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Once upon
a time...
It happened once that a king, who had a great kingdom and
three sons, became blind, and no human skill or art could restore to
him his sight. At last there came to the palace an old woman, who
told him that in the whole world there was only one thing that could
give him back his sight, and that was to get the bird Grip; his song
would open the King's eyes.
When the king's eldest son heard this he offered to bring the bird
Grip, which was kept in a cage by a king in another country, and
carefully guarded as his greatest treasure. The blind king was
greatly rejoiced at his son's resolve, fitted him out in the best
way he could, and let him go. When the prince had ridden some
distance he came to an inn, in which there were many guests, all of
whom were merry, and drank and sang and played at dice. This joyous
life pleased the prince so well that he stayed in the inn, took part
in the playing and drinking, and forgot both his blind father and
the bird Grip.
Meanwhile the king waited with both hope and anxiety for his son's
return, but as time went on and nothing was heard of him, the second
prince asked leave to go in search of his brother, as well as to
bring the bird Grip. The king granted his request, and fitted him
out in the finest fashion. But when the prince came to the inn and
found his brother among his merry companions, he also remained there
and forgot both the bird Grip and his blind father.
When the king noticed that neither of his sons returned, although a
long time had passed since the second one set out, he was greatly
distressed, for not only had he lost all hope of getting back his
sight, but he had also lost his two eldest sons. The youngest now
came to him, and offered to go in search of his brothers and to
bring the bird Grip; he was quite certain that he would succeed in
this. The king was unwilling to risk his third son on such an
errand, but he begged so long that his father had at last to
consent. This prince also was fitted out in the finest manner, like
his brothers, and so rode away.
He also turned into the same inn as his brothers, and when these saw
him they assailed him with many entreaties to remain with them and
share their merry life. But he answered that now, when he had found
them, his next task was to get the bird Grip, for which his blind
father was longing, and so he had not a single hour to spare with
them in the inn. He then said farewell to his brothers, and rode on
to find another inn in which to pass the night. When he had ridden a
long way, and it began to grow dark, he came to a house which lay
deep in the forest. Here he was received in a very friendly manner
by the host, who put his horse into the stable, and led the prince
himself into the guest-chamber, where he ordered a maid-servant to
lay the cloth and set down the supper. It was now dark, and while
the girl was laying the cloth and setting down the dishes, and the
prince had begun to appease his hunger, he heard the most piteous
shrieks and cries from the next room. He sprang up from the table
and asked the girl what those cries were, and whether he had fallen
into a den of robbers. The girl answered that these shrieks were
heard every night, but it was no living being who uttered them; it
was a dead man, who life the host had taken because he could not pay
for the meals he had had in the inn. The host further refused to
bury the dead man, as he had left nothing to pay the expenses of the
funeral, and every night he went and scourged the dead body of his
victim.
When she had said this she lifted the cover off one of the dishes,
and the prince saw that there lay on it a knife and an axe. He
understood then that the host meant to ask him by this what kind of
death he preferred to die, unless he was willing to ransom his life
with his money. He then summoned the host, gave him a large sum for
his own life, and paid the dead man's debt as well, besides paying
him for burying the body, which the murderer now promised to attend
to.
The prince, however, felt that his life was not safe in this
murderer's den, and asked the maid to help him to escape that night.
She replied that the attempt to do so might cost her her own life,
as the key of the stable in which the prince's horse stood lay under
the host's pillow; but, as she herself was a prisoner there, she
would help him to escape if he would take her along with him. He
promised to do so, and they succeeded in getting away from the inn,
and rode on until they came to another far away from it, where the
prince got a good place for the girl before proceeding on his
journey.
As he now rode all alone through a forest there met him a fox, who
greeted him in a friendly fashion, and asked him where he was going,
and on what errand he was bent. The prince answered that his errand
was too important to be confided to everyone that he met.
'You are right in that,' said the fox, 'for it relates to the bird
Grip, which you want to take and bring home to your blind father; I
could help you in this, but in that case you must follow my
counsel.'
The prince thought that this was a good offer, especially as the fox
was ready to go with him and show him the way to the castle, where
the bird Grip sat in his cage, and so he promised to obey the fox's
instructions. When they had traversed the forest together they saw
the castle at some distance. Then the fox gave the prince three
grains of gold, one of which he was to throw into the guard-room,
another into the room where the bird Grip sat, and the third into
its cage. He could then take the bird, but he must beware of
stroking it; otherwise it would go ill with him.
The prince took the grains of gold, and promised to follow the fox's
directions faithfully. When he came to the guard-room of the castle
he threw one of the grains in there, and the guards at once fell
asleep. The same thing happened with those who kept watch in the
room beside the bird Grip, and when he threw the third grain into
its cage the bird also fell asleep. When the prince got the
beautiful bird into his hand he could not resist the temptation to
stroke it, whereupon it awoke and began to scream. At this the whole
castle woke up, and the prince was taken prisoner.
As he now sat in his prison, and bitterly lamented that his own
disobedience had brought himself into trouble, and deprived his
father of the chance of recovering his sight, the fox suddenly stood
in front of him. The prince was very pleased to see it again, and
received with great meekness all its reproaches, as well as promised
to be more obedient in the future, if the fox would only help him
out of his fix. The fox said that he had come to assist him, but he
could do no more than advise the prince, when he was brought up for
trial, to answer 'yes' to all the judge's questions, and everything
would go well. The prince faithfully followed his instructions, so
that when the judge asked him whether he had meant to steal the bird
Grip he said 'Yes,' and when the judge asked him if he was a
master-thief he again answered 'Yes.'
When the king heard that he admitted being a master-thief, he said
that he would forgive him the attempt to steal the bird if he would
go to the next kingdom and carry off the world's most beautiful
princess, and bring her to him. To this also the prince said 'Yes.'
When he left the castle he met the fox, who went along with him to
the next kingdom, and when they came near the castle there, gave him
three grains of gold--one to throw into the guard-room, another into
the princess's chamber, and the third into her bed. At the same time
he strictly warned him not to kiss the princess. The prince went
into the castle, and did with the grains of gold as the fox had told
him, so that sleep fell upon everyone there; but when he had taken
the princess into his arms he forgot the fox's warning, at the sight
of her beauty, and kissed her. Then both she and all the others in
the castle woke; the prince was taken prisoner, and put into a
strong dungeon.
Here the fox again came to him and reproached him with his
disobedience, but promised to help him out of this trouble also if
he would answer 'yes' to everything they asked him at his trial. The
prince willingly agreed to this, and admitted to the judge that he
had meant to steal the princess, and that he was a master-thief.
When the king learned this he said he would forgive his offence if
he would go to the next kingdom and steal the horse with the four
golden shoes. To this also the prince said 'Yes.'
When he had gone a little way from the castle he met the fox, and
they continued on their journey together. When they reached the end
of it the prince for the third time received three grains of gold
from the fox, with directions to throw one into the guard-chamber,
another into the stable, and the third into the horse's stall. But
the fox told him that above the horse's stall hung a beautiful
golden saddle, which he must not touch, if he did not want to bring
himself into new troubles worse than those he had escaped from, for
then the fox could help him no longer.
The prince promised to be firm this time. He threw the grains of
gold in the proper places, and untied the horse, but with that he
caught sight of the golden saddle, and thought that none but it
could suit so beautiful a horse, especially as it had golden shoes.
But just as he stretched out his hand to take it he received from
some invisible being so hard a blow on the arm that it was made
quite numb. This recalled to him his promise and his danger, so he
led out the horse without looking at the golden saddle again.
The fox was waiting for him outside the castle, and the prince
confessed to him that he had very nearly given way to temptation
this time as well. 'I know that,' said the fox, 'for it was I who
struck you over the arm.'
As they now went on together the prince said that he could not
forget the beautiful princess, and asked the fox whether he did not
think that she ought to ride home to his father's palace on this
horse with the golden shoes. The fox agreed that this would be
excellent; if the prince would now go and carry her off he would
give him three grains of gold for that purpose. The prince was quite
ready, and promised to keep better command of himself this time, and
not kiss her.
He got the grains of gold and entered the castle, where he carried
off the princess, set her on the beautiful horse, and held on his
way. When they came near to the castle where the bird Grip sat in
his cage he again asked the fox for three grains of gold. These he
got, and with them he was successful in carrying off the bird.
He was now full of joy, for his blind father would now recover his
sight, while he himself owned the world's most beautiful princess
and the horse with the golden shoes.
The prince and princess travelled on together with mirth and
happiness, and the fox followed them until they came to the forest
where the prince first met with him.
'Here our ways part,' said the fox. 'You have now got all that your
heart desired, and you will have a prosperous journey to your
father's palace if only you do not ransom anyone's life with money.'
The prince thanked the fox for all his help, promised to give heed
to his warning, said farewell to him, and rode on, with the princess
by his side and the bird Grip on his wrist.
They soon arrived at the inn where the two eldest brothers had
stayed, forgetting their errand. But now no merry song or noise of
mirth was heard from it. When the prince came nearer he saw two
gallows erected, and when he entered the inn along with the princess
he saw that all the rooms were hung with black, and that everything
inside foreboded sorrow and death. He asked the reason of this, and
was told that two princes were to be hanged that day for debt; they
had spent all their money in feasting and playing, and were now
deeply in debt to the host, and as no one could be found to ransom
their lives they were about to be hanged according to the law.
The prince knew that it was his two brothers who had thus forfeited
their lives and it cut him to the heart to think that two princes
should suffer such a shameful death; and, as he had sufficient money
with him, he paid their debts, and so ransomed their lives.
At first the brothers were grateful for their liberty, but when they
saw the youngest brother's treasures they became jealous of his good
fortune, and planned how to bring him to destruction, and then take
the bird Grip, the princess, and the horse with the golden shoes,
and convey them to their blind father. After they had agreed on how
to carry out their treachery they enticed the prince to a den of
lions and threw him down among them. Then they set the princess on
horseback, took the bird Grip, and rode homeward. The princess wept
bitterly, but they told her that it would cost her her life if she
did not say that the two brothers had won all the treasures.
When they arrived at their father's palace there was great
rejoicing, and everyone praised the two princes for their courage
and bravery.
When the king inquired after the youngest brother they answered that
he had led such a life in the inn that he had been hanged for debt.
The king sorrowed bitterly over this, because the youngest prince
was his dearest son, and the joy over the treasures soon died away,
for the bird Grip would not sing so that the king might recover his
sight, the princess wept night and day, and no one dared to venture
so close to the horse as to have a look at his golden shoes.
Now when the youngest prince was thrown down into the lions' den he
found the fox sitting there, and the lions, instead of tearing him
to pieces, showed him the greatest friendliness. Nor was the fox
angry with him for having forgot his last warning. He only said that
sons who could so forget their old father and disgrace their royal
birth as those had done would not hesitate to betray their brother
either. Then he took the prince up out of the lion's den and gave
him directions what to do now so as to come by his rights again.
The prince thanked the fox with all his heart for his true
friendship, but the fox answered that if he had been of any use to
him he would now for his own part ask a service of him. The prince
replied that he would do him any service that was in his power.
'I have only one thing to ask of you,' said the fox, 'and that is,
that you should cut off my head with your sword.'
The prince was astonished, and said that he could not bring himself
to cut the had off his truest friend, and to this he stuck in spite
of all the fox's declarations that it was the greatest service he
could do him. At this the fox became very sorrowful, and declared
that the prince's refusal to grant his request now compelled him to
do a deed which he was very unwilling to do--if the prince would not
cut off his head, then he must kill the prince himself. Then at last
the prince drew his good sword and cut off the fox's head, and the
next moment a youth stood before him.
'Thanks,' said he, 'for this service, which has freed me from a
spell that not even death itself could loosen. I am the dead man who
lay unburied in the robber's inn, where you ransomed me and gave me
honourable burial, and therefore I have helped you in your journey.'
With this they parted and the prince, disguising himself as a horse-shoer,
went up to his father's palace and offered his services there.
The king's men told him that a horse-shoer was indeed wanted at the
palace, but he must be one who could lift up the feet of the horse
with the golden shoes, and such a one they had not yet been able to
find. The prince asked to see the horse, and as soon as he entered
the stable the steed began to neigh in a friendly fashion, and stood
as quiet and still as a lamb while the prince lifted up his hoofs,
one after the other, and showed the king's men the famous golden
shoes.
After this the king's men began to talk about the bird Grip, and how
strange it was that he would not sing, however well he was attended
to. The horse-shoer then said that he knew the bird very well; he
had seen it when it sat in its cage in another king's palace, and if
it did not sing now it must be because it did not have all that it
wanted. He himself knew so much about the bird's ways that if he
only got to see it he could tell at once what it lacked.
The king's men now took counsel whether they ought to take the
stranger in before the king, for in his chamber sat the bird Grip
along with the weeping princess. It was decided to risk doing so,
and the horse-shoer was led into the king's chamber, where he had no
sooner called the bird by its name than it began to sing and the
princess to smile. Then the darkness cleared away from the king's
eyes, and the more the bird sang the more clearly did he see, till
at last in the strange horse-shoer he recognised his youngest son.
Then the princess told the king how treacherously his eldest sons
had acted, and he had them banished from his kingdom; but the
youngest prince married the princess, and got the horse with the
golden shoes and half the kingdom from his father, who kept for
himself so long as he lived the bird Grip, which now sang with all
its heart to the king and all his court.
The Bird 'Grip'
from the Pink Fairy Book
Story Edited
by Andrew Lang |
