Songs of the valiant voivode: and other strange folklore, for the first time collected from Roumanian peasants and set forth in English

BERKELEY

LIBRARY UNIVERSITY

Orh c

CALIFORNIA^/

^



-—

*"

*l

SclocovUow jlt*A

SONGS OF THE VALIANT VOIVODE.

ONGS OF THE VALIANT VOIVODE AND OTHER STRANGE FOLK-LORE FOR THE FIRST TIME COLLECTED FROM ROUMANIAN PEASANTS AND SET FORTH IN ENGLISH $©> So §o BY

HELENE VACARESCO WHO

ALSO COLLECTED THE ROUMANIAN

FOLK-SONGS PUBLISHED UNDER THE TITLE

OF "THE BARD OF the dimbovitza" 3*

NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

(,&s-4Lm-

TO

MY DEAR

COUSIN

ANNA MARIA VACARESCO THIS BOOK

IS

DEDICATED

BY THE AUTHOR

HELENE VACARESCO

DEDICATORY EPISTLE. DearJousin, to

you months

'hese tales and legends of our dear country belong b right of inheritance and by birthright too. For

have wandered

from

village

to

village

and

gathered he strange sweet stories; they grow like flowers in the wie domains that bear our name. Besides, are they not our acestors, and do they not still live in our blood, all

the

hadsome and

gallant Voivodes (Princes and chief-

tains), a the lovely Princesses

these paps

and on

t:

has encoraged

You

whose images

will

adorn

The

great success obtained, both in England Continent, by "The Bard of the Dimbovitza*' ?

me

to use the

same method

this

time.

wiinot find here one single tale that is already inii the books of our learned and patient folk-lore

closed

searchers

not lain

are as new to the public as if they had centuries in the souls of our country-people.

They >r

You kno- how peculiarly proud and graceful is the stature of a Romanian peasant against the golden sky of our native lad, and how much he still retains in his mind and

his

wrds the love of imaginative creation, of symbols

and of sog.

And

viereas,

in

most parts of Europe, the simple vii

Vlll

charms of country

life,

the ancient customs and rites, are

down and hushed

trodden

fast

to silence

by their great

foe, civilization; here you find them as alive and fresh as in the Virgilian days, when they delighted mankind. Dacia survives herself still in the very descendants of her con-

querors, the

Romans. These

Dacian and race

tales are

therefore both Latin, of the Slavonic

Asiatic, while the mysticism

may sometimes

be traced in them.

When, many

centuries ago, our great ancestor left his Transylvanian dukedom, and rode with his peers and warriors to take possession of this land, he not only endowed our national history with

one of its most thrilling and glorious adventures,

but also shed a glamour over the inspiration of our bards. To those beautiful and entrancing days we are indebted for the love of valour and the love of love

you

will trace in

every one of our popular legends. Besides, it seems that among the hardships of a destiny which for ages has

weighed heavily on

this patient

and ever-striving nation,

through the darkness of battle and the terror of losing the unequalled treasure, Freedom, the inmates of this agitated land have found in their imagination the

an

ideal

power to build which they lived far from the troubles existence, and also an ideal of justice and

world

of their real

in

beauty. You will note here that kings and conquerors, warriors and heiducks, empresses and fairies, are ever

generous, brave, and fair to behold, and that they carefully protect from evil the high gifts they have received from nature in their very cradles. And the creature whose part

IX is

to deal unkindly, or to bring

terrible aspect

Take then love to read as I

woe and

from the beginning of the

strife,

wears a

tale to its end.

the precious book, my dear child, and may you it as I have loved to hear, and may you admire,

have admired, the spontaneous rush of such a deep

and sacred fountain.

Helene Vacaresco. Vacaresci.

CONTENTS. PAGE vii

Dedicatory Epistle

The Handsome Voivode

or,

;

...

soever entered looked fair

The Daughter

The Garden where who-

of the

*

I

Wind

Mariora; or, The Moldavian Princess and the Fairy The Wooden Spindle and my Lady Death

15 21

....

28

The Shepherd and the Heiduck The Enchanted Palace between the Enchanted Trees Mihai or, The Son of the Dragon The White Serpent and the Little Beggar Girl ... The Wicked King The Willows' Daughter The Four Princesses and their Crimson Slippers The Little Blue Glass Ring The Fairy and the Waterfall

103

Dragomira

in

.

;

.

.

35

43 51

63 70 82

90 98

The Young

Prince who, born of a Rose-tree, became a Rose-tree himself

The

Knife and the

Wind

;

or,

The

Girl

who was

118

thrice

betrothed

133

The Emperor and the Mouse The Legend of the Lilac Flower The Two Robbers and their Brother The Stolen Pig xi

146 162 the Devil

.

.

.

170 181

Contents.

xii

PAGI

The Mantle Thisca

;

or,

185

The

Marvellous Stone

The Shirt. A Tzigane Tale The Church Builder Barbu and the Raven. A Tzigane Tale Sister Life and Sister Death The Tzigane, the Voivode, and the Enchanted Whistle Hie and Pauna

The Tzigane and

189 197 201

212

216 220 227

his

Wife

235

SONGS OF THE VALIANT VOIVODE. THE HANDSOME VOIVODE; OR,

THE GARDEN WHERE WHOSOEVER ENTERED LOOKED

FAIR.

The man who

Had just

sat near our gate in the dusk returned from his labour ',

And twilight loves the man who has laboured all day, And twilight said to me " Tell him a tale, And he will forget his weariness while thou speakestT :

The

corn

But

in the plain it still requires the sun.

O

thou

is

who

ripe at the foot of the hills,

ever dr earnest in thy sleep, dreams are as numerous, love,

And whose As

the leaves on the tall nut-tree, love,

Say, hast thou never dreamt of a handsome Voivodef

Ah! how

He

bright

is

sings as he goes

his life to

and how handsome

the battle,

And when he returneth he sings. The women all pray for him and the virgins, While he fights and laughs at the fight.

is

he.

The Handsome Voivode.

2

The road

And

is

the

happy where his shadow falls ,

shadow

too

of his lance and horse.

Say, hast thou never dreamt of some handsome Voivode?

How

oft

The

Ah

love, I

!

I

see

a Voivode in my dreams, tell thee now.

one whose tale I'll

would have loved him had

I

but seen his face,

For he was brave and young and he was called Boujor, And he never went to the battle without saying

To

"

the flowers in his way, To-night ye will drink blood instead of dew."

And And

Stana the young maid lived not

far

from Boujor,

he passed by her window every morning, And every night he passed.

What

does a

young maiden when

She loves the

a fair prince passes?

fair prince.

Ah! how

bright is the life of a Voivode , sings as he goes to the battle,

He And when

my

love!

he returneth he sings.

What does a fair prince when he thinks but of battles? He passes and sees not the young maiden's smile. And Stana night and day talked to her spindle, her spindle she said: " the flax in her fingers she said

O

To

To

u

Thou

Thou

wilt be

my

be quick

"

!

:

shroud.

Boujor as he passes, Thus thou wilt speak to me of him seest

in

my

dear tomb.

'

The Handsome Voivode. And "

Ye

she said to the beads on her necklace:

Do

look well at the young Voivode,

will speak of

him

to

my

sleep."

Stana was poor ; She had but her necklace, her spindle, Her house with three nut-trees in front,

And One

her love for the handsome Boujor.

day that the

On Stana

Voivode passed by

his horse quicker e'en than the fire,

warm tear fall and The spindle stopped.

let a

"Why

dance on her spindle.

stoppest thou, swift spindle?

For

I

am more than ever my own little shroud.

Bent on

Run on, run on, like the Voivode's Run on, run on, like his shadow, Run on, run on, like his eyes,

high horse,

That never have looked upon me." But the spindle stood Quite

still

in the middle of the

room

still

and

And

Stana wondered, the small spindle grew,

And And And

the black spindle whitened, the small spindle grew Till it became a beautiful young fairy. And she wore the sun on her bracelets

And

in her earrings bright;

straight.

The Handsome

4 And

Voivode.

the sun glistened in her hair.

Her

dress

was made of moonbeams,

And moved on

her body like water; were two rose-leaves, slippers And her arms were whiter than a turtle-dove's wing On which fresh snow has fallen. And Stana thought " She 's fair enough To be loved by Boujor,"

Her

:

And

instead of admiring she hated.

But the young fairy spoke " Stana, thou lovest him," she said, " He's a Voivode and handsome; Thou lovest him because thy fate Has placed thy house near his palace, :

And

because he

know

I

And

is

young and

thy sadness

;

brave.

thou art poor,

thy face, though sweet,

Cannot

stop on his

way

Boujor, whose horse is quicker e'en than So come with me, and I will give thee

A Thou

fire.

countenance so bright that he will love thee. Why? have I not changed thy spindle

doubtest? slight

Into a kind young fairy

?

So come with me."

And

she took Stana by the hand. They crossed the village,

Where

children played around the well,

The Handsome And

Voivode.

5

Stana saw

That where

a cross marked the place the dead were at rest, among the dead lifted their tomb-stone

Where

Many

To

see

The

them

Because

And And And And

On

pass.

children wondered not, all

children live in dreams.

they crossed the plain and the river, the murmur of the green tall maize,

the sigh of the rushes by the stream, the moist perfume of the pebbles, which the waters ever roll,

And

the smell of the stones darkened by rain and dust, They crossed the wrinkled roads

And And

the smooth pathways,

Stana thought they seemed to walk so

and

straight

That they were

To

walk

likely

into the red heart of the sun.

The fairy touched with purple wand The red heart of the sun, And the heart opened, And lo a beauteous garden was there, !

Right

in the red heart

of the sun.

And

u

they both entered the strange garden. " see this is See," said the fairy, my garden, And in the languages of fairies it is called

The

garden where whosoever enters looks

fair.

fast

The Handsome Voivode.

6

All those

Look

who

cross this threshold

at the flowers

And

made

—"

become

fair.

Stana saw wondrous flowers; of diamonds made, others of clouds at

Some were

sunset, and others

seemed

Made with the purple of the morning sky, And others shone like mirrors, And all the beauty around Were mirrored in them. And Stana looked into one of the shining flowers And saw herself so beautiful therein " That her heart cried aloud: "Where is Boujor? "

There,"

That

is

said the fairy,

made with the

" take the flower

purple of dawn,

And throw it at Boujor when he passes. He will breathe its perfume, And give to his lords and warriors to breathe, And he will fall asleep in his palace. Then go to his palace by night, Take

And

thy beloved in thy arms, take his high horse more quick even than fire.

Bide here with him. See, I give thee

my

wand,

Thou know'st the way, And that the wand must

hit

Just in the heart of the sun.

But don't

forget to let a tear,

"The

A tear of love,

Handsome

fall

on the

Voivode.

J

wand,

fairy

Or else maids' woe to thee And woe to thy Boujor." Ah! how

He

bright is the life of a handsome Voivode, sings as he goes to the battle^

And when

he returneth he sings.

The women pray for him and the For he is young and brave! Boujor rode his high horse quick He rode with his warriors and

virgins,

as fire,

lords,

And a flower struck his white teeth, And a flower fell on his hand, " See how strange is this flower, my

O

breathe

Let every

— perfume

its

it is

man who now

— strange

rides

warriors

!

with us

Smell the flower, and wonder, and love, Let those with whom we partake every peril partake of the wonderful smell."

Now

And And

the flower passed from peer to peer, the flower passed from warrior to warrior,

And

they

all slept,

such a deep slumber slept

that night,

That they heard not

Who

the maid

crossed the threshold

Of the

white palace.

all

8

'The

She entered In the

Handsome

Voivode.

—

chamber she saw

first

On the rush mattings Fine daggers, leather belts, and lances. And in the second chamber On

green rush mattings

Swords, silken belts, fur caps, and saddles. In the third chamber saw she on the walls

The

images of saints dressed in gold and mantles.

And

in the fourth

Slept,

chamber the Prince

guarded by a golden image, Stana trembled

And

To

see her beloved's sweet sleep,

And

To

Stana sighed him thus silent and

see

fair.

She took him in her arms, and crossed

The slumbering palace, She went to the stables and spoke

To u

O

the high horse quick as

help me, gentle horse, I must take him

—

fire.

I love

Boujor,

And

To

the enchanted garden,

Where whoever Fain would

enters looks

fair.

be beautiful in his sight." she threw Boujor to the saddle,

And And

I

she sprung to the saddle with him. the sun rose she plunged the wand

When

silver

The Handsome

Voivode.

9

in the red heart of the sun.

Right

The The

red heart opened, sweet garden was there. But Stana had forgot to weep that tear of love

Which

When

the fairy had told her to weep, She was so joyful. the Prince woke, " where am I," said he, " And what is this wonderful garden ?

O

And who For

And now

I

Let us stay here,

O "

And

let

art thou,

O

beautiful child?

I love thee,

must know who thou

O

art.

bright fairy,

us never depart."

thy leather belts, and thy lances,

Thy saddles, thy horses, thy swords. Thy white palace full of great warriors, Where the sound of thy victories floats." " How know'st thou my palace, my warriors, My victories, my horses, my swords?

" I know

all,

yea, I

Who

For she " Stana! I

know

know

loves the

Voivode Boujor."

no, I do not remember, nought of the sighing maid.

the world is forgotten." three days they spoke of their love. sweet flowers were their servants and mirrors, The sweet flowers were their stars and their sun. I love thee,

Thus

The

even Stana, window, and sighs,

spins at her

The Handsome Voivode.

io But the

third day Stana began

To become jealous Of her own face and

beauty.

"

He loves me not," she said, " He loves my visage Which is not mine, Which the enchanted garden gives." The Voivode marked her sadness, and he asked, " "O why is my love sad pity Stana, the poor maid who loves thee, And who will die because she loves." ?

"I

"

Stana, I

my

love, I

cannot pity Stana,

cannot pity any one on earth, Except the setting sun

That

for so

Will not Stana,

my I

love, I

many

hours

see thy bright face.

cannot pity Stana,

cannot pity any one on earth, But my own youth and all the years that passed

away

Before I saw thee."

"

O my

beloved Boujor, pity

That have

my

lips,

tasted fresh water

and hot

Before thy kiss they tasted, Pity

my

lips."

tears,

The Handsome Voivode. The

high horse quicker e'en than

fire

Said to the maiden the third day

"

We

must

There's a

:

and ride away, near the tall white palace.

ride fast

fight

And the warriors all search Boujor. Weep not, we will return, dear maiden, Will return to the garden dear."

And

Boujor breathed the purple flower, And the Voivode sank to sleep,

And woke

in his tall

white palace.

Stana spins at her window, remembering love, Boujor and the garden and And her spindle fell to the floor, .

.

.

And And

the small spindle grew, the white spindle blackened,

Till

it

Who

became

a black dragon,

said to the

maid: "

He

will die;

Yes, the Voivode will die If thou sayest not to him The secret of the garden.

Thou But

if

hast not

wept that

love-tear, girl;

So thy beloved must die. thou speakest, sweet death will come

To

thee alone."

And

he vanished.

1 1

The Handsome Voivode.

12

Ah! how

He

bright

is

the life of a

handsome Voivode,

when he goes to the battle, And when he returneth he sings. 'The women pray for him and the maidens, Because he is young, brave, and fair. sings

Yet Boujor the handsome Voivode sang no more; Over all the earth he had searched For the garden and his beloved.

"

He had burnt towns and palaces down, And made prisoners twenty kings, And yet he found her not.

My

lance,

Who's

my

saddle,

and

quicker e'en than

my

tall

horse,

fire,

them all him who tells me

I give

To

Where is the garden strange, and my beloved bride.' And the Voivode was pale, The young Voivode was dying. " The young Voivode is dying," said his warriors, " The young Voivode is dying," said the church-bells, And in every church his people wept and prayed.

"

I

I

must see the Voivode, brave warriors, am Stana, who sighs and who spins."

" Great Prince, a young girl who 's called Stana, Asks to see thee." " Then let her come." " I know thy secret, great Voivode, I

know

thy love.

The Handsome Great Voivode, look not

While

I

speak

in

Voivode.

my

i

visage

soft to thee.

Great Voivode, I am thy beloved, I have been to that garden with thee."

" 'Tis true thou hast her voice, But her face, oh, where is her

O

face,

young maiden

why hast thou not brought back her face to " Boujor, that garden 's enchanted,

?

me?"

O

And whosoever

enters looks fair.

'Tis a fairy garden, my Prince. There I took thee on thy own tall horse.

Thou I

can

hast kissed die,

my

handsome Prince.

lips,

thou hast kissed

my

lips."

Stana spins at her lonely window.

" Turn quicker, swift I'm in a hurry

for

my

spindle, little

O

turn,

shroud;

Turn

And

quicker, I'm in a hurry." Stana lay dead, and the maidens

—

Wept round her and said: "Thou art dead Thou might'st have been a sight of joy and beauty, And now thou art a sight of cold and sleep. Thou might'st have been a happy spouse, and now With

the fresh

a For

whom

snow thou

wilt vanish, poor maid."

do the maidens, my warriors, " a sad sweet death-dirge? such Sing " For Stana who sighed at her window,

For Stana who died

in the night."

3

The Handsome

14

Voivode.

And the handsome Voivode rushed out of his white He rushed to his fiery horse. He rode like the wind, and alighted At

Stana's door.

" See the bright Voivode," said the maidens, " " What has he to say to the dead ?

He entered the room where she slept so deep, And he kissed her long on forehead and lip, And beneath his kiss Stana awoke and smiled, And said, "I am awakened." " Come to my white palace, maid be the Voivode's own spouse, Come, ;

For

Ah! how

I love thee!"

bright

is

the life of a handsome Voivode.

He sings when he goes to the battle. And when he returneth he sings, And

the

For he

women pray for him and young and brave!

is

the maidens,

palace,

Mariora.

1

5

MARIORA OR

THE DAUGHTER OF THE WIND.

Ah! shut the door, my love, And shut the window, Let not

The

the Wind come in and hear my talk. Wind is busy with the rushes now,

There near the river.

But

Now

if he hears

my voice, To hear my tale. the poor dead

would

The Wind among u

Why

is

young Stan the

he

may come

like to

in

hear

the rushes.

miller

now

ever sad and pale?

"

Said the priest's youngest daughter Stan the miller by the well.

To

"

Yes, yes, young Stan the miller

Answered young "

And

"

One

"

dost thou care,

is

ever pale and sad,"

Stan,

O maiden, to know why I am sad

Yes, pale young Stan, I care." day while I sat by the water

A

maiden came to me.

She was

fair like

the

moon on

the water.

" ?

1

6

Mariora.

Like the sun

in the

meadow and

the fruit in the tree.

She stood between the rushes

The 6

rushes kissed her

Young man,' said she, And I will dance for I

will dance with

lips.

c

give

me

new-born flower,

a

thee;

my

feet in the water,

And with my fair arms on the lips of the Then I gave her a new-born flower, That

I

wore

in

my

belt,

when

sun.'

the soft flower stood

still,

But when the maid took the flower

in her

hand

The

flower began to tremble Till its leaves fell,

And she began to dance, And all the world seemed to turn around The waters, the sun, and the moon, And my heart and my blood and my knives. She danced so

fast that birds

her,

were jealous of her swift

dance.

Then she laughed, and she said, Handsome I am the daughter of the Summer Wind, And I will be thy bride, And I will wed thee, '

miller,

If thou but seekest

Then Lay

my palace in the woods.' she vanished; the dead little flower

at the place

and night

Day And

said:

C

I

I

where she had stood and danced. dreamt of the maiden must seek and find her.'

Mariora. I left the mill

1

one morning, and inquired of the

daughter of the Summer But the sun was too busy to answer.

'Where

rising sun,

Wind?'

lives the

I asked the river,

7

and the river knew naught

About the maiden. So

started

I

on a long journey and walked with

shadow beside me, Till I reached a small hut near a

hill

;

An old woman stepped forth to receive 'Who art thou, O young man?'


bears a silver sceptre, and his throne

covered with fiery emeralds." my father's, dear Ring.

" Like

And what

u

do the courtiers who live in the Sun's " palace do all day long ? Ah, dear Princess! they wait for the bright Sun's return ; For the mighty Sun is always away.

He only returns for an hour or so, The time to change his golden horse and his sword, Or give his golden horse to drink. The handsome shepherd who brought me hither, Princess, in a sweet green hut, Close by the water. He sings, and the waters weep To hear him sing so well."

Dwells

"And what "

When

says the Sun," asked the maiden, he returns to his palace,

" gives his tall horse to drink ? Princess he relates that the earth

And "

Ah,

!

is

so sad.

The

Men

die

And And And

Little Blue Glass Ring.

101

on the earth, and women, children too.

little

the harvests he loves are cut

down

to the root,

the cries of the dying and white heavy tombstones

Accompany him wherever he goes. The handsome shepherd who has brought me

Knows such bright tales, And sees the love of the flowers and " And what says the strong Sun when

hither

the birds."

he loves a young

maid?" "

c

Ah, Princess he says, Let us love, For dear love can last but one day. !

I

have seen

I

have seen ev'ry

all

love die away, kiss fall

and fade

Like the leaves from an autumn

The handsome

When

shepherd

tree.'

has brought

me

hither,

he loves a maiden young,

Says to her,

As long " Dear

who

c

O my

as death.'

love, love lasts

"

blue glass Ring, call the fair shepherd back, For I will in my turn send a message little

To my And And

I,

betrothed, the Sun." the little blue glass Ring,

I called the shepherd. Viorica said to him: "Go,

tell the Sun, Viorica's afraid of your huge golden palace and of

your eyes

That have seen every tombstone,

The

102

And have Viorica

The

's

lips

Little Blue Glass Ring. seen ev'ry love

afraid of

of

all

come and

fall;

your hands that have touched

the dead.

Viorica will marry the shepherd dwells in the sweet green hut Close to the water."

Who

"But,

my

beloved," said Ion, "what shall the little blue Ring?"

we do

With "

We will

drive a gold nail in the wall of our room, will hang the small blue Ring on the gold

And we

nail,

And the little blue Ring will see our love." Thus I dwell on the wall of their chamber, And by my side

A

little

branch of

Makes

And

I

basil

the air soft,

" say to the basil sweet,

Look

at their love

" !

The Fairy and

the Waterfall.

103

THE FAIRY AND THE WATERFALL. / have heard clouds told

and

this tale

sleeps on the

me he heard

from an

eagle

mountains hard

this tale

who

breast,

lives

in the

and the

eagle

from the cloud and the rainbow

that dances on the waterfall.

The

dark Karpathian mountains were sad because in the solitude of their forests among the giant trees no torrent flew,

no waterfall made the day joyous and the night short " These mountains life and laughter.

with the sound of

have no waterfall and no torrent, they are sad," said the bright hero of the mountains, the handsome Stoi'ca, to the fairy of the

meadows,

whom

he often met, and to whom " If thou wert a real

the handsome hero was betrothed.

being almost alike unto all the pretty maidens of the earth, thou would'st find the meanstoenliven

fairy instead of

the forest."

" Alas! " answered the

" fairy,

I

have prayed

the rivers to run on this side, but thy forests are dark." "I tell thee thou art no fairy." At this the poor fairy

hard

all

" grew faint with grief and shame, and said: I will not look upon thee, nor enjoy the fair smile of the sun, nor call myself a fairy before

I

have brought thee a splendid wild

1

'The

04

Fairy and the Waterfall.

torrent and a savage waterfall right in the heart of thy forests."

The

fairy rode

her favourite steed and reached the

palace of the King. It was a clear moonlight night, and she thought she might rest under a rose-tree, for she was

a small

fairy,

and besides could get tall or tiny at her will. sleep, and her favourite steed slept by

She soon went to

her side in the grass, for she had changed him into a drowsy butterfly; but soon she awoke to hear a conversa-

on the terrace of the royal palace. She heard a woman's soft voice: " O my hair is as long as the river under the elms, and as heavy as the waterfall that

tion above her head,

bounds from rock to rock in the mountains.

I will

give

my hair, great wizard, and my teeth look how my teeth shine and glisten in the light of the splendid moon. thee

;

But promise to bring my father back." Then a terrible voice answered: " Give me also thy long eyebrows." Then the fairy heard a low sob, and the soft voice said again: " Take them, but bring my father back." And the fairy,

who could get wings and fly, flew to the terrace and a beautiful maid, who knelt before a hideous wizard,

saw and

the fairy whispered in the maiden's ear: "Refuse, refuse, and I will help thee. I am the fairy of the meadow. I can help." Then the beautiful maid sprang to her feet and exclaimed:

" False monster,

my father and keep my long and hair, my long eyebrows, my shining teeth." The wizard stamped his foot and said: " I will put heavy chains on thy father's back as soon as I get home, and he will rue I will save

The Fairy and

the Waterfall.

105

the hour of his daughter's sad indifference to his sufferings. " Farewell, maid, I will torture thy father; this I promise

—

and he disappeared.

Then the fairy stepped to the girl's side and asked her What is the matter with thee? And where is thy father? And who has put him into the power of that false monster?" The young girl, who was a princess and the King's own :

"

" Alas beautiful feet daughter, answered fairy, whose make the meadow green and the forest alive, my father had :

!

entered into an agreement with this wizard.

My

father

desired to possess a marvellous sword, a fairy sword, which flew from its scabbard whenever something unjust or some

misfortune happened a thousand miles even from the spot where the sword was to be found. Thou may'st well understand, beautiful fairy, what a precious sword

it might what by they always swayed and the senses of a king do not reach much

prove to a king, for kings are hear and see,

any ordinary man. Now this precious sword belonged to the wizard, and the King offered him the half of his kingdom and of all he possessed for the

farther than those of

privilege of '

owning the marvellous sword. But the wizard

have neither land nor money. I will give thee the sword, but promise me not to allow thy daughter to touch it, or to speak a word about it to anyone. If she

answered:

I

will

breaks this promise, I will carry thee away to a dark dungeon, and thou wilt be a captive for the rest of thy life.'

Of course and

I

King thought he could easily promise this, him to do so, and the wizard brought the bright urged the

1

06

Fairy and the Waterfall.

"The

sword, at which I never even gazed, and I kept away

whenever

my

father

the sword did as a

good knight. " Alas alas !

bitter

wore

much good

and many years passed and it had been

in this land as if

happy years were followed by such

these

!

it,

can scarcely bear to mention them. stood on my balcony, where a sweet fountain

hours that

One

I

day I the plumes of a thousand birds. The King had with plays left me, when I noticed he had forgotten his sword, just With a cry I rose and drew my chest just by my side.

away from the glistening scabbard. I could not call on some one to take the sword away, as I was bound by the solemn promise never retire,

when

mention

to

its

a voice so pitiful and

name; so I thought to low I first took it for

c the beating of a broken heart, said: Pity, beautiful maid! fate of a valiant knight who is a prisoner in the for the pity

O

save me! Would'st shape of the marvellous sword. thou but touch the sword or let thy dress touch it, I would be saved from torture and resume my human form again.' I

answered terror-stricken

ask

me

thee

to give

' :

my

O

wretched, valiant knight, all and my life, and

jewels

even more precious than my life, a kiss on the lips of an unknown, or even on the lips of a wild monster,

and

I will

do

all

to

help

and save.

would be the wizard's prisoner vellous sword.'

f.

Then,

if I

But

father

my

touched the mar-

beautiful maid, breathe

on the

may come

near, gold and the steel; surely thy breath if not thy hands and thy dress. Surely a sigh from thee

The Fairy and

the Waterfall.

107

could not injure thy father, the King.' And I just came a nearer and gave a long sigh and stretched my arms out in pity towards the unknown, who was the prisoner little

of the wizard.

Then

and for a second or

wave

two

saw a handsome young knight

I

hand and smile.

his

ensued; then balcony.

the sword was shattered to pieces,

my

They wrung

Afterwards a deadly silence all rushed to the

and maidens

ladies

their

hands in

c

despair.

The

King,

our King, thy father and our lord is carried away in fetters by a legion of black demons.' Since that day his fate is one of darkness and terror. I have this night called the

wizard to the palace.

Now

try to save us, save

Thou knowest all, sweet fairy. my father. I am the guilty one,

so thou may'st play havoc with

me." " Such is not " We will both

tention, Princess," said the fairy.

my

in-

repair to

the place where thy father's dungeon stands." The fairy mounted on her magic steed and took the Princess by her

then as they rode through dale and forest the fairy when the Princess lost a thread of her long trailing hair, the thread immediately became a rivulet or side

;

noticed that

a long garland of dew upon the branches. cc I now understand naught, but thought: desired to possess her hair."

They at

last

The fairy said why the wizard

reached the place

time in dire captivity. The in thrice her silver horn, and the wizard came sang fairy and saluted her courteous humility, for she with up hastily

where the old King spent

was a powerful

"What

his

fairy.

shall I give thee,

sweet fairy? Gold, diamonds,

The Fairy and

108

from

rich coins

" Give

my

cellar, or

the Waterfall.

from

my stables

swift steeds?

me a spare room and a couch, gracious

wizard.

I

"

am

and would sleep undisturbed. And, above a glass of cool water, for I am thirsty like my

tired to death, all,

me

give

meadows

in

Now all the wells and the rivers around

June."

the wizard's palace were dry, but this he cared not to own, and he was in sore perplexity; and the fairy repeatedly " said: "What, not a little cold water in this place? He

went

to the dark dungeon where the old King dwelt, and " Great King, I am going to marry thy daughter and take her away to a distant land. Thou wilt never see her

said:

more." At

this the

wretched King wept and

his tears fell

thick in the darkness, and in the darkness the wizard filled a glass with the old King's tears. He took the glass to the fairy,

not a drop and said: " 'Tis cannot drink, but I will take it to

who drank

wizard;

I

and cool

my

face

salt

water,

my

bower

with the strange liquor," and she bore her

away, for she knew she held the old King's own tears, and she said: " shall see what a splendid thing we can glass

We

make with

a mortal's tears."

And

she blew three times on

the glass, and a beautiful maid sprang out of the old King's tears. She was so beautiful that the fairy herself wondered

and

said in her heart:

gazeth not on girl:

this

"I command

"'Tis well that

my

mountain hero

marvellous girl." And she said to the thee to win the wizard's heart and to

love him."

The

wizard came next morning and inquired

how

the

courteous wizard, fairy had spent the night. "Most sweetly,

The Fairy and and

my

sister

of love over

Marina,

my

sleep.

she came over to

me

who

109

plays the lute well, sang songs hast not seen Marina ;

O, thou

this night.

Marina! here

in unseen.

the Waterfall

is

a

Like

all fairies

lord

young

who

she

came

desires to

gaze on thy face." Marina drew back the purple curtains that hid her from view, and she did not perceive how monstrous and bad looked the wizard, but loved him on the spot, while the wizard stood transfixed and bewildered

"O

let this beautiful and screamed and wept in his joy: " But Marina maid be mine for ever. Marina, be my wife.

am my

answered: "I

my

sister's

slave;

my

fate belongs to

sister."

" Wizard, gently shook her head and said dreadful death I'm very sorry, wizard, I must say no. awaits Marina if she marries a man who does not bring

The

:

fairy

A

to the

wedding

a free

King and "

with her bridegroom." said the wizard in despair.

a free King's daughter will roam, I will search,"

I

"Give me

" deny not Marina to me."

time, sweet fairy;

O wizard, I'm very sorry; O

wizard, I must say no. Marina must be wedded the very same hour she sees the man she has to wed." Then the

wizard tore

knocked

his

exclaimed

:

his hair and his garments, then the wizard head with his golden rings. All at once he " Wait, sweet fairy," and ran to the dungeon

and brought the old King. Then he Princess,

who

father's voice,

said:

"O King, where

's

send for thy daughter fair." But the was beneath the window, had heard her

I will

thy daughter?

and she came

in.

Then

the wizard said:

"A

1 1

The Fairy and

o

is

bridegroom

the Waterfall.

wanted," and he brought in a handsome

young knight. The the knight

two

pairs

Princess blushed, for she recognized dwelt in the marvellous sword. And the

who

were wedded

the radiant Princess

can

I

show

my

"Give me thy

fell

in

gratitude unto thee?"

hair;

it

And

presence of the fairy.

at the fairy's feet

will

and

said:

The

"

as

How

fairy said:

soon grow again."

And

the

Princess cut her long hair. The- fairy returned to the mountains and threw the Princess's long hair on the brim

of a rock, and a noisy waterfall rushed forth like a silver plume, and the hero of the mountain kissed his little bride's lips

and

said:

murmured the old

"

Thou

—

"

No,

a

woman,"

she thought of the happy Princess and and the good actions she had done.

she, for

King

art indeed a fairy."

1 1 1

Dragomira.

DRAGOMIRA. Dragomira was

the sweetest and

fairest

girl

in the

sunlight, and the birds; she tended all the living and frail creatures that came across her, and her heart was as clear and bright as the crystal village; she loved

God, the

beads of her necklace and the new-born flowers she wore

every morning in her hair. Yet Dragomira died one evening when there was neither sun nor moon to mourn over her in the sky, when all the little birds were asleep. When the sun returned next morning and asked: " Where

Dragomira?" the wretched mother answered: "In her young tomb!" And the maidens threw lilies and sun" Alas flowers on her fresh young tomb and said: Dragomira, where art thou? why hast thou gone from us? what harm have we done thee that thou should'st thus be silent is

fresh

!

when we weep, nor

care for our smiles and our flowers

" ?

Dragomira had been dead ten days, and she slept as soundly in her fresh young tomb as in her gentle bed near the hearth.

She dreamt of maidens with

lilies

and sun-

flowers in their hands, and with tears down their rosy cheeks, and she wondered in the eternal sleep and said :

"

I

wonder why they weep when they

lilies

and sunflowers in their hands."

are so happy, with But at the end of

1 1

2

Dragomira.

these ten days Dragomira awoke to hear a little bird twitter beside her head. She asked: " Little bird, is it time to

awake?"

The little bird answered: "Dragomira,

thou art

thou wilt awake no more to see the brightness of ; the sun on the water and on the leaves." "But the sun is not dead also," said the girl, " and others are happy and see "I answered the bird. Then said it." dead

"Yes,"

will not

Dragomira:

weep because

am

dead." "Is there nothing earth the thou would'st have the desire to upon bright I

hear I

gaze upon again?" "Yes," said Dragomira, "yes, but once again, sweet bird, I would like to see my mother with her spindle on the threshold, when the garden beneath the trees where we sat

would

fire rises

down

high in the

to our meals.

of the village dance in the fierce midday sun, and to hear the flute of the shepherd who urges them to dance fast and well. I would like to

I

like to see

my

sisters

dear love by the well, where I met him first and and speak of my love to him, for when I dwelt on the earth I was a timid maiden and ashamed to speak of see

my

last,

my

love."

Then

said the twittering bird:

"Take

these

" Dragomira, and put them in thy hair." My hands are cold, my fingers are numb, dear bird; what shall basil leaves,

I do? fall

"

The

bird stooped

in the dead girl's hair,

and

let

the sweet-scented leaves

and when the dead

girl felt

the

weight of the sweet-scented leaves she rose and pushed the coffin from her limbs, she rose and pushed the earth away, she rose and pushed the stones away, and walked as in a dream.

She

said:

"I'm

as light as the

white-footed

113

Dragomira. and

river

as

the chains that

my own

light as

fall

when

breath

I

from the moon

I'm

;

breathed the air on

as

hill

smoke on our cottage before she could say twenty words in her thoughts she had reached her mother's door. The dear mother, as straight as a poplar gray, stood on the

and in

forest;

I'm

as light as the

roof in the winter."

And

threshold with spindle in her hand, her long veil on her And the mother spoke to hair, and despair in her eyes.

the spindle, while in the garden beneath the trees the fire rose, and the evening meal was there to be kept

warm.

And

the mother said

daughters are naught to

" :

me

Where is Dragomira

?

My six

since the seventh lies dead in

her fresh young tomb. She has gone without tasting the bliss of life nor its pain. What flowers can I take to her

tomb

that will not be bruised by

my

tears

?

What

words

speak to the living when the dead will not re-appear ? If her sweet shadow now stood on my threshold I would " c

can

I

And DraSweet shadow, take me afar with thee.' " I must hide lest mother tries gomira thought myself to follow, and if she sees my tomb open, she will go

say,

:

down

in the earth

and discover how

dull

and cold

is

my

young tomb. No, mother must not die, because then death lies heavy on her, she would break her heart

know she

I

too

am

to

see the sun,

when the sun shines, and when she speaks to me

And Dragomira

gently kissed her mother's

dead.

may imagine I

that I hear."

Now

if

here,

spindle, and kissed the moss on the threshold, and kissed 1

1 1

4

the

Dragomira.

smoke

as it rose

from the

and glided into the

fire,

night away.

When and

Dragomira's father came home to his cottage evening meal, he saw the spindle and the

sat to his

moss on the threshold, and the smoke over the fire, shine like water under the moon, and he said: " Wife, the spirit of the dead hath been here and kissed the moss, the spindle, And the mother answered " Surely

and the smoke."

:

Dragomira hath come unto me while my spindle ran, and while I spoke to my child who is in her fresh young grave." Then they prayed and made three times the sign of the cross,

and

The

sat

down

to their evening

meal under the

trees.

danced gaily in the clear moonlight, and sweet was the sound of the shepherd's flute as it urged villagers

them

to dance and rejoice, and many were the hearts that bounded under the embroidered belts. All at once a maiden said " I feel a cold hand on my hand, I feel a cold :

breath on

my

hair.

Has the moon come

or the gentle spirit of a dead maiden

?

to dance with

for I

gentle spirits of dead maidens sometimes

me

have heard the

come among

us

and love the sound of the shepherd's sweet flute." The maiden who spoke thus was called Anca, and though Dragomira could not answer she eagerly drank in the words, and her invisible shadow turned and leapt in the wild dance

full

listened

to

of mingled buoyancy and languor. And she the glad voices, and when the dance was

finished they gathered under the trees to talk

and to see the moon between the

leaves.

The

and drink, talk fell on

1 1

Dragomira. a

wedding which was

said

"

:

who leave

my

to take place in three weeks.

My

wedding-dress loved the maid that

my

how

beloved."

lies

feared to

" :

He

is

know

as I

Anca man

marry a

in her grave, I will

dead maid

I pity her,

Dragomira's sweet shadow

longed and said

But

ready.

now

belt open, so that the

heart and thus read

Anca

is

5

may gaze

though

now

I

into

take her

trembled.

the bridegroom's name.

She

Then

handsome and brave, and when he on the hills ask Who is it that sings

' sings all the villages ' " so well in that distant village in the plain ? And then her beloved knew was to the wed fair maiden Dragomira :

whose hand she had touched.

And

she bitterly

felt

how

hard

it

was that the dead

cannot weep, and all the softness of the moon went out of her soul, and she returned to her grave.

The

next day the young man Dragomira loved was by the side of the well. He had just drawn a pail of water, " and he said to the tremblest

Why

water, thou, or has " the gentle shadow of a dead maiden touched thee ? The water answered: "Yes, her gentle shadow's here; thou canst speak, she will hear, but what she says will not Then the young man said : " Dra-

O

reach thine ears."

have not forgotten thee, and I would fain regomira, main without a wife to the end of my days. But thou I

know'st well

we

are poor.

My

mother

is

old and weary.

The

spindle falls from her hand, and she falls when she wishes to cross the threshold. Anca I do not love, but the girl

knows how

to spin

and to tend house and

field.

Had

1 1

6

Dragomira,

I but ten

would not wed." Dragomira brow and his lips, and went back to her

golden ducats

kissed her beloved's

I

Alas she could not sleep in her grave. She thought of him and of those ten ducats, and of how sweet it might have been to feel sure he would never wed. O, were she grave.

!

how she would gain those ten ducats " what can I " But here, in my grave," said she, hands are numb, my fingers lazy. Alas! what

only a living maid, for

him

!

My

do?

do?" She thought and thought

she rose again, and groping through the darkness she reached another grave. There a rich woman lay with ten golden ducats

can

I

round her neck, and she had husband.

money

left

And Dragomira asked

aught to

till

three children to her

the rich

woman: "

thee?" "Yes," answered

Is

the

"even

she,

in

my grave the gold dear to my fingers, but I have left could I know three children and my husband, and is

O

!

whether they remember me." Dragomira said " I have the power to return upon earth, I will go and look at thy children and hear thy husband talk, but I want the ten ducats from thy neck," and the woman promised. Dragomira went to her house and brought messages of love to :

the poor mother, and she got the ten golden pieces. Then she again sought her beloved \ he was asleep when she

found him, and put the ducats in his dear hand, and said " Now thou wilt not take another girl to thy heart." He :

awoke "

to find the treasure, and ran and told

We will

Anca, and

be wealthy, my love, and buy a pair of oxen and a cart." And on the wedding day Anca wore the

said

:

Dragomira.

1 1

7

ducats round her neck, but Dragomira had sunk again to everlasting sleep, and she knew not the treachery of her

But the dead woman's husband recognized the

beloved.

" The coins, and he said: young man has stolen the coins out of my wife's grave"; and the woman was unburied and the coins were found missing; so the young man was taken to prison, and when he was released Anca had gone grief and shame. Then he went to Dragomira's " and said Dragomira, I knew the coins came from grave, I and deceived thee; pardon me, Dragomira." But thee,

mad with

:

Dragomira could not hear

as she slept her everlasting

sleep.

This

tale

was told by two maids as they mowed the grass and they had known Anca and Dragomira,

in the garden,

and

they

wept as

they spoke.

1 1

The Toung Prince.

8

THE YOUNG PRINCE WHO, BORN OF A ROSE-TREE, BECAME A ROSE-TREE HIMSELF. " Give me some wool, or give me flax, dear spinner, For my distaff is bare.

T 11 give

thee, too,

"Hark,

sister! the sweet rose whispers

a sweet

And

tells

""Tls

the tale of the Prince

to

while I fill thy distaff. the strange tale."

a rose-bush in a forest, or rather a rose-tree,

For

was high and straight like any tree, threw a high shadow on the grass. admired the rose-tree; the Spring admired

it

And the forest it

tale.

listen

Listen

There was

a

hair"

born of a rose-tree, became a rose-tree himself

Who, Then

And

rose for thy

also,

And

Spring and

Autumn

adorned

it

with fresh

flowers.

And And

the birds

all

said:

"What

a high rose-tree!"

the nightingale sang her best songs

In honour of

its

flowers.

The Toung Prince. The

1 1

9

stream sang better as it flew In the neighbourhood of the high rose-tree.

And

the rose-tree was happy. the forest filled with human laughter and

But one day

mirth

A And

;

gay band of warriors passed by, one of the gayest among them was a young

He

Prince. " This stopped, and looked around and said: forest

Is

dark and wild."

"

What am I really dark and wild?" murmured the forest And for the first time since that forest was born, The forest's heart grew sad. And the Prince said: "The birds sing too wildly." "Do we sing wildly? " thought the birds, And for the first time since they were birds, The birds felt sad. !

" There

;

's

nothing here for

Nothing

And But

us,

my

that's bright

warriors, "

and

fair;

the Prince turned away. just as

he spurred

his tall horse,

He noticed the fair rose-tree. The rose-tree bore beautiful roses.

"O

look at the flowers,

my

warriors!

pluck them

all,

they are lovely and red,

And

this

is

the most beautiful rose-tree I have

ever seen upon earth.

1

The Young Prince.

20

Sure a fairy has planted

it

here, a fairy

must

live

at its roots,

And

a fairy

watch every flower

till

it

"

like a

grows so

young queen. Prince rode away with the roses, But his words remained with the rose-tree,

The

Who

never could

feel

calm or happy

Since the words of the handsome Prince.

In vain the forest murmured: "

come

And

He

is

gone, and never will

again."

The And

rose-tree

The

rose-tree heard the wind,

dreamt of huge palaces where gardens princes roamed. and one days passed by, morning

u Sweet

who

said:

rose-tree,

Thou wilt bear but one other flower, And then no flower evermore. And from that flower will be born a handsome Prince, thy son."

The

rose-tree

"

"Wait and

see,

was

silent

Is it possible,

O

and trembled and

wind ?

said:

"

and the flower will be white,

Whereas all thy flowers were red." The rose-tree went to sleep, and in the night awoke

to

find a white flower

That had grown

right

And when the sunlight came, lo! Sprang out in

full

up at its top. handsome young Prince

a

armour from the heart of the

rose,

121

The Toung Prince. And

And

cried:

"Here

I

am; I'm

a Prince."

the rose-tree instantly loved him, More than she had loved sun and dew.

Nay, even more than it loved the sod from which it sprang. " Holloa! " said the " I want Prince, equerries, pages;

And Why, "

since the forest has none,

must go and conquer a kingdom, Nor rest till I get them all."

I

Stay, sweet boy," said the trembling rose-tree, " I love heart." thee, bright child of

my

"

I'll

come

back, mother dear,

when my crown

's

on

my

head,

And

Now

bring a proud bride to admire thee.

I'll

must go; farewell!"

I

In vain the tearful rose-tree sued and wept,

The handsome

Prince was gone.

His name was Trandaflr, Which means, born of a rose-tree.

And

the roses on the earth were his sweet

all

Trandafir walked through the forest heiduck.

till

sisters.

he met a fierce

"Art thou Prince Trandafir?" inquired the heiduck. " I

Yes, I am the son of a rose-tree, Prince Trandafir."

am

" Then take

And

this horse

fight with

and follow me,

me

in all

my

fights."

" I'm a Prince, fierce heiduck, and cannot follow,

When

followers I

must have.

The Toung Prince,

122 But

if

thou canst serve and obey, Then willingly will I be

A "

gracious Prince to thee."

Trandafir, gentle boy, taste

As

will fall

it

And And

my

sword, taste thy blood,

from thy brow to thy

Trandafir was the swiftest, But the black heiduck was the

Twice they

fell

fiercest.

to the ground,

rose again, the heiduck roared

And Were

And

lips."

the fierce heiduck sprang upon him, they closed in sharp fight.

till

and twice they

the oaks and the elms

uprooted from fear. Trandafir laughed till the rivers

Returned to the mountains to learn

Whence came

that savage laugh.

But the heiduck was strong and

And

Trandafir

When And

a rose

fierce,

felt faint, fell

right into his hand.

he took the rose and threw

At the fierce And lo the

heiduck,

gentle rose's stem Fell on the heiduck's neck !

And

cut his black head

ofF.

So Trandafir pursued in peace his journey, Till he reached a high palace Beside a smiling lake.

And

in this palace lived a

powerful king,

it

The Toung Prince.

123

Who

The maid

had a lovely daughter. stood on the palace tower. Trandafir saw her there,

And said " She'll be my bride." The maid wept on the palace tower, :

Because her

fate

was

sad.

She had one day wounded a haughty lily Who was a fairy, and said: "Beware!

Whatever happiness thou canst get

in

Thou wilt lose soon, And thou wilt be killed by Beware, beware

And

life

a flower,

" !

Trandafir reined in

spoke to the

" Beautiful maid, "

O

thy

I

why,

maid

am

O

his horse

beneath the tower and

:

Prince Trandafir."

why," sighed the young

girl,

" Dost thou wear such a dreadful name?

A A

man who

" IVe

flower must

kill

wears the sweet

killed the fierce

me, or perchance

name

of a flower."

heiduck there in the

forest,

I'm strong and brave,

And I'll defend thee against thy fate." " The King my father is so stern. The King my father wishes me

To

Who

marry a young Prince changeth into rubies and diamonds Everything that he touches." " Beautiful maid,

Said Trandafir

:

The Young Prince.

124 ride

I'll

and seek a

Who'll help us " Dear Trandafir, take

A

fairy

in this plight."

my

veil

and

my

bracelet

In token of my love. flower I dare not give, a flower I dare not touch, flower will kill me."

A

Young Trandafir went back to the rose-tree And said to the rose-tree: "Mother dear, I'm

And

with the daughter of a stern king, never be her bridegroom

in love

I will

Till I learn

how

to change

Into rubies and diamonds

Everything that I touch. canst thou find among thy friends A fairy or wizard

Now,

Who

could

And The

"

come

to

my

rescue

me

the means of conquering give rose-tree pondered, and asked the

"

my

joy

!

moon:

" Dost thou change into rubies and diamonds " All that thou touchest ? u said the wand 's made of silver."

No,"

And

my

moon,

the rose-tree consulted every bird, And none of them could find the wizard or the fairy That the rose-tree meant; " But the lark cried " Why, ask the dew ? :

"

And

The

dew, yes, the dew," said the rose-tree when the dew came before dawn,

She

said

" :

Sister

dew.

;

The Toung Prince.

My "

son, Prince Trandafir, requires thee Say, wilt thou help?"

125 ;

" Prince Trandafir, Willingly," said the dew; to Go back the King's palace,

And

be with thee.

I will

Unnoticed, I will help." Prince Trandafir went back and told the maiden

" Call the I

:

King and let him hear. can change into ruby and diamond stern

All that I touch."

And gently he touched the maiden's hair, And lo! rubies and diamonds shone in her And they were made of dew. And Trandafir married fair Mariora

tresses fair,

;

a happy pair. At morning Prince Trandafir went in the forest

They were With

And

A And

thirty warriors brave, and he came back at noon. there was scarce a day when he had not killed

dragon, a witch, or a wicked king.

His fame spread far and wide, Mariora thought no more of the dark prophecy, Nor ever touched a flower.

One

He

evening as Trandafir wandered by himself In his palace garden, heard the gentle dew whisper to him, " Go in the forest, Prince,

The

rose-bush

is

fading, the rose-bush

Because of thee.

is

dying,

The Toung Prince.

126

The

rose-bush longs to see thee before it dies." Trandaflr proudly answered " The rose-bush :

and

may

fade

die.

What know

I

of rose-bushes

In this palace fair?" the gentle dew hastened to the rose-bush and said:

And

"

Thy

son

is

wicked e'en

as the

north wind, dear."

And when

the rose-bush heard the message leaves fell, and before sunset

green

was dead.

It

One

its

single rose remained alive at the top of the withered

tree;

She was a purple rose, She was a vengeful rose,

And

revenge the rose-tree." she said to the dew " Canst thou make

And

said:

I'll

:

me

A

lady tall and fair?" " There is a lady fair at the gate of the palace," Said a warrior to Trandaflr.

a She

says she

Meet

comes from

fair ladies at

kiss their slim

a land

where young Princes bow low to them and

the gate and

white hand."

Prince Trandaflr sprang out to meet her

:

"Fair dame, what is thy name?" " Prince, I'm called Trandaflra, Prince Trandaflr, like you." 'Tis a pity I'm married to a good and handsome wife." " Never mind your wife, Prince; we will sit here and watch

The Toung Prince. The moon walk on "

127

the trees."

Yes, lovely lady, but at midnight, alas

!

must go and meet my Princess, For ladies and warriors dance in our garden Under the travelling moon."

I

" Never mind dance and garden, never mind warriors and dames,

The moon

walks on the leaves, and walks so lightly

That not one

The

stars are

leaf

stirred.

is

dead because the

moon

has killed them,

And

You

yet she smiles, the murderous moon. see I know all the white moon's dark secrets,

It

's

And on

she herself that

kills

the sky her knife his

is

the sun,

bloody, but the sun

rises

from

tomb,

And

every night She has to kill again. Say, do

"

I love

thy

Much But hark!

And In

you love

my

tale, fair lady,

tale."

and thy

lips that

say

it

better than thy tale. 'tis

the

summons of morning, moon must hasten

in her turn the

my

to her grave.

high halls thirty warriors are waiting,

Who

"

O

long to ride away." never mind your warriors, and Still

would

I say

" Give me a " Give

me

c :

if

Handsome

kiss, fair lady."

thy wedding ring."

they were a thousand

Prince, never mind.'"

The Toung Prince.

128

And

she took the ring from his finger and disappeared. Trandafir rode away with his warriors

Quite dazed and

While he rode

sick at heart.

Mariora heard a knock

in the forest

bower door.

"Push

the door; lift the heavy curtain. 'Tis one of my ladies, I suppose.

O

who

are you, beautiful stranger

Sit

down, and

tell

me

?

thy name."

" I'm Trandaflra, Prince Trandafir's own wife." Mariora got as pale as death, Mariora gasped for breath.

" Trandafir

is my husband, lady. madness, foul game, or ... a sin." "Trandafir's Trandafira's own spouse;

This

is

Our wedding took place in the forest." "Show a pledge." " Here's his ring." Mariora gasped for breath, Mariora called aloud on death She saw the wedding

ring,

;

and knew

it,

Yet

"

she could not believe the lady's tale. " Come," said she, the ring may be stolen ;

Some

We

other Prince or a

King

May have given this ring to thee. will wait till the Prince returns." Mariora hid Trandafira Behind the curtains in her bower,

And

Trandafir rode home;

at

her

The Toung Prince.

129

He had killed a dragon, two witches, And felt merry and laughed and sang,

And

ran towards her, and sought to kiss her on her

But Mariora smiled and about the moon.

is

The moon had " But

"

why

Why

lips.

Trandaflr,

thee a tale;

I will tell It

"Dear

said:

killed the sun."

....

thou so pale, dear husband? " so trembling? art

O, never mind I'm pale because The moon has killed the sun." ;

" But the sun

Now

to-day

I

rises every morning from his red tomb. have heard a strange thing, my fair husband.

The moon still loves the And they are wedded; They It

is

have a marriage ring. the gold of the sun

made of

And Exactly

like

the silver of the

our

own

Thy

Trandaflr answered

"

;

but

let

moon,

me

see

ring, for

wedding Makes every

The

sun,

ring to

thy finger ring look fair."

" :

my

I

have given

cup-bearer old,

For there was some spot on the gold."

No, no,

no, no, the cup-bearer thou hast given

To whom

Her name

And

she

is

is

Trandaflra,

hiding here.

K

is

not the

my

ring.

human

creature

The Toung Prince.

130 Thou

lovest Trandafira.

Thy poor wife now must die." " Dear wife, sweet wife, fair Mariora, " Forgive But Mariora had taken a long knife, !

And And at

put an end to her fair life; that moment Trandafira came up to him and said:

"

I

I'll

am

a purple rose,

revenge the rose-tree, Prince,

The

And And

rose-tree from which thou art born, which thou hast shown no love; all the roses on the earth

to

Will be thy enemies for evermore." Trandafir wept and rode away, He found no peace by day, he found no peace by night, Till he entered the doors of a convent,

And

"What

asked to live there as a monk.

will be

"We

my work

here,

my

brothers?"

with the roses and pray." TrandafiVs little garden was full of roses,

He

"O why He

live

could not look at them.

does that

man

fear his roses?

must be sore beset by

his sins."

Trandafir could not pray. Whenever he lifted his soul and

The

smell of the garden roses Entered the darksome church.

his voice

The Toung Prince.

I

And

because of the garden roses Trandafir could not pray. " That man cannot pray, my brothers

O

His

must be

sins

!

terrible indeed."

And one day came the convent was And all the monks wept, all Except Trandafir. Because of the smell of the

burnt down,

roses,

Because of the garden roses, Trandafir could not weep.

So the monks

said to

him: "Brother

dear,

We are

in fear of thee

Go

live in the forest, brother,

and

Where

How

;

perhaps thou wilt learn

sweet

'tis

to

weep and pray."

And Trandafir went in the forest deep, The forest where he was born, And he said to the trees: "I'm the son

Of the But the

Other

By

And

he

:

u The rose-tree

rose-trees have

's

dead ;

come

the banks of the stream."

said to the birds:

How And

fine rose-tree."

trees said

"O

birds,

high the rose-tree was?

the birds answered:

That

do you remember

"No."

But he heard the nightingale say Is the

"

:

"

O

death of a rose-tree, and a rose-tree should die;

how sad how strange

3

1

The Toung Prince.

132 I

knew

Who, Gave

The And "

O

I alone

a rose-tree once

instead of bearing a flower, birth to a young Prince.

rose-tree

dead,

to sing

am

gentle nightingale, I

Fain would

I be

I'm so weary of

And

's

am come

its dirge." that rose-tree's son.

myself a rose-tree,

O

life,

gentle nightingale."

the nightingale said " Listen I'll sing :

:

Till thou becomest a rose-tree, Prince.

And

Listen, I'll sing." the gentle nightingale sang

And

at

all

the night,

dawn

At the place where Trandafir There was a tall rose-tree. "

stood

the tale of the Prince born JVho, of a rose-tree

TeSy this

is

Became a

rose-tree himself.

Say, dost thou like the tale?"

"

Yes, take the flax

and

Take my spindle, I like thy tale?

the wool,

The Knife and

the

Wind.

1

33

THE KNIFE AND THE WIND; OR,

THE GIRL WHO WAS THRICE BETROTHED. The water that thou givest me to drink is cool and sweet. The water in the well lives so far from the sun, So the water imagines that the sun and the moon

Dwell but for an hour Shall I

tell

water, Shall I

And

the

in the sky.

thee a tale, just to thank thee for the cool sweet

water

tell thee

a tale?

in the well will hear

my

voice,

Because alike unto the sun and the swift moon,

As I will

But

rest

they rest on the water, hut one hour here;

I tell thee the strange tale, Thou wilt remember the traveller unknown,

if

And And I

will

the form tell

of his shadow at thy feet;

thee the strange tale without leaving

saddle,

Because my horse

And

if

is

swift.

I leave him he may run away, And I never catch him again!

my

The Knife and

134

Wind.

the

There happened once what ne'er before had And can nevermore happen again.

A

young

girl lived in a village

And when all

"

And

O

The

sun

hard by the mountains,

she passed near, the mountain-flowers

whispered

:

stay with us,"

sister,

at night the stars said:

Come

happened,

"Dear

and dance with us

"

said to her:

Lovely

sister,

in the sky."

sister,

do give

me

thy hair

that I

may Twine its

And I

gold between my own tresses, will not know when

noon the plain shed my hair on the at

Which

And

is

forest

Cross

And my

my

own

thy

the river said

hair or

O

" :

my

waters with thy swift young

pebbles,

Will never

my

sand, and

my

Which

of the two have been waters, dear, or thy

girl

feet,

flowers

guess, dear swift-footed,

Of my But the young

hair."

swift-footed,

would not

fleetest

own

swift feet."

listen,

Nor dance with Her Nor

the stars, nor give long hair to the sun, cross the bright river.

The young She

said:

girl called

"Come,

beloved.

aloud for love. love.

—

I

want

to love

and be

The Knife and I

want great

Love, be

Wind.

the

love to

come

to

35

me.

young and cruel

as

1

as

the

young

knife

That has never drunk one

As

single drop of blood; be as and soft as the wind ; Love, mighty full of as the as dreams warm sod warm,

That

covers the dead and wraps

them

in long

sleep.

Love be

And

A

—

unto the blessed young eyes of the sun, the knife, and the wind, and the blessed eye of the alike

sun heard the young girl call them all, For she had aloud and thrice called them. young knife that hung on the wall marked her words,

And when

night came,

when

the gentle stars

were away dance and to brighten the wedding

To Of a

couple of distant young

The young

And

knife sprang

stars,

down from

the wall,

he ran towards the house where a great wizard dwelt. His roof was made of reeds, and these reeds closed his hut.

The young

knife cut the reeds, and the reeds

moaned and the wind Cause us

" Say,

"

I

am

said:

to sing or sigh."

The young knife who art thou "

entered.

?

the

young

knife, wizard.

"Nevermore

will

1

The Knife and

36

the

Wind,

have as yet ne'er drunk a drop of blood." then what canst thou say to me ? O, " I love red tales where knifes relate their crimes." I

"

" But thou, young knife, what canst thou say me, " Since thou hast never killed ?

"

A young

dwells under the roof where

girl

I

am

a

to

young

knife.

She thrice hath

Must be

alike

said

c :

The

love that

comes

to

me

unto the knife whose blade has never tasted blood.'

And

must accomplish her fate, Because her own mouth has called I

Thou art right! since it is her fate. Then touch my shoulder, tear my white

it."