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Once upon
a time...
Now let no one say that a poor tailor can't get on in the
world, and, indeed, even attain to very high honour. Nothing is
required but to set the right way to work, but of course the really
important thing is to succeed.
A very bright active young tailor once set off on his travels, which
led him into a wood, and as he did not know the way he soon lost
himself. Night came on, and there seemed to be nothing for it but to
seek out the best resting-place he could find. He could have made
himself quite comfortable with a bed of soft moss, but the fear of
wild beasts disturbed his mind, and at last he determined to spend
the night in a tree.
He sought out a tall oak tree, climbed up to the top, and felt
devoutly thankful that his big smoothing-iron was in his pocket, for
the wind in the tree-tops was so high that he might easily have been
blown away altogether.
After passing some hours of the night, not without considerable fear
and trembling, he noticed a light shining at a little distance, and
hoping it might proceed from some house where he could find a better
shelter than in the top of the tree, he cautiously descended and
went towards the light. It led him to a little hut all woven
together of reeds and rushes. He knocked bravely at the door, which
opened, and by the light which shone from within he saw an old gray-haired
man dressed in a coat made of bright-coloured patches. 'Who are you,
and what do you want?' asked the old man roughly.
'I am a poor tailor,' replied the youth. 'I have been benighted in
the forest, and I entreat you to let me take shelter in your hut
till morning.'
'Go your way,' said the old man in a sulky tone, 'I'll have nothing
to do with tramps. You must just go elsewhere.'
With these words he tried to slip back into his house, but the
tailor laid hold of his coat-tails, and begged so hard to be allowed
to stay that the old fellow, who was by no means as cross as he
appeared, was at length touched by his entreaties, let him come in,
and after giving him some food, showed him quite a nice bed in one
corner of the room. The weary tailor required no rocking to rest,
but slept sound till early morning, when he was roused from his
slumbers by a tremendous noise. Loud screams and shouts pierced the
thin walls of the little hut. The tailor, with new-born courage,
sprang up, threw on his clothes with all speed and hurried out.
There he saw a huge black bull engaged in a terrible fight with a
fine large stag. They rushed at each other with such fury that the
ground seemed to tremble under them and the whole air to be filled
with their cries. For some time it appeared quite uncertain which
would be the victor, but at length the stag drove his antlers with
such force into his opponent's body that the bull fell to the ground
with a terrific roar, and a few more strokes finished him.
The tailor, who had been watching the fight with amazement, was
still standing motionless when the stag bounded up to him, and
before he had time to escape forked him up with its great antlers,
and set off at full gallop over hedges and ditches, hill and dale,
through wood and water. The tailor could do nothing but hold on
tight with both hands to the stag's horns and resign himself to his
fate. He felt as if he were flying along. At length the stag paused
before a steep rock and gently let the tailor down to the ground.
Feeling more dead than alive, he paused for a while to collect his
scattered senses, but when he seemed somewhat restored the stag
struck such a blow on a door in the rock that it flew open. Flames
of fire rushed forth, and such clouds of steam followed that the
stag had to avert its eyes. The tailor could not think what to do or
which way to turn to get away from this awful wilderness, and to
find his way back amongst human beings once more.
As he stood hesitating, a voice from the rock cried to him: 'Step in
without fear, no harm shall befall you.'
He still lingered, but some mysterious power seemed to impel him,
and passing through the door he found himself in a spacious hall,
whose ceiling, walls, and floor were covered with polished tiles
carved all over with unknown figures. He gazed about, full of
wonder, and was just preparing to walk out again when the same voice
bade him: 'Tread on the stone in the middle of the hall, and good
luck will attend you.'
By this time he had grown so courageous that he did not hesitate to
obey the order, and hardly had he stepped on the stone than it began
to sink gently with him into the depths below. On reaching firm
ground he found himself in a hall of much the same size as the upper
one, but with much more in it to wonder at and admire. Round the
walls were several niches, in each of which stood glass vessels
filled with some bright-coloured spirit or bluish smoke. On the
floor stood two large crystal boxes opposite each other, and these
attracted his curiosity at once.
Stepping up to one of them, he saw within it what looked like a
model in miniature of a fine castle surrounded by farms, barns,
stables, and a number of other buildings. Everything was quite tiny,
but so beautifully and carefully finished that it might have been
the work of an accomplished artist. He would have continued gazing
much longer at this remarkable curiosity had not the voice desired
him to turn round and look at the crystal coffin which stood
opposite.
What was his amazement at seeing a girl of surpassing loveliness
lying in it! She lay as though sleeping, and her long, fair hair
seemed to wrap her round like some costly mantle. Her eyes were
closed, but the bright colour in her face, and the movement of a
ribbon, which rose and fell with her breath, left no doubt as to her
being alive.
As the tailor stood gazing at her with a beating heart, the maiden
suddenly opened her eyes, and started with delighted surprise.
'Great heavens!' she cried, 'my deliverance approaches! Quick,
quick, help me out of my prison; only push back the bolt of this
coffin and I am free.'
The tailor promptly obeyed, when she quickly pushed back the crystal
lid, stepped out of the coffin and hurried to a corner of the hall,
when she proceeded to wrap herself in a large cloak. Then she sat
down on a stone, desired the young man to come near, and, giving him
an affectionate kiss, she said, 'My long-hoped-for deliverer, kind
heaven has led you to me, and has at length put an end to all my
sufferings. You are my destined husband, and, beloved by me, and
endowed with every kind of riches and power, you shall spend the
remainder of your life in peace and happiness. Now sit down and hear
my story. I am the daughter of a wealthy nobleman. My parents died
when I was very young, and they left me to the care of my eldest
brother, by whom I was carefully educated. We loved each other so
tenderly, and our tastes and interests were so much alike that we
determined never to marry, but to spend our entire lives together.
There was no lack of society at our home. Friends and neighbours
paid us frequent visits, and we kept open house for all. Thus it
happened that one evening a stranger rode up to the castle and asked
for hospitality, as he could not reach the nearest town that night.
We granted his request with ready courtesy, and during supper he
entertained us with most agreeable conversation, mingled with
amusing anecdotes. My brother took such a fancy to him that he
pressed him to spend a couple of days with us, which, after a little
hesitation, the stranger consented to do. We rose late from table,
and whilst my brother was showing our guest to his room I hurried to
mine, for I was very tired and longed to get to bed. I had hardly
dropped off to sleep when I was roused by the sound of some soft and
charming music. Wondering whence it could come, I was about to call
to my maid who slept in the room next mine, when, to my surprise, I
felt as if some heavy weight on my chest had taken all power from
me, and I lay there unable to utter the slightest sound. Meantime,
by the light of the night lamp, I saw the stranger enter my room,
though the double doors had been securely locked. He drew near and
told me that through the power of his magic arts he had caused the
soft music to waken me, and had made his way through bolts and bars
to offer me his hand and heart. My repugnance to his magic was so
great that I would not condescend to give any answer. He waited
motionless for some time, hoping no doubt for a favourable reply,
but as I continued silent he angrily declared that he would find
means to punish my pride, and therewith he left the room in a rage.
'I spent the night in the greatest agitation, and only fell into a
doze towards morning. As soon as I awoke I jumped up, and hurried to
tell my brother all that had happened, but he had left his room, and
his servant told me that he had gone out at daybreak to hunt with
the stranger.
'My mind misgave me. I dressed in all haste, had my palfrey saddled,
and rode of at full gallop towards the forest, attended by one
servant only. I pushed on without pausing, and ere long I saw the
stranger coming towards me, and leading a fine stag. I asked him
where he had left my brother, and how he had got the stag, whose
great eyes were overflowing with tears. Instead of answering he
began to laugh, and I flew into such a rage that I drew a pistol and
fired at him; but the bullet rebounded from his breast and struck my
horse in the forehead. I fell to the ground, and the stranger
muttered some words, which robbed me of my senses.
'When I came to myself I was lying in a crystal coffin in this
subterranean vault. The Magician appeared again, and told me that he
had transformed my brother into a stag, had reduced our castle and
all its defences to miniature and locked them up in a glass box, and
after turning all our household into different vapours had banished
them into glass phials. If I would only yield to his wishes he could
easily open these vessels, and all would then resume their former
shapes.
'I would not say a word more than I had done previously, and he
vanished, leaving me in my prison, where a deep sleep soon fell on
me. Amongst the many dreams which floated through my brain was a
cheering one of a young man who was to come and release me, and
to-day, when I opened my eyes, I recognised you and saw that my
dream was fulfilled. Now help me to carry out the rest of my vision.
The first thing is to place the glass box which contains my castle
on this large stone.'
As soon as this was done the stone gently rose through the air and
transported them into the upper hall, whence they easily carried the
box into the outer air. The lady then removed the lid, and it was
marvellous to watch the castle, houses, and farmyards begin to grow
and spread themselves till they had regained their proper size. Then
the young couple returned by means of the movable stone, and brought
up all the glass vessels filled with smoke. No sooner were they
uncorked than the blue vapours poured out and became transformed to
living people, in whom the lady joyfully recognised her many
servants and attendants.
Her delight was complete when her brother (who had killed the
Magician under the form of a bull) was seen coming from the forest
in his proper shape, and that very day, according to her promise,
she gave her hand in marriage to the happy young tailor.
The Crystal Coffin
from the Green Fairy Book
Story Edited
by Andrew Lang |
