Zloboha in Dobrunka's Clothes
Page 192
CZECHOSLOVAK
FAIRY TALES
RETOLD BY
PARKER FILLMORE
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND DECORATIONS
BY
JAN MATULKA
NEW YORK
HARCOURT, BRACE AND COMPANY
87798
COPYRIGHT, 1919, BY
PARKER FILLMORB
PRINTED IN TH U. 8 A BY
MISS MARJORIE RAHLSON
NOTE
THIS rendering of some of the old Czechoslovak tales
is not offered as a literal translation or a scholarly
translation. I have retold the stories in a way that I
hope will please American children. I have tried
hard to keep the flavor of the originals but have taken
the liberty of a short cut here and an elaboration there
wherever these have seemed to me to make the English
version clearer and more interesting.
I have gone to Czech, Slovakian, and Moravian
sources. All these stories appear in many versions
in the different folklore collections made by such native
writers as Erben, Nemcova, Dobsinsky, Rimavsky,
Benes-Trebizsky, Kulda. They represent the folk-tale
in all stages of its development from the bald narrative
of The Bird with the Golden Gizzard which Kulda re-
ports with phonographic exactness, to Nemcova's more
elaborate tale, Prince Bayaya, which is really a mosaic
of two or three simpler stories. I have included
Katcha and the Devil for the sake of its keen humor,
which is particularly Czech in character ; The Betrothal
Gifts to show how a story common to other countries
is made most charmingly local by giving it a local
NOTE
background; The Three Golden Hairs to contrast it
with a famous German variant which it seems to me
is much inferior to the Slavic version; and several fine
stories of the prince gone off on adventures which
in common with the folk-tales of all Europe show a
strong Oriental influence.
In the transliteration of proper names I have not
followed consistently any one method, but for each in-
dividual name have made what seemed to be the best
selection from the various possible spellings. Until
transliteration from the Slavic languages has become
standardized this, I am sure, is permissible and even
advisable.
In the preparation of this volume I have made
heavy draughts upon the scholarship and patience of
my Czech friends, Mrs. Jan Matulka and Mr. Vla-
dimir Jelinek. I beg them to accept my thanks. I
am also deeply grateful to Mr. A. B. Koukol, who did
me the favor of reading the final sheets. Lastly I wish
to express my appreciation of the Webster Branch of
the New York Public Library, which has gathered
together what is probably the most complete collection
of Czechoslovak literature in America, and one par-
ticularly rich in folklore and children's books.
P F
August, 1919
CONTENTS
PAGE
LONGSHANKS, GIRTH, AND KEEN: The Story of Three Won-
derful Serving Men 1
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS: The Story of a Charcoal-Burner's
Son Who Married a Princess . ... . . . 21
THE FLAMING HORSE : The Story of a Country Where the Sun
Never Shines 41
THE THREE CITRONS: The Story of a Prince Who Climbed the
Glass Hill 55
PRINCE BAYAYA: The Story of a Magic Horse .... 77
^ATCHA AND THE DEVIL: The Story of a Clinging Vine . . 99
THE BETROTHAL GIFTS: The Story of Kubik and the Frog . 113
GRANDFATHER'S EYES: The Story of Three Wicked Yezinkas 129
RATTLE-RATTLE-RATTLE AND CHINK-CHINK-CHINK: The
Story of Long Beard, the Dwarf, and the Two Sisters . 141
be
x CONTENTS
THE BIRD WITH THE GOLDEN GIZZARD: The Story of Two
PAGE
Brothers 155
THE WOOD MAIDEN : The Story of Betushka and the Golden
Birch Leaves 168
THE GOLDEN SPINNING-WHEEL: The Story of King Dobromil
/ and the Good Dobrunka . . . . . . .177
^/THE GOLDEN GODMOTHER: The Story of Poor Lukas . . 205
THE GOLDEN DUCK: The Story of Prince Raduz and the
Faithful Ludmila 219
THE STORY THAT NEVER ENDS . . . 241
FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
Zloboha in Dobrunka's Clothes Frontispiece
MHisic Played 72
When the Boys Had Grown into Handsome Youths . . 80
Kubik Greeting His Old Father 126
Alike in Feature but Utterly Different in Disposition . .179
LONGSHANKS, GIRTH, AND KEEN
THE STORY OF THREE WONDERFUL SERVING MEN
LONGSHANKS, GIRTH, AND KEEN
THERE was once an aged king who had an only
son. One day he called the prince to him and
said: "My dear son, you know that ripe fruit falls in
order to make room for other fruit. This my old head
is like ripe fruit and soon the sun will no longer shine
upon it. Now before I die I should like to see you
happily married. Get you a wife, my son."
" I would, my father, that I could please you in
this," the prince answered, " but I know of no one who
would make you a worthy daughter-in-law."
The old king reached into his pocket, drew out a
golden key, and handed it to the prince. He said:
" Go up into the tower to the very top. There
look about you and when you have decided what you
like best of all you see, come back and tell me."
The prince took the key and at once mounted the
tower. He had never before gone to the very top
and he had never heard what was there. He went up
and up until at last he saw a small iron door in the
s
4 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
ceiling. He opened this with the golden key, pushed
it back, and entered a large circular hall. The ceiling
was blue and silver like the heavens on a bright night
when the stars shine, and the floor was covered with a
green silken carpet. There were twelve tall windows
set in gold frames, and on the crystal glass of each
window a beautiful young girl was pictured in glow-
ing colors. Every one of them was a princess with a
royal crown upon her head. As the prince looked at
them it seemed to him that each was more lovely than
the last, and for the life of him he knew not which
was the loveliest. Then they began to move as if alive,
and they smiled at the prince and nodded, and looked
as if they were about to speak.
Suddenly the prince noticed that one of the twelve
windows was covered with a white curtain. He pulled
the curtain aside and there without any question was
the most beautiful princess of them all, clothed in pure
white, with a silver girdle and a crown of pearls. Her
face was deathly pale and sad as the grave.
For a long time the prince stood before this picture
in utter amazement and as he looked at it a pain
seemed to enter his heart.
" This one I want for my bride," he said aloud,
"this one and no other."
LONGSHANKS, GIRTH, AND KEEN 6
At these words the maiden bowed, flushed like a
rose, and then instantly all the pictures disappeared.
When the prince told his father what he had seen
and which maiden he had chosen, the old king was
greatly troubled.
" My son," he said, " you did ill to uncover what
was covered and in declaring this, your choice, you
have exposed yourself to a great danger. This maiden
is in the power of a black magician who holds her
captive in an iron castle. Of all who have gone to
rescue her not one has ever returned. However, what's
done is done and you have given your word. Go, then,
try what fortune has in store for you, and may Heaven
bring you back safe and sound."
So the prince bade his father farewell, mounted his
horse, and rode forth to find his bride. His first ad-
venture was to lose his way in a deep forest. He
wandered about some time not knowing where to turn
when suddenly he was hailed from behind with these
words :
" Hey, there, master, wait a minute ! "
He looked around and saw a tall man running
toward him.
" Take me into your service, master," the tall man
said. " If you do you won't regret it."
6 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
" What is your name," the prince asked, " and
what can you do?"
" People call me Longshanks because I can stretch
myself out. I'll show you. Do you see a bird's nest in
the top of that tall fir? I'll get it down for you
and not by climbing the tree either."
So saying he began to stretch out and his body
shot up and up until he was as tall as the fir tree.
He reached over and got the nest and then, in a shorter
time than it had taken him to stretch out, he reduced
himself to his natural size.
"You do your trick very well," the prince said,
" but just now a bird's nest isn't of much use to me.
What I need is some one to show me the way out
of this forest."
" H'm," Longshanks said, " that's an easy enough
matter."
Again he began to stretch himself up and up and
up until he was three times as tall as the highest pine
in the forest. He looked around and said: "Over
there, in that direction, is the nearest way out."
Then he made himself small again, took the horse
by the bridle, walked ahead, and in a short time they
emerged from the forest.
A broad plain stretched out before them and be-
LONGSHANKS, GIRTH, AND KEEN 7
yond it they could see tall gray rocks that looked like
the walls of a great city and mountains overgrown
with forests.
Longshanks pointed off across the plain and said:
" There, master, goes a comrade of mine who would
be very useful to you. You ought to take him into
your service too."
" Very well," said the prince, " call him here that
I may find out what sort of a fellow he is."
" He is too far away to call," Longshanks said.
" He wouldn't hear my voice and if he did he would
be a long time in reaching us, for he has much to
carry. I had better step over and get him myself."
As he said this, Longshanks stretched out and
out until his head was lost in the clouds. He took
two or three strides, reached his comrade, set him on
his shoulder, and brought him to the prince.
The new man was heavily built and round as a
barrel.
"Who are you?" the prince asked. "And what
can you do? "
" I am called Girth," the man said. " I can widen
myself."
" Let me see you do it," the prince said.
" Very well, master," said Girth, beginning to puff
8 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
out, " I will. But take care! Ride off into the forest
as fast as you can!"
The prince did not understand the warning, but he
saw that Longshanks was in full flight, so he spurred
his horse and galloped after him.
* It was just as well he did, for in another moment
Girth would have crushed both him and his horse,
so fast did he spread out, so huge did he become. In
a short time he filled the whole plain until it looked
as though a mountain had fallen upon it.
When the plain was entirely covered, he stopped
expanding, heaved a deep breath that shook the forest
trees, and returned to his natural size.
" You made me run for my life! " the prince said.
" I tell you I don't meet a fellow like you every
day! By all means join me."
They went across the plain and as they neared
the rocks they met a man whose eyes were bandaged
with a handkerchief.
" Master," said Longshanks, " there is my other
comrade. Take him into your service, too, and I can
tell you you won't regret the bread he eats."
" Who are you? " the prince asked. " And why do
you keep your eyes bandaged? You can't see where
you're going."
LONGSHANKS, GIRTH, AND KEEN 9
" On the contrary, master, it is just because I see
too well that I have to bandage my eyes. With
bandaged eyes I see as well as other people whose
eyes are uncovered. When I take the handkerchief
off, my sight is so keen it goes straight through every-
thing. When I look at anything intently it catches
fire, and if it can't burn, it crumbles to pieces. On
account of my sight I'm called Keen."
He untied the handkerchief, turned to one of the
rocks opposite, and gazed at it with glowing eyes.
Soon the rock began to crumble and fall to pieces.
In a few moments it was reduced to a heap of sand.
In the sand something gleamed like fire. Keen picked
it up and handed it to the prince. It was a lump of
pure gold.
" Ha, ha! " said the prince. " You are a fine fellow
and worth more than wages! I should be a fool not
to take you into my service. Since you have such
keen eyes, look and tell me how much farther it is
to the Iron Castle and what is happening there now."
" If you rode there alone," Keen answered, " you
might get there within a year, but with us to help
you, you will arrive this very day. Our coming is
not unexpected, either, for at this very moment they
are preparing supper for us."
10 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
" What is the captive princess doing? "
" She is sitting on a high tower behind an iron grat-
ing. The magician stands on guard."
" If you are real men," the prince cried, " you
will all help me to free her."
The three comrades promised they would.
They led the prince straight through the gray rocks
by a defile which Keen made with his eyes, and on
and on through high mountains and deep forests.
Whatever obstacle was in the way one or another of
the three comrades was able to remove it.
By late afternoon they had crossed the last moun-
tain, had left behind them the last stretch of dark
forest, and they saw looming up ahead of them the
Iron Castle.
Just as the sun sank the prince and his followers
crossed the drawbridge and entered the courtyard gate.
Instantly the drawbridge lifted and the gate clanged
shut.
They went through the courtyard and the prince put
his horse in the stable, where he found a place all in
readiness. Then the four of them marched boldly into
the castle.
Everywhere in the courtyard, in the stables, and
now in the various rooms of the castle they saw great
LONGSHANKS, GIRTH, AND KEEN 11
numbers of richly clad men all of whom, masters and
servants alike, had been turned to stone.
They went on from one room to another until they
reached the banquet hall. This was brilliantly lighted
and the table, with food and drink in abundance, was
set for four persons. They waited, expecting some
one to appear, but no one came. At last, overpowered
by hunger, they sat down and ate and drank most
heartily.
After supper they began to look about for a place
to sleep. It was then without warning that the doors
burst open and the magician appeared. He was a bent
old man with a bald head and a gray beard that
reached to his knees. He was dressed in a long black
robe and he had, instead of a belt, three iron bands
about his waist.
He led in a beautiful lady dressed in white with
a silver girdle and a crown of pearls. Her face was
deathly pale and as sad as the grave. The prince
recognized her instantly and sprang forward to meet
her. Before he could speak, the magician raised his
hand and said:
" I know why you have come. It is to carry off
this princess. Very well, take her. If you can guard
her for three nights so that she won't escape you, she
12 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
is yours. But if she escapes you, then you and your
men will suffer the fate of all those who have come
before you and be turned into stone."
Then when he had motioned the princess to a seat,
he turned and left the hall.
The prince could not take his eyes from the princess,
she was so beautiful. He tried to talk to her, asking
her many questions, but she made him no answer. She
might have been marble the way she never smiled and
never looked at any of them.
He seated himself beside her, determined to stay all
night on guard in order to prevent her escape. For
greater security Longshanks stretched himself out on
the floor like a strap and wound himself around the
room the whole length of the wall. Girth sat in the
doorway and puffed himself out until he filled that
space so completely that not even a mouse could slip
through. Keen took his place by a pillar in the middle
of the hall.
But, alas, in a few moments they all grew heavy
with drowsiness and in the end slept soundly all night
long.
In the morning in the early dawn the prince awoke
and with a pain in his heart that was like a blow from
a dagger, he saw that the princess was gone. Instantly
LONGSHANKS, GIRTH, AND KEEN 13
he aroused his men and asked them what was to be
done.
" It's all right, master, don't worry," said Keen as
he took a long look through the window. "I see her
now. A hundred miles from here is a forest, in the
midst of the forest an ancient oak, on the top of the
oak an acorn. The princess is that acorn. Let Long-
shanks take me on his shoulders and we'll go get her."
Longshanks picked Keen up, stretched himself out,
and set forth. He took ten miles at a stride and in
the time it would take you or me to run around a
cottage, here he was back again with the acorn in his
hand. He gave it to the prince.
"Drop it, master, on the floor."
The prince dropped the acorn and instantly the
princess appeared.
As the sun came over the mountain tops the doors
slammed open and the magician entered. A crafty
smile was on his face. But when he saw the princess
the smile changed to a scowl, he growled in rage, and
bang! one of the iron bands about his waist burst
asunder. Then he took the princess by the hand and
dragged her off.
That whole day the prince had nothing to do but
wander about the castle and look at all the strange
14 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
and curious things it contained. It seemed as if at
some one instant all life had been arrested. In one
hall he saw a prince who had been turned into stone
while he was brandishing his sword. The sword was
still uplifted. In another room there was a stone
knight who was taken in the act of flight. He had
stumbled on the threshold but he had not yet fallen.
A serving man sat under the chimney eating his sup-
per. With one hand he was reaching a piece of roast
meat to his mouth. Days, months, perhaps years had
gone by, but the meat had not yet touched his lips.
There were many others, all of them still in whatever
position they happened to be when the magician had
cried: " Be ye turned into stone! "
In the courtyard and the stables the prince found
many fine horses overtaken by the same fate.
Outside the castle everything was equally dead and
silent. There were trees but they had no leaves, there
was a river but it didn't flow, and no fish could live
in its waters. There wasn't a singing bird anywhere,
and there wasn't even one tiny flower.
In the morning, at noon, and at supper-time the
prince and his companions found a rich feast prepared
for them. Unseen hands served them food and poured
them wine.
LONGSHANKS, GIRTH, AND KEEN 15
Then after supper, as on the preceding night, the
doors burst open and the magician led in the princess,
whom he handed over to the prince to guard for the
second night.
Of course the prince and his men determined to
fight off drowsiness this time with all their strength.
But in spite of this determination again they fell
asleep. At dawn the prince awoke and saw that the
princess was gone.
He jumped up and shook Keen by the shoulder.
"Wake up, Keen, wake up! Where is the prin-
cess?"
Keen rubbed his eyes, took one look out of the
window, and said:
" There, I see her. Two hundred miles from here
is a mountain, in the mountain is a rock, in the rock a
precious stone. That stone is the princess. If Long-
shanks will carry me over there we'll get her."
Longshanks put Keen on his shoulder, stretched
himself out until he was able to go twenty miles at a
stride, and off he went. Keen fixed his glowing eyes
on the mountain and the mountain crumbled. Then
the rock that was inside the mountain broke into a
thousand pieces and there was the precious stone glit-
tering among the pieces.
10 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
They picked it up and carried it back to the prince.
As soon as he dropped it on the floor the princess re-
appeared.
When the magician came in and found her there, his
eyes sparkled with anger, and bang! the second of his
iron bands cracked and burst asunder. Rumbling and
growling he led the princess away.
That day passed as the day before. After supper
the magician brought back the princess and, looking
fiercely at the prince, he sneered and said: "Now
we'll see who wins, you or I."
This night the prince and his men tried harder than
ever to stay awake. They didn't even allow themselves
to sit down but kept walking. All in vain. One after
another they fell asleep on their feet and again the
princess escaped.
In the morning the prince, as usual, was the first to
awake. When he saw the princess was gone, he
aroused Keen.
" Wake up, Keen! " he cried. " Look out and tell
me where the princess is."
This time Keen had to look long before he saw her.
" Master, she is far away. Three hundred miles
from here there is a black sea. At the bottom of that
sea is a shell. In that shell is a golden ring. That ring
LONGSHANKS, GIRTH, AND KEEN 17
is the princess. But don't be worried, master, we'll
get her. This time let Longshanks take Girth as well
as me, for we may need him."
So Longshanks put Keen on one shoulder and
Girth on the other. Then he stretched himself out
until he was able to cover thirty miles at a stride.
When they reached the black sea Keen showed Long-
shanks where to reach down in the water for the
shell. Longshanks reached down as far as he could
but not far enough to touch bottom.
" Wait, comrades, wait a bit," said Girth. " Now
it's my turn to help."
With that he puffed himself out and out as far as
he could. Then he lay down on the beach and began
drinking up the sea. He drank it in such great gulps
that soon Longshanks was able to reach bottom and
to get the shell. Longshanks took out the ring and
then, putting his comrades on his shoulders, started
back for the castle. He was not able to go fast, for
Girth, with half the sea in his stomach, was very heavy.
At last in desperation Longshanks turned Girth up-
side down and shook him and instantly the great plain
upon which he emptied him turned into a huge lake.
It was all poor Girth could do to scramble out of the
water and back to Longshanks' shoulder.
18 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
Meanwhile at the castle the prince was awaiting
his men in great anxiety. Morning was breaking
and still they did not come. As the first rays of the
sun shot over the mountain tops the doors slammed
open and the magician stood on the threshold. He
glanced around and when he saw that the princess was
not there he gave a mocking laugh and entered.
But at that very instant there was the crash of a
breaking window, a golden ring struck the floor, and
lo! the princess! Keen had seen in time the danger
that was threatening the prince and Longshanks had
hurled the ring through the window.
The magician bellowed with rage until the castle
shook and then, bang! the third iron band burst
asunder and from what had once been the magician a
black crow arose and flew out of the broken window
and was never seen again.
Instantly the beautiful princess blushed like a rose
and was able to speak and to thank the prince for
delivering her.
Everything in the castle came to life. The prince
with the uplifted sword finished his stroke and put the
sword into its scabbard. The knight who was stum-
bling fell and jumped up holding his nose to see
whether he still had it. The serving man under the
LONGSHANKS, GIRTH, AND KEEN 19
chimney put the meat into his mouth and kept on
eating. And so every one finished what he had been
doing at the moment of enchantment. The horses,
too, came to life and stamped and neighed.
Around the castle the trees burst into leaf. Flow-
ers covered the meadows. High in the heavens the
lark sang, and in the flowing river there were shoals
of tiny fish. Everything was alive again, everything
happy.
The knights who had been restored to life gathered
in the hall to thank the prince for their deliverance.
But the prince said to them:
" You have nothing to thank me for. If it had not
been for these, my three trusty servants, Longshanks,
Girth, and Keen, I should have met the same fate
as you."
The prince set out at once on his journey home
with his bride and his three serving men. When he
reached home the old king, who had given him up for
lost, wept for joy at his unexpected return.
All the knights whom the prince had rescued were
invited to the wedding which took place at once and
lasted for three weeks.
When it was over, Longshanks, Girth, and Keen
presented themselves to the young king and told him
20 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
that they were again going out into the world to
look for work. The young king urged them to stay.
" I will give you everything you need as long as
you live," he promised them, " and you won't have
to exert yourselves at all."
But such an idle life was not to their liking. So
they took their leave and started out again and to
this day they are still knocking around somewhere.
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS
THE STORY OF A CHARCOAL-BURNER'S SON
WHO MARRIED A PRINCESS
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS
fTlHERE was once a king who took great delight
A in hunting. One day he followed a stag a great
distance into the forest. He went on and on until
he lost his way. Night fell and the king by happy
chance came upon a clearing where a charcoal-burner
had a cottage. The king asked the charcoal-burner
to lead him out of the forest and offered to pay him
handsomely.
" I'd be glad to go with you," the charcoal-burner
said, " but my wife is expecting the birth of a child and
I cannot leave her. It is too late for you to start out
alone. Won't you spend the night here? Lie down on
some hay in the garret and tomorrow I'll be your
guide."
The king had to accept this arrangement. He
climbed into the garret and lay down on the floor.
Soon afterwards a son was born to the charcoal-burner.
At midnight the king noticed a strange light in
the room below him. He peeped through a chink in
23
24 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
the boards and saw the charcoal-burner asleep, his wife
lying in a dead faint, and three old women, all in
white, standing over the baby, each holding a lighted
taper in her hand.
The first old woman said : " My gift to this boy is
that he shall encounter great dangers."
The second said: "My gift to him is that he shall
go safely through them all, and live long."
The third one said : " And I give him for wife the
baby daughter born this night to the king who lies
upstairs on the straw."
The three old women blew out their tapers and
all was quiet. They were the Fates. *
The king felt as though a sword had been thrust
into his heart. He lay awake till morning trying to
think out some plan by which he could thwart the
will of the three old Fates.
When day broke the child began to cry and the
charcoal-burner woke up. Then he saw that his wife
had died during the night.
" Ah, my poor motherless child," he cried, " what
shall I do with you now? "
" Give me the baby," the king said. " I'll see that
he's looked after properly and I'll give you enough
money to keep you the rest of your life."
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS 25
The charcoal-burner was delighted with this offer
and the king went away promising to send at once for
the baby.
A few days later when he reached his palace he
was met with the joyful news that a beautiful little
baby daughter had been born to him. He asked the
time of her birth, and of course it was on the very
night when he saw the Fates. Instead of being pleased
at the safe arrival of the baby princess, the king
frowned.
Then he called one of his stewards and said to him:
" Go into the forest in a direction that I shall tell
you. You will find there a cottage where a charcoal-
burner lives. Give him this money and get from him
a little child. Take the child and on your way back
drown it. Do as I say or I shall have you drowned."
The steward went, found the charcoal-burner, and
took the child. He put it into a basket and carried
it away. As he was crossing a broad river he dropped
the basket into the water.
" Goodnight to you, little son-in-law that nobody
wanted!" the king said when he heard what the
steward had done.
He supposed of course that the baby was drowned.
But it wasn't. Its little basket floated in the water like
26 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
a cradle, and the baby slept as if the river were sing-
ing it a lullaby. It floated down with the current past
a fisherman's cottage. The fisherman saw it, got into
his boat, and went after it. When he found what the
basket contained he was overjoyed. At once he car-
ried the baby to his wife and said:
"You have always wanted a little son and here
you have one. The river has given him to us."
The fisherman's wife was delighted and brought
up the child as her own. They named him Plavachek,
which means a little boy who has come floating on the
water.
The river flowed on and the days went by and
Plavachek grew from a baby to a boy and then into
a handsome youth, the handsomest by far in the whole
countryside.
One day the king happened to ride that way un-
attended. It was hot and he was thirsty. He beck-
oned to the fisherman to get him a drink of fresh
water. Plavachek brought it to him. The king looked
at the handsome youth in astonishment.
" You have a fine lad," he said to the fisherman.
" Is he your own son? "
" He is, yet . he isn't," the fisherman answered.
" Just twenty years ago a little baby in a basket floated
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS 27
down the river. We took him in and he has been
ours ever since."
A mist rose before the king's eyes and he went
deathly pale, for he knew at once that Plavachek was
the child that he had ordered drowned.
Soon he recovered himself and jumping from his
horse he said : " I need a messenger to send to my
palace and I have no one with me. Could this youth
go for me? "
" Your majesty has but to command," the fisher-
man said, " and Plavachek will go."
The king sat down and wrote a letter to the queen.
This is what he said:
" Have the young man who delivers this letter run
through with a sword at once. He is a dangerous
enemy. Let him be dispatched before I return. Such
is my will."
He folded the letter, made it secure, and sealed it
with his own signet.
Plavachek took the letter and started out with it at
once. He had to go through a deep forest where he
missed the path and lost his way. He struggled on
through underbrush and thicket until it began to
grow dark. Then he met an old woman who said to
him:
28 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
" Where are you going, Plavachek? "
" I'm carrying this letter to the king's palace and
I've lost my way. Can you put me on the right road,
mother? "
" You can't get there today," the old woman said.
" It's dark now. Spend the night with me. You
won't be with a stranger, for I'm your old godmother."
Plavachek allowed himself to be persuaded and
presently he saw before him a pretty little house that
seemed at that moment to have sprung out of the
ground.
During the night while Plavachek was asleep, the
old woman took the letter out of his pocket and put in
another that read as follows:
" Have the young man who delivers this letter mar-
ried to our daughter at once. He is my destined son-
in-law. Let the wedding take place before I return.
Such is my will."
The next day Plavachek delivered the letter and as
soon as the queen read it, she gave orders at once for
the wedding. Both she and her daughter were much
taken with the handsome youth and gazed at him with
tender eyes. As for Plavachek he fell instantly in love
with the princess and was delighted to marry her.
Some days after the wedding the king returned
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS 29
and when he heard what had happened he flew into a
violent rage at the queen.
"But," protested the queen, " you yourself ordered
me to have him married to our daughter before you
came back. Here is your letter."
The king took the letter and examined it care-
fully. The handwriting, the seal, the paper all were
his own.
He called his son-in-law and questioned him.
Plavachek related how he had lost his way in the
forest and spent the night with his godmother.
" What does your godmother look like? " the king
asked.
Plavachek described her.
From the description the king recognized her as
the same old woman who had promised the princess
to the charcoal-burner's son twenty years before.
He looked at Plavachek thoughtfully and at last
he said:
"What's done can't be undone. However, young
man, you can't expect to be my son-in-law for noth-
ing. If you want my daughter you must bring me
for dowry three of the golden hairs of old Grand-
father Knowitall."
He thought to himself that this would be an im-
30 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
possible task and so would be a good way to get rid of
an undesirable son-in-law.
Plavachek took leave of his bride and started off.
He didn't know which way to go. Who would know?
Everybody talked about old Grandfather Knowitall,
but nobody seemed to know where to find him. Yet
Plavachek had a Fate for a godmother, so it wasn't
likely that he would miss the right road.
He traveled long and far, going over wooded hills
and desert plains and crossing deep rivers. He came
at last to a black sea.
There he saw a boat and an old ferryman.
" God bless you, old ferryman ! " he said.
" May God grant that prayer, young traveler!
Where are you going? "
" I'm going to old Grandfather Knowitall to get
three of his golden hairs."
" Oho! I have long been hunting for just such
a messenger as you! For twenty years I have been
ferrying people across this black sea and nobody has
come to relieve me. If you promise to ask Grand-
father Knowitall when my work will end, I'll ferry
you over."
Plavachek promised and the boatman took him
across.
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS 31
Plavachek traveled on until he came to a great city
that was in a state of decay. Before the city he met
an old man who had a staff in his hand, but even with
the staff he could scarcely crawl along.
"God bless you, old grandfather!" Plavachek
said.
"May God grant that prayer, handsome youth!
Where are you going? "
" I am going to old Grandfather Knowitall to get
three of his golden hairs."
" Indeed ! We have been waiting a long time for
just such a messenger as you! I must lead you at
once to the king."
So he took him to the king and the king said:
"Ah, so you are going on an errand to Grandfather
Knowitall! We have an apple-tree here that used
to bear apples of youth. If any one ate one of those
apples, no matter how aged he was, he'd become young
again. But, alas, for twenty years now our tree has
borne no fruit. If you promise to ask Grandfather
Knowitall if there is any help for us, I will reward
you handsomely."
Plavachek gave the king his promise and the king
bid him godspeed.
Plavachek traveled on until he reached another great
32 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
city that was half in ruins. Not far from the city
a man was burying his father, and tears as big as
peas were rolling down his cheek.
"God bless you, mournful grave-digger!" Plava-
chek said.
"May God grant that prayer, kind traveler!
Where are you going? "
" I'm going to old Grandfather Knowitall to get
three of his golden hairs."
"To Grandfather Knowitall! What a pity you
didn't come sooner! Our king has long been waiting
for just such a messenger as you! I must lead you
to him."
So he took Plavachek to the king and the king
said to him: " So you're going on an errand to Grand-
father Knowitall. We have a well here that used to
flow with the water of life. If any one drank of it,
no matter how sick he was, he would get well. Nay,
if he were already dead, this water, sprinkled upon
him, would bring him back to life. But, alas, for
twenty years now the well has gone dry. If you
promise to ask Grandfather Knowitall if there is help
for us, I will reward you handsomely."
Plavachek gave the king his promise and the king
bid him godspeed.
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS 33
After that Plavachek traveled long and far into a
black forest. Deep in the forest he came upon a broad
green meadow full of beautiful flowers and in its
midst a golden palace glittering as though it were on
fire. This was the palace of Grandfather Knowitall.
Plavachek entered and found nobody there but an
old woman who sat spinning in a corner.
" Welcome, Plavachek," she said. " I am delighted
to see you again."
He looked at the old woman and saw that she was
his godmother with whom he had spent the night when
he was carrying the letter to the palace.
" What has brought you here, Plavachek? " she
asked.
" The king, godmother. He says I can't be his son-
in-law for nothing. I have to give a dowry. So he
has sent me to old Grandfather Knowitall to get three
of his golden hairs."
The old woman smiled and said: "Do you know
who Grandfather Knowitall is? Why, he's the bright
Sun who goes everywhere and sees everything. I am
his mother. In the morning he's a little lad, at noon
he's a grown man, and in the evening an old grand-
father. I will get you three of the golden hairs from
his golden head, for I must not be a godmother for
34 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
nothing! But, my lad, you mustn't remain where you
are. My son is kind, but if he comes home hungry
he might want to roast you and eat you for his sup-
per. There's an empty tub over there and I'll just
cover you with it."
Plavachek begged his godmother to get from
Grandfather Knowitall the answers for the three ques-
tions he had promised to ask.
" I will," said the old woman, "and do you listen
carefully to what he says."
Suddenly there was the rushing sound of a mighty
wind outside and the Sun, an old grandfather with a
golden head, flew in by the western window. He
sniffed the air suspiciously.
" Phew! Phew! " he cried. " I smell human flesh!
Have you any one here, mother? "
" Star of the day, whom could I have here without
your seeing him? The truth is you've been flying all
day long over God's world and your nose is filled
with the smell of human flesh. That's why you still
smell it when you come home in the evening."
The old man said nothing more and sat down to
his supper.
After supper he laid his head on the old woman's
lap and fell sound asleep. The old woman pulled out a
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS 35
golden hair and threw it on the floor. It twanged like
the string of a violin.
" What is it, mother? " the old man said. " What
is it?"
" Nothing, my boy, nothing. I was asleep and had
a wonderful dream."
"What did you dream about, mother?"
" I dreamt about a city where they had a well of
living water. If any one drank of it, no matter how
sick he was, he would get well. Nay, if he were
already dead, this water, sprinkled on him, would
bring him back to life. For the last twenty years the
well has gone dry. Is there anything to be done to
make it flow again? "
" Yes. There's a frog sitting on the spring that
feeds the well. Let them kill the frog and clean out
the well and the water will flow as before."
When he fell asleep again the old woman pulled
out another golden hair and threw it on the floor.
"What is it, mother?"
" Nothing, my boy, nothing. I was asleep again
and I had a wonderful dream. I dreamt of a city
where they had an apple-tree that bore apples of
youth. If any one ate one of those apples, no matter
how aged he was, he'd become young again. But for
36 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
twenty years the tree has borne no fruit. Can any-
thing be done about it? "
" Yes. In the roots of the tree there is a snake
that takes its strength. Let them kill the snake and
transplant the tree. Then it will bear fruit as before."
He fell asleep again and the old woman pulled out
a third golden hair.
" Why won't you let me sleep, mother? " he com-
plained, and started to sit up.
"Lie still, my boy, lie still. I didn't intend to
wake you, but a heavy sleep fell upon me and I had
another wonderful dream. I dreamt of a boatman on
the black sea. For twenty years he has been ferrying
that boat and no one has offered to relieve him.
When will he be relieved? "
" Ah, but that boatman is the son of a stupid
mother! Why doesn't he thrust the oar into the hand
of some one else and jump ashore himself? Then
the other man would have to be ferryman in his place.
But now let me be quiet. I must get up early
tomorrow morning and go and dry the tears which the
king's daughter sheds every night for her husband, the
charcoal-burner's son, whom the king has sent to get
three of my golden hairs."
In the morning there was again the rushing sound
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS 37
of a mighty wind outside and a beautiful golden child
no longer an old man awoke on his mother's lap.
It was the glorious Sun. He bade his mother fare-
well and flew out by an eastern window.
The old woman turned over the tub and said to
Plavachek: " Here are the three golden hairs for you.
You also have Grandfather Knowitall's answers to
your three questions. Now good-by. As you will
need me no more, you will never see me again."
Plavachek thanked his godmother most gratefully
and departed.
When he reached the first city the king asked him
what news he brought.
"Good news!" Plavachek said. "Have the well
cleaned out and kill the frog that sits on its spring.
If you do this the water will flow again as it used to."
The king ordered this to be done at once and when
he saw the water beginning to bubble up and flow
again, he made Plavachek a present of twelve horses,
white as swans, laden with as much gold and silver
as they could carry.
When Plavachek came to the second city and the
king of that city asked him what news he brought,
he said:
" Good news ! Have the apple tree dug up. At
87798
38 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
its roots you will find a snake. Kill the snake and
replant the tree. Then it will bear fruit as it used to."
The king had this done at once and during the
night the tree burst into bloom and bore great quan-
tities of fruit. The king was delighted and made
Plavachek a present of twelve horses, black as ravens,
laden with as much riches as they could carry.
Plavachek traveled on and when he came to the
black sea, the boatman asked him had he the answer to
his question.
" Yes, I have," said Plavachek, " but you must
ferry me over before I tell you."
The boatman wanted to hear the answer at once,
but Plavachek was firm. So the old man ferried him
across with his twelve white horses and his twelve
black horses.
When Plavachek was safely landed, he said : " The
next person who comes to be ferried over, thrust the
oar into his hand and do you jump ashore. Then the
other man will have to be boatman in your place."
Plavachek traveled home to the palace. The king
could scarcely believe his eyes when he saw the three
golden hairs of Grandfather Knowitall. The princess
wept again, not for sorrow this time but for joy at
her bridegroom's return.
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS 39
" But, Plavachek," the king gasped, " where did
you get these beautiful horses and all these riches? "
" I earned them," said Plavachek proudly. Then
he related how he helped one king who had a tree of
the apples of youth and another king who had a well
of the water of life.
" Apples of youth! Water of life! " the king kept
repeating softly to himself. " If I ate one of those
apples I should become young again! If I were dead
the water of life would restore me ! "
He lost no time in starting out in quest of the
apples of youth and the water of life. And do you
know, he hasn't come back yet!
So Plavachek, the charcoal-burner's son, became the
king's son-in-law as the old Fate foretold.
As for the king, well, I fear he's still ferrying that
boat across the black sea!
THE FLAMING HORSE
THE STORY OF A COUNTRY WHERE THE SUN
NEVER SHINES
THE FLAMING HORSE
THERE was once a land that was dreary and dark
as the grave, for the sun of heaven never shone
upon it. The king of the country had a wonderful
horse that had, growing right on his forehead, a flaming
sun. In order that his subjects might have the light
that is necessary for life, the king had this horse led
back and forth from one end of his dark kingdom to
the other. Wherever he went his flaming head shone
out and it seemed like beautiful day.
Suddenly this wonderful horse disappeared. Heavy
darkness that nothing could dispel settled down on
the country. Fear spread among the people and soon
they were suffering terrible poverty, for they were un-
able to cultivate the fields or do anything else that
would earn them a livelihood. Confusion increased
until the king saw that the whole country was likely
to perish. In order then, if possible, to save his people,
he gathered his army together and set out in search
of the missing horse.
43
44 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
Through heavy darkness they groped their way
slowly and with difficulty to the far boundaries of the
kingdom. At last they reached the ancient forests that
bordered the neighboring state and they saw gleaming
through the trees faint rays of the sunshine with which
that kingdom was blessed.
Here they came upon a small lonely cottage which
the king entered in order to find out where he was and
to ask directions for moving forward.
A man was sitting at the table reading diligently
from a large open book. When the king bowed to
him, he raised his eyes, returned the greeting, and stood
up. His whole appearance showed that he was no
ordinary man but a seer.
" I was just reading about you," he said to the king,
" that you were gone in search of the flaming horse. Ex-
ert yourself no further, for you will never find him. But
trust the enterprise to me and I will get him for you."
" If you do that, my man," the king said, " I will
pay you royally."
" I seek no reward. Return home at once with your
army, for your people need you. Only leave here with
me one of your serving men."
The king did exactly as the seer advised and went
home at once.
THE FLAMING HORSE 45
The next day the seer and his man set forth. They
journeyed far and long until they had crossed six dif-
ferent countries. Then they went on into the seventh
country which was ruled over by three brothers who
had married three sisters, the daughters of a
witch.
They made their way to the front of the royal
palace, where the seer said to his man: "Do you stay
here while I go in and find out whether the kings are
at home. It is they who stole the flaming horse and
the youngest brother rides him."
Then the seer transformed himself into a green bird
and flew up to the window of the eldest queen and
flitted about and pecked until she opened the window
and let him into her chamber. When she let him in, he
alighted on her white hand and the queen was as happy
as a child.
" You pretty thing! " she said, playing with him.
" If my husband were home how pleased he would be 1
But he's off visiting a third of his kingdom and he
won't be home until evening."
Suddenly the old witch came into the room and as
soon as she saw the bird she shrieked to her daughter:
" Wring the neck of that cursed bird, or it will stain
you with blood!"
46 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
" Why should it stain me with blood, the dear inno-
cent thing! "
" Dear innocent mischief! " shrieked the witch.
" Here, give it to me and I'll wring its neck! "
She tried to catch the bird, but the bird changed
itself into a man and was already out of the door before
they knew what had become of him.
After that he changed himself again into a green
bird and flew up to the window of the second sister.
He pecked at it until she opened it and let him in.
Then he flitted about her, settling first on one of her
white hands, then on the other.
" What a dear bird you are ! " cried the queen.
" How you would please my husband if he were at
home. But he's off visiting two-thirds of his kingdom
and he won't be back until tomorrow evening."
At that moment the witch ran into the room and
as soon as she saw the bird she shrieked out : " Wring
the neck of that wretched bird, or it will stain you with
blood!"
" Why should it stain me with blood? " the daughter
answered. " The dear innocent thing! "
"Dear innocent mischief!" shrieked the witch.
" Here, give it to me and I'll wring its neck ! "
She reached out to catch the bird, but in less time
THE FLAMING HORSE 47
than it takes to clap a hand, the bird had changed itself
into a man who ran through the door and was gone
before they knew where he was.
A moment later he again changed himself into a
green bird and flew up to the window of the youngest
queen. He flitted about and pecked until she opened
the window and let him in. Then he alighted at once
on her white hand and this pleased her so much that
she laughed like a child and played with him.
" Oh, what a dear bird you are ! " she cried. " How
you would delight my husband if he were home. But
he's off visiting all three parts of his kingdom and he
won't be back until the day after tomorrow in the
evening."
At that moment the old witch rushed into the room.
"Wring the neck of that cursed bird!" she shrieked,
" or it will stain you with blood."
" My dear mother," the queen answered, " why
should it stain me with blood beautiful innocent crea-
ture that it is!"
" Beautiful innocent mischief ! " shrieked the witch.
" Here, give it to me and I'll wring its neck! "
But at that moment the bird changed itself into a
man, disappeared through the door, and they never saw
him again.
49 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
The seer knew now where the kings were and when
they would come home. So he made his plans accord-
ingly. He ordered his servant to follow him and they
"set out from the city at a quick pace. They went on
until they came to a bridge which the three kings as
they came back would have to cross.
The seer and his man hid themselves under the
"bridge and lay there in wait until evening. As the
sun sank behind the mountains, they heard the clatter
of hoofs approaching the bridge. It was the eldest
king returning home. At the bridge his horse stumbled
on a log which the seer had rolled there.
"What scoundrel has thrown a log here?" cried
the king angrily.
Instantly the seer leaped out from under the bridge
and demanded of the king how he dared to call him a
scoundrel. Clamoring for satisfaction he drew his
sword and attacked the king. The king, too, drew
sword and defended himself, but after a short struggle
lie fell from his horse dead. The seer bound the dead
king to his horse and then with a cut of the whip
started the horse homewards.
The seer hid himself again and he and his man lay
in wait until the next evening.
On that evening near sunset the second king came
THE FLAMING HORSE 49
riding up to the bridge. When he saw the ground
sprinkled with blood, he cried out: " Surely there has
been a murder here! Who has dared to commit such
a crime in my kingdom! "
At these words the seer leaped out from under
the bridge, drew his sword, and shouted : " How
dare you insult me? Defend yourself as best you
can!"
The king drew, but after a short struggle he, too,
yielded up his life to the sword of the seer.
The seer bound the dead king to his horse and with
a cut of the whip started the horse homewards.
Then the seer hid himself again under the bridge
and he and his man lay there in wait until the third
evening.
On the third evening just at sunset the youngest
king came galloping home on the flaming steed. He
was hurrying fast because he had been delayed. But
when he saw red blood at the bridge he stopped short
and looked around.
" What audacious villain," he cried, " has dared to
kill a man in my kingdom! "
Hardly had he spoken when the seer stood before
him with drawn sword demanding satisfaction for the
insult of his words.
50 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
" I don't know how I've insulted you," the king
said, " unless you're the murderer."
When the seer refused to parley, the king, too, drew
his sword and defended himself.
To overcome the first two kings had been mere play
for the seer, but it was no play this time. They both
fought until their swords were broken and still victory
was doubtful.
"We shall accomplish nothing with swords," the
seer said. " That is plain. I tell you what : let us turn
ourselves into wheels and start rolling down the hill and
the wheel that gets broken let him yield."
" Good! " said the king. " I'll be a cartwheel and
you be a lighter wheel."
" No, no," the seer answered quickly. " You be the
light wheel and I'll be the cartwheel."
To this the king agreed. So they went up the hill,
turned themselves into wheels and started rolling down.
The cartwheel went whizzing into the lighter wheel and
broke its spokes.
"There!" cried the seer, rising up from the cart-
wheel. " I am victor! "
" Not so, brother, not so! " said the king, standing
before the seer. " You only broke my fingers! Now I
tell you what: let us change ourselves into two flames
THE FLAMING HORSE 51
and let the flame that burns up the other be victor.
I'll be a red flame and do you be a white one."
" Oh, no," the seer interrupted. " You be the white
flame and I'll be the red one."
The king agreed to this. So they went back to the
road that led to the bridge, turned themselves into
flames, and began burning each other mercilessly. But
neither was able to burn up the other.
Suddenly a beggar came down the road, an old man
with a long gray beard and a bald head, with a scrip
at his side and a heavy staff in his hand.
" Father," the white flame said, " get some water
and pour it on the red flame and I'll give you a penny."
But the red flame called out quickly : " Not so,
father! Get some water and pour it on the white flame
and I'll give you a shilling! "
Now of course the shilling appealed to the beggar
more than the penny. So he got some water, poured
it on the white flame and that was the end of the king.
The red flame turned into a man who seized the
flaming horse by the bridle, mounted him and, after he
had rewarded the beggar, called his servant and rode
off.
Meanwhile at the royal palace there was deep
sorrow for the murdered kings. The halls were draped
52 CZECHOSLOVAK FAIRY TALES
in black and people came from miles around to gaze at
the mutilated bodies of the two elder brothers which the
horses had carried home.
The old witch was beside herself with rage. As
soon as she had devised a plan whereby she could
avenge the murder of her sons-in-law, she took her three
daughters under her arm, mounted an iron rake, and
sailed off through the air.
The seer and his man had already covered a good
part of their journey and were hurrying on over rough
mountains and across desert plains, when the servant
was taken with a terrible hunger. There wasn't any-
thing in sight that he could eat, not even a wild berry.
Then suddenly they came upon an apple tree that was
bending beneath a load of ripe fruit. The apples were
red and pleasant to the sight and sent out a fragrance
that was most inviting.
The servant was delighted. " Glory to God! " he
cried. " Now I can feast to my heart's content on
these apples!"
He was already running to the tree when the seer
called him back.
"Wait! Don't touch them! I will pick them for
you myself! "
But instead of picking an apple, the seer drew his
THE FLAMING HORSE 53
