The Black Bull of Norroway (England)

In Norroway, a long time ago, there lived a certain lady, and she had three daughters: The oldest of them said to her mother: “Mother, bake me a bannock, and roast me a collop, for I’m going away to seek my fortune.”

Her mother did, and the daughter went away to an old witch washerwife and told her she had come to seek her fortune. The old wife told her to look out of her back-door and see what she could see. She saw a coach drawn by six horses coming along the road. She ran in and told the old wife what she saw. “Well,” said the old woman, “that’s for you.” So the daughter went into the coach and they galloped off.

The second daughter next said to her mother: “Mother, bake me a bannock, and roast me a collop, for I’m going away to seek my fortune.” Her mother did so, and away she went to the old wife, as her sister had done. She too looked out of the back-door, and saw a coach drawn by four horses coming along the road. “Well,” said the old woman, “that’s for you.” So the second daughter went into the coach, and off they set.

The third daughter said to her mother: “Mother, bake me a bannock, and roast me a collop, for I’m going away to seek my fortune.” Her mother did so; and away she went to the old witch. She told her to look out of her back-door, and see what she could see. She did so, and on coming back said to the old wife she saw nought but a great Black Bull coming crooning along the road. “Well,” said the old witch, “that’s for you.” When she heard this the third daughter was filled with grief and terror; but she got on to his back, and away they went.

Aye they travelled, and on they travelled, till the damsel grew faint with hunger.

“Eat out of my right ear,” said the Black Bull, “and drink out of my left ear.”

So she did as he said, and was very refreshed.

And long they rode, and hard they rode, till they came in sight of a very big and bonny castle.“There we must stay this night,” said the Bull, “for it is where my elder brother lives.”

And presently they were at the place. She was lifted off his back and taken in, and he was sent away to the field for the night. In the morning, when the people there brought the Bull home, they took the damsel into a fine shining parlour, and gave her a beautiful apple, telling her not to break it till she was in the greatest trouble anyone was ever in in the world, and that the apple would bring her out of it.

Then again she got on the Bull’s back, and after they had ridden far, and farther than I can tell, they came in sight of a far bonnier castle, and far farther away than the last.

Said the Bull to her: “There we must stay this night, for it is where my second brother lives.”

And they were at the place directly. She was lifted down and taken in, and the Bull was sent to the field for the night. In the morning the people there took the damsel into a fine and rich room, and gave her the finest pear she had ever seen, telling her not to break it till she was in the greatest trouble anyone was ever in, and that the pear would get her out of it.

Then again she got on the Bull’s back, and away they went. And long they rode, and hard they rode, till they came in sight of by far the biggest castle and the farthest off that they had yet seen. “There we must stay this night,” said the Bull, “for it is where my youngest brother lives.”

And they were there directly. She was lifted down and taken in, and the Bull was sent to the field for the night. In the morning the people there took her into a room, the finest of all, and gave her a plum, telling her not to break it till she was in the greatest trouble anyone could ever be in, and that the plum would get her out of it. Presently they brought home the Bull, helped the damsel on to his back, and away they went.

And aye they rode, and on they rode, till they came to a dark and fearful glen, where they stopped, and the damsel got down.

Said the Bull to her: “Here you must stay till I go and fight the Old One. You must seat yourself on that stone, and move neither hand nor foot till I come back, else I’ll never find you again. And if everything round about you turns blue, I have beaten the Old One. But should all things turn red, he’ll have conquered me.”

She set herself down on the stone, and by-and-by all round her turned blue. Overcome with joy, she lifted one of her feet, and crossed it over the other, so glad was she that her companion was victorious.

So she had moved, and when the Bull returned and looked for her, he never could find her.

Long she sat, and aye she wept, till she was very tired. At last she rose and went away, she didn’t know where. On she wandered, till she came to a great hill of glass, that she tried all she could to climb, but wasn’t able. Round the bottom of the hill she went, sobbing and seeking a passage over, till at last she came to a smith’s house, and the smith promised, if she would serve him seven years, he would make her iron shoes, which she could use to climb over the glassy hill.

At seven years’ end she got her iron shoes, climbed the glassy hill, and chanced to come to the old washerwife’s home. There she was told of a gallant young knight that had given in some clothes covered with blood to wash, and whoever washed them was to be his wife. The old wife had washed till she was tired, and then she set her daughter at it, and both washed, and they washed, and they washed, in hopes of getting the young knight, but for all they could do they couldn’t bring out a stain.

In the end they set the stranger damsel to work, and as soon as she began, the stains came out pure and clean, but the old wife made the knight believe it was her daughter who had washed the clothes. So the knight and the eldest daughter were to be married, and the stranger damsel was very upset at the thought of it, for she was deeply in love with him.

Then she remembered her apple and, breaking it, found it filled with gold and precious jewellery, the richest she had ever seen. “All these,” she said to the washerwife’s daughter, “I will give you if you will put off your marriage for one day and allow me to go into his room alone this night.”

The lady agreed, but meanwhile the old wife had prepared a sleeping drink, and given it to the knight who drank it and never wakened till next morning. The whole night the damsel sobbed and sang:

“Seven long years I served for thee,

The glassy hill I climbed for thee, Your shirt I washed and scrubbed for thee; And will you not waken and turn to me?”

Next day she didn’t know what to do. Then she broke the pear and found it filled with jewellery far richer than the contents of the apple. With these jewels she bargained to be allowed a second night in the young knight’s room. But the old wife gave him another sleeping drink and again he slept till morning. All night the damsel kept sighing and singing as before:

“Seven long years I served for thee, The glassy hill I climbed for thee, Your shirt I washed and scrubbed for thee; And will you not waken and turn to me?”

Still he slept and she nearly lost hope altogether. But that day, when he was out hunting, somebody asked him what noise and moaning they had heard all last night in his room.

He said: “I have heard no noise.”

But the person promised him there had been noise and the knight decided to keep awake that night to see what he could hear. That being the third night, she broke her plum and it held far the richest jewellery of the three. She bargained as before and the old wife, as before, took in the sleeping drink to the young knight’s room; but he told her he couldn’t drink it that night without honey to sweeten it. And when she went away for some honey, he poured out the drink, and so made the old wife think he had drunk it. They all went to bed and the damsel began, as before, singing:

“Seven long years I served for thee, The glassy hill I climbed for thee, Your shirt I washed and scrubbed for thee; And will you not waken and turn to me?”

He heard, and turned to her. And she told him all that had happened to her, and he told her all that had happened to him. And he caused the old washerwife and her daughter to be punished. And they were married, and he and she are living happy to this day for all that I know.

A Sprig of Rosemary (Spain)

Once upon a time there lived a man with one daughter and he made her work hard all the day. One morning when she had finished all her work, he told her to go out into the woods and get some dry leaves and sticks to start a fire.

The girl went out, and soon collected a large bundle, and then she plucked at a sprig of sweet-smelling rosemary for herself. But the harder she pulled the firmer seemed the plant, and at last, determined not to be beaten, she gave one great tug, and the rosemary remained in her hands.

Then she heard a voice close to her saying, ‘Well?’ and turning she saw before her a handsome young man, who asked why she had come to steal his firewood.

The girl, who felt much confused, only managed to say that her father had sent her.

‘Very well,’ replied the young man; ‘then come with me.’

So he took her through the opening made by the torn-up root, and they travelled till they reached a beautiful palace, splendidly furnished. And when they had entered he told her that he was a great lord, and that never had he seen a maiden so beautiful as she, and that if she would give him her heart they would be married and live happy for ever after.

And the maiden said ‘yes, she would,’ and so they were married.

The next day the old dame who looked after the house handed her all the keys, but told her there was one she should never use, for if she did the whole palace would fall to the ground.

The bride promised to be careful, but in a little while, when there was nothing left for her to do, she began to wonder what could be in the chest, which was opened by the key. And what was inside after all? Why, nothing but a serpent’s skin, which her husband, who was, unknown to her, a magician, put on when he was at work. Then the earth shook violently under her feet, the palace vanished as if it had never been, and the bride found herself in the middle of a field, not knowing where she was or where to go. She burst into a flood of bitter tears for the loss of her husband, whom she dearly loved. Then, breaking a sprig of rosemary off a bush nearby, she decided to seek him through the world till she found him.

So she walked and she walked and she walked, till she arrived at a house built of straw. And she knocked at the door, and asked if they wanted a servant. The mistress said she did, and if the girl was willing she might stay. But day by day the poor maiden grew more and more sad, till at last her mistress begged her to say what was the matter. Then she told her story.

And her mistress answered her, ‘Where he is, ask the Sun, the Moon, and the Wind, for they go everywhere!’

On hearing these words the damsel set off once more, and walked till she reached the Golden Castle, where lived the Sun. And she knocked boldly at the door, saying, ‘O Sun! I have come to ask if you will help me, for I seek my husband through the wide world.’

Then the bride told him the whole story. And the Sun listened, and was sorry for her, and though he could not tell her where to go, he gave her a nut, and told her to open it when she needed it. The damsel thanked him with all her heart and left, and walked and walked and walked, till she came to

another castle, and knocked at the door, saying, ‘O Moon! I have come to ask if you will help me, for I seek my husband through the wide world.’

Then the bride told the Moon the whole story, and the Moon listened, and was sorry for her, and though she could not tell her where to find her husband, she gave her an almond, and told her to crack it when she was in great need. So the damsel thanked her, and departed, and walked and walked and walked till she came to another castle. And she knocked at the door, and said: ‘O Wind! I have come to ask if you will help me, for I seek my husband through the wide world.’

And she told him the whole story. And the Wind listened, and was sorry for her, and he gave her a walnut that she was to use in time of need. But the girl did not go as the Wind expected. She was tired and sad, and knew not where to go, so she began to weep bitterly

The Wind said: ‘Don’t be frightened, I will go and see if I can find out something.’

And the Wind went with a great noise and fuss, and in the twinkling of an eye he was back again, beaming with delight.

‘I have discovered that your husband is in the palace of the king, who keeps him hidden lest anyone should see him, and that to-morrow he is to marry the princess, who is so ugly that she has not been able to find any man to wed her.’

The bride implored the Wind to do all he could to delay the wedding for two or three days, for it would take her all that time to reach the palace of the king.

The Wind gladly promised to do what he could, and as he travelled much faster than the maiden he soon arrived at the palace, where he found five tailors working night and day on the wedding clothes of the princess.

Down came the Wind right in the middle of their lace and satin and trimmings of pearl! Away they all went whiz! through the open windows, right up into the tops of the trees, across the river, among the dancing ears of corn! After them ran the tailors, catching, jumping, climbing, but the lace was torn, the satin stained, the pearls knocked off! There was nothing for it but to begin all over again! It was impossible that the wedding clothes could be ready next day.

So the king ordered the ceremony and the banquet to be postponed for a few hours, so that the tailors might make the wedding clothes fit.

But by this time the bride had arrived footsore and weary at the castle, and as soon as she reached the door she cracked her nut and drew out of it the most beautiful cloak in the world. Then she rang the bell, and asked:

‘Ask the princess if she would like to buy this cloak.’

And when the princess saw the cloak she was delighted. So she told the bride to name her price.

The maiden asked for many pieces of gold, but the princess had set her heart on the cloak and gave it.

Now the moment she was out of sight of the castle the bride broke her almond, and drew from it the most magnificent petticoats that ever were seen. Then she went back to the castle, and asked if the

princess wished to buy any petticoats. No sooner did the princess see the petticoats than she declared they were even more beautiful than the cloak, and that she would give the bride whatever price she wanted for them. And the maiden named many pieces of gold, which the princess paid her gladly.

Then the maiden went down the steps where none could watch her and cracked her walnut, and out came the most splendid court dress that any dressmaker had ever invented; and, carrying it carefully in her arms, she knocked at the door, and asked if the princess wished to buy a court dress.

When the message was delivered the princess sprang to her feet with delight, for she had been thinking that after all it was not much use to have a lovely cloak and elegant petticoats if she had no dress, and she knew the tailors would never be ready in time. So she sent at once to say she would buy the dress, and what sum did the maiden want for it.

This time the maiden answered that the price of the dress was the permission to see the bridegroom.

So the maiden was led to the rooms which had been given to her husband. And when she came near she touched him with the sprig of rosemary that she carried; and his memory came back, and he knew her, and kissed her, and declared that she was his true wife, and that he loved her and no other.

Then they went back to the maiden’s home, and grew to be very old, and lived happy all the days of their life.

Pintosmalto (Italy)

A merchant once had an only daughter who was named Betta. He wanted her to get married but the foolish girl would never agree, so the father was the most unhappy and miserable man in the world.

Now it happened one day that he was going to a market fair, so he asked his daughter what she would like him to bring her on his return.

And she said, "Papa, if you love me, bring me half a hundredweight of sugar, and as much again of sweet almonds, with four to six bottles of scented water, and a little musk and amber, also forty pearls, two sapphires, a few garnets and rubies, with some gold thread, and above all a trough and a little silver trowel."

Her father was surprised that she wanted so many expensive things. But he did not want to say no to his daughter, so he went to the fair and brought her all that she had asked for.

As soon as Betta received these things, she shut herself up in a chamber, and began to make a great quantity of paste of almonds and sugar, mixed with rosewater and perfumes, and set to work to form a most beautiful youth, making his hair of gold thread, his eyes of sapphires, his teeth of pearls, his lips of rubies. When she had done all this, she prayed to the goddess of Love so long that at last the statue began to open its eyes; and increasing her prayers, it began to breathe; and after breathing, words came out; and at last, it began to walk.

With a joy far greater than if she had gained a kingdom, Betta embraced and kissed the youth, and taking him by the hand, she led him before her father and said, "My lord and father, you have always told me that you wished to see me married, and in order to please you I have now chosen a husband after my own heart." When her father saw the handsome youth come out of his daughter's room, whom he had not seen enter it, he stood amazed, and at the sight of such beauty he consented that the marriage should take place.So a great feast was made, at which, among the other ladies present, there appeared a great unknown Queen, who, seeing the beauty of Pintosmalto (for that was the name Betta gave him), fell desperately in love with him. Now Pintosmalto had only opened his eyes on the wickedness of the world three hours before and was as innocent as a babe. He let the Queen take him by the hand and lead him quietly to her coach, drawn by six horses, which stood in the courtyard and when they were both inside she ordered the coachman to drive off and away to her country.

After Betta had noticed that Pintosmalto was gone, she sent down into the courtyard to see whether he were speaking with any one there, then she sent up to the roof to see if he had gone to take fresh air. Finding him nowhere she imagined straight away that, because of his great beauty, he had been stolen from her.

She sent out for news of him but none came back, so she decided to go all the world over in search of him. Dressing herself as a poor girl, she set out on her way. After some months she came to the house of a good old woman who let her in with great kindness. And when she had heard Betta's story she felt sorry for her, and taught her three sayings.

The first was, "Tricche varlacche, the house rains!", the second, "Anola tranola, the fountain plays!"; the third, "Scatola matola, the sun shines!”. “She told her to say these words whenever she was in trouble and that they would help her.

Betta wondered if these words could really help her, but she said to herself: "Everything has its use, who knows what good fortune may be contained in these words?"

So she thanked the old woman and set out again upon her way. And after a long journey she came to a beautiful city called Round Mount, where she went straight to the royal palace and begged for the love of Heaven a little shelter in the stable. So the Queen’s ladies ordered a small room to be given her and while poor Betta was sitting there she saw Pintosmalto pass by with such joy that she could have slipped down from the tree of life.

It seemed like a good time to try out the old lady’s words, and no sooner had she repeated the first saying, ‘Tricche varlacche, the house rains!’ than instantly there appeared before her a beautiful little coach of gold set all over with jewels which ran about the chamber by itself.

When the Queen’s ladies saw this sight they went and told their mistress, who without loss of time ran to Betta's chamber. When she saw the beautiful little coach, she asked Betta whether she would sell it. Betta replied that although she was poor she would not sell it for all the gold in the world, but if the Queen wished for it, she must allow her to pass one night in Pintosmalto's chamber.

The Queen was amazed at the folly of the poor girl, who although she was all in rags would give up the chance of gold for a strange wish. She decided to agree to the girl’s request but to care to give Pintosmalto a potion so that he would sleep through it. As soon as the night was come, the Queen gave the potion to Pintosmalto, who always did everything he was told, and sent him to bed. And no sooner had he thrown himself on the mattress than he fell as sound asleep as a dormouse. Poor Betta, who thought that night to tell Pintosmalto all the trouble she had taken to find him, saw that he was asleep. But still she spoke as though he could hear, and the unhappy girl never closed her mouth, nor did the sleeping Pintosmalto ever open his eyes, until the sun appeared.

The Queen told Betta to now be content and sent her away. But Betta could not give up, so she said the second saying, ‘Anola tranola, the fountain plays!’ and instantly there appeared a golden cage, with a beautiful bird made of precious stones and gold, which sang like a nightingale.

When the Queen’s ladies saw this they went and told it to their mistress, who wished to see the bird. Then she asked Betta the same question as about the little coach, and Betta made the same reply as before.

Whereupon the Queen agreed, as before, and took the cage with the bird. And as soon as night came she gave Pintosmalto a potion and sent him to bed. When Betta saw that he slept like a dead person, she began again to cry, and thus she passed another night, full of trouble, weeping and wailing and telling Pintosmalto about everything that had happened. And as soon as it was day the Queen came to fetch her and sent her away.

In the morning, when Pintosmalto went to a garden outside the city gate to pluck some figs, he met a cobbler, who lived in a room close to where Betta had been crying. He had not missed a word of all Betta had said and he told Pintosmalto of the weeping of the unhappy girl. When Pintosmalto, who already began to get a little more sense, heard this, he guessed what it all meant. And he decided that if the same thing happened again, he would not drink what the Queen gave him.

Betta now wished to make the third attempt, so she said the words of the third saying, ‘Scatola matola, the sun shines!’ and instantly there appeared a quantity of stuffs of silk and gold, and embroidered scarfs, all with a golden cup. When the Queen’s ladies saw these things they told their mistress, who went to Betta to get them for herself, as she had done the others. And Betta replied as she had before.

The Queen took all the treasures which Betta offered her and as soon as night appeared she gave the potion to Pintosmalto. But this time he did not swallow it, and making an excuse to leave the room, he spat it out again, and then went to bed.

When Betta came she lamented as she had before, saying how she had kneaded him with her own hands of sugar and almonds, how she had made his hair of gold, and his eyes and mouth of pearls and precious stones, and how he was indebted to her for his life, which the gods had granted to her prayers, and lastly how he had been stolen from her, and she had gone seeking him with such toil and trouble. Then she went on to tell him how she had watched two nights in his room and yet had not been able to hear a single word from him, so that this was the last night of her hopes and her life.

Pintosmalto had managed to remain awake and when he heard Betta’s words, he rose and embraced her. And he went very quietly into the chamber of the Queen, who was in a deep sleep, and took from her all the things that she had taken from Betta, and all the jewels and money which were in a desk for the way the Queen had treated him. Then returning to his wife, they set off that very hour, and travelled on and on until they arrived at her father's house.

The Enchanted Pig (Romania)

Once upon a time there lived a King who had three daughters. Now one day he had to go out to battle, so he called them and said:

“My dears, I must go to war. While I am away you may walk in the garden and go into all the rooms in the palace, except the one at the back. Into that you must not enter, for if you do you will come to harm.”

When the King was ready to go he gave the eldest daughter the keys.

Now when the Princesses found themselves alone they decided to work for part of the day, to read for part of the day, and to enjoy themselves in the garden for part of the day. But as time went on they grew more and more curious.

Though the youngest warned against it, they went to the forbidden room. The eldest fitted the key into the lock the door stood open with a ‘snap!’

The room was quite empty but for a large table with a gorgeous cloth, and on it lay a big, open book.

Now the Princesses were curious to know what was written in the book. First the eldest read: “The eldest daughter of this King will marry a prince from the East.”

Then the second Princess turned over the page and read: “The second daughter of this King will marry a prince from the West.”

The youngest Princess did not want to go near the book. Her elder sisters however dragged her up to it, and in fear she turned over the page to read: “The youngest daughter of this King will be married to a pig from the North.”

Now if a thunderbolt had struck her from heaven it would not have frightened her more. Her sisters tried to comfort her, saying: “How can you believe such nonsense? When did a king’s daughter ever marry a pig?’

In the meantime the King won a great victory. The Princesses had almost forgotten about the book when one fine day a prince from the East appeared and asked the King for the hand of his eldest daughter. The King gladly gave permission.

After some time the same thing happened to the second daughter, who was wooed and won by a prince from the West.

So the time passed, till one fine day an enormous pig from the North walked into the palace and going straight up to the King said, “Hail, great King! May your life be as long and bright as sunrise on a summer’s day!”

“Greetings, friend,’ answered the King, `but what brings you here?”

“I come to marry,” replied the Pig.

Now the King was astonished to hear so fine a speech from a Pig. He sent for his daughter and said: “My child, this Pig is quite unlike other pigs and I do not believe that he always was so. Some magic or witchcraft has been put upon him. Obey him, and I feel sure that all will be well.”

“If you wish me to do this, dear father, I will,” replied the princess.

After the marriage, the Pig and his bride set out for his home in one of the royal carriages. On the way they passed a great bog, and the Pig ordered the carriage to stop. He got out and rolled about in the mud until he was covered from head to foot. Then he got back into the carriage and asked his wife to kiss him. The poor girl remembered her father’s words, so she pulled out her handkerchief, gently wiped the Pig’s snout and kissed it.

By the time they reached the Pig’s dwelling, which stood in a wood, it was quite dark. During the night, when they had lain down, the Princess noticed that the Pig had changed into a man. Again she remembered her father’s words and determined to wait and see what would happen.

Every night after that the Pig became a man, and every morning he was changed into a Pig before the Princess awoke. It was clear to her that her husband must be bewitched.

In time she grew quite fond of him, for he was kind and gentle. One fine day as she was sitting alone she saw an old witch go past. She called out to the old woman to come and talk to her. The witch told her that she understood all the magic arts.

“Can you tell me then,” said the Princess, “what is wrong with my husband? Why is he a Pig by day and a man by night?”

“If you like,” the witch replied, “I will give you a something to break the spell. But do not let him know about it or it would lose its healing power. At night, when he is asleep, you must get up very quietly, and fasten this thread round his left foot. And in the morning he will not have changed back into a Pig but will still be a man.”

The Princess hid the thread, and that night she got up and bound it round her husband’s foot. Just as she was pulling the knot tight there was a crack and the thread broke.

Her husband awoke with a start, and said to her, “What have you done? Three days more and this spell would have fallen from me, and now I must go about for three more years in this disgusting shape. I must leave at once, and we shall not meet again until you have worn out three pairs of iron shoes and a steel staff searching for me.”

With that, he disappeared. When the Princess found herself alone she began to weep pitifully, but when she saw that her tears did her no good, she got up, determined to find her husband. She got three pairs of iron shoes and a steel staff and she set out on her journey.

On and on she went through forests, stumbling and knocking herself against fallen branches, tearing her face and hands on sharp boughs and prickly shrubs. But she picked herself up and never looked back. At last she reached the house of the Moon.

The Princess knocked at the door and begged to be let in. The mother of the Moon felt great pity for her, and took her in. And while she was here the Princess had a little baby.

When she was ready to continue her search, the Princess asked: “Can your daughter, the Moon, tell me where my husband is?”

“She cannot tell you that, my child,” replied the mother of the Moon, “but if you will travel towards the East until you reach the home of the Sun, he may be able to tell you something.”

Then she gave the Princess a roast chicken to eat, and warned her to be very careful not to lose any of the bones, because they might be of great use to her.

The Princess threw away one pair of shoes that were worn out and put on a second. She tied up the chicken bones in a bundle, and taking her baby in her arms and her staff in her hand, she set out once more on her journey.

On and on she went across bare, sandy deserts, through swamps and over mountain peaks, so that her feet and knees and elbows were all torn and bleeding. At length, she reached the palace in which the Sun lived.

She knocked and begged to come in. The mother of the Sun was astonished to see a mortal and was filled with pity when she heard of all she had suffered. So she asked the Sun about the Princess’s husband but he replied that he knew nothing about him.

“You only hope is to go and ask the Wind,” the mother of the Sun told the Princess.

Before the Princess left, the Sun’s mother gave her a roast chicken to eat, and advised her to take great care of the bones. The Princess then threw away her second pair of shoes, which were quite worn out, and with her child on her arm and her staff in her hand, she set off on her way to the Wind.

This time she had to cross mountains flaming tongues of fire, then fields of ice with avalanches of snow. At length the Princess reached an enormous cave in the side of a mountain. This was where the Wind lived. There was a little door and here the Princess knocked. The mother of the Wind felt pity for her and took her in.

The next morning the mother of the Wind told her that her husband was living in a wood so thick that no axe had been able to cut a way through it. Here he lived alone in a house with no way in, shunning the world.

The mother of the Wind gave the Princess a chicken to eat and warned her to take care of the bones, and the Princess set out on her journey, resting neither night nor day. On and on she walked until her last pair of shoes fell in pieces. So she threw them away and went on with bare feet.

At last she reached a beautiful, green meadow on the edge of a wood and, taking her child in her arms and her bundle of chicken bones on her shoulder, she went in. For three days and three nights she struggled through it, but could find nothing. She was quite worn out with weariness and hunger, and even her staff was no help to her, for it had become quite worn out.

Then suddenly she came upon the sort of house that the mother of the Wind had described. It had no windows, and the door was up in the roof. Round the house she went, in search of steps, but there were none. Then she said to herself: “They would not all have told me to take such good care of these chicken bones without good reason. Perhaps now these bones may help me.”

So she took two bones out of her bundle and placed them together. To her surprise they stuck tight, and she added the other bones, until she had made a ladder. She put it against the house and started to climb. At the top, with her child on her arm, she entered the door of the house.

When her husband came back to his house, he could not believe his eyes. He stared at the ladder of bones, fearing that some fresh magic was at work, but he climbed it and went inside. At the sight of his wife, looking so changed by all that she had suffered for his sake, his heart was moved by such love, longing and pity that he suddenly became a man.

The Princess stood up when she saw him. In her great joy she forgot all her sufferings, and they sat down together and she told him all her adventures. And then he told her his own history.

“I am a King’s son. Once when my father and I were fighting against some dragons, I killed the youngest of them. His mother, who was a witch, cast a spell over me and changed me into a Pig. It was she who gave you the thread to tie round my foot. Now that we have suffered for each other and have found each other again, let us forget the past.”

Then they set out to see her father. The old King nearly went out of his mind with joy at seeing his daughter again. He said to her: “You see, my child, how wise you were in doing what I told you.”

And as the King was old, he put them on the throne in his place. And they ruled as only kings rule who have suffered many things.

King Valemon, The White Bear (Norway)

Now, once on a time there was a king. He had two daughters who were bad, but the third was as fair and soft as the bright day.

So one day she dreamt of a golden crown that was so lovely she couldn’t live until she had it. So the king sent out to the goldsmiths of every land for one to be made. The goldsmiths worked night and day but none of the crowns were right.

One day when the princess was in the wood she saw a white bear that had the very crown she had dreamt of between his paws. She asked if she could buy it but the bear said it was not for sale for money, but she might have it, if he might have her. And she agreed, for it was not worth living without it. And the bear said he would come for her when three days were up.

When she went home with the crown and told her tale, the king thought to himself that he would drive away the bear when he came. So when three days were up he turned out his whole army but when the white bear came there was no weapon could hurt him, and he hurled the king’s soldiers down right and left.

So the king sent out his eldest daughter, and the white bear took her upon his back. And when they had gone far, the white bear asked: “Have you ever sat softer?”

“Yes!” answered the eldest daughter. “On my mother’s lap I sat softer.”

“Oh!” said the white bear, “then you’re not the right one.”

And with that he returned her home.

The king sent out to him his next oldest daughter, and the white bear took her on his back. When they had travelled far, the white bear asked: “Have you ever sat softer?”

“‘Yes!” said the second princess, “on my mother’s lap I sat softer.”

“Oh! Then you are not the right one,” said the white bear, and with that he returned her home again.

Then the King gave the bear his third daughter in God’s name. So he took her up on his back and went away far, farther than far, and when they had gone deep, deep, into the wood, he asked her as he had asked the others whether she had ever sat softer.

“‘No, never!” she said.

And he said: “Ah! You are the right one.”

So they came to a castle which was so grand, that the one her father had was like the poorest place compared with it. The bear was away by day, but at night he was with her and then he was a man.

So all went well for three years. Each year she had a baby, but he took it and carried it off as soon as ever it came into the world. Then she got more and more unhappy, and begged to go home and see

her parents. The bear agreed, but warned that she should listen to what her father said but not do what her mother wished.

So the princess went home, and when she was alone with her mother and told how she was treated, her mother wanted to give her a candle to take back so that she might see what kind of man he was.

So the first thing the princess did when next the man was sound asleep, was to light the candle her mother had given her and in its light she saw that he was a prince, but as she held the candle over him, a hot drop of tallow dropped on his forehead and he woke up.

“What is this you have done?” he said. “Now you have made us both unlucky! There only a month left and if you hadn’t done this I would have been saved, for a hag of the trolls has bewitched me to be a white bear by day. Now it is all over between us, for I must go to her and marry her.”

The princess wept and asked if she could go with him, but he said no. When he set off in his bear-shape, she took hold of his shaggy hide and threw herself upon his back, and held on tight.

Away they went over hills and briars, until her clothes were torn off her back and she was so dead tired that she let go and fell. She found herself in a great wood, and then she set off again though she didn’t know where she was going.

After a long, long, time she came to a hut, and there she saw an old woman and a pretty little girl. Then the princess asked if they had seen a white bear.

“Yes!” they said. “He passed by here this morning early, but he went so fast you’ll never be able to catch him up.”

The little girl was playing with a pair of golden scissors which made silk and satin wherever she clipped the air. Seeing how much the princess would suffer, she begged the old woman to give the scissors to her, and at last the old woman agreed.

Then away travelled the princess day and night through the wood, which seemed never to come to an end, and next morning she came to another hut. In it there was also an old woman and a young girl.

“Have you seen a white bear?” the princess asked them.

“Well, he passed by yesterday, but he went so fast you’ll never be able to catch him up.”

This little girl played about on the floor with a flask, which poured out every drink any one wished to have. When she saw how much the princess would suffer, she asked the old woman to give the flask to her, and the old woman agreed.

And the princess set off again away through the same wood, both that day and the next night too. The third morning she came to another hut, where there was also an old woman and a little girl.

She asked them: “Have you seen a white bear?”

“Well he passed by here the day before yesterday, but he went so fast you’ll never be able to catch him up,” the old woman said.

This little girl played about on the floor with a napkin, which made all sorts of food when commanded. But the little girl saw how much the princess would suffer, so she asked the old woman if she could give it to her, and the old woman agreed.

Then the princess set off again far and farther than far, away through the same dark wood all that day and night, and in the morning she came to a steep mountain which was so high and broad that she could see no end to it. There was a hut there too, and she asked the woman inside: “Have you seen a white bear pass this way?’”

“Well! He passed by and went up over the mountain three days ago, but you’ll never be able to climb it yourself.”

The hut was full of small children all bawling for food. The woman put a pot on the fire full of small round pebbles and the princess asked what it was for. The woman said they were so poor they had neither food nor clothing, so you may be sure that it was not long before the princess brought out the napkin and the flask, and when the children were no longer hungry, she cut them out clothes with her golden scissors.

“Well!” said the woman, “since you have been so kind I will do all in my power to try to help you over the mountain. My husband is one of the best smiths in the world, and I’ll get him to make you claws for your hands and feet so that you can crawl and scramble up.”

When the smith came home, he set to work at once at the claws and next morning they were ready. Straight away the princess set off. She clung close to the rock and crawled with the steel claws all that day and the next night

Just as she felt so very, very tired that she thought she would slip down, there she was at the top. In front of her was a plain, with fields big and broad. Not far away there was a castle full of workmen of all kinds, who swarmed like ants on an ant-hill.

“What is going on here?” asked the princess.

The workmen replied that here lived the old hag who had bewitched King Valemon, the white bear, and in three days she was to hold her wedding feast with him.

So the princess sat down under one of the castle’s windows and began to clip in the air with her golden scissors until silks and satins flew about as thick as snow. When the old hag saw that, she wanted to buy the golden scissors. The princess said they were not for sale for money, but the hag could have them if she allowed her to stay with the prince that night.

The hag said yes, but before he went to bed she gave the prince a sleeping potion so that he could not keep an eye open all night, even though the princess in his room did not stop crying and weeping.

Next day the princess sat under the window again and took out her flask. It poured out wine and beer but it was never empty, and when the old hag saw that she wanted to buy it. The princess said it was not for sale for money, but if she could stay with the prince that night she could have it.

The hag said yes, but before he went to bed she gave the prince a sleeping potion so that it was no better that night than on the first, even though the princess in his room did not stop bawling and weeping.

But that night, one of the workmen heard the princess’s weeping and everything she said. Next day he told the prince that she had come, that princess who was to set him, King Valemon, free.

When the next day came it was just the same story with the napkin as with the scissors and the flask. When it was about dinner time the princess sat under the window, took out the napkin and made enough food for hundreds of men. When the old hag saw the napkin she wanted to buy it. The princess said it was not for sale for money, but if she could stay with the prince that night the old hag could have it.

At bed time the old hag came again with the sleeping potion but this time the prince was aware of her and pretended to sleep. But the old hag did not trust him, so she took a pin and stuck it into his arm, but for all the pain it gave him he did not stir a bit.

Then everything was soon set right between them, and if they could only get rid of the old hag, he would be free. So he got the workmen to make him a trap-door on the bridge over which the wedding party had to pass and when they went over, the trap-door tipped up with the bride and all the other old hags who were her bridesmaids.

King Valemon and the princess took all they could carry of the gold and goods of the old hag, and so they set off for his own land to hold their real wedding.

And on the way King Valemon picked up those three little girls in the three huts and took them with them, and now she saw why it was he had taken her babies away, so that they one day they would help her to find him.