THE FLOWER QUEENS DAUGHTER.docx

1、THE FLOWER QUEENS DAUGHTERTHE FLOWER QUEENS DAUGHTER2323 From the Bukowinaer. Von Wliolocki.A young Prince was riding one day through a meadow that stretchedfor miles in front of him, when he came to a deep open ditch. Hewas turning aside to avoid it, when he heard the sound of someonecrying in the

2、ditch. He dismounted from his horse, and steppedalong in the direction the sound came from. To his astonishmenthe found an old woman, who begged him to help her out of theditch. The Prince bent down and lifted her out of her livinggrave, asking her at the same time how she had managed to getthere.My

3、 son, answered the old woman, I am a very poor woman, andsoon after midnight I set out for the neighbouring town in orderto sell my eggs in the market on the following morning; but Ilost my way in the dark, and fell into this deep ditch, where Imight have remained for ever but for your kindness.Then

4、 the Prince said to her, You can hardly walk; I will put youon my horse and lead you home. Where do you live?Over there, at the edge of the forest in the little hut you seein the distance, replied the old woman.The Prince lifted her on to his horse, and soon they reached thehut, where the old woman

5、got down, and turning to the Princesaid, Just wait a moment, and I will give you something. Andshe disappeared into her hut, but returned very soon and said,You are a mighty Prince, but at the same time you have a kindheart, which deserves to be rewarded. Would you like to have themost beautiful wom

6、an in the world for your wife?Most certainly I would, replied the Prince.So the old woman continued, The most beautiful woman in thewhole world is the daughter of the Queen of the Flowers, who hasbeen captured by a dragon. If you wish to marry her, you mustfirst set her free, and this I will help yo

7、u to do. I will giveyou this little bell: if you ring it once, the King of the Eagleswill appear; if you ring it twice, the King of the Foxes willcome to you; and if you ring it three times, you will see theKing of the Fishes by your side. These will help you if you arein any difficulty. Now farewel

8、l, and heaven prosper yourundertaking. She handed him the little bell, and theredisappeared hut and all, as though the earth had swallowed herup.Then it dawned on the Prince that he had been speaking to a goodfairy, and putting the little bell carefully in his pocket, herode home and told his father

9、 that he meant to set the daughterof the Flower Queen free, and intended setting out on thefollowing day into the wide world in search of the maid.So the next morning the Prince mounted his fine horse and lefthis home. He had roamed round the world for a whole year, andhis horse had died of exhausti

10、on, while he himself had sufferedmuch from want and misery, but still he had come on no trace ofher he was in search of. At last one day he came to a hut, infront of which sat a very old man. The Prince asked him, Do younot know where the Dragon lives who keeps the daughter of theFlower Queen prison

11、er?No, I do not, answered the old man. But if you go straightalong this road for a year, you will reach a hut where my fatherlives, and possibly he may be able to tell you.The Prince thanked him for his information, and continued hisjourney for a whole year along the same road, and at the end ofit c

12、ame to the little hut, where he found a very old man. Heasked him the same question, and the old man answered, No, I donot know where the Dragon lives. But go straight along this roadfor another year, and you will come to a hut in which my fatherlives. I know he can tell you.And so the Prince wander

13、ed on for another year, always on thesame road, and at last reached the hut where he found the thirdold man. He put the same question to him as he had put to hisson and grandson; but this time the old man answered, The Dragonlives up there on the mountain, and he has just begun his year ofsleep. For

14、 one whole year he is always awake, and the next hesleeps. But if you wish to see the Flower Queens daughter go upthe second mountain: the Dragons old mother lives there, and shehas a ball every night, to which the Flower Queens daughter goesregularly.So the Prince went up the second mountain, where

15、 he found acastle all made of gold with diamond windows. He opened the biggate leading into the courtyard, and was just going to walk in,when seven dragons rushed on him and asked him what he wanted?The Prince replied, I have heard so much of the beauty andkindness of the Dragons Mother, and would l

16、ike to enter herservice.This flattering speech pleased the dragons, and the eldest ofthem said, Well, you may come with me, and I will take you tothe Mother Dragon.They entered the castle and walked through twelve splendid halls,all made of gold and diamonds. In the twelfth room they foundthe Mother

17、 Dragon seated on a diamond throne. She was theugliest woman under the sun, and, added to it all, she had threeheads. Her appearance was a great shock to the Prince, and sowas her voice, which was like the croaking of many ravens. Sheasked him, Why have you come here?The Prince answered at once, I h

18、ave heard so much of your beautyand kindness, that I would very much like to enter your service.Very well, said the Mother Dragon; but if you wish to enter myservice, you must first lead my mare out to the meadow and lookafter her for three days; but if you dont bring her home safelyevery evening, w

19、e will eat you up.The Prince undertook the task and led the mare out to the meadow.But no sooner had they reached the grass than she vanished. ThePrince sought for her in vain, and at last in despair sat down ona big stone and contemplated his sad fate. As he sat thus lostin thought, he noticed an e

20、agle flying over his head. Then hesuddenly bethought him of his little bell, and taking it out ofhis pocket he rang it once. In a moment he heard a rustlingsound in the air beside him, and the King of the Eagles sank athis feet.I know what you want of me, the bird said. You are lookingfor the Mother

21、 Dragons mare who is galloping about among theclouds. I will summon all the eagles of the air together, andorder them to catch the mare and bring her to you. And withthese words the King of the Eagles flew away. Towards eveningthe Prince heard a mighty rushing sound in the air, and when helooked up

22、he saw thousands of eagles driving the mare beforethem. They sank at his feet on to the ground and gave the mareover to him. Then the Prince rode home to the old Mother Dragon,who was full of wonder when she saw him, and said, You havesucceeded to-day in looking after my mare, and as a reward yousha

23、ll come to my ball to-night. She gave him at the same time acloak made of copper, and led him to a big room where severalyoung he-dragons and she-dragons were dancing together. Here,too, was the Flower Queens beautiful daughter. Her dress waswoven out of the most lovely flowers in the world, and her

24、complexion was like lilies and roses. As the Prince was dancingwith her he managed to whisper in her ear, I have come to setyou free!Then the beautiful girl said to him, If you succeed in bringingthe mare back safely the third day, ask the Mother Dragon to giveyou a foal of the mare as a reward.The

25、ball came to an end at midnight, and early next morning thePrince again led the Mother Dragons mare out into the meadow. But again she vanished before his eyes. Then he took out hislittle bell and rang it twice.In a moment the King of the Foxes stood before him and said: Iknow already what you want,

26、 and will summon all the foxes of theworld together to find the mare who has hidden herself in ahill.With these words the King of the Foxes disappeared, and in theevening many thousand foxes brought the mare to the Prince.Then he rode home to the Mother-Dragon, from whom he receivedthis time a cloak

27、 made of silver, and again she led him to theball-room.The Flower Queens daughter was delighted to see him safe andsound, and when they were dancing together she whispered in hisear: If you succeed again to-morrow, wait for me with the foalin the meadow. After the ball we will fly away together.On t

28、he third day the Prince led the mare to the meadow again; butonce more she vanished before his eyes. Then the Prince took outhis little bell and rang it three times.In a moment the King of the Fishes appeared, and said to him: Iknow quite well what you want me to do, and I will summon all thefishes

29、of the sea together, and tell them to bring you back themare, who is hiding herself in a river.Towards evening the mare was returned to him, and when he led herhome to the Mother Dragon she said to him:You are a brave youth, and I will make you my body-servant. Butwhat shall I give you as a reward t

30、o begin with?The Prince begged for a foal of the mare, which the Mother Dragonat once gave him, and over and above, a cloak made of gold, forshe had fallen in love with him because he had praised herbeauty.So in the evening he appeared at the ball in his golden cloak;but before the entertainment was

31、 over he slipped away, and wentstraight to the stables, where he mounted his foal and rode outinto the meadow to wait for the Flower Queens daughter. Towardsmidnight the beautiful girl appeared, and placing her in front ofhim on his horse, the Prince and she flew like the wind till theyreached the Flower Queens dwelling. But the dragons had noticedtheir flight, and woke their brother out of his years sleep. Heflew into a terrible rage when he heard what had happened, anddetermine