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Once upon
a time...
Once upon a time three musicians left their home and set out
on their travels. They had all learnt music from the same master,
and they determined to stick together and to seek their fortune in
foreign lands. They wandered merrily from place to place and made
quite a good living, and were much appreciated by everyone who heard
them play. One evening they came to a village where they delighted
all the company with their beautiful music. At last they ceased
playing, and began to eat and drink and listen to the talk that was
going on around them. They heard all the gossip of the place, and
many wonderful things were related and discussed. At last the
conversation fell on a castle in the neighbourhood, about which many
strange and marvellous things were told. One person said that hidden
treasure was to be found there; another that the richest food was
always to be had there, although the castle was uninhabited; and a
third, that an evil spirit dwelt within the walls, so terrible, that
anyone who forced his way into the castle came out of it more dead
than alive.
As soon as the three musicians were alone in their bedroom they
agreed to go and examine the mysterious castle, and, if possible, to
find and carry away the hidden treasure. They determined, too, to
make the attempt separately, one after the other, according to age,
and they settled that a whole day was to be given to each adventurer
in which to try his luck.
The fiddler was the first to set out on his adventures, and did so
in the best of spirits and full of courage. When he reached the
castle he found the outer gate open, quite as if he were an expected
guest, but no sooner had he stepped across the entry than the heavy
door closed behind him with a bang, and was bolted with a huge iron
bar, exactly as if a sentinel were doing his office and keeping
watch, but no human being was to be seen anywhere. An awful terror
overcame the fiddler; but it was hopeless to think of turning back
or of standing still, and the hopes of finding gold and other
treasures gave him strength and courage to force his way further
into the castle. Upstairs and downstairs he wandered, through lofty
halls, splendid rooms, and lovely little boudoirs, everything
beautifully arranged, and all kept in the most perfect order. But
the silence of death reigned everywhere, and no living thing, not
even a fly, was to be seen. Notwithstanding, the youth felt his
spirits return to him when he entered the lower regions of the
castle, for in the kitchen the most tempting and delicious food was
spread out, the cellars were full of the most costly wine, and the
store-room crammed with pots of every sort of jam you can imagine. A
cheerful fire was burning in the kitchen, before which a roast was
being basted by unseen hands, and all kinds of vegetables and other
dainty dishes were being prepared in like manner. Before the fiddler
had time to think, he was ushered into a little room by invisible
hands, and there a table was spread for him with all the delicious
food he had seen cooking in the kitchen.
The youth first seized his fiddle and played a beautiful air on it
which echoed through the silent halls, and then he fell to and began
to eat a hearty meal. Before long, however, the door opened and a
tiny man stepped into the room, not more than three feet high,
clothed in a dressing-gown, and with a small wrinkled face, and a
grey beard which reached down to the silver buckles of his shoes.
And the little man sat down beside the fiddler and shared his meal.
When they got to the game course the fiddler handed the dwarf a
knife and fork, and begged him to help himself first, and then to
pass the dish on. The little creature nodded, but helped himself so
clumsily that he dropped the piece of meat he had carved on to the
floor.
The good-natured fiddler bent down to pick it up, but in the
twinkling of an eye the little man had jumped on to his back, and
beat him till he was black and blue all over his head and body. At
last, when the fiddler was nearly dead, the little wretch left off,
and shoved the poor fellow out of the iron gate which he had entered
in such good spirits a few hours before. The fresh air revived him a
little, and in a short time he was able to stagger with aching limbs
back to the inn where his companions were staying. It was night when
he reached the place, and the other two musicians were fast asleep.
The next morning they were much astonished at finding the fiddler in
bed beside them, and overwhelmed him with questions; but their
friend hid his back and face, and answered them very shortly,
saying, 'Go there yourselves, and see what's to be seen! It is a
ticklish matter, that I can assure you.'
The second musician, who was a trumpeter, now made his way to the
castle, and everything happened to him exactly as it had to the
fiddler. He was just as hospitably entertained at first, and then
just as cruelly beaten and belaboured, so that next morning he too
lay in his bed like a wounded hare, assuring his friends that the
task of getting into the haunted castle was no enviable one.
Notwithstanding the warning of his companions, the third musician,
who played the flute, was still determined to try his luck, and,
full of courage and daring, he set out, resolved, if possible, to
find and secure the hidden treasure.
Fearlessly he wandered the whole castle, and as he roamed through
the splendid empty apartments he thought to himself how nice it
would be to live there always, especially with a full larder and
cellar at his disposal. A table was spread for him too, and when he
had wandered about for some time, singing and playing the flute, he
sat down as his companions had done, prepared to enjoy the delicious
food that was spread out in front of him. Then the little man with
the beard entered as before and seated himself beside the
flute-player, who wasn't the least startled at his appearance, but
chatted away to him as if he had known him all his life. But he
didn't find his companion very communicative. At last they came to
the game, and, as usual, the little man let his piece fall on the
ground. The flute-player was good-naturedly just going to pick it
up, when he perceived that the little dwarf was in the act of
springing on his back. Then he turned round sharply, and, seizing
the little creature by his beard, he gave him such a shaking that he
tore his beard out, and the dwarf sank groaning to the ground.
But as soon as the youth had the beard in his hands he felt so
strong that he was fit for anything, and he perceived all sorts of
things in the castle that he had not noticed before, but, on the
other hand, all strength seemed to have gone from the little man. He
whined and sobbed out: 'Give, oh give me my beard again, and I will
instruct you in all the magic art that surrounds this castle, and
will help you to carry off the hidden treasure, which will make you
rich and happy for ever.'
But the cunning flute-player replied: 'I will give you back your
beard, but you must first help me as you have promised to do. Till
you have done so, I don't let your beard out of my hands.'
Then the old man found himself obliged to fulfil his promise, though
he had had no intention of doing so, and had only desired to get his
beard back. He made the youth follow him through dark secret
passages, underground vaults, and grey rocks till at last they came
to an open field, which looked as if it belonged to a more beautiful
world than ours. Then they came to a stream of rushing water; but
the little man drew out a wand and touched the waves, whereupon the
waters parted and stood still, and the two crossed the river with
dry feet. And how beautiful everything on the other side was! lovely
green paths leading through woods and fields covered with flowers,
birds with gold and silver feathers singing on the trees, lovely
butterflies and glittering beetles fluttered and crawled about, and
dear little beasts hid in the bushes and hedges. The sky above them
was not blue, but like rays of pure gold, and the stars looked twice
their usual size, and far more brilliant than on our earth.
The youth grew more and more astonished when the little grey man led
him into a castle far bigger and more splendid than the one they had
left. Here, too, the deepest silence reigned. They wandered all
through the castle, and came at last to a room in the middle of
which stood a bed hung all round with heavy curtains. Over the bed
hung a bird's cage, and the bird inside it was singing beautiful
songs into the silent space. The little grey man lifted the curtains
from the bed and beckoned the youth to approach. On the rich silk
cushions embroidered with gold a lovely maiden lay sleeping. She was
as beautiful as an angel, with golden hair which fell in curls over
her marble shoulders, and a diamond crown sparkled on her forehead.
But a sleep as of death held her in its spell, and no noise seemed
able to waken the sleeper.
Then the little man turned to the wondering youth and said: 'See,
here is the sleeping child! She is a mighty Princess. This splendid
castle and this enchanted land are hers, but for hundreds of years
she has slept this magic sleep, and during all that time no human
being has been able to find their way here. I alone have kept guard
over her, and have gone daily to my own castle to get food and to
beat the greedy gold-seekers who forced their way into my dwelling.
I have watched over the Princess carefully all these years and saw
that no stranger came near her, but all my magic power lay in my
beard, and now that you have taken it away I am helpless, and can no
longer hold the beautiful Princess in her enchanted sleep, but am
forced to reveal my treasured secret to you. So set to work and do
as I tell you. Take the bird which hangs over the Princess's head,
and which by its song sang her into this enchanted sleep--a song
which it has had to continue ever since; take it and kill it, and
cut its little heart out and burn it to a powder, and then put it
into the Princess's mouth; then she will instantly awaken, and will
bestow on you her heart and hand, her kingdom and castle, and all
her treasures.
The little dwarf paused, quite worn out, and the youth did not wait
long to do his bidding. He did all he was told carefully and
promptly, and having cut the little bird's heart out he proceeded to
make it into a powder. No sooner had he placed it in the Princess's
mouth than she opened her lovely eyes, and, looking up into the
happy youth's face, she kissed him tenderly, thanked him for freeing
her from her magic sleep, and promised to be his wife. At the same
moment a sound as of thunder was heard all over the castle, and on
all the staircases and in every room sounds were to be heard. Then a
troop of servants, male and female, flocked into the apartment where
the happy couple sat, and after wishing the Princess and her
bridegroom joy, they dispersed all over the castle to their
different occupations.
But the little grey dwarf began now to demand his beard again from
the youth, for in his wicked heart he was determined to make an end
of all their happiness; he knew that if only his beard were once
more on his chin, he would be able to do what he liked with them
all. But the clever flute-player was quite a match for the little
man in cunning, and said: 'All right, you needn't be afraid, you
shall get your beard back before we part; but you must allow my
bride and me to accompany you a bit on your homeward way.'
The dwarf could not refuse this request, and so they all went
together through the beautiful green paths and flowery meadows, and
came at last to the river which flowed for miles round the
Princess's land and formed the boundary of her kingdom. There was no
bridge or ferryboat to be seen anywhere, and it was impossible to
get over to the other side, for the boldest swimmer would not have
dared to brave the fierce current and roaring waters. Then the youth
said to the dwarf: 'Give me your wand in order that I may part the
waves.'
And the dwarf was forced to do as he was told because the youth
still kept his beard from him; but the wicked little creature
chuckled with joy and thought to himself: 'The foolish youth will
hand me my beard as soon as we have crossed the river, and then my
power will return, and I will seize my wand and prevent them both
ever returning to their beautiful country.'
But the dwarf's wicked intentions were doomed to disappointment. The
happy youth struck the water with his wand, and the waves at once
parted and stood still, and the dwarf went on in front and crossed
the stream. No sooner had he done so than the waters closed behind
him, and the youth and his lovely bride stood safe on the other
side. Then they threw his beard to the old man across the river, but
they kept his wand, so that the wicked dwarf could never again enter
their kingdom. So the happy couple returned to their castle, and
lived there in peace and plenty for ever after. But the other two
musicians waited in vain for the return of their companion; and when
he never came they said: 'Ah, he's gone to play the flute,' till the
saying passed into a proverb, and was always said of anyone who set
out to perform a task from which he never returned.
The Three Musicians
from the Green Fairy Book
Story Edited
by Andrew Lang |
