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Once upon
a time...
Once upon a time there was a Glass Mountain at the top of
which stood a castle made of pure gold, and in front of the castle
there grew an apple-tree on which there were golden apples.
Anyone who picked an apple gained admittance into the golden castle,
and there in a silver room sat an enchanted Princess of surpassing
fairness and beauty. She was as rich too as she was beautiful, for
the cellars of the castle were full of precious stones, and great
chests of the finest gold stood round the walls of all the rooms.
Many knights had come from afar to try their luck, but it was in
vain they attempted to climb the mountain. In spite of having their
horses shod with sharp nails, no one managed to get more than
half-way up, and then they all fell back right down to the bottom of
the steep slippery hill. Sometimes they broke an arm, sometimes a
leg, and many a brave man had broken his neck even.
The beautiful Princess sat at her window and watched the bold
knights trying to reach her on their splendid horses. The sight of
her always gave men fresh courage, and they flocked from the four
quarters of the globe to attempt the work of rescuing her. But all
in vain, and for seven years the Princess had sat now and waited for
some one to scale the Glass Mountain.
A heap of corpses both of riders and horses lay round the mountain,
and many dying men lay groaning there unable to go any farther with
their wounded limbs. The whole neighbourhood had the appearance of a
vast churchyard. In three more days the seven years would be at an
end, when a knight in golden armour and mounted on a spirited steed
was seen making his way towards the fatal hill.
Sticking his spurs into his horse he made a rush at the mountain,
and got up half-way, then he calmly turned his horse's head and came
down again without a slip or stumble. The following day he started
in the same way; the horse trod on the glass as if it had been level
earth, and sparks of fire flew from its hoofs. All the other knights
gazed in astonishment, for he had almost gained the summit, and in
another moment he would have reached the apple-tree; but of a sudden
a huge eagle rose up and spread its mighty wings, hitting as it did
so the knight's horse in the eye.
The beast shied, opened its wide nostrils and tossed its mane, then
rearing high up in the air, its hind feet slipped and it fell with
its rider down the steep mountain side. Nothing was left of either
of them except their bones, which rattled in the battered golden
armour like dry peas in a pod.
And now there was only one more day before the close of the seven
years. Then there arrived on the scene a mere schoolboy--a merry,
happy-hearted youth, but at the same time strong and well-grown. He
saw how many knights had broken their necks in vain, but undaunted
he approached the steep mountain on foot and began the ascent.
For long he had heard his parents speak of the beautiful Princess
who sat in the golden castle at the top of the Glass Mountain. He
listened to all he heard, and determined that he too would try his
luck. But first he went to the forest and caught a lynx, and cutting
off the creature's sharp claws, he fastened them on to his own hands
and feet.
Armed with these weapons he boldly started up the Glass Mountain.
The sun was nearly going down, and the youth had not got more than
half-way up. He could hardly draw breath he was so worn out, and his
mouth was parched by thirst. A huge black cloud passed over his
head, but in vain did he beg and beseech her to let a drop of water
fall on him. He opened his mouth, but the black cloud sailed past
and not as much as a drop of dew moistened his dry lips.
His feet were torn and bleeding, and he could only hold on now with
his hands. Evening closed in, and he strained his eyes to see if he
could behold the top of the mountain. Then he gazed beneath him, and
what a sight met his eyes! A yawning abyss, with certain and
terrible death at the bottom, reeking with half-decayed bodies of
horses and riders! And this had been the end of all the other brave
men who like himself had attempted the ascent.
It was almost pitch dark now, and only the stars lit up the Glass
Mountain. The poor boy still clung on as if glued to the glass by
his blood-stained hands. He made no struggle to get higher, for all
his strength had left him, and seeing no hope he calmly awaited
death. Then all of a sudden he fell into a deep sleep, and forgetful
of his dangerous position, he slumbered sweetly. But all the same,
although he slept, he had stuck his sharp claws so firmly into the
glass that he was quite safe not to fall.
Now the golden apple-tree was guarded by the eagle which had
overthrown the golden knight and his horse. Every night it flew
round the Glass Mountain keeping a careful look-out, and no sooner
had the moon emerged from the clouds than the bird rose up from the
apple-tree, and circling round in the air, caught sight of the
sleeping youth.
Greedy for carrion, and sure that this must be a fresh corpse, the
bird swooped down upon the boy. But he was awake now, and perceiving
the eagle, he determined by its help to save himself.
The eagle dug its sharp claws into the tender flesh of the youth,
but he bore the pain without a sound, and seized the bird's two feet
with his hands. The creature in terror lifted him high up into the
air and began to circle round the tower of the castle. The youth
held on bravely. He saw the glittering palace, which by the pale
rays of the moon looked like a dim lamp; and he saw the high
windows, and round one of them a balcony in which the beautiful
Princess sat lost in sad thoughts. Then the boy saw that he was
close to the apple-tree, and drawing a small knife from his belt, he
cut off both the eagle's feet. The bird rose up in the air in its
agony and vanished into the clouds, and the youth fell on to the
broad branches of the apple-tree.
Then he drew out the claws of the eagle's feet that had remained in
his flesh, and put the peel of one of the golden apples on the
wound, and in one moment it was healed and well again. He pulled
several of the beautiful apples and put them in his pocket; then he
entered the castle. The door was guarded by a great dragon, but as
soon as he threw an apple at it, the beast vanished.
At the same moment a gate opened, and the youth perceived a
courtyard full of flowers and beautiful trees, and on a balcony sat
the lovely enchanted Princess with her retinue.
As soon as she saw the youth, she ran towards him and greeted him as
her husband and master. She gave him all her treasures, and the
youth became a rich and mighty ruler. But he never returned to the
earth, for only the mighty eagle, who had been the guardian of the
Princess and of the castle, could have carried on his wings the
enormous treasure down to the world. But as the eagle had lost its
feet it died, and its body was found in a wood on the Glass
Mountain.
. . . . . . .
One day when the youth was strolling about in the palace garden with
the Princess, his wife, he looked down over the edge of the Glass
Mountain and saw to his astonishment a great number of people
gathered there. He blew his silver whistle, and the swallow who
acted as messenger in the golden castle flew past.
'Fly down and ask what the matter is,' he said to the little bird,
who sped off like lightning and soon returned saying:
'The blood of the eagle has restored all the people below to life.
All those who have perished on this mountain are awakening up
to-day, as it were from a sleep, and are mounting their horses, and
the whole population are gazing on this unheard-of wonder with joy
and amazement.'
The Glass Mountain
from the Yellow Fairy Book
Story Edited
by Andrew Lang |
