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Once upon
a time...
There was once upon a time a shepherd who had two children, a
son and a daughter. When he was on his death-bed he turned to them
and said, 'I have nothing to leave you but three sheep and a small
house; divide them between you, as you like, but don't quarrel over
them whatever you do.'
When the shepherd was dead, the brother asked his sister which she
would like best, the sheep or the little house; and when she had
chosen the house he said, 'Then I'll take the sheep and go out to
seek my fortune in the wide world. I don't see why I shouldn't be as
lucky as many another who has set out on the same search, and it
wasn't for nothing that I was born on a Sunday.'
And so he started on his travels, driving his three sheep in front
of him, and for a long time it seemed as if fortune didn't mean to
favour him at all. One day he was sitting disconsolately at a cross
road, when a man suddenly appeared before him with three black dogs,
each one bigger than the other.
'Hullo, my fine fellow,' said the man, 'I see you have three fat
sheep. I'll tell you what; if you'll give them to me, I'll give you
my three dogs.'
In spite of his sadness, the youth smiled and replied, 'What would I
do with your dogs? My sheep at least feed themselves, but I should
have to find food for the dogs.'
'My dogs are not like other dogs,' said the stranger; 'they will
feed you instead of you them, and will make your fortune. The
smallest one is called "Salt," and will bring you food whenever you
wish; the second is called "Pepper," and will tear anyone to pieces
who offers to hurt you; and the great big strong one is called
"Mustard," and is so powerful that it will break iron or steel with
its teeth.'
The shepherd at last let himself be persuaded, and gave the stranger
his sheep. In order to test the truth of his statement about the
dogs, he said at once, 'Salt, I am hungry,' and before the words
were out of his mouth the dog had disappeared, and returned in a few
minutes with a large basket full of the most delicious food. Then
the youth congratulated himself on the bargain he had made, and
continued his journey in the best of spirits.
One day he met a carriage and pair, all draped in black; even the
horses were covered with black trappings, and the coachman was
clothed in crape from top to toe. Inside the carriage sat a
beautiful girl in a black dress crying bitterly. The horses advanced
slowly and mournfully, with their heads bent on the ground.
'Coachman, what's the meaning of all this grief?' asked the
shepherd.
At first the coachman wouldn't say anything, but when the youth
pressed him he told him that a huge dragon dwelt in the
neighbourhood, and required yearly the sacrifice of a beautiful
maiden. This year the lot had fallen on the King's daughter, and the
whole country was filled with woe and lamentation in consequence.
The shepherd felt very sorry for the lovely maiden, and determined
to follow the carriage. In a little it halted at the foot of a high
mountain. The girl got out, and walked slowly and sadly to meet her
terrible fate. The coachman perceived that the shepherd wished to
follow her, and warned him not to do so if he valued his life; but
the shepherd wouldn't listen to his advice. When they had climbed
about half-way up the hill they saw a terrible-looking monster with
the body of a snake, and with huge wings and claws, coming towards
them, breathing forth flames of fire, and preparing to seize its
victim. Then the shepherd called, 'Pepper, come to the rescue,' and
the second dog set upon the dragon, and after a fierce struggle bit
it so sharply in the neck that the monster rolled over, and in a few
moments breathed its last. Then the dog ate up the body, all except
its two front teeth, which the shepherd picked up and put in his
pocket.
The Princess was quite overcome with terror and joy, and fell
fainting at the feet of her deliverer. When she recovered her
consciousness she begged the shepherd to return with her to her
father, who would reward him richly. But the youth answered that he
wanted to see something of the world, and that he would return again
in three years, and nothing would make him change this resolve. The
Princess seated herself once more in her carriage, and, bidding each
other farewell, she and the shepherd separated, she to return home,
and he to see the world.
But while the Princess was driving over a bridge the carriage
suddenly stood still, and the coachman turned round to her and said,
'Your deliverer has gone, and doesn't thank you for your gratitude.
It would be nice of you to make a poor fellow happy; therefore you
may tell your father that it was I who slew the dragon, and if you
refuse to, I will throw you into the river, and no one will be any
the wiser, for they will think the dragon has devoured you.'
The maiden was in a dreadful state when she heard these words; but
there was nothing for her to do but to swear that she would give out
the coachman as her deliverer, and not to divulge the secret to
anyone. So they returned to the capital, and everyone was delighted
when they saw the Princess had returned unharmed; the black flags
were taken down from all the palace towers, and gay- coloured ones
put up in their place, and the King embraced his daughter and her
supposed rescuer with tears of joy, and, turning to the coachman, he
said, 'You have not only saved the life of my child, but you have
also freed the country from a terrible scourge; therefore, it is
only fitting that you should be richly rewarded. Take, therefore, my
daughter for your wife; but as she is still so young, do not let the
marriage be celebrated for another year.'
The coachman thanked the King for his graciousness, and was then led
away to be richly dressed and instructed in all the arts and graces
that befitted his new position. But the poor Princess wept bitterly,
though she did not dare to confide her grief to anyone. When the
year was over, she begged so hard for another year's respite that it
was granted to her. But this year passed also, and she threw herself
at her father's feet, and begged so piteously for one more year that
the King's heart was melted, and he yielded to her request, much to
the Princess's joy, for she knew that her real deliverer would
appear at the end of the third year. And so the year passed away
like the other two, and the wedding-day was fixed, and all the
people were prepared to feast and make merry.
But on the wedding-day it happened that a stranger came to the town
with three black dogs. He asked what the meaning of all the feasting
and fuss was, and they told him that the King's daughter was just
going to be married to the man who had slain the terrible dragon.
The stranger at once denounced the coachman as a liar; but no one
would listen to him, and he was seized and thrown into a cell with
iron doors.
While he was lying on his straw pallet, pondering mournfully on his
fate, he thought he heard the low whining of his dogs outside; then
an idea dawned on him, and he called out as loudly as he could,
'Mustard, come to my help,' and in a second he saw the paws of his
biggest dog at the window of his cell, and before he could count two
the creature had bitten through the iron bars and stood beside him.
Then they both let themselves out of the prison by the window, and
the poor youth was free once more, though he felt very sad when he
thought that another was to enjoy the reward that rightfully
belonged to him. He felt hungry too, so he called his dog 'Salt,'
and asked him to bring home some food. The faithful creature trotted
off, and soon returned with a table-napkin full of the most
delicious food, and the napkin itself was embroidered with a kingly
crown.
The King had just seated himself at the wedding-feast with all his
Court, when the dog appeared and licked the Princess's hand in an
appealing manner. With a joyful start she recognised the beast, and
bound her own table-napkin round his neck. Then she plucked up her
courage and told her father the whole story. The King at once sent a
servant to follow the dog, and in a short time the stranger was led
into the Kings presence. The former coachman grew as white as a
sheet when he saw the shepherd, and, falling on his knees, begged
for mercy and pardon. The Princess recognized her deliverer at once,
and did not need the proof of the two dragon's teeth which he drew
from his pocket. The coachman was thrown into a dark dungeon, and
the shepherd took his place at the Princess's side, and this time,
you may be sure, she did not beg for the wedding to be put off.
The young couple lived for some time in great peace and happiness,
when suddenly one day the former shepherd bethought himself of his
poor sister and expressed a wish to see her again, and to let her
share in his good fortune. So they sent a carriage to fetch her, and
soon she arrived at the court, and found herself once more in her
brother's arms. Then one of the dogs spoke and said, 'Our task is
done; you have no more need of us. We only waited to see that you
did not forget your sister in your prosperity.' And with these words
the three dogs became three birds and flew away into the heavens.
The Three Dogs
from the Green Fairy Book
Story Edited
by Andrew Lang |
