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Once upon
a time...
Many many years ago there lived a king and queen who had one
only son, called Sigurd. When the little boy was only ten years old
the queen, his mother, fell ill and died, and the king, who loved
her dearly, built a splendid monument to his wife's memory, and day
after day he sat by it and bewailed his sad loss.
One morning, as he sat by the grave, he noticed a richly dressed
lady close to him. He asked her name and she answered that it was
Ingiborg, and seemed surprised to see the king there all alone. Then
he told her how he had lost his queen, and how he came daily to weep
at her grave. In return, the lady informed him that she had lately
lost her husband, and suggested that they might both find it a
comfort if they made friends.
This pleased the king so much that he invited her to his palace,
where they saw each other often; and after a time he married her.
After the wedding was over he soon regained his good spirits, and
used to ride out hunting as in old days; but Sigurd, who was very
fond of his stepmother, always stayed at home with her.
One evening Ingiborg said to Sigurd: 'To-morrow your father is going
out hunting, and you must go with him.' But Sigurd said he would
much rather stay at home, and the next day when the king rode off
Sigurd refused to accompany him. The stepmother was very angry, but
he would not listen, and at last she assured him that he would be
sorry for his disobedience, and that in future he had better do as
he was told.
After the hunting party had started she hid Sigurd under her bed,
and bade him be sure to lie there till she called him.
Sigurd lay very still for a long while, and was just thinking it was
no good staying there any more, when he felt the floor shake under
him as if there were an earthquake, and peeping out he saw a great
giantess wading along ankle deep through the ground and ploughing it
up as she walked.
'Good morning, Sister Ingiborg,' cried she as she entered the room,
'is Prince Sigurd at home?'
'No,' said Ingiborg; 'he rode off to the forest with his father this
morning.' And she laid the table for her sister and set food before
her. After they had both done eating the giantess said: 'Thank you,
sister, for your good dinner--the best lamb, the best can of beer
and the best drink I have ever had; but--is not Prince Sigurd at
home?'
Ingiborg again said 'No'; and the giantess took leave of her and
went away. When she was quite out of sight Ingiborg told Sigurd to
come out of his hiding-place.
The king returned home at night, but his wife told him nothing of
what had happened, and the next morning she again begged the prince
to go out hunting with his father. Sigurd, however, replied as
before, that he would much rather stay at home.
So once more the king rode off alone. This time Ingiborg hid Sigurd
under the table, and scolded him well for not doing as she bade him.
For some time he lay quite still, and then suddenly the floor began
to shake, and a giantess came along wading half way to her knees
through the ground.
As she entered the house she asked, as the first one had done:
'Well, Sister Ingiborg, is Prince Sigurd at home?'
'No,' answered Ingiborg,' he rode off hunting with his father this
morning'; and going to the cupboard she laid the table for her
sister. When they had finished their meal the giantess rose and
said: 'Thank you for all these nice dishes, and for the best lamb,
the best can of beer and the nicest drink I have ever had; but--is
Prince Sigurd really not at home?'
'No, certainly not!' replied Ingiborg; and with that they took leave
of each other.
When she was well out of sight Sigurd crept from under the table,
and his stepmother declared that it was most important that he
should not stay at home next day; but he said he did not see what
harm could come of it, and he did not mean to go out hunting, and
the next morning, when the king prepared to start, Ingiborg implored
Sigurd to accompany his father. But it was all no use, he was quite
obstinate and would not listen to a word she said. 'You will have to
hide me again,' said he, so no sooner had the king gone than
Ingiborg hid Sigurd between the wall and the panelling, and
by-and-by there was heard once more a sound like an earthquake, as a
great giantess, wading knee deep through the ground, came in at the
door.
'Good day, Sister Ingiborg!' she cried, in a voice like thunder; 'is
Prince Sigurd at home?'
'Oh, no,' answered Ingiborg, 'he is enjoying himself out there in
the forest. I expect it will be quite dark before he comes back
again.'
'That's a lie!' shouted the giantess. And they squabbled about it
till they were tired, after which Ingiborg laid the table; and when
the giantess had done eating she said: 'Well, I must thank you for
all these good things, and for the best lamb, the best can of beer
and the best drink I have had for a long time; but--are you quite
sure Prince Sigurd is not at home?'
'Quite,' said Ingiborg. 'I've told you already that he rode off with
his father this morning to hunt in the forest.'
At this the giantess roared out with a terrible voice: 'If he is
near enough to hear my words, I lay this spell on him: Let him be
half scorched and half withered; and may he have neither rest nor
peace till he finds me.' And with these words she stalked off.
For a moment Ingiborg stood as if turned to stone, then she fetched
Sigurd from his hiding-place, and, to her horror, there he was, half
scorched and half withered.
'Now you see what has happened through your own obstinacy,' said
she; 'but we must lose no time, for your father will soon be coming
home.'
Going quickly into the next room she opened a chest and took out a
ball of string and three gold rings, and gave them to Sigurd,
saying: 'If you throw this ball on the ground it will roll along
till it reaches some high cliffs. There you will see a giantess
looking out over the rocks. She will call down to you and say: "Ah,
this is just what I wanted! Here is Prince Sigurd. He shall go into
the pot to-night"; but don't be frightened by her. She will draw you
up with a long boat-hook, and you must greet her from me, and give
her the smallest ring as a present. This will please her, and she
will ask you to wrestle with her. When you are exhausted, she will
offer you a horn to drink out of, and though she does not know it,
the wine will make you so strong that you will easily be able to
conquer her. After that she will let you stay there all night. The
same thing will happen with my two other sisters. But, above all,
remember this: should my little dog come to you and lay his paws on
you, with tears running down his face, then hurry home, for my life
will be in danger. Now, good-bye, and don't forget your stepmother.'
Then Ingiborg dropped the ball on the ground, and Sigurd bade her
farewell.
That same evening the ball stopped rolling at the foot of some high
rocks, and on glancing up, Sigurd saw the giantess looking out at
the top.
'Ah, just what I wanted!' she cried out when she saw him; 'here is
Prince Sigurd. He shall go into the pot to-night. Come up, my
friend, and wrestle with me.'
With these words she reached out a long boat hook and hauled him up
the cliff. At first Sigurd was rather frightened, but he remembered
what Ingiborg had said, and gave the giantess her sister's message
and the ring.
The giantess was delighted, and challenged him to wrestle with her.
Sigurd was fond of all games, and began to wrestle with joy; but he
was no match for the giantess, and as she noticed that he was
getting faint she gave him a horn to drink out of, which was very
foolish on her part, as it made Sigurd so strong that he soon
overthrew her.
'You may stay here to-night,' said she; and he was glad of the rest.
Next morning Sigurd threw down the ball again and away it rolled for
some time, till it stopped at the foot of another high rock. Then he
looked up and saw another giantess, even bigger and uglier than the
first one, who called out to him: 'Ah, this is just what I wanted!
Here is Prince Sigurd. He shall go into the pot to-night. Come up
quickly and wrestle with me.' And she lost no time in hauling him
up.
The prince gave her his stepmother's message and the second largest
ring. The giantess was greatly pleased when she saw the ring, and at
once challenged Sigurd to wrestle with her.
They struggled for a long time, till at last Sigurd grew faint; so
she handed him a horn to drink from, and when he had drunk he became
so strong that he threw her down with one hand.
On the third morning Sigurd once more laid down his ball, and it
rolled far away, till at last it stopped under a very high rock
indeed, over the top of which the most hideous giantess that ever
was seen looked down.
When she saw who was there she cried out: 'Ah, this is just what I
wanted! Here comes Prince Sigurd. Into the pot he goes this very
night. Come up here, my friend, and wrestle with me.' And she hauled
him up just as her sisters had done.
Sigurd then gave her his stepmother's message and the last and
largest ring. The sight of the red gold delighted the giantess, and
she challenged Sigurd to a wrestling match. This time the fight was
fierce and long, but when at length Sigurd's strength was failing
the giantess gave him something to drink, and after he had drunk it
he soon brought her to her knees. 'You have beaten me,' she gasped,
so now, listen to me. 'Not far from here is a lake. Go there; you
will find a little girl playing with a boat. Try to make friends
with her, and give her this little gold ring. You are stronger than
ever you were, and I wish you good luck.'
With these words they took leave of each other, and Sigurd wandered
on till he reached the lake, where he found the little girl playing
with a boat, just as he had been told. He went up to her and asked
what her name was.
She was called Helga, she answered, and she lived near by.
So Sigurd gave her the little gold ring, and proposed that they
should have a game. The little girl was delighted, for she had no
brothers or sisters, and they played together all the rest of the
day.
When evening came Sigurd asked leave to go home with her, but Helga
at first forbade him, as no stranger had ever managed to enter their
house without being found out by her father, who was a very fierce
giant.
However, Sigurd persisted, and at length she gave way; but when they
came near the door she held her glove over him and Sigurd was at
once transformed into a bundle of wool. Helga tucked the bundle
under her arm and threw it on the bed in her room.
Almost at the same moment her father rushed in and hunted round in
every corner, crying out: 'This place smells of men. What's that you
threw on the bed, Helga?'
'A bundle of wool,' said she.
'Oh, well, perhaps it was that I smelt,' said the old man, and
troubled himself no more.
The following day Helga went out to play and took the bundle of wool
with her under her arm. When she reached the lake she held her glove
over it again and Sigurd resumed his own shape.
They played the whole day, and Sigurd taught Helga all sorts of
games she had never even heard of. As they walked home in the
evening she said: 'We shall be able to play better still to-morrow,
for my father will have to go to the town, so we can stay at home.'
When they were near the house Helga again held her glove over
Sigurd, and once more he was turned into a bundle of wool, and she
carried him in without his being seen.
Very early next morning Helga's father went to the town, and as soon
as he was well out of the way the girl held up her glove and Sigurd
was himself again. Then she took him all over the house to amuse
him, and opened every room, for her father had given her the keys
before he left; but when they came to the last room Sigurd noticed
one key on the bunch which had not been used and asked which room it
belonged to.'
Helga grew red and did not answer.
'I suppose you don't mind my seeing the room which it opens?' asked
Sigurd, and as he spoke he saw a heavy iron door and begged Helga to
unlock it for him. But she told him she dared not do so, at least if
she did open the door it must only be a very tiny chink; and Sigurd
declared that would do quite well.
The door was so heavy, that it took Helga some time to open it, and
Sigurd grew so impatient that he pushed it wide open and walked in.
There he saw a splendid horse, all ready saddled, and just above it
hung a richly ornamented sword on the handle of which was engraved
these words: 'He who rides this horse and wears this sword will find
happiness.'
At the sight of the horse Sigurd was so filled with wonder that he
was not able to speak, but at last he gasped out: 'Oh, do let me
mount him and ride him round the house! Just once; I promise not to
ask any more.'
'Ride him round the house! ' cried Helga, growing pale at the mere
idea. 'Ride Gullfaxi! Why father would never, never forgive me, if I
let you do that.'
'But it can't do him any harm,' argued Sigurd; 'you don't know how
careful I will be. I have ridden all sorts of horses at home, and
have never fallen off not once. Oh, Helga, do!'
'Well, perhaps, if you come back directly,' replied Helga,
doubtfully; 'but you must be very quick, or father will find out!'
But, instead of mounting Gullfaxi, as she expected, Sigurd stood
still.
'And the sword,' he said, looking fondly up to the place where it
hung. 'My father is a king, but he has not got any sword so
beautiful as that. Why, the jewels in the scabbard are more splendid
than the big ruby in his crown! Has it got a name? Some swords have,
you know.'
'It is called "Gunnfjoder," the "Battle Plume,"' answered Helga,
'and "Gullfaxi" means "Golden Mane." I don't suppose, if you are to
get on the horse at all, it would matter your taking the sword too.
And if you take the sword you will have to carry the stick and the
stone and the twig as well.'
'They are easily carried,' said Sigurd, gazing at them with scorn;
'what wretched dried-up things! Why in the world do you keep them?'
'Bather says that he would rather lose Gullfaxi than lose them,'
replied Helga, 'for if the man who rides the horse is pursued he has
only to throw the twig behind him and it will turn into a forest, so
thick that even a bird could hardly fly through. But if his enemy
happens to know magic, and can throw down the forest, the man has
only to strike the stone with the stick, and hailstones as large as
pigeons' eggs will rain down from the sky and will kill every one
for twenty miles round.'
Having said all this she allowed Sigurd to ride 'just once' round
the house, taking the sword and other things with him. But when he
had ridden round, instead of dismounting, he suddenly turned the
horse's head and galloped away.
Soon after this Helga's father came home and found his daughter in
tears. He asked what was the matter, and when he heard all that had
happened, he rushed off as fast as he could to pursue Sigurd.
Now, as Sigurd happened to look behind him he saw the giant coming
after him with great strides, and in all haste he threw the twig
behind him. Immediately such a thick wood sprang up at once between
him and his enemy that the giant was obliged to run home for an axe
with which to cut his way through.
The next time Sigurd glanced round, the giant was so near that he
almost touched Gullfaxi's tail. In an agony of fear Sigurd turned
quickly in his saddle and hit the stone with the stick. No sooner
had he done this than a terrible hailstorm burst behind, and the
giant was killed on the spot.
But had Sigurd struck the stone without turning round, the hail
would have driven right into his face and killed him instead.
After the giant was dead Sigurd rode on towards his own home, and on
the way he suddenly met his stepmother's little dog, running to meet
him, with tears pouring down its face. He galloped on as hard as he
could, and on arriving found nine men-servants in the act of tying
Queen Ingiborg to a post in the courtyard of the palace, where they
intended to burn her.
Wild with anger Prince Sigurd sprang from his horse and, sword in
hand, fell on the men and killed them all. Then he released his
stepmother, and went in with her to see his father.
The king lay in bed sick with sorrow, and neither eating nor
drinking, for he thought that his son had been killed by the queen.
He could hardly believe his own eyes for joy when he saw the prince,
and Sigurd told him all his adventures.
After that Prince Sigurd rode back to fetch Helga, and a great feast
was made which lasted three days; and every one said no bride was
ever seen so beautiful as Helga, and they lived happily for many,
many years, and everybody loved them.
The horse Gullfaxi and
the sword Gunnfoder
from the Crimson Fairy Book
Story Edited
by Andrew Lang |
