Andrew Lang_Fairy Book 08 (31 page)

For some time the crab saw no more of the monkey, who had gone
to pay a visit on the sunny side of the mountain; but one morning he
happened to pass by her hole, and found her sitting under the
shadow of a beautiful kaki tree.

'Good day,' he said politely, 'you have some very fine fruit there! I
am very hungry, could you spare me one or two?'

'Oh, certainly,' replied the crab, 'but you must forgive me if I cannot
get them for you myself. I am no tree-climber.'

'Pray do not apologise,' answered the monkey. 'Now that I have
your permission I can get them myself quite easily.' And the crab
consented to let him go up, merely saying that he must throw her
down half the fruit.

In another moment he was swinging himself from branch to branch,
eating all the ripest kakis and filling his pockets with the rest, and
the poor crab saw to her disgust that the few he threw down to her
were either not ripe at all or else quite rotten.

'You are a shocking rogue,' she called in a rage; but the monkey
took no notice, and went on eating as fast as he could. The crab
understood that it was no use her scolding, so she resolved to try
what cunning would do.

'Sir Monkey,' she said, ' you are certainly a very good climber, but
now that you have eaten so much, I am quite sure you would never
be able to turn one of your somersaults.' The monkey prided
himself on turning better somersaults than any of his family, so he
instantly went head over heels three times on the bough on which
he was sitting, and all the beautiful kakis that he had in his pockets
rolled to the ground. Quick as lightning the crab picked them up
and carried a quantity of them into her house, but when she came
up for another the monkey sprang on her, and treated her so badly
that he left her for dead. When he had beaten her till his arm ached
he went his way.

It was a lucky thing for the poor crab that she had some friends to
come to her help or she certainly would have died then and there.
The wasp flew to her, and took her back to bed and looked after
her, and then he consulted with a rice-mortar and an egg which had
fallen out of a nest near by, and they agreed that when the monkey
returned, as he was sure to do, to steal the rest of the fruit, that
they would punish him severely for the manner in which he had
behaved to the crab. So the mortar climbed up to the beam over
the front door, and the egg lay quite still on the ground, while the
wasp set down the water-bucket in a corner. Then the crab dug
itself a deep hole in the ground, so that not even the tip of her claws
might be seen.

Soon after everything was ready the monkey jumped down from his
tree, and creeping to the door began a long hypocritical speech,
asking pardon for all he had done. He waited for an answer of
some sort, but none came. He listened, but all was still; then he
peeped, and saw no one; then he went in. He peered about for the
crab, but in vain; however, his eyes fell on the egg, which he
snatched up and set on the fire. But in a moment the egg had burst
into a thousand pieces, and its sharp shell struck him in the face and
scratched him horribly. Smarting with pain he ran to the bucket and
stooped down to throw some water over his head. As he stretched
out his hand up started the wasp and stung him on the nose. The
monkey shrieked and ran to the door, but as he passed through
down fell the mortar and struck him dead. 'After that the crab lived
happily for many years, and at length died in peace under her own
kaki tree.

(From Japanische Mahrchen.)

Many many years ago there lived a king and queen who had one
only son, called Sigurd. When the little boy was only ten years old
the queen, his mother, fell ill and died, and the king, who loved her
dearly, built a splendid monument to his wife's memory, and day
after day he sat by it and bewailed his sad loss.

One morning, as he sat by the grave, he noticed a richly dressed
lady close to him. He asked her name and she answered that it was
Ingiborg, and seemed surprised to see the king there all alone.
Then he told her how he had lost his queen, and how he came daily
to weep at her grave. In return, the lady informed him that she had
lately lost her husband, and suggested that they might both find it a
comfort if they made friends.

This pleased the king so much that he invited her to his palace,
where they saw each other often; and after a time he married her.

After the wedding was over he soon regained his good spirits, and
used to ride out hunting as in old days; but Sigurd, who was very
fond of his stepmother, always stayed at home with her.

One evening Ingiborg said to Sigurd: 'To-morrow your father is
going out hunting, and you must go with him.' But Sigurd said he
would much rather stay at home, and the next day when the king
rode off Sigurd refused to accompany him. The stepmother was
very angry, but he would not listen, and at last she assured him that
he would be sorry for his disobedience, and that in future he had
better do as he was told.

After the hunting party had started she hid Sigurd under her bed,
and bade him be sure to lie there till she called him.

Sigurd lay very still for a long while, and was just thinking it was no
good staying there any more, when he felt the floor shake under
him as if there were an earthquake, and peeping out he saw a great
giantess wading along ankle deep through the ground and
ploughing it up as she walked.

'Good morning, Sister Ingiborg,' cried she as she entered the room,
'is Prince Sigurd at home?'

'No,' said Ingiborg; 'he rode off to the forest with his father this
morning.' And she laid the table for her sister and set food before
her. After they had both done eating the giantess said: 'Thank you,
sister, for your good dinner—the best lamb, the best can of beer and
the best drink I have ever had; but—is not Prince Sigurd at home?'

Ingiborg again said 'No'; and the giantess took leave of her and
went away. When she was quite out of sight Ingiborg told Sigurd
to come out of his hiding-place.

The king returned home at night, but his wife told him nothing of
what had happened, and the next morning she again begged the
prince to go out hunting with his father. Sigurd, however, replied
as before, that he would much rather stay at home.

So once more the king rode off alone. This time Ingiborg hid
Sigurd under the table, and scolded him well for not doing as she
bade him. For some time he lay quite still, and then suddenly the
floor began to shake, and a giantess came along wading half way to
her knees through the ground.

As she entered the house she asked, as the first one had done: 'Well,
Sister Ingiborg, is Prince Sigurd at home?'

'No,' answered Ingiborg,' he rode off hunting with his father this
morning'; and going to the cupboard she laid the table for her sister.
When they had finished their meal the giantess rose and said: 'Thank
you for all these nice dishes, and for the best lamb, the best can of
beer and the nicest drink I have ever had; but—is Prince Sigurd really
not at home?'

'No, certainly not!' replied Ingiborg; and with that they took leave
of each other.

When she was well out of sight Sigurd crept from under the table,
and his stepmother declared that it was most important that he
should not stay at home next day; but he said he did not see what
harm could come of it, and he did not mean to go out hunting, and
the next morning, when the king prepared to start, Ingiborg
implored Sigurd to accompany his father. But it was all no use, he
was quite obstinate and would not listen to a word she said. 'You
will have to hide me again,' said he, so no sooner had the king gone
than Ingiborg hid Sigurd between the wall and the panelling, and
by-and-by there was heard once more a sound like an earthquake,
as a great giantess, wading knee deep through the ground, came in
at the door.

'Good day, Sister Ingiborg!' she cried, in a voice like thunder; 'is
Prince Sigurd at home?'

'Oh, no,' answered Ingiborg, 'he is enjoying himself out there in the
forest. I expect it will be quite dark before he comes back again.'

'That's a lie!' shouted the giantess. And they squabbled about it till
they were tired, after which Ingiborg laid the table; and when the
giantess had done eating she said: 'Well, I must thank you for all
these good things, and for the best lamb, the best can of beer and
the best drink I have had for a long time; but—are you quite sure
Prince Sigurd is not at home?'

'Quite,' said Ingiborg. 'I've told you already that he rode off with
his father this morning to hunt in the forest.'

At this the giantess roared out with a terrible voice: 'If he is near
enough to hear my words, I lay this spell on him: Let him be half
scorched and half withered; and may he have neither rest nor peace
till he finds me.' And with these words she stalked off.

For a moment Ingiborg stood as if turned to stone, then she fetched
Sigurd from his hiding-place, and, to her horror, there he was, half
scorched and half withered.

'Now you see what has happened through your own obstinacy,' said
she; 'but we must lose no time, for your father will soon be coming
home.'

Going quickly into the next room she opened a chest and took out a
ball of string and three gold rings, and gave them to Sigurd, saying:
'If you throw this ball on the ground it will roll along till it reaches
some high cliffs. There you will see a giantess looking out over the
rocks. She will call down to you and say: "Ah, this is just what I
wanted! Here is Prince Sigurd. He shall go into the pot to-night";
but don't be frightened by her. She will draw you up with a long
boat-hook, and you must greet her from me, and give her the
smallest ring as a present. This will please her, and she will ask you
to wrestle with her. When you are exhausted, she will offer you a
horn to drink out of, and though she does not know it, the wine will
make you so strong that you will easily be able to conquer her.
After that she will let you stay there all night. The same thing will
happen with my two other sisters. But, above all, remember this:
should my little dog come to you and lay his paws on you, with
tears running down his face, then hurry home, for my life will be in
danger. Now, good-bye, and don't forget your stepmother.'

Then Ingiborg dropped the ball on the ground, and Sigurd bade her
farewell.

That same evening the ball stopped rolling at the foot of some high
rocks, and on glancing up, Sigurd saw the giantess looking out at
the top.

'Ah, just what I wanted!' she cried out when she saw him; 'here is
Prince Sigurd. He shall go into the pot to-night. Come up, my
friend, and wrestle with me.'

With these words she reached out a long boat hook and hauled him
up the cliff. At first Sigurd was rather frightened, but he
remembered what Ingiborg had said, and gave the giantess her
sister's message and the ring.

The giantess was delighted, and challenged him to wrestle with her.
Sigurd was fond of all games, and began to wrestle with joy; but he
was no match for the giantess, and as she noticed that he was
getting faint she gave him a horn to drink out of, which was very
foolish on her part, as it made Sigurd so strong that he soon
overthrew her.

'You may stay here to-night,' said she; and he was glad of the rest.

Next morning Sigurd threw down the ball again and away it rolled
for some time, till it stopped at the foot of another high rock. Then
he looked up and saw another giantess, even bigger and uglier than
the first one, who called out to him: 'Ah, this is just what I wanted!
Here is Prince Sigurd. He shall go into the pot to-night. Come up
quickly and wrestle with me.' And she lost no time in hauling him
up.

The prince gave her his stepmother's message and the second
largest ring. The giantess was greatly pleased when she saw the
ring, and at once challenged Sigurd to wrestle with her.

They struggled for a long time, till at last Sigurd grew faint; so she
handed him a horn to drink from, and when he had drunk he
became so strong that he threw her down with one hand.

On the third morning Sigurd once more laid down his ball, and it
rolled far away, till at last it stopped under a very high rock indeed,
over the top of which the most hideous giantess that ever was seen
looked down.

When she saw who was there she cried out: 'Ah, this is just what I
wanted! Here comes Prince Sigurd. Into the pot he goes this very
night. Come up here, my friend, and wrestle with me.' And she
hauled him up just as her sisters had done.

Sigurd then gave her his stepmother's message and the last and
largest ring. The sight of the red gold delighted the giantess, and
she challenged Sigurd to a wrestling match. This time the fight was
fierce and long, but when at length Sigurd's strength was failing the
giantess gave him something to drink, and after he had drunk it he
soon brought her to her knees. 'You have beaten me,' she gasped,
so now, listen to me. 'Not far from here is a lake. Go there; you
will find a little girl playing with a boat. Try to make friends with
her, and give her this little gold ring. You are stronger than ever
you were, and I wish you good luck.'

With these words they took leave of each other, and Sigurd
wandered on till he reached the lake, where he found the little girl
playing with a boat, just as he had been told. He went up to her
and asked what her name was.

She was called Helga, she answered, and she lived near by.

So Sigurd gave her the little gold ring, and proposed that they
should have a game. The little girl was delighted, for she had no
brothers or sisters, and they played together all the rest of the day.

When evening came Sigurd asked leave to go home with her, but
Helga at first forbade him, as no stranger had ever managed to
enter their house without being found out by her father, who was a
very fierce giant.