The Violet Fairy Book

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Lang Andrew. The Violet Fairy Book

PREFACE

A TALE OF THE TONTLAWALD

THE FINEST LIAR IN THE WORLD

THE STORY OF THREE WONDERFUL BEGGARS

SCHIPPEITARO

THE THREE PRINCES AND THEIR BEASTS (LITHUANIAN FAIRY TALE)

THE GOAT’S EARS OF THE EMPEROR TROJAN

THE NINE PEA-HENS AND THE GOLDEN APPLES

THE LUTE PLAYER

THE GRATEFUL PRINCE

THE CHILD WHO CAME FROM AN EGG

STAN BOLOVAN

THE TWO FROGS

THE STORY OF A GAZELLE

HOW A FISH SWAM IN THE AIR AND A HARE IN THE WATER

TWO IN A SACK

THE ENVIOUS NEIGHBOUR

THE FAIRY OF THE DAWN

THE ENCHANTED KNIFE

JESPER WHO HERDED THE HARES

THE UNDERGROUND WORKERS

THE HISTORY OF DWARF LONG NOSE

THE NUNDA, EATER OF PEOPLE

THE STORY OF HASSEBU

THE MAIDEN WITH THE WOODEN HELMET

THE MONKEY AND THE JELLY-FISH

THE HEADLESS DWARFS

THE YOUNG MAN WHO WOULD HAVE HIS EYES OPENED

THE BOYS WITH THE GOLDEN STARS

THE FROG

THE PRINCESS WHO WAS HIDDEN UNDERGROUND

THE GIRL WHO PRETENDED TO BE A BOY

THE STORY OF HALFMAN

THE PRINCE WHO WANTED TO SEE THE WORLD

VIRGILIUS THE SORCERER

MOGARZEA AND HIS SON

Отрывок из книги

Long, long ago there stood in the midst of a country covered with lakes a vast stretch of moorland called the Tontlawald, on which no man ever dared set foot. From time to time a few bold spirits had been drawn by curiosity to its borders, and on their return had reported that they had caught a glimpse of a ruined house in a grove of thick trees, and round about it were a crowd of beings resembling men, swarming over the grass like bees. The men were as dirty and ragged as gipsies, and there were besides a quantity of old women and half-naked children.

One night a peasant who was returning home from a feast wandered a little farther into the Tontlawald, and came back with the same story. A countless number of women and children were gathered round a huge fire, and some were seated on the ground, while others danced strange dances on the smooth grass. One old crone had a broad iron ladle in her hand, with which every now and then she stirred the fire, but the moment she touched the glowing ashes the children rushed away, shrieking like night owls, and it was a long while before they ventured to steal back. And besides all this there had once or twice been seen a little old man with a long beard creeping out of the forest, carrying a sack bigger than himself. The women and children ran by his side, weeping and trying to drag the sack from off his back, but he shook them off, and went on his way. There was also a tale of a magnificent black cat as large as a foal, but men could not believe all the wonders told by the peasant, and it was difficult to make out what was true and what was false in his story. However, the fact remained that strange things did happen there, and the King of Sweden, to whom this part of the country belonged, more than once gave orders to cut down the haunted wood, but there was no one with courage enough to obey his commands. At length one man, bolder than the rest, struck his axe into a tree, but his blow was followed by a stream of blood and shrieks as of a human creature in pain. The terrified woodcutter fled as fast as his legs would carry him, and after that neither orders nor threats would drive anybody to the enchanted moor.

.....

When Elsa recovered her senses, she found herself lying under a bush in her own proper form. What had befallen her, and how she got there, lay behind her like a bad dream.

As she was wondering what she should do next the king’s son came riding by, and, seeing Elsa, sprang from his horse, and took her by the hand, sawing, ‘Ah! it was a happy chance that brought me here this morning. Every night, for half a year, have I dreamed, dear lady, that I should one day find you in this wood. And although I have passed through it hundreds of times in vain, I have never given up hope. To-day I was going in search of a large eagle that I had shot, and instead of the eagle I have found – you.’ Then he took Elsa on his horse, and rode with her to the town, where the old king received her graciously.

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