'No, master, I am speaking the truth.Come and see for yourself.'
'If I find you have deceived me, you are a dead man, said the herdsman; and they went out together.
'What do you call that?' asked the youth.And the herdsman looked and saw the traces of a fire, which seemed to have sprung up from under the earth.
'Wonder upon wonder,' he exclaimed, 'so you really did speak the truth after all! Well, I cannot reproach you, though I shall have to pay heavily to my royal master for the value of that ox.But come, let us go home! I will never set you to herd cattle again, henceforward I will give you something easier to do.'
'I have thought of exactly the thing for you,' said the herdsman as they walked along, ' and it is so simple that you cannot make a mistake.Just make me ten scythes, one for every man, for I want the grass mown in one of my meadows to-morrow.'
At these words the youth's heart sank, for he had never been trained either as a smith or a joiner.However, he dared not say no, but smiled and nodded.
Slowly and sadly he went to bed, but he could not sleep, for wondering how the scythes were to be made.All the skill and cunning he had shown before was of no use to him now, and after thinking about the scythes for many hours, there seemed only one way open to him.So, listening to make sure that all was still, he stole away to his parents, and told them the whole story.When they had heard everything, they hid him where no one could find him.
Time passed away, and the young man stayed at home doing all his parents bade him, and showing himself very different from what he had been before he went out to see the world; but one day he said to his father that he should like to marry, and have a house of his own.
'When I served the king's chief herdsman,' added he, 'I saw his daughter, and I am resolved to try if I cannot win her for my wife.'
'It will cost you your life, if you do,' answered the father, shaking his head.
'Well, I will do my best,' replied his son; 'but first give me the sword which hangs over your bed!'
The old man did not understand what good the sword would do, however he took it down, and the young man went his way.
Late in the evening he arrived at the house of the herdsman, and knocked at the door, which was opened by a little boy.
'I want to speak to your master,' said he.
'So it is you?' cried the herdsman, when he had received the message.'Well, you can sleep here to-night if you wish.'
'I have come for something else besides a bed,' replied the young man, drawing his sword, 'and if you do not promise to give me your youngest daughter as my wife I will stab you through the heart.'
What could the poor man do but promise? And he fetched his youngest daughter, who seemed quite pleased at the proposed match, and gave the youth her hand.
Then the young man went home to his parents, and bade them get ready to welcome his bride.And when the wedding was over he told his father-in-law, the herdsman, what he had done with the sheep, and pigs, and cattle.By-and-by the story came to the king's ears, and he thought that a man who was so clever was just the man to govern the country; so he made him his minister, and after the king himself there was no one so great as he.
[From Islandische Mahrchen.]
EisenkopfOnce upon a time there lived an old man who had only one son, whom he loved dearly; but they were very poor, and often had scarcely enough to eat.Then the old man fell ill, and things grew worse than ever, so he called his son and said to him:
'My dear boy, I have no longer any food to give you, and you must go into the world and get it for yourself.It does not matter what work you do, but remember if you do it well and are faithful to your master, you will always have your reward.'
So Peter put a piece of black bread in his knapsack, and strapping it on his back, took a stout stick in his hand, and set out to seek his fortune.For a long while he travelled on and on, and nobody seemed to want him; but one day he met an old man, and being a polite youth, he took off his hat and said: 'Good morning,' in a pleasant voice.'Good morning,' answered the old man; 'and where are you going?'
'I am wandering through the country trying to get work,' replied Peter.
'Then stay with me, for I can give you plenty,' said the old man, and Peter stayed.
His work did not seem hard, for he had only two horses and a cow to see after, and though he had been hired for a year, the year consisted of but three days, so that it was not long before he received his wages.In payment the old man gave him a nut, and offered to keep him for another year; but Peter was home-sick; and, besides, he would rather have been paid ever so small a piece of money than a nut; for, thought he, nuts grow on every tree, and Ican gather as many as I like.However, he did not say this to the old man, who had been kind to him, but just bade him farewell.
The nearer Peter drew to his father's house the more ashamed he felt at having brought back such poor wages.What could one nut do for him? Why, it would not buy even a slice of bacon.It was no use taking it home, he might as well eat it.So he sat down on a stone and cracked it with his teeth, and then took it out of his mouth to break off the shell.But who could ever guess what came out of that nut? Why, horses and oxen and sheep stepped out in such numbers that they seemed as if they would stretch to the world's end! The sight gave Peter such a shock that he wrung his hands in dismay.What was he to do with all these creatures, where was he to put them? He stood and gazed in terror, and at this moment
