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Once upon
a time...
Very long ago, as old people have told me, there lived a
terrible monster, who came out of the North, and laid waste whole
tracts of country, devouring both men and beasts; and this monster
was so destructive that it was feared that unless help came no
living creature would be left on the face of the earth. It had a
body like an ox, and legs like a frog, two short fore-legs, and two
long ones behind, and besides that it had a tail like a serpent, ten
fathoms in length. When it moved it jumped like a frog, and with
every spring it covered half a mile of ground. Fortunately its
habit, was to remain for several years in the same place, and not to
move on till the whole neighbourhood was eaten up. Nothing could
hunt it, because its whole body was covered with scales, which were
harder than stone or metal; its two great eyes shone by night, and
even by day, like the brightest lamps, and anyone who had the ill
luck to look into those eyes became as it were bewitched, and was
obliged to rush of his own accord into the monster's jaws. In this
way the Dragon was able to feed upon both men and beasts without the
least trouble to itself, as it needed not to move from the spot
where it was lying. All the neighbouring kings had offered rich
rewards to anyone who should be able to destroy the monster, either
by force or enchantment, and many had tried their luck, but all had
miserably failed. Once a great forest in which the Dragon lay had
been set on fire; the forest was burnt down, but the fire did not do
the monster the least harm. However, there was a tradition amongst
the wise men of the country that the Dragon might be overcome by one
who possessed King Solomon's signet-ring, upon which a secret
writing was engraved. This inscription would enable anyone who was
wise enough to interpret it to find out how the Dragon could be
destroyed. Only no one knew where the ring was hidden, nor was there
any sorcerer or learned man to be found who would be able to explain
the inscription.
At last a young man, with a good heart and plenty of courage, set
out to search for the ring. He took his way towards the sunrising,
because he knew that all the wisdom of old time comes from the East.
After some years he met with a famous Eastern magician, and asked
for his advice in the matter. The magician answered:
'Mortal men have but little wisdom, and can give you no help, but
the birds of the air would be better guides to you if you could
learn their language. I can help you to understand it if you will
stay with me a few days.'
The youth thankfully accepted the magician's offer, and said, 'I
cannot now offer you any reward for your kindness, but should my
undertaking succeed your trouble shall be richly repaid.'
Then the magician brewed a powerful potion out of nine sorts of
herbs which he had gathered himself all alone by moonlight, and he
gave the youth nine spoonfuls of it daily for three days, which made
him able to understand the language of birds.
At parting the magician said to him. 'If you ever find Solomon's
ring and get possession of it, then come back to me, that I may
explain the inscription on the ring to you, for there is no one else
in the world who can do this.'
From that time the youth never felt lonely as he walked along; he
always had company, because he understood the language of birds; and
in this way he learned many things which mere human knowledge could
never have taught him. But time went on, and he heard nothing about
the ring. It happened one evening, when he was hot and tired with
walking, and had sat down under a tree in a forest to eat his
supper, that he saw two gaily-plumaged birds, that were strange to
him, sitting at the top of the tree talking to one another about
him. The first bird said:
'I know that wandering fool under the tree there, who has come so
far without finding what he seeks. He is trying to find King
Solomon's lost ring.'
The other bird answered, 'He will have to seek help from the
Witch-maiden,[3] who will doubtless be able to put him on the right
track. If she has not got the ring herself, she knows well enough
who has it.'
'But where is he to find the Witch-maiden?' said the first bird.
'She has no settled dwelling, but is here to-day and gone to-morrow.
He might as well try to catch the wind.'
The other replied, 'I do not know, certainly, where she is at
present, but in three nights from now she will come to the spring to
wash her face, as she does every month when the moon is full, in
order that she may never grow old nor wrinkled, but may always keep
the bloom of youth.'
'Well,' said the first bird, 'the spring is not far from here. Shall
we go and see how it is she does it?'
'Willingly, if you like,' said the other.
The youth immediately resolved to follow the birds to the spring,
only two things made him uneasy: first, lest he might be asleep when
the birds went, and secondly, lest he might lose sight of them,
since he had not wings to carry him along so swiftly. He was too
tired to keep awake all night, yet his anxiety prevented him from
sleeping soundly, and when with the earliest dawn he looked up to
the tree-top, he was glad to see his feathered companions still
asleep with their heads under their wings. He ate his breakfast, and
waited until the birds should start, but they did not leave the
place all day. They hopped about from one tree to another looking
for food, all day long until the evening, when they went back to
their old perch to sleep. The next day the same thing happened, but
on the third morning one bird said to the other, 'To-day we must go
to the spring to see the Witch-maiden wash her face.' They remained
on the tree till noon; then they flew away and went towards the
south. The young man's heart beat with anxiety lest he should lose
sight of his guides, but he managed to keep the birds in view until
they again perched upon a tree. The young man ran after them until
he was quite exhausted and out of breath, and after three short
rests the birds at length reached a small open space in the forest,
on the edge of which they placed themselves on the top of a high
tree. When the youth had overtaken them, he saw that there was a
clear spring in the middle of the space. He sat down at the foot of
the tree upon which the birds were perched, and listened attentively
to what they were saying to each other.
'The sun is not down yet,' said the first bird; 'we must wait yet
awhile till the moon rises and the maiden comes to the spring. Do
you think she will see that young man sitting under the tree?'
'Nothing is likely to escape her eyes, certainly not a young man,
said the other bird. 'Will the youth have the sense not to let
himself be caught in her toils?'
'We will wait,' said the first bird, 'and see how they get on
together.'
The evening light had quite faded, and the full moon was already
shining down upon the forest, when the young man heard a slight
rustling sound. After a few moments there came out of the forest a
maiden, gliding over the grass so lightly that her feet seemed
scarcely to touch the ground, and stood beside the spring. The youth
could not turn away his eyes from the maiden, for he had never in
his life seen a woman so beautiful. Without seeming to notice
anything, she went to the spring, looked up to the full moon, then
knelt down and bathed her face nine times, then looked up to the
moon again and walked nine times round the well, and as she walked
she sang this song:
'Full-faced moon with light unshaded, Let my beauty ne'er be faded.
Never let my cheek grow pale! While the moon is waning nightly, May
the maiden bloom more brightly, May her freshness never fail!'
Then she dried her face with her long hair, and was about to go
away, when her eye suddenly fell upon the spot where the young man
was sitting, and she turned towards the tree. The youth rose and
stood waiting. Then the maiden said, 'You ought to have a heavy
punishment because you have presumed to watch my secret doings in
the moonlight. But I will forgive you this time, because you are a
stranger and knew no better. But you must tell me truly who you are
and how you came to this place, where no mortal has ever set foot
before.'
The youth answered humbly: 'Forgive me, beautiful maiden, if I have
unintentionally offended you. I chanced to come here after long
wandering, and found a good place to sleep under this tree. At your
coming I did not know what to do, but stayed where I was, because I
thought my silent watching could not offend you.'
The maiden answered kindly, 'Come and spend this night with us. You
will sleep better on a pillow than on damp moss.'
The youth hesitated for a little, but presently he heard the birds
saying from the top of the tree, 'Go where she calls you, but take
care to give no blood, or you will sell your soul.' So the youth
went with her, and soon they reached a beautiful garden, where stood
a splendid house, which glittered in the moonlight as if it was all
built out of gold and silver. When the youth entered he found many
splendid chambers, each one finer than the last. Hundreds of tapers
burnt upon golden candlesticks, and shed a light like the brightest
day. At length they reached a chamber where a table was spread with
the most costly dishes. At the table were placed two chairs, one of
silver, the other of gold. The maiden seated herself upon the golden
chair, and offered the silver one to her companion. They were served
by maidens dressed in white, whose feet made no sound as they moved
about, and not a word was spoken during the meal. Afterwards the
youth and the Witch-maiden conversed pleasantly together, until a
woman, dressed in red, came in to remind them that it was bedtime.
The youth was now shown into another room, containing a silken bed
with down cushions, where he slept delightfully, yet he seemed to
hear a voice near his bed which repeated to him, 'Remember to give
no blood!'
The next morning the maiden asked him whether he would not like to
stay with her always in this beautiful place, and as he did not
answer immediately, she continued: 'You see how I always remain
young and beautiful, and I am under no one's orders, but can do just
what I like, so that I have never thought of marrying before. But
from the moment I saw you I took a fancy to you, so if you agree, we
might be married and might live together like princes, because I
have great riches.'
The youth could not but be tempted with the beautiful maiden's
offer, but he remembered how the birds had called her the witch, and
their warning always sounded in his ears. Therefore he answered
cautiously, 'Do not be angry, dear maiden, if I do not decide
immediately on this important matter. Give me a few days to consider
before we come to an understanding.'
'Why not?' answered the maiden. 'Take some weeks to consider if you
like, and take counsel with your own heart.' And to make the time
pass pleasantly, she took the youth over every part of her beautiful
dwelling, and showed him all her splendid treasures. But these
treasures were all produced by enchantment, for the maiden could
make anything she wished appear by the help of King Solomon's signet
ring; only none of these things remained fixed; they passed away
like the wind without leaving a trace behind. But the youth did not
know this; he thought they were all real.
One day the maiden took him into a secret chamber, where a little
gold box was standing on a silver table. Pointing to the box, she
said, 'Here is my greatest treasure, whose like is not to be found
in the whole world. It is a precious gold ring. When you marry me, I
will give you this ring as a marriage gift, and it will make you the
happiest of mortal men. But in order that our love may last for
ever, you must give me for the ring three drops of blood from the
little finger of your left hand.'
When the youth heard these words a cold shudder ran over him, for he
remembered that his soul was at stake. He was cunning enough,
however, to conceal his feelings and to make no direct answer, but
he only asked the maiden, as if carelessly, what was remarkable
about the ring?
She answered, 'No mortal is able entirely to understand the power of
this ring, because no one thoroughly understands the secret signs
engraved upon it. But even with my half-knowledge I can work great
wonders. If I put the ring upon the little finger of my left hand,
then I can fly like a bird through the air wherever I wish to go. If
I put it on the third finger of my left hand I am invisible, and I
can see everything that passes around me, though no one can see me.
If I put the ring upon the middle finger of my left hand, then
neither fire nor water nor any sharp weapon can hurt me. If I put it
on the forefinger of my left hand, then I can with its help produce
whatever I wish. I can in a single moment build houses or anything I
desire. Finally, as long as I wear the ring on the thumb of my left
hand, that hand is so strong that it can break down rocks and walls.
Besides these, the ring has other secret signs which, as I said, no
one can understand. No doubt it contains secrets of great
importance. The ring formerly belonged to King Solomon, the wisest
of kings, during whose reign the wisest men lived. But it is not
known whether this ring was ever made by mortal hands: it is
supposed that an angel gave it to the wise King.'
When the youth heard all this he determined to try and get
possession of the ring, though he did not quite believe in all its
wonderful gifts. He wished the maiden would let him have it in his
hand, but he did not quite like to ask her to do so, and after a
while she put it back into the box. A few days after they were again
speaking of the magic ring, and the youth said, 'I do not think it
possible that the ring can have all the power you say it has.'
Then the maiden opened the box and took the ring out, and it
glittered as she held it like the clearest sunbeam. She put it on
the middle finger of her left hand, and told the youth to take a
knife and try as hard as he could to cut her with it, for he would
not be able to hurt her. He was unwilling at first, but the maiden
insisted. Then he tried, at first only in play, and then seriously,
to strike her with the knife, but an invisible wall of iron seemed
to be between them, and the maiden stood before him laughing and
unhurt. Then she put the ring on her third finger, and in an instant
she had vanished from his eyes. Presently she was beside him again
laughing, and holding the ring between her fingers.
'Do let me try,' said the youth, 'whether I can do these wonderful
things.'
The maiden, suspecting no treachery, gave him the magic ring.
The youth pretended to have forgotten what to do, and asked what
finger he must put the ring on so that no sharp weapon could hurt
him?'
'Oh, the middle finger of your left hand,' the maiden answered,
laughing.
She took the knife and tried to strike the youth, and he even tried
to cut himself with it, but found it impossible. Then he asked the
maiden to show him how to split stones and rocks with the help of
the ring. So she led him into a courtyard where stood a great
boulder-stone. 'Now,' she said, 'put the ring upon the thumb of your
left hand, and you will see how strong that hand has become. The
youth did so, and found to his astonishment that with a single blow
of his fist the stone flew into a thousand pieces. Then the youth
bethought him that he who does not use his luck when he has it is a
fool, and that this was a chance which once lost might never return.
So while they stood laughing at the shattered stone he placed the
ring, as if in play, upon the third finger of his left hand.
'Now,' said the maiden, 'you are invisible to me until you take the
ring off again.'
But the youth had no mind to do that; on the contrary, he went
farther off, then put the ring on the little finger of his left
hand, and soared into the air like a bird.
When the maiden saw him flying away she thought at first that he was
still in play, and cried, 'Come back, friend, for now you see I have
told you the truth.' But the young man never came back.
Then the maiden saw she was deceived, and bitterly repented that she
had ever trusted him with the ring.
The young man never halted in his flight until he reached the
dwelling of the wise magician who had taught him the speech of
birds. The magician was delighted to find that his search had been
successful, and at once set to work to interpret the secret signs
engraved upon the ring, but it took him seven weeks to make them out
clearly. Then he gave the youth the following instructions how to
overcome the Dragon of the North: 'You must have an iron horse cast,
which must have little wheels under each foot. You must also be
armed with a spear two fathoms long, which you will be able to wield
by means of the magic ring upon your left thumb. The spear must be
as thick in the middle as a large tree, and both its ends must be
sharp. In the middle of the spear you must have two strong chains
ten fathoms in length. As soon as the Dragon has made himself fast
to the spear, which you must thrust through his jaws, you must
spring quickly from the iron horse and fasten the ends of the chains
firmly to the ground with iron stakes, so that he cannot get away
from them. After two or three days the monster's strength will be so
far exhausted that you will be able to come near him. Then you can
put Solomon's ring upon your left thumb and give him the finishing
stroke, but keep the ring on your third finger until you have come
close to him, so that the monster cannot see you, else he might
strike you dead with his long tail. But when all is done, take care
you do not lose the ring, and that no one takes it from you by
cunning.'
The young man thanked the magician for his directions, and promised,
should they succeed, to reward him. But the magician answered, 'I
have profited so much by the wisdom the ring has taught me that I
desire no other reward.' Then they parted, and the youth quickly
flew home through the air. After remaining in his own home for some
weeks, he heard people say that the terrible Dragon of the North was
not far off, and might shortly be expected in the country. The King
announced publicly that he would give his daughter in marriage, as
well as a large part of his kingdom, to whosoever should free the
country from the monster. The youth then went to the King and told
him that he had good hopes of subduing the Dragon, if the King would
grant him all he desired for the purpose. The King willingly agreed,
and the iron horse, the great spear, and the chains were all
prepared as the youth requested. When all was ready, it was found
that the iron horse was so heavy that a hundred men could not move
it from the spot, so the youth found there was nothing for it but to
move it with his own strength by means of the magic ring. The Dragon
was now so near that in a couple of springs he would be over the
frontier. The youth now began to consider how he should act, for if
he had to push the iron horse from behind he could not ride upon it
as the sorcerer had said he must. But a raven unexpectedly gave him
this advice: 'Ride upon the horse, and push the spear against the
ground, as if you were pushing off a boat from the land.' The youth
did so, and found that in this way he could easily move forwards.
The Dragon had his monstrous jaws wide open, all ready for his
expected prey. A few paces nearer, and man and horse would have been
swallowed up by them! The youth trembled with horror, and his blood
ran cold, yet he did not lose his courage; but, holding the iron
spear upright in his hand, he brought it down with all his might
right through the monster's lower jaw. Then quick as lightning he
sprang from his horse before the Dragon had time to shut his mouth.
A fearful clap like thunder, which could be heard for miles around,
now warned him that the Dragon's jaws had closed upon the spear.
When the youth turned round he saw the point of the spear sticking
up high above the Dragon's upper jaw, and knew that the other end
must be fastened firmly to the ground; but the Dragon had got his
teeth fixed in the iron horse, which was now useless. The youth now
hastened to fasten down the chains to the ground by means of the
enormous iron pegs which he had provided. The death struggle of the
monster lasted three days and three nights; in his writhing he beat
his tail so violently against the ground, that at ten miles'
distance the earth trembled as if with an earthquake. When he at
length lost power to move his tail, the youth with the help of the
ring took up a stone which twenty ordinary men could not have moved,
and beat the Dragon so hard about the head with it that very soon
the monster lay lifeless before him.
You can fancy how great was the rejoicing when the news was spread
abroad that the terrible monster was dead. His conqueror was
received into the city with as much pomp as if he had been the
mightiest of kings. The old King did not need to urge his daughter
to marry the slayer of the Dragon; he found her already willing to
bestow her hand upon this hero, who had done all alone what whole
armies had tried in vain to do. In a few days a magnificent wedding
was celebrated, at which the rejoicings lasted four whole weeks, for
all the neighbouring kings had met together to thank the man who had
freed the world from their common enemy. But everyone forgot amid
the general joy that they ought to have buried the Dragon's
monstrous body, for it began now to have such a bad smell that no
one could live in the neighbourhood, and before long the whole air
was poisoned, and a pestilence broke out which destroyed many
hundreds of people. In this distress, the King's son-in-law resolved
to seek help once more from the Eastern magician, to whom he at once
travelled through the air like a bird by the help of the ring. But
there is a proverb which says that ill-gotten gains never prosper,
and the Prince found that the stolen ring brought him ill-luck after
all. The Witch-maiden had never rested night nor day until she had
found out where the ring was. As soon as she had discovered by means
of magical arts that the Prince in the form of a bird was on his way
to the Eastern magician, she changed herself into an eagle and
watched in the air until the bird she was waiting for came in sight,
for she knew him at once by the ring which was hung round his neck
by a ribbon. Then the eagle pounced upon the bird, and the moment
she seized him in her talons she tore the ring from his neck before
the man in bird's shape had time to prevent her. Then the eagle flew
down to the earth with her prey, and the two stood face to face once
more in human form.
'Now, villain, you are in my power!' cried the Witch-maiden. 'I
favoured you with my love, and you repaid me with treachery and
theft. You stole my most precious jewel from me, and do you expect
to live happily as the King's son-in-law? Now the tables are turned;
you are in my power, and I will be revenged on you for your crimes.'
'Forgive me! forgive me!' cried the Prince; 'I know too well how
deeply I have wronged you, and most heartily do I repent it.'
The maiden answered, 'Your prayers and your repentance come too
late, and if I were to spare you everyone would think me a fool. You
have doubly wronged me; first you scorned my love, and then you
stole my ring, and you must bear the punishment.'
With these words she put the ring upon her left thumb, lifted the
young man with one hand, and walked away with him under her arm.
This time she did not take him to a splendid palace, but to a deep
cave in a rock, where there were chains hanging from the wall. The
maiden now chained the young man's hands and feet so that he could
not escape; then she said in an angry voice, 'Here you shall remain
chained up until you die. I will bring you every day enough food to
prevent you dying of hunger, but you need never hope for freedom any
more.' With these words she left him.
The old King and his daughter waited anxiously for many weeks for
the Prince's return, but no news of him arrived. The King's daughter
often dreamed that her husband was going through some great
suffering: she therefore begged her father to summon all the
enchanters and magicians, that they might try to find out where the
Prince was and how he could be set free. But the magicians, with all
their arts, could find out nothing, except that he was still living
and undergoing great suffering; but none could tell where he was to
be found. At last a celebrated magician from Finland was brought
before the King, who had found out that the King's son-in-law was
imprisoned in the East, not by men, but by some more powerful being.
The King now sent messengers to the East to look for his son-in-law,
and they by good luck met with the old magician who had interpreted
the signs on King Solomon's ring, and thus was possessed of more
wisdom than anyone else in the world. The magician soon found out
what he wished to know, and pointed out the place where the Prince
was imprisoned, but said: 'He is kept there by enchantment, and
cannot be set free without my help. I will therefore go with you
myself.'
So they all set out, guided by birds, and after some days came to
the cave where the unfortunate Prince had been chained up for nearly
seven years. He recognised the magician immediately, but the old man
did not know him, he had grown so thin. However, he undid the chains
by the help of magic, and took care of the Prince until he recovered
and became strong enough to travel. When he reached home he found
that the old King had died that morning, so that he was now raised
to the throne. And now after his long suffering came prosperity,
which lasted to the end of his life; but he never got back the magic
ring, nor has it ever again been seen by mortal eyes.
Now, if YOU had been the Prince, would you not rather have stayed
with the pretty witch-maiden?
The Dragon of the North
from the Yellow Fairy Book
Story Edited
by Andrew Lang |
