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Once upon
a time...
There was once upon a time a man and woman who had three
fine-looking sons, but they were so poor that they had hardly enough
food for themselves, let alone their children. So the sons
determined to set out into the world and to try their luck. Before
starting their mother gave them each a loaf of bread and her
blessing, and having taken a tender farewell of her and their father
the three set forth on their travels.
The youngest of the three brothers, whose name was Ferko, was a
beautiful youth, with a splendid figure, blue eyes, fair hair, and a
complexion like milk and roses. His two brothers were as jealous of
him as they could be, for they thought that with his good looks he
would be sure to be more fortunate than they would ever be.
One day all the three were sitting resting under a tree, for the sun
was hot and they were tired of walking. Ferko fell fast asleep, but
the other two remained awake, and the eldest said to the second
brother, 'What do you say to doing our brother Ferko some harm? He
is so beautiful that everyone takes a fancy to him, which is more
than they do to us. If we could only get him out of the way we might
succeed better.'
'I quite agree with you,' answered the second brother, 'and my
advice is to eat up his loaf of bread, and then to refuse to give
him a bit of ours until he has promised to let us put out his eyes
or break his legs.'
His eldest brother was delighted with this proposal, and the two
wicked wretches seized Ferko's loaf and ate it all up, while the
poor boy was still asleep.
When he did awake he felt very hungry and turned to eat his bread,
but his brothers cried out, 'You ate your loaf in your sleep, you
glutton, and you may starve as long as you like, but you won't get a
scrap of ours.'
Ferko was at a loss to understand how he could have eaten in his
sleep, but he said nothing, and fasted all that day and the next
night. But on the following morning he was so hungry that he burst
into tears, and implored his brothers to give him a little bit of
their bread. Then the cruel creatures laughed, and repeated what
they had said the day before; but when Ferko continued to beg and
beseech them, the eldest said at last, 'If you will let us put out
one of your eyes and break one of your legs, then we will give you a
bit of our bread.'
At these words poor Ferko wept more bitterly than before, and bore
the torments of hunger till the sun was high in the heavens; then he
could stand it no longer, and he consented to allow his left eye to
be put out and his left leg to be broken. When this was done he
stretched out his hand eagerly for the piece of bread, but his
brothers gave him such a tiny scrap that the starving youth finished
it in a moment and besought them for a second bit.
But the more Ferko wept and told his brothers that he was dying of
hunger, the more they laughed and scolded him for his greed. So he
endured the pangs of starvation all that day, but when night came
his endurance gave way, and he let his right eye be put out and his
right leg broken for a second piece of bread.
After his brothers had thus successfully maimed and disfigured him
for life, they left him groaning on the ground and continued their
journey without him.
Poor Ferko ate up the scrap of bread they had left him and wept
bitterly, but no one heard him or came to his help. Night came on,
and the poor blind youth had no eyes to close, and could only crawl
along the ground, not knowing in the least where he was going. But
when the sun was once more high in the heavens, Ferko felt the
blazing heat scorch him, and sought for some cool shady place to
rest his aching limbs. He climbed to the top of a hill and lay down
in the grass, and as he thought under the shadow of a big tree. But
it was no tree he leant against, but a gallows on which two ravens
were seated. The one was saying to the other as the weary youth lay
down, 'Is there anything the least wonderful or remarkable about
this neighbourhood?'
'I should just think there was,' replied the other; 'many things
that don't exist anywhere else in the world. There is a lake down
there below us, and anyone who bathes in it, though he were at
death's door, becomes sound and well on the spot, and those who wash
their eyes with the dew on this hill become as sharp-sighted as the
eagle, even if they have been blind from their youth.'
'Well,' answered the first raven, 'my eyes are in no want of this
healing bath, for, Heaven be praised, they are as good as ever they
were; but my wing has been very feeble and weak ever since it was
shot by an arrow many years ago, so let us fly at once to the lake
that I may be restored to health and strength again.' And so they
flew away.
Their words rejoiced Ferko's heart, and he waited impatiently till
evening should come and he could rub the precious dew on his
sightless eyes.
At last it began to grow dusk, and the sun sank behind the
mountains; gradually it became cooler on the hill, and the grass
grew wet with dew. Then Ferko buried his face in the ground till his
eyes were damp with dewdrops, and in a moment he saw clearer than he
had ever done in his life before. The moon was shining brightly, and
lighted him to the lake where he could bathe his poor broken legs.
Then Ferko crawled to the edge of the lake and dipped his limbs in
the water. No sooner had he done so than his legs felt as sound and
strong as they had been before, and Ferko thanked the kind fate that
had led him to the hill where he had overheard the ravens'
conversation. He filled a bottle with the healing water, and then
continued his journey in the best of spirits.
He had not gone far before he met a wolf, who was limping
disconsolately along on three legs, and who on perceiving Ferko
began to howl dismally.
'My good friend,' said the youth, 'be of good cheer, for I can soon
heal your leg,' and with these words he poured some of the precious
water over the wolf's paw, and in a minute the animal was springing
about sound and well on all fours. The grateful creature thanked his
benefactor warmly, and promised Ferko to do him a good turn if he
should ever need it.
Ferko continued his way till he came to a ploughed field. Here he
noticed a little mouse creeping wearily along on its hind paws, for
its front paws had both been broken in a trap.
Ferko felt so sorry for the little beast that he spoke to it in the
most friendly manner, and washed its small paws with the healing
water. In a moment the mouse was sound and whole, and after thanking
the kind physician it scampered away over the ploughed furrows.
Ferko again proceeded on his journey, but he hadn't gone far before
a queen bee flew against him, trailing one wing behind her, which
had been cruelly torn in two by a big bird. Ferko was no less
willing to help her than he had been to help the wolf and the mouse,
so he poured some healing drops over the wounded wing. On the spot
the queen bee was cured, and turning to Ferko she said, 'I am most
grateful for your kindness, and shall reward you some day.' And with
these words she flew away humming, gaily.
Then Ferko wandered on for many a long day, and at length reached a
strange kingdom. Here, he thought to himself, he might as well go
straight to the palace and offer his services to the King of the
country, for he had heard that the King's daughter was as beautiful
as the day.
So he went to the royal palace, and as he entered the door the first
people he saw were his two brothers who had so shamefully
ill-treated him. They had managed to obtain places in the King's
service, and when they recognised Ferko with his eyes and legs sound
and well they were frightened to death, for they feared he would
tell the King of their conduct, and that they would be hung.
No sooner had Ferko entered the palace than all eyes were turned on
the handsome youth, and the King's daughter herself was lost in
admiration, for she had never seen anyone so handsome in her life
before. His brothers noticed this, and envy and jealousy were added
to their fear, so much so that they determined once more to destroy
him. They went to the King and told him that Ferko was a wicked
magician, who had come to the palace with the intention of carrying
off the Princess.
Then the King had Ferko brought before him, and said, 'You are
accused of being a magician who wishes to rob me of my daughter, and
I condemn you to death; but if you can fulfil three tasks which I
shall set you to do your life shall be spared, on condition you
leave the country; but if you cannot perform what I demand you shall
be hung on the nearest tree.'
And turning to the two wicked brothers he said, 'Suggest something
for him to do; no matter how difficult, he must succeed in it or
die.'
They did not think long, but replied, 'Let him build your Majesty in
one day a more beautiful palace than this, and if he fails in the
attempt let him be hung.'
The King was pleased with this proposal, and commanded Ferko to set
to work on the following day. The two brothers were delighted, for
they thought they had now got rid of Ferko for ever. The poor youth
himself was heart-broken, and cursed the hour he had crossed the
boundary of the King's domain. As he was wandering disconsolately
about the meadows round the palace, wondering how he could escape
being put to death, a little bee flew past, and settling on his
shoulder whispered in his ear, 'What is troubling you, my kind
benefactor? Can I be of any help to you? I am the bee whose wing you
healed, and would like to show my gratitude in some way.'
Ferko recognised the queen bee, and said, 'Alas! how could you help
me? for I have been set to do a task which no one in the whole world
could do, let him be ever such a genius! To-morrow I must build a
palace more beautiful than the King's, and it must be finished
before evening.'
'Is that all?' answered the bee, 'then you may comfort yourself; for
before the sun goes down to-morrow night a palace shall be built
unlike any that King has dwelt in before. Just stay here till I come
again and tell you that it is finished.' Having said this she flew
merrily away, and Ferko, reassured by her words, lay down on the
grass and slept peacefully till the next morning.
Early on the following day the whole town was on its feet, and
everyone wondered how and where the stranger would build the
wonderful palace. The Princess alone was silent and sorrowful, and
had cried all night till her pillow was wet, so much did she take
the fate of the beautiful youth to heart.
Ferko spent the whole day in the meadows waiting the return of the
bee. And when evening was come the queen bee flew by, and perching
on his shoulder she said, 'The wonderful palace is ready. Be of good
cheer, and lead the King to the hill just outside the city walls.'
And humming gaily she flew away again.
Ferko went at once to the King and told him the palace was finished.
The whole court went out to see the wonder, and their astonishment
was great at the sight which met their eyes. A splendid palace
reared itself on the hill just outside the walls of the city, made
of the most exquisite flowers that ever grew in mortal garden. The
roof was all of crimson roses, the windows of lilies, the walls of
white carnations, the floors of glowing auriculas and violets, the
doors of gorgeous tulips and narcissi with sunflowers for knockers,
and all round hyacinths and other sweet-smelling flowers bloomed in
masses, so that the air was perfumed far and near and enchanted all
who were present.
This splendid palace had been built by the grateful queen bee, who
had summoned all the other bees in the kingdom to help her.
The King's amazement knew no bounds, and the Princess's eyes beamed
with delight as she turned them from the wonderful building on the
delighted Ferko. But the two brothers had grown quite green with
envy, and only declared the more that Ferko was nothing but a wicked
magician.
The King, although he had been surprised and astonished at the way
his commands had been carried out, was very vexed that the stranger
should escape with his life, and turning to the two brothers he
said, 'He has certainly accomplished the first task, with the aid no
doubt of his diabolical magic; but what shall we give him to do now?
Let us make it as difficult as possible, and if he fails he shall
die.'
Then the eldest brother replied, 'The corn has all been cut, but it
has not yet been put into barns; let the knave collect all the grain
in the kingdom into one big heap before to-morrow night, and if as
much as a stalk of corn is left let him be put to death.
The Princess grew white with terror when she heard these words; but
Ferko felt much more cheerful than he had done the first time, and
wandered out into the meadows again, wondering how he was to get out
of the difficulty. But he could think of no way of escape. The sun
sank to rest and night came on, when a little mouse started out of
the grass at Ferko's feet, and said to him, 'I'm delighted to see
you, my kind benefactor; but why are you looking so sad? Can I be of
any help to you, and thus repay your great kindness to me?'
Then Ferko recognised the mouse whose front paws he had healed, and
replied, 'Alas I how can you help me in a matter that is beyond any
human power! Before to-morrow night all the grain in the kingdom has
to be gathered into one big heap, and if as much as a stalk of corn
is wanting I must pay for it with my life.'
'Is that all?' answered the mouse; 'that needn't distress you much.
Just trust in me, and before the sun sets again you shall hear that
your task is done.' And with these words the little creature
scampered away into the fields.
Ferko, who never doubted that the mouse would be as good as its
word, lay down comforted on the soft grass and slept soundly till
next morning. The day passed slowly, and with the evening came the
little mouse and said, 'Now there is not a single stalk of corn left
in any field; they are all collected in one big heap on the hill out
there.'
Then Ferko went joyfully to the King and told him that all he
demanded had been done. And the whole Court went out to see the
wonder, and were no less astonished than they had been the first
time. For in a heap higher than the King's palace lay all the grain
of the country, and not a single stalk of corn had been left behind
in any of the fields. And how had all this been done? The little
mouse had summoned every other mouse in the land to its help, and
together they had collected all the grain in the kingdom.
The King could not hide his amazement, but at the same time his
wrath increased, and he was more ready than ever to believe the two
brothers, who kept on repeating that Ferko was nothing more nor less
than a wicked magician. Only the beautiful Princess rejoiced over
Ferko's success, and looked on him with friendly glances, which the
youth returned.
The more the cruel King gazed on the wonder before him, the more
angry he became, for he could not, in the face of his promise, put
the stranger to death. He turned once more to the two brothers and
said, 'His diabolical magic has helped him again, but now what third
task shall we set him to do? No matter how impossible it is, he must
do it or die.'
The eldest answered quickly, 'Let him drive all the wolves of the
kingdom on to this hill before to-morrow night. If he does this he
may go free; if not he shall be hung as you have said.'
At these words the Princess burst into tears, and when the King saw
this he ordered her to be shut up in a high tower and carefully
guarded till the dangerous magician should either have left the
kingdom or been hung on the nearest tree.
Ferko wandered out into the fields again, and sat down on the stump
of a tree wondering what he should do next. Suddenly a big wolf ran
up to him, and standing still said, 'I'm very glad to see you again,
my kind benefactor. What are you thinking about all alone by
yourself? If I can help you in any way only say the word, for I
would like to give you a proof of my gratitude.'
Ferko at once recognised the wolf whose broken leg he had healed,
and told him what he had to do the following day if he wished to
escape with his life. 'But how in the world,' he added, 'am I to
collect all the wolves of the kingdom on to that hill over there?'
'If that's all you want done,' answered the wolf, 'you needn't worry
yourself. I'll undertake the task, and you'll hear from me again
before sunset to-morrow. Keep your spirits up.' And with these words
he trotted quickly away.
Then the youth rejoiced greatly, for now he felt that his life was
safe; but he grew very sad when he thought of the beautiful
Princess, and that he would never see her again if he left the
country. He lay down once more on the grass and soon fell fast
asleep.
All the next day he spent wandering about the fields, and toward
evening the wolf came running to him in a great hurry and said, 'I
have collected together all the wolves in the kingdom, and they are
waiting for you in the wood. Go quickly to the King, and tell him to
go to the hill that he may see the wonder you have done with his own
eyes. Then return at once to me and get on my back, and I will help
you to drive all the wolves together.'
Then Ferko went straight to the palace and told the King that he was
ready to perform the third task if he would come to the hill and see
it done. Ferko himself returned to the fields, and mounting on the
wolf's back he rode to the wood close by.
Quick as lightning the wolf flew round the wood, and in a minute
many hundred wolves rose up before him, increasing in number every
moment, till they could be counted by thousands. He drove them all
before him on to the hill, where the King and his whole Court and
Ferko's two brothers were standing. Only the lovely Princess was not
present, for she was shut up in her tower weeping bitterly.
The wicked brothers stamped and foamed with rage when they saw the
failure of their wicked designs. But the King was overcome by a
sudden terror when he saw the enormous pack of wolves approaching
nearer and nearer, and calling out to Ferko he said, 'Enough,
enough, we don't want any more.'
But the wolf on whose back Ferko sat, said to its rider, 'Go on! go
on!' and at the same moment many more wolves ran up the hill,
howling horribly and showing their white teeth.
The King in his terror called out, 'Stop a moment; I will give you
half my kingdom if you will drive all the wolves away.' But Ferko
pretended not to hear, and drove some more thousands before him, so
that everyone quaked with horror and fear.
Then the King raised his voice again and called out, 'Stop! you
shall have my whole kingdom, if you will only drive these wolves
back to the places they came from.'
But the wolf kept on encouraging Ferko, and said, 'Go on! go on!' So
he led the wolves on, till at last they fell on the King and on the
wicked brothers, and ate them and the whole Court up in a moment.
Then Ferko went straight to the palace and set the Princess free,
and on the same day he married her and was crowned King of the
country. And the wolves all went peacefully back to their own homes,
and Ferko and his bride lived for many years in peace and happiness
together, and were much beloved by great and small in the land.
The Grateful Beasts
from the Yellow Fairy Book
Story Edited
by Andrew Lang |
