:56
  Speaker 4: Prince was walking on the banks of a lake when
• 1:31:58
  Speaker 4: he looked up and saw, to his great surprise, in
• 1:32:00
  Speaker 4: the air, against the rosy clouds of the sunset, three
• 1:32:04
  Speaker 4: beautiful beings with wings, not angels nor birds, but three
• 1:32:10
  Speaker 4: beautiful damsels. And having alighted on the ground, they dropped
• 1:32:14
  Speaker 4: their wings and their garments and left them lying on
• 1:32:17
  Speaker 4: the shore and leaped into the cool water and began
• 1:32:20
  Speaker 4: splashing and playing about in it like so many water fowl.
• 1:32:24
  Speaker 4: As soon as the prince saw this, he came out
• 1:32:27
  Speaker 4: from his hiding place in the bushes, picked up one
• 1:32:29
  Speaker 4: pair of wings, and hid himself again. When they had
• 1:32:33
  Speaker 4: been long enough in the water, the beautiful damsels came
• 1:32:37
  Speaker 4: out again to land and dressed themselves quickly. Two of
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 4: them soon had on both their white dresses and their wings,
• 1:32:44
  Speaker 4: but the youngest could not find hers. They held a
• 1:32:48
  Speaker 4: short consultation, and the result was that the two elder
• 1:32:52
  Speaker 4: flew away in the shape of birds as fast as
• 1:32:54
  Speaker 4: they could to fetch another pair of wings for their
• 1:32:57
  Speaker 4: younger sister. They soon vanished in the blue sky, but
• 1:33:01
  Speaker 4: she remained alone, wringing her hands and crying. What are
• 1:33:06
  Speaker 4: you crying for, you lovely maiden, asked the prince, emerging
• 1:33:09
  Speaker 4: from the bushes. Oh, I am so unhappy, she replied.
• 1:33:13
  Speaker 4: I am a princess of the Brazen Mountain. My sisters
• 1:33:17
  Speaker 4: and I came here to bathe in the lake, and
• 1:33:19
  Speaker 4: somebody has stolen my wings, so I must wait here
• 1:33:23
  Speaker 4: until they bring me another pair. I am a prince,
• 1:33:26
  Speaker 4: He replied, this is my father's kingdom. Be my wife,
• 1:33:30
  Speaker 4: and I will give you back your wings. Very well,
• 1:33:33
  Speaker 4: She said, I consent, only you must give me back
• 1:33:36
  Speaker 4: my wings at once. Let us first go to church
• 1:33:39
  Speaker 4: and get married, he answered, and taking the lovely princess
• 1:33:42
  Speaker 4: by the hand, he brought her to his father and
• 1:33:45
  Speaker 4: mother and asked their permission to marry her. The King
• 1:33:49
  Speaker 4: and Queen were delighted with their beautiful daughter in law,
• 1:33:51
  Speaker 4: gave them their blessing, and all was got ready for
• 1:33:54
  Speaker 4: the wedding, And directly they came back from church. The prince,
• 1:33:58
  Speaker 4: overcome with joy, hissed his bride and gave her back
• 1:34:02
  Speaker 4: her wings. She took them joyfully, fastened them to her shoulders,
• 1:34:06
  Speaker 4: and then flew out the window and vanished. All the
• 1:34:10
  Speaker 4: wedding guests were in consternation. The king looked very serious,
• 1:34:14
  Speaker 4: the queen wept bitterly. But the prince so grieved after
• 1:34:18
  Speaker 4: his bride, that, having obtained his parents consent, he went
• 1:34:21
  Speaker 4: out into the wide world to search for that brazen
• 1:34:24
  Speaker 4: mountain where he hoped to find her. He traveled for
• 1:34:28
  Speaker 4: a long time, inquiring about it of every one he met,
• 1:34:32
  Speaker 4: but nobody had ever heard of such a mountain, and
• 1:34:35
  Speaker 4: he began to give up all hope of ever finding it.
• 1:34:39
  Speaker 4: Late one evening he saw a twinkling light before him,
• 1:34:42
  Speaker 4: which he followed in the hope of coming to some habitation.
• 1:34:46
  Speaker 4: It led him on a long way across level plains,
• 1:34:49
  Speaker 4: through deep defiles, and at length some way into a
• 1:34:52
  Speaker 4: dark forest. But at last he came to whence the
• 1:34:55
  Speaker 4: light proceeded from a solitary hermitage. He went in, but
• 1:35:00
  Speaker 4: found the hermit lying dead, with six wax candles burning
• 1:35:04
  Speaker 4: round him. He had evidently been dead for some time,
• 1:35:07
  Speaker 4: yet there seemed to be nobody near him, nor any
• 1:35:10
  Speaker 4: inhabitants at all in this desolate region. The prince's first
• 1:35:15
  Speaker 4: thought was how to get him buried and with proper rites,
• 1:35:19
  Speaker 4: where there was no priest, nor indeed any people at
• 1:35:21
  Speaker 4: all to be found in the neighborhood. While he was
• 1:35:24
  Speaker 4: thinking over this, something fell from a peg in the
• 1:35:27
  Speaker 4: wall close beside him. It was a leather whip. The
• 1:35:32
  Speaker 4: prince took it up and read on the handle these
• 1:35:35
  Speaker 4: words the magic whip. As he knew its virtue, he
• 1:35:39
  Speaker 4: called out, ho magic whip, to right and left, skip
• 1:35:43
  Speaker 4: and do what I will. The whip jumped from his hand,
• 1:35:47
  Speaker 4: became invisible and flew away. In a short time, there
• 1:35:51
  Speaker 4: was the hum of a multitude through the forest, and
• 1:35:54
  Speaker 4: the head forester entered breathless, followed by a crowd of
• 1:35:57
  Speaker 4: under keepers, and many more people with them. Some set
• 1:36:01
  Speaker 4: about making a coffin, others began digging a grave, and
• 1:36:05
  Speaker 4: the head keeper rode off to fetch a priest. And
• 1:36:08
  Speaker 4: as soon as it was dawn, mass was said. The
• 1:36:11
  Speaker 4: bells began ringing from several far distant churches, and at
• 1:36:15
  Speaker 4: sunrise the corpse was decently buried. When the funeral was
• 1:36:19
  Speaker 4: over all the people dispersed to their homes, and the
• 1:36:23
  Speaker 4: magical whip returned of itself to the Prince's hand. He
• 1:36:28
  Speaker 4: stuck it into his girdle and went on till after
• 1:36:31
  Speaker 4: an hour or two he came to a clearing in
• 1:36:34
  Speaker 4: the forest where twelve men were fighting desperately among themselves.
• 1:36:39
  Speaker 4: Stop you, fellows, exclaimed the prince. Who are you and
• 1:36:42
  Speaker 4: what are you fighting about? We are robbers, they replied,
• 1:36:46
  Speaker 4: and we are fighting for these boots, which were the
• 1:36:48
  Speaker 4: property of our deceased leader. Whoever has them can go
• 1:36:52
  Speaker 4: seven leagues at one step, and he who gets them
• 1:36:55
  Speaker 4: will be our leader. As you are a stranger, we
• 1:36:59
  Speaker 4: will abide by your decision as to whom this pair
• 1:37:01
  Speaker 4: of boots shall belong, and give you a heap of
• 1:37:04
  Speaker 4: gold into the bargain for your trouble. The Prince drew
• 1:37:08
  Speaker 4: on the boots, took the magical whip from his girdle,
• 1:37:11
  Speaker 4: and said, ho, magical whip to right and left, skip
• 1:37:15
  Speaker 4: and do what I will. The whip jumped from his hand,
• 1:37:19
  Speaker 4: became invisible and well thrashed the robbers. In the midst
• 1:37:23
  Speaker 4: of the confusion, the Prince made his escape, and having
• 1:37:26
  Speaker 4: the boots on, he went seven miles at every step,
• 1:37:29
  Speaker 4: and was soon far enough away from the robber's den.
• 1:37:33
  Speaker 4: But as he was no nearer to finding out where
• 1:37:35
  Speaker 4: the Brazen Mountain was, he had no need to go
• 1:37:38
  Speaker 4: quite so fast, So he took off the seven league boots,
• 1:37:41
  Speaker 4: put them under his arm and the magic whip in
• 1:37:44
  Speaker 4: his girdle, and went at his ordinary pace till he
• 1:37:47
  Speaker 4: came to a narrow path between some rocks, where again
• 1:37:51
  Speaker 4: he came upon twelve men fighting. They explained they were
• 1:37:55
  Speaker 4: fighting for an invisible cap which had belonged to their
• 1:37:59
  Speaker 4: late leader, and asked him, as a stranger, to decide
• 1:38:02
  Speaker 4: who should have it. So he set the magical whip
• 1:38:04
  Speaker 4: as before to work, And there was a nice confusion
• 1:38:07
  Speaker 4: among these robbers, for, not seeing where the blows came from,
• 1:38:11
  Speaker 4: they fell upon one another, and at last, frightened out
• 1:38:14
  Speaker 4: of their senses, they took flight and scattered in all directions.
• 1:38:19
  Speaker 4: The Prince, having put on the invisible cap, was able
• 1:38:22
  Speaker 4: to walk among them and talk to them, and they
• 1:38:25
  Speaker 4: all heard, though they could not see him. He now
• 1:38:28
  Speaker 4: began to consider whether he could not use all these
• 1:38:31
  Speaker 4: treasures to help him to find the Brazen Mountain. So
• 1:38:36
  Speaker 4: he drew on the seven league boots, settled the invisible
• 1:38:39
  Speaker 4: cap on his forehead, and taking the magical whip from
• 1:38:42
  Speaker 4: his girdle, said, oh, thou wondrous magic whip, lead me on.
• 1:38:47
  Speaker 4: I'll follow thee onward to the Brazen Mountain. Lead me
• 1:38:51
  Speaker 4: where I fain would be. The whip sprang from his hand.
• 1:38:55
  Speaker 4: It did not become invisible this time, but glided rapidly
• 1:38:59
  Speaker 4: a little above the ground, like a boat over a
• 1:39:02
  Speaker 4: calm sea. Though it flew like a bird, the Prince
• 1:39:05
  Speaker 4: was quite able to keep pace with it. Because he
• 1:39:08
  Speaker 4: had on the seven league boots. He was scarcely aware
• 1:39:11
  Speaker 4: of the fact, when in less than a quarter of
• 1:39:13
  Speaker 4: an hour they came to a stand still at the
• 1:39:16
  Speaker 4: Brazen Mountain. At first, the prince was overjoyed at having
• 1:39:20
  Speaker 4: reached the goal of his wishes. But when he looked
• 1:39:23
  Speaker 4: more closely at its smooth perpendicular sides hard as adamant,
• 1:39:28
  Speaker 4: its summit lost in the clouds, he was in despair,
• 1:39:32
  Speaker 4: for how was he ever to get to the top
• 1:39:34
  Speaker 4: of it. However, he thought there must be some way
• 1:39:37
  Speaker 4: up after all, so taking off his boots and cap,
• 1:39:40
  Speaker 4: he set off to walk round the base of the mountain.
• 1:39:43
  Speaker 4: In half an hour he came to a mill with
• 1:39:46
  Speaker 4: twelve mill stones. The miller was an old wizard with
• 1:39:50
  Speaker 4: a long beard down to the ground. He stood beside
• 1:39:53
  Speaker 4: a stove, whereupon a kettle was boiling, stirring the contents
• 1:39:57
  Speaker 4: with a long iron spoon and pile wood on the fire.
• 1:40:01
  Speaker 4: The Prince looked into the kettle. Good morning to you, gaffer,
• 1:40:05
  Speaker 4: But what are you doing there? That's my own business,
• 1:40:08
  Speaker 4: replied the miller, gruffly. What mill is this? The prince
• 1:40:12
  Speaker 4: next asked, That's no business of yours, replied the miller.
• 1:40:17
  Speaker 4: The Prince was not going to be satisfied with this,
• 1:40:20
  Speaker 4: so he gave his usual orders to the magical whip,
• 1:40:23
  Speaker 4: which forthwith became invisible, and began to lash the miller soundly.
• 1:40:28
  Speaker 4: He tried to run away, but it was no use
• 1:40:30
  Speaker 4: till the prince took pity on him and called the
• 1:40:33
  Speaker 4: whip back again. He put it up, and then said,
• 1:40:36
  Speaker 4: whose mill is this? It belongs to the three princesses
• 1:40:41
  Speaker 4: of the Brazen Mountain, replied the miller. They let down
• 1:40:44
  Speaker 4: a rope here every day, and draw up all the
• 1:40:46
  Speaker 4: flour they want by the rope. As he said this,
• 1:40:49
  Speaker 4: a thick silken rope came down with a loop at
• 1:40:52
  Speaker 4: the end, which struck the threshold of the mill. The
• 1:40:55
  Speaker 4: prince made ready, and when the usual sack of wheat
• 1:40:58
  Speaker 4: flour was bound fast in the loop, he climbed upon it,
• 1:41:01
  Speaker 4: having first put on his invisible cap, and was thus
• 1:41:04
  Speaker 4: drawn up to the top of the Brazen Mountain. The
• 1:41:08
  Speaker 4: three princesses, having drawn up their supply of flower, put
• 1:41:11
  Speaker 4: it into their storehouse and went back to their dwelling.
• 1:41:15
  Speaker 4: Their palace was most beautiful, all silver without and all
• 1:41:19
  Speaker 4: gold within. All the windows were of crystal, The chairs
• 1:41:24
  Speaker 4: and tables were made of diamonds, and the floors of
• 1:41:27
  Speaker 4: looking glass. The ceilings were like the sky, with mimic
• 1:41:31
  Speaker 4: stars and moon shining therein and in the principal saloon
• 1:41:35
  Speaker 4: there was a sun with rays. All around, beautiful birds
• 1:41:39
  Speaker 4: were singing, monkeys were telling fairy tales, and in their
• 1:41:43
  Speaker 4: midst amongst all this sat the three most beautiful princesses.
• 1:41:48
  Speaker 4: The two eldest were weaving golden threads in their looms,
• 1:41:52
  Speaker 4: but the youngest, the Prince's wife, sat silently apart from
• 1:41:56
  Speaker 4: her sisters, listening to the murmur of a fountain, her
• 1:42:00
  Speaker 4: head leaning on her hand in deep thought. And as
• 1:42:03
  Speaker 4: she sat there, two pearly tears coursed down her lovely face.
• 1:42:08
  Speaker 4: What are you thinking of, sister, asked the two elder princesses.
• 1:42:13
  Speaker 4: I am thinking of the Prince, my husband. I love
• 1:42:16
  Speaker 4: to think of him, and I am so sorry for him,
• 1:42:18
  Speaker 4: poor fellow, to think I left him for no fault
• 1:42:22
  Speaker 4: at all, and when we loved one another so dearly,
• 1:42:25
  Speaker 4: O sisters, I shall have to leave you and go
• 1:42:28
  Speaker 4: back to him. Only I fear he will never forgive me. However,
• 1:42:33
  Speaker 4: I entreat him for having behaved so unkindly to him.
• 1:42:36
  Speaker 4: I forgive you, I forgive you everything, darling, exclaimed the prince,
• 1:42:41
  Speaker 4: throwing off the invisible cap and embracing her rapturously. Then
• 1:42:45
  Speaker 4: she gave him wings like her own, and they flew
• 1:42:48
  Speaker 4: away together. In an hour or two they arrived in
• 1:42:52
  Speaker 4: his father's kingdom. The King and Queen welcomed them joyfully,
• 1:42:56
  Speaker 4: and all was greatest joy and happiness. Henceforward end of
• 1:43:02
  Speaker 4: chapter six. The Princess of the Brazen Mountain.
• 1:43:12
  Speaker 3: Chapter seven of Polish fairy Tales. This is a LibriVox recording.
• 1:43:20
  Speaker 3: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 1:43:24
  Speaker 3: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording
• 1:43:30
  Speaker 3: by Maria Casper. Polish fairy Tales by A. J. Glinsky,
• 1:43:37
  Speaker 3: translated by maud Ashurst Biggs. Chapter seven, The Bear in
• 1:43:43
  Speaker 3: the Forest Hut. There was once an old man who
• 1:43:49
  Speaker 3: was a widower, and he had married an old woman
• 1:43:52
  Speaker 3: who was a widow. Both had had children by their
• 1:43:55
  Speaker 3: first marriage, and now the old man had a daughter
• 1:43:59
  Speaker 3: of his own state ill living, and the old woman
• 1:44:01
  Speaker 3: also had a daughter. The old man was an honest,
• 1:44:05
  Speaker 3: hard working and good natured old fellow, but too much
• 1:44:09
  Speaker 3: under his wife's thumb. This was very unfortunate, because she
• 1:44:14
  Speaker 3: was wicked, cunning and sly, and a bad old witch.
• 1:44:18
  Speaker 3: Her daughter was only too like her in disposition, but
• 1:44:22
  Speaker 3: she was her mother's darling. But the old man's daughter
• 1:44:26
  Speaker 3: was a very good, sweet girl. Nevertheless, her stepmother hated her.
• 1:44:31
  Speaker 3: She was always tormenting her and wishing her dead. One
• 1:44:35
  Speaker 3: day she had beaten her very cruelly and pushed her
• 1:44:38
  Speaker 3: out of doors. Then she said to the old man,
• 1:44:43
  Speaker 3: your wretched daughter is always giving me trouble. She is
• 1:44:46
  Speaker 3: such an ill tempered, spoilt hussy that I cannot do
• 1:44:49
  Speaker 3: anything with her. So if you wish for peace in
• 1:44:52
  Speaker 3: the house, you must put her into your wagon, drive
• 1:44:54
  Speaker 3: her away into the forest, and come back without her.
• 1:45:00
  Speaker 3: The old man was very sorry to have to do this,
• 1:45:03
  Speaker 3: for he loved his own little daughter most dearly. But
• 1:45:07
  Speaker 3: he was so afraid of his wife that he dared
• 1:45:09
  Speaker 3: not refuse. So he put the poor girl into his wagon,
• 1:45:14
  Speaker 3: drove a long way into the forest, took her out,
• 1:45:17
  Speaker 3: and left her there alone. She wandered about a long time,
• 1:45:22
  Speaker 3: gathering wild strawberries to eat with a little piece of
• 1:45:26
  Speaker 3: bread which her father had given her. Towards evening, She
• 1:45:30
  Speaker 3: came to the door of a hut in the forest
• 1:45:32
  Speaker 3: and knocked at the door. Nobody answered her knock, so
• 1:45:36
  Speaker 3: she lifted the latch, went in and looked round. There
• 1:45:40
  Speaker 3: was nobody there, but there was a table in one corner,
• 1:45:45
  Speaker 3: and benches all round the walls, and an oven by
• 1:45:48
  Speaker 3: the door. And near the table, close to the window
• 1:45:51
  Speaker 3: was a spinning wheel and a quantity of flax. The
• 1:45:56
  Speaker 3: girl sat down to the spinning wheel and opened the window,
• 1:45:59
  Speaker 3: looked out and listened, but nobody came. But as it
• 1:46:04
  Speaker 3: grew dusk, she heard a rustle not far off, and
• 1:46:07
  Speaker 3: from somewhere, not far from the hut, a voice was heard, singing, wanderer, outcast, forsaken,
• 1:46:16
  Speaker 3: whom the night has overtaken. If no crime, your conscience
• 1:46:21
  Speaker 3: stain in this hut, to night remained. When the voice ceased,
• 1:46:27
  Speaker 3: she answered, I am outcast and forsaken, yet unstained by crime?
• 1:46:33
  Speaker 3: Am I be you rich?
• 1:46:35
  Speaker 2: Or be you poor?
• 1:46:37
  Speaker 3: For this night here let me lie once more. There
• 1:46:42
  Speaker 3: was a rustle in the branches. The door opened, and
• 1:46:46
  Speaker 3: there came into the room a bear. The girl started
• 1:46:51
  Speaker 3: up very frightened, but the bear only said, good evening,
• 1:46:56
  Speaker 3: pretty maiden. Good evening, tea you, whoever you are, she replied,
• 1:47:02
  Speaker 3: somewhat reassured. How did you come here? He asked? Was
• 1:47:07
  Speaker 3: it of your own free will? Or by compulsion? The
• 1:47:12
  Speaker 3: maiden told him, all weeping. But the bear sat down
• 1:47:16
  Speaker 3: beside her and stroking her face with his paw, replied,
• 1:47:21
  Speaker 3: do not cry, pretty one. You shall be happy yet.
• 1:47:26
  Speaker 3: But in the meantime you must do just what I
• 1:47:28
  Speaker 3: tell you. Do you see that flax, you must spin
• 1:47:32
  Speaker 3: it into thread. Of that thread you must weave cloth.
• 1:47:37
  Speaker 3: And of that cloth you must make me a shirt.
• 1:47:41
  Speaker 3: I shall come here tomorrow at this same time, and
• 1:47:44
  Speaker 3: if the shirt is ready, I will reward you good bye.
• 1:47:50
  Speaker 3: So saying, the bear made her a parting bow and
• 1:47:53
  Speaker 3: went out. At first, the girl began to cry and
• 1:47:58
  Speaker 3: said to herself, how can I do this in only
• 1:48:01
  Speaker 3: twenty four hours? Spin all that flax, weave it into cloth,
• 1:48:06
  Speaker 3: and make a shirt out of it. Well, I must
• 1:48:10
  Speaker 3: set to work and do what I can. He will
• 1:48:13
  Speaker 3: at least see that my will was good, though I
• 1:48:16
  Speaker 3: was unable to perform the task. Thus saying, she dried
• 1:48:20
  Speaker 3: her tears, ate some of her bread and strawberries, sat
• 1:48:24
  Speaker 3: down to the spinning wheel, and began to spin by
• 1:48:27
  Speaker 3: the light of the moon. The time went by quickly
• 1:48:31
  Speaker 3: as she worked, and it was daylight before she knew,
• 1:48:34
  Speaker 3: and there was no more flax left. She had spun
• 1:48:37
  Speaker 3: out the last distaffful. She was astonished to see how
• 1:48:41
  Speaker 3: fast the work had gone, and began to wonder how
• 1:48:44
  Speaker 3: she was to weave the thread without any loom. Thinking
• 1:48:49
  Speaker 3: she fell asleep. When she woke, the sun was already
• 1:48:53
  Speaker 3: high in the heavens. There was breakfast ready on the table,
• 1:48:58
  Speaker 3: and a loom under the window. She ran down to
• 1:49:02
  Speaker 3: the neighboring brook, washed her face and hands, came back,
• 1:49:06
  Speaker 3: said grace and ate her breakfast. Then she sat down
• 1:49:10
  Speaker 3: to the loom. The shuttle flew so fast that the
• 1:49:14
  Speaker 3: cloth was already by noon. She took it out into
• 1:49:17
  Speaker 3: a meadow, sprinkled it from the brook, spread it out
• 1:49:21
  Speaker 3: in the sun, and in one hour the cloth was bleached.
• 1:49:25
  Speaker 3: She came back with it to the hut, cut out
• 1:49:28
  Speaker 3: the shirt, and began to stitch at it diligently. The
• 1:49:32
  Speaker 3: twilight was falling, and she was just putting in the
• 1:49:35
  Speaker 3: last stitch when the door opened and the bear came
• 1:49:38
  Speaker 3: in and asked, is the shirt ready? She gave it
• 1:49:43
  Speaker 3: to him. Thank you, my good girl. Now I must
• 1:49:47
  Speaker 3: reward you. You told me you had a bad step mother.
• 1:49:52
  Speaker 3: If you like, I will send my bears to tear
• 1:49:54
  Speaker 3: her and her daughter to pieces. Oh, don't do that.
• 1:49:59
  Speaker 3: I don't wan to be revenged. Let them live. Let
• 1:50:03
  Speaker 3: it be so. Then. Meanwhile, make yourself useful in the kitchen.
• 1:50:08
  Speaker 3: Get me some porridge for supper. You will find everything
• 1:50:11
  Speaker 3: you want in the cupboard in the wall. But I
• 1:50:14
  Speaker 3: will go and fetch my bedding, for I shall spend
• 1:50:16
  Speaker 3: to night at home. The bear left the room, and
• 1:50:21
  Speaker 3: the maiden made up the fire in the oven and
• 1:50:23
  Speaker 3: began to get the porridge ready. Just then she heard
• 1:50:27
  Speaker 3: a sound under the bench, and there ran out a poor,
• 1:50:31
  Speaker 3: lean little mouse, which stood up on its hind legs
• 1:50:35
  Speaker 3: and said, in human tones, mistress, help me lest I
• 1:50:40
  Speaker 3: die A poor, weak little mouse? Am I? I am hungry?
• 1:50:45
  Speaker 3: Give me food, and to you will I be good.
• 1:50:51
  Speaker 3: The girl was sorry for the mouse and threw it
• 1:50:53
  Speaker 3: a spoonful of porridge. The mouse ate it, thanked her
• 1:50:58
  Speaker 3: and ran away to its hole. The bear soon came
• 1:51:02
  Speaker 3: in with a load of wood and stones. These he
• 1:51:06
  Speaker 3: laid upon the stove, and having eaten a basin of porridge.
• 1:51:10
  Speaker 3: He climbed upon the stove and said, here, girl, is
• 1:51:15
  Speaker 3: a bunch of keys on a steel ring. Put out
• 1:51:18
  Speaker 3: the fire, but you must walk about the room all
• 1:51:21
  Speaker 3: night and keep on jingling these keys till I get up,
• 1:51:26
  Speaker 3: and if I find you alive in the morning, you
• 1:51:29
  Speaker 3: shall be happy. The bear began snoring directly, and the
• 1:51:34
  Speaker 3: old man's daughter kept walking about the hut jingling the keys.
• 1:51:40
  Speaker 3: Soon the mouse ran out of its hole and said,
• 1:51:44
  Speaker 3: give me the keys, mistress. I will jingle them for you,
• 1:51:48
  Speaker 3: but you must hide yourself behind the stove, for the
• 1:51:51
  Speaker 3: stones will soon be flying about. So the mouse began
• 1:51:56
  Speaker 3: to run up and down by the wall under the bench.
• 1:51:59
  Speaker 3: The maiden hid behind the oven, and about midnight the
• 1:52:04
  Speaker 3: bear woke up and threw out a stone into the
• 1:52:08
  Speaker 3: middle of the room. But the mouse kept running about
• 1:52:12
  Speaker 3: and jingling the keys, and the bear asked, are you alive?
• 1:52:19
  Speaker 3: I am, replied the girl from behind the oven. The
• 1:52:23
  Speaker 3: bear began to throw stones and billets of wood thick
• 1:52:27
  Speaker 3: and fast from the stove, and every time he did
• 1:52:30
  Speaker 3: so he asked, are you alive? I am, replied the
• 1:52:35
  Speaker 3: girl's voice from behind the oven, and the mouse still
• 1:52:38
  Speaker 3: ran up and down, jingling the keys. With the dawn,
• 1:52:43
  Speaker 3: the cocks began to crow, but the bear did not wake.
• 1:52:48
  Speaker 3: The mouse gave up the keys and ran back to
• 1:52:50
  Speaker 3: its hole, but the old man's daughter began to walk
• 1:52:53
  Speaker 3: about the room and jingle the keys. At sunrise, the
• 1:52:58
  Speaker 3: bear came off the stove and said, O, daughter of
• 1:53:02
  Speaker 3: the old man, you are blest of heaven. For here
• 1:53:06
  Speaker 3: was I a powerful monarch, changed by enchantment into a bear,
• 1:53:12
  Speaker 3: until some living soul should spend two nights in his hut.
• 1:53:16
  Speaker 3: And now I shall soon become a man again and
• 1:53:19
  Speaker 3: return to my kingdom, taking you for my wife. But
• 1:53:24
  Speaker 3: before this comes to pass, do you look into my
• 1:53:28
  Speaker 3: right ear. The old man's daughter threw back her hair
• 1:53:32
  Speaker 3: and looked into the right ear at the bear, and
• 1:53:36
  Speaker 3: she saw a beautiful country with millions of people, with
• 1:53:40
  Speaker 3: high mountains, deep rivers, impenetrable forests, and pastures covered with flocks,
• 1:53:48
  Speaker 3: well to do villages and rich cities. What seest thou
• 1:53:54
  Speaker 3: asked the bear, I see a lovely country that is
• 1:54:00
  Speaker 3: my kingdom. Look into my left ear. She looked, and
• 1:54:05
  Speaker 3: could not enough admire what she saw, A magnificent palace
• 1:54:09
  Speaker 3: with many carriages and horses in the courtyard, and in
• 1:54:13
  Speaker 3: the carriages rich robes, jewels, and all kinds of rarities.
• 1:54:18
  Speaker 3: What do you see, asked the bear, She described it all.
• 1:54:23
  Speaker 3: Which of those carriages do you prefer the one with
• 1:54:27
  Speaker 3: four horses? She replied, that is yours. Then answered the bear,
• 1:54:32
  Speaker 3: as he opened the window. There was a sound of
• 1:54:36
  Speaker 3: wheels in the forest, and a golden carriage presently drew
• 1:54:40
  Speaker 3: up before the cottage, drawn by four splendid horses, although
• 1:54:44
  Speaker 3: there was no driver. The bear adorned his beloved with
• 1:54:49
  Speaker 3: a gown of cloth of gold with diamond ear rings,
• 1:54:52
  Speaker 3: a necklace set with various precious stones and diamond rings, saying,
• 1:54:59
  Speaker 3: wait here a little while. Your father will come for you. Presently,
• 1:55:03
  Speaker 3: and in a few days, when the power of the
• 1:55:05
  Speaker 3: enchantment is over and I am a king again, I
• 1:55:08
  Speaker 3: will come for you, and you shall be my queen.
• 1:55:12
  Speaker 3: So saying, the bear disappeared into the forest, and the
• 1:55:16
  Speaker 3: old man's daughter looked out of the window to watch
• 1:55:18
  Speaker 3: for her father's coming. The old man, having left his
• 1:55:24
  Speaker 3: daughter in the wood, came home very sad, But on
• 1:55:28
  Speaker 3: the third day he harnessed his wagon again and drove
• 1:55:31
  Speaker 3: into the forest to see if she were alive or dead,
• 1:55:35
  Speaker 3: and if she were dead, at least to bury her.
• 1:55:38
  Speaker 3: Towards evening, the old woman and her own daughter looked
• 1:55:42
  Speaker 3: out of the window, and a dog, the favorite of
• 1:55:45
  Speaker 3: the old man's daughter, suddenly rushed to the door and
• 1:55:48
  Speaker 3: began to bark. Bow, wow, wow, the old man's here
• 1:55:53
  Speaker 3: bringing home his daughter dear, decked with gold and diamond
• 1:55:57
  Speaker 3: sheen gifts to please a royal queen. The old woman
• 1:56:02
  Speaker 3: gave the dog an angry kick. You lie, you big
• 1:56:05
  Speaker 3: ugly dog, bark like this, bow wow, wow. The old
• 1:56:09
  Speaker 3: man's come his daughter's bones. He's bringing home, so saying,
• 1:56:14
  Speaker 3: she opened the door. The dog leaped forth, and she
• 1:56:18
  Speaker 3: went with her daughter into the courtyard. They stood as
• 1:56:22
  Speaker 3: if transfixed for inn drove the carriage with four galloping horses,
• 1:56:28
  Speaker 3: the old man sitting on the box cracking his whip,
• 1:56:31
  Speaker 3: and his daughter sat inside, dressed in cloth of gold
• 1:56:34
  Speaker 3: and adorned with jewels. The old woman pretended she was
• 1:56:39
  Speaker 3: overjoyed to see her, welcomed her with many kisses, and
• 1:56:44
  Speaker 3: was anxious to know where she got all these rich
• 1:56:46
  Speaker 3: and beautiful things. The girl told her that they were
• 1:56:50
  Speaker 3: all given to her by the bear in the forest hut.
• 1:56:55
  Speaker 3: Next day, the old woman baked some delicious cakes and
• 1:56:58
  Speaker 3: gave them to her own daughter, saying to the old man,
• 1:57:02
  Speaker 3: if your wretched, worthless daughter has had such good luck,
• 1:57:06
  Speaker 3: I am sure my sweet pretty darling will get a
• 1:57:09
  Speaker 3: good deal more from the bear if he can only
• 1:57:12
  Speaker 3: see her. So you must drive her out in the wagon,
• 1:57:15
  Speaker 3: leave her in the forest, and come back without her.
• 1:57:18
  Speaker 3: And she gave the old man a good push to
• 1:57:20
  Speaker 3: hasten his departure, shut the door of the cottage in
• 1:57:23
  Speaker 3: his face, and looked out of the window to see
• 1:57:26
  Speaker 3: what would happen. The old man went to the stable,
• 1:57:30
  Speaker 3: got out the wagon, put the horse to helped his
• 1:57:33
  Speaker 3: step daughter in, and drove away with her into the forest.
• 1:57:38
  Speaker 3: There he left her, turned his horse's head and drove
• 1:57:41
  Speaker 3: quickly home. The old woman's daughter was not long in
• 1:57:46
  Speaker 3: finding out the hut in the forest. Confident in the
• 1:57:49
  Speaker 3: power of her charms, she went straight into the little room.
• 1:57:53
  Speaker 3: There was nobody within, but there was the same table
• 1:57:57
  Speaker 3: in one corner, the benches round the walls, the oven
• 1:58:00
  Speaker 3: by the door, and the spinning wheel under the window.
• 1:58:03
  Speaker 3: With a great bundle of flax. She sat down on
• 1:58:06
  Speaker 3: one of the benches, undid her bundle, and began eating
• 1:58:09
  Speaker 3: the cakes with great relish, looking from the window all
• 1:58:13
  Speaker 3: the time. It soon began to get dark. A strong
• 1:58:17
  Speaker 3: wind began to blow, and a voice was heard singing, outside, wanderer, outcast, forsaken,
• 1:58:27
  Speaker 3: whom the night has overtaken. If no crime your conscience
• 1:58:31
  Speaker 3: stain here this night, you may remain. When the voice ceased,
• 1:58:38
  Speaker 3: she answered, I am outcast and forsaken, yet unstained by crime?
• 1:58:45
  Speaker 3: Am I be you rich? Or be you poor? For
• 1:58:48
  Speaker 3: this night here let me lie. Then the door opened
• 1:58:53
  Speaker 3: and the bear walked in. The girl stood up, gave
• 1:58:57
  Speaker 3: him a winning smile, and waited for him to bow first.
• 1:59:02
  Speaker 3: The bear looked at her, narrowly, made a bow and said,
• 1:59:08
  Speaker 3: welcome maiden. But I have not much time to stay here.
• 1:59:11
  Speaker 3: I must go back to the forest. But between now
• 1:59:15
  Speaker 3: and tomorrow evening you must make me a shirt out
• 1:59:17
  Speaker 3: of this flax. So you must set it once about, spinning, weaving, bleaching, washing,
• 1:59:22
  Speaker 3: and then sewing it. Good bye, so saying, the bear
• 1:59:26
  Speaker 3: turned and went out. That's not what I came here for,
• 1:59:31
  Speaker 3: said the girl, so soon as his back was turned.
• 1:59:34
  Speaker 3: To do your spinning, weaving and sewing, you may do
• 1:59:38
  Speaker 3: without a shirt for me, so saying, she made herself
• 1:59:42
  Speaker 3: comfortable on one of the benches and went to sleep.
• 1:59:46
  Speaker 3: Next day, at evening twilight, the bear came back and asked,
• 1:59:50
  Speaker 3: is the shirt ready? She made no answer. What's this?
• 1:59:56
  Speaker 3: The distaff has not been touched sil and says before
• 2:00:02
  Speaker 3: get me ready my supper. At once you will find
• 2:00:05
  Speaker 3: water in that pail, and the groats are in that cupboard.
• 2:00:09
  Speaker 3: I must go and fetch my bedding for to night
• 2:00:11
  Speaker 3: I will sleep at home. The bear went out, and
• 2:00:16
  Speaker 3: the old woman's daughter lit the fire in the stove
• 2:00:18
  Speaker 3: and began to prepare the porridge. Then the little mouse
• 2:00:22
  Speaker 3: came out, stood on its hind legs and said, mistress,
• 2:00:28
  Speaker 3: help me or I die a poor weak little mouse?
• 2:00:31
  Speaker 3: Am I? I am hungry? Give me food, and to
• 2:00:35
  Speaker 3: you will I be good? But the unkind girl only
• 2:00:40
  Speaker 3: caught up the spoon with which she was stirring the
• 2:00:42
  Speaker 3: porridge and flung it at the poor mouse, which ran
• 2:00:45
  Speaker 3: away in affright. The bear soon came back with a
• 2:00:49
  Speaker 3: huge load of stones and wood. Instead of a mattress,
• 2:00:53
  Speaker 3: he arranged a layer of stones on the top of
• 2:00:55
  Speaker 3: the stove and covered this with the wood in place
• 2:00:58
  Speaker 3: of a sheet. He ate up the porridge and said, here,
• 2:01:03
  Speaker 3: take these keys, walk all night about the hut, and
• 2:01:06
  Speaker 3: keep on jingling them. And if when I get up
• 2:01:09
  Speaker 3: tomorrow I find you still alive, you shall be happy.
• 2:01:15
  Speaker 3: The bear was snoring at once, and the old woman's
• 2:01:18
  Speaker 3: daughter walked up and down drowsily jingling the keys. But
• 2:01:23
  Speaker 3: about midnight the bear woke up and flung a stone
• 2:01:26
  Speaker 3: towards the quarter. Whence he heard the jingling, it hit
• 2:01:30
  Speaker 3: the old woman's daughter. She gave one shriek, fell and
• 2:01:35
  Speaker 3: expired instantly. Next morning, the bear descended from the top
• 2:01:41
  Speaker 3: of the oven, looked once at the dead girl, opened
• 2:01:45
  Speaker 3: the cottage door, stood upon the threshold, and stamped upon
• 2:01:49
  Speaker 3: it three times with all his force. It thundered and lightened,
• 2:01:54
  Speaker 3: and in one moment the bear became a handsome young king,
• 2:01:58
  Speaker 3: with a golden scepter in his hand and a diamond
• 2:02:01
  Speaker 3: crown on his head. And now there drew up before
• 2:02:05
  Speaker 3: the cottage a carriage bright as sunshine, with six horses.
• 2:02:10
  Speaker 3: The coachman cracked his whip till the leaves fell from
• 2:02:13
  Speaker 3: the trees, and the king got into the carriage and
• 2:02:16
  Speaker 3: drove away from the forest to his own capital city.
• 2:02:21
  Speaker 3: The old man, having left his step daughter in the forest,
• 2:02:25
  Speaker 3: came home, rejoicing in his daughter's joy. She was expecting
• 2:02:29
  Speaker 3: the king every day. In the meantime, he busied himself
• 2:02:33
  Speaker 3: with looking after the four splendid horses, cleaning the golden carriage,
• 2:02:38
  Speaker 3: and airing the costly horse clothes. On the third day
• 2:02:42
  Speaker 3: after his return, the old woman came down upon him
• 2:02:45
  Speaker 3: and said, go and fetch my darling. She is, no
• 2:02:49
  Speaker 3: doubt all dressed in gold by this time and married
• 2:02:51
  Speaker 3: to a king, so I shall be a queen's mother.
• 2:02:56
  Speaker 3: The old man, obedient as ever, harnessed the wagon and
• 2:02:59
  Speaker 3: drove off. When evening came, the old woman gazed from
• 2:03:03
  Speaker 3: the window. When the dog began to bark. Bow wow, wow,
• 2:03:08
  Speaker 3: the old man's come. Your daughter's bones. He's bringing home
• 2:03:13
  Speaker 3: you lie, exclaimed the old woman bark like this, bow
• 2:03:18
  Speaker 3: wow wow, the old man's here, driving home your daughter dear,
• 2:03:22
  Speaker 3: decked in gold and diamond, sheen gifts to please a
• 2:03:26
  Speaker 3: royal queen, so saying, she ran out of the house
• 2:03:30
  Speaker 3: to meet the old man coming back in the wagon.
• 2:03:34
  Speaker 3: But she stood as if thunder struck, sobbed and wept
• 2:03:39
  Speaker 3: and was hardly able to articulate, where is my sweetest daughter.
• 2:03:44
  Speaker 3: The old man scratched his head and replied, she has
• 2:03:49
  Speaker 3: met with a great misfortune. This is all I have
• 2:03:52
  Speaker 3: found of her, a few bare bones and blood stained
• 2:03:56
  Speaker 3: garments in the wood in the old hut. She has
• 2:04:01
  Speaker 3: been devoured by wolves. The old woman, wild with grief
• 2:04:08
  Speaker 3: and despair, gathered up her daughter's bones, went to some
• 2:04:12
  Speaker 3: neighboring cross ways, and when a number of people had
• 2:04:15
  Speaker 3: gathered together, she buried them there with weeping and lamentation.
• 2:04:21
  Speaker 3: Then she fell face downward on the grave and was
• 2:04:24
  Speaker 3: turned to stone. Meanwhile, a royal carriage drew up in
• 2:04:30
  Speaker 3: the courtyard of the old man's cottage, bright as the sun,
• 2:04:34
  Speaker 3: with four splendid horses, and the coachman cracked his whip
• 2:04:39
  Speaker 3: till the cottage fell to pieces with the sound. The
• 2:04:43
  Speaker 3: king took both the old man and his daughter into
• 2:04:46
  Speaker 3: the carriage, and they drove away to his capital, where
• 2:04:49
  Speaker 3: the marriage soon took place. The old man lived happily
• 2:04:53
  Speaker 3: in his declining years as the father in law of
• 2:04:57
  Speaker 3: a king, and with his sweet daughter, who had once
• 2:05:00
  Speaker 3: been so miserable a queen. End of chapter seven, the
• 2:05:06
  Speaker 3: bear in the Forest Hut recording by Maria Casper. End
• 2:05:14
  Speaker 3: of Polish fairy Tales by A. J. Glinsky, translated by
• 2:05:19
  Speaker 3: Maud Ashurst Biggs