Blue Beard

There was a man who had fine houses, both in town and country, a great deal of silver and gold tablewarea deal of silver and gold plate, embroidered furniture, and coaches gilded all over with gold. But this man had the misfortune to have a blue beard, which made him so frightfully ugly, that all the women and girls ran away from him.

One of his neighbours, a lady of high ranka lady of quality, had two daughters who were perfect beauties. He asked to marry one of them, leaving their mother to choose which daughter she would give him.He desired of her one of them in marriage, leaving to her the choice which of the two she would bestow upon him. Neither wanted him. Each was happy to leave him to the other, unable to bear the thought of marrying a man with a blue beard.They would neither of them have him, and each made the other welcome of him, being not able to bear the thought of marrying a man who had a blue beard. What also disgusted and repelled them was that he had already had several wives, and nobody knew what had become of them.And what besides gave them disgust and aversion, was his having already been married to several wives, and nobody ever knew what became of them.

Blue Beard, to win their affectionto engage their affection, took them, their mother, three or four ladies they knew, and other young people from the neighbourhoodwith the lady their mother, and three or four ladies of their acquaintance, with other young people of the neighbourhood, to one of his country housescountry seats, where they stayed a whole week. Their days were full of outings, hunting, fishing, dancing, laughter and feasting.There was nothing then to be seen but parties of pleasure, hunting, fishing, dancing, mirth and feasting. Nobody went to bed, but all passed the night in playing tricks upon each other. In short, everythingevery thing succeeded so well, that the youngest daughter began to think her host’s beard was not so very blue, and that he was a very polite gentlemanbegan to think the master of the house not to have a beard so very blue, and that he was a mighty civil gentleman. As soon as they returned home, they were marriedthe marriage was concluded.

About a month afterwards Blue Beard told his wife that he had to travel into the country for at least six weeks on very important business. He asked her to enjoy herself while he was away, invite her friends and acquaintances, take them to the country if she wished, and feast wherever she was.that he was obliged to take a country journey for six weeks at least, about affairs of very great consequence, desiring her to divert herself in his absence, to send for her friends and acquaintances, to carry them into the country, if she pleased, and to make good cheer wherever she was.

"Here," said he, "are the keys of the two great wardrobes, where I keep my finest furnishingswherein I have my best furniture; these are for my silver and gold tableware, which is not used every daythese are of my silver and gold plate, which is not every day in use; these open my strong boxes, which hold my money, both gold and silver; these are for my jewel boxesthese my caskets of jewels; and this is the master-key to all my roomsall my apartments. As for this little one hereBut for this little one here, it is the key to the little room at the endthe key of the closet at the end of the great gallery on the ground floor. Open them all; go into all and every one of them; except that little room. I forbid you to enter it. If you open it, there will be no limit to my rightful anger and resentment.except that little closet which I forbid you, and forbid it in such a manner that, if you happen to open it, there will be no bounds to my just anger and resentment."

She promised to follow his orders exactly. He embraced her, got into his coach and set off.She promised to observe, very exactly, whatever he had ordered; when he, after having embraced her, got into his coach and proceeded on his journey.

Her neighbours and friends did not wait for the newly married lady to invite them. They were eager to see the fine furnishings of her house. They had not dared to visit while her husband was there, because his blue beard frightened them.Her neighbours and good friends did not stay to be sent for by the newmarried lady, so great was their impatience to see all the rich furniture of her house, not daring to come while her husband was there, because of his blue beard which frightened them. They ran through all the rooms, small chambers and storeroomsthro' all the rooms, closets, and wardrobes, which were all so rich and fine, that they seemed to surpass one another.

After that, they went up into the two great rooms, where the finest furnishings were kept. They could not admire enoughwhere were the best and richest furniture; they could not sufficiently admire the number and beauty of the tapestry, beds, couches, cabinets, stands, tables, and mirrorslooking-glasses in which you might see yourself from head to foot. Some of them were framed with glass; some of them were framed with glass, others with silver, plain and gilded, the finest and most magnificent which were ever seen. They kept praising and envying their friend’s good fortune. Meanwhile, she took no pleasure in looking at all these riches: she was impatient to open the little room on the ground floor.They ceased not to extol and envy the happiness of their friend, who in the mean time no way diverted herself in looking upon all these rich things, because of the impatience she had to go and open the closet of the ground floor. Her curiosity was so strong that, forgetting how rude it was to leave her guests,She was so much pressed by her curiosity, that, without considering that it was very uncivil to leave her company, she went down a little back-stair-case, and in such a hurry that she nearly broke her neck two or three timeswith such excessive haste, that she had twice or thrice like to have broken her neck.

When she reached the little room’s door, she paused. She thought about her husband’s orders and what trouble might follow if she disobeyed. But the temptation was too strong to resist.Being come to the closet door, she made a stop for some time, thinking upon her husband's orders, and considering what unhappiness might attend her if she was disobedient; but the temptation was so strong she could not overcome it. Then, trembling, she took the little key and opened the door. At first she could not see anything clearlyShe took then the little key, and opened it trembling; but could not at first see any thing plainly, because the windows were shut. After some moments she began to seebegan to perceive that the floor was all covered over with clotted blood, in which were reflected the bodies of several dead women lined up against the walls. Theseranged against the walls: these were all the wives whom Blue Beard had married and murdered one after another. She almost died of frightShe was like to have died for fear, and the key, which she pulled out of the lock, fell out of her hand.

After coming to her senses a little, she picked up the key, locked the door and went upstairs to her room to calm down. But she was too frightened to recover.After having somewhat recovered her senses, she took up the key, locked the door, and went up stairs into her chamber to recover herself; but she could not, so much was she frightened. When she noticed that the key to the little room was stained with bloodHaving observed that the key of the closet was stained with blood, she tried two or three times to wipe it off, but the blood would not come off. She washed it and even scrubbed it with soap and sand, but in vain: the blood remained. The key was enchanted, so she could never get it completely clean. When the blood disappeared from one side, it returned on the other.; in vain did she wash it, and even rub it with soap and sand, the blood still remained, for the key was a Fairy, and she could never make it quite clean; when the blood was gone off from one side, it came again on the other.

Blue Beard returned from his journey the same evening, and said, he had received letters on the road telling him that his business had been settled in his favourupon the road, informing him that the affair he went about was ended to his advantage. His wife did all she could to convince him she was extremely glad of his speedy return. Next morning he asked her for the keys, which she gave him, but with such a trembling hand, that he easily guessed what had happened.

"What," said he, "is the key to my little room not with the others?is not the key of my closet among the rest?"

"I must certainly," answered she, "have left it upstairs on the tableabove upon the table."

"Be sureFail not," said Blue Beard, "to bring it to me at oncebring it me presently."

After putting him off several times, she was forced to bring him the key. Blue Beard, after examining it closelyhaving very attentively considered it, said to his wife:

"How did this blood get on the key?How comes this blood upon the key?"

"I do not know," cried the poor woman, paler than death.

"You do not know," replied Blue Beard; "I very well know, you were determined to enter the little roomyou were resolved to go into the closet, were you not? Very well, MadamMighty well, Madam; you shall go in, and take your place among the ladies you saw there."

Upon this she threw herself at her husband's feet, and begged his pardon showing how deeply she regretted disobeying himwith all the signs of a true repentance for her disobedience. She would have melted a rock, so beautiful and sorrowful was she; but Blue Beard had a heart harder than any rock.

"You must die, Madam," said he, "and at onceand that presently."

"Since I must die," answered she, looking at him through tear-filled eyeslooking upon him with her eyes all bathed in tears, "give me some little time to say my prayers."

"I give you," replied Blue Beard, "seven and a half minuteshalf a quarter of an hour, but not one moment more."

When she was alone, she called out to her sister, and said to her:

"Sister Anne" (for that was her name), "go up I beg you, upon the top of the tower, and see whether my brothers are coming. They promised to come today. If you see them, signal to them to hurry.look if my brothers are not coming; they promised me that they would come to-day, and if you see them, give them a sign to make haste."

Her sister Anne went up upon the top of the tower, and the poor distressed wifethe poor afflicted wife cried out from time to time, "Anne, sister Anne, do you see any one coming?"

And sister Anne said:

"I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass growing green."

MeanwhileIn the mean while Blue Beard, holding a great scimitar in his hand, cried out as loud as he could bawl to his wife:

"Come down instantly, or I shall come up to you."

"One moment longer, if you please," said his wife, and then she cried out very softly:

"Anne, sister Anne, do you see anybody coming?dost thou see any body coming?"

And sister Anne answered:

"I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass growing green."

"Come down quickly," cried Blue Beard, "or I will come up to you."

"I am coming," answered his wife; and then she cried:

"Anne, sister Anne, do you see anyone coming?dost thou see any one coming?"

"I see," replied sister Anne, "a great cloud of dust coming this waya great dust that comes this way."

"Are they my brothers?"

"Alas! no, my dear sister, I see a flock of sheep."

"Will you not come down?" cried Blue Beard.

"One moment longer," said his wife, and then she cried out:

"Anne, sister Anne, do you see nobody coming?dost thou see nobody coming?"

"I see," said she, "two horsemen coming, but they are still a long way offthey are yet a great way off."

"God be praised," she cried at onceshe cried presently, "they are my brothers; I am beckoning to them, as clearly as I can, to make them hurryas well as I can, for them to make haste."

Then Blue Beard bawled out so loud, that he made the whole house tremble. The distressed wife came down, and threw herself at his feet, all in tears, with her hair about her shoulders.

"Nothing will help youNought will avail," said Blue Beard, "you must die"; then, taking hold of her hair with one hand, and lifting up his scimitar with the other, he was about to cut off her headwas going to take off her head.

The poor lady turned towards him, looking at him with dying eyes. She begged for one brief moment to collect herself.The poor lady turning about to him, and looking at him with dying eyes, desired him to afford her one little moment to recollect herself.

"No, no," said he, "commend yourself to Godrecommend thyself to God," and was just ready to strike.

At this very instant there was such a loud knocking at the gate, that Blue Beard made a sudden stop. The gate was opened, and two horsemen immediately entered. They drew their swords and ran straight towards Blue Beardpresently entered two horsemen, who drawing their swords, ran directly to Blue Beard. He knew them to be his wife's brothers, one a mounted soldier, the other a musketeer. He immediately ran away to save himself. Butone a dragoon, the other a musqueteer; so that he ran away immediately to save himself; but the two brothers pursued him so closely that they caught himpursued so close, that they overtook him before he could get to the steps of the porch. the steps of the porch, They ran their swords through his body and left him deadwhen they ran their swords thro' his body and left him dead. The poor wife was almost as dead as her husband, and did not have enough strengthhad not strength enough to rise and welcome her brothers.

Blue Beard had no heirs, and so his wife became the owner of his whole estatebecame mistress of all his estate. She made use of one part of it to marry her sister Anne to a young gentleman who had loved her a long while; another part to buy captains' commissions for her brothers; and the rest to marry herself to a very worthy gentleman, who made her forget the terrible time she had spentthe ill time she had passed with Blue Beard.

The Moral

Oh curiosity, you deadly curse!
Despite your charms,
you often cause pain and deep regret.
We see a thousand examples every day.
You offer fleeting pleasure but lasting worry—may the ladies forgive me
for saying so!
Alas, the prize always costs too much,
and vanishes the moment it is won.O curiosity, thou mortal bane!
Spite of thy charms, thou causest often pain
And sore regret, of which we daily find
A thousand instances attend mankind:
For thou—O may it not displease the fair—
A fleeting pleasure art, but lasting care.
And always proves, alas! too dear the prize,
Which, in the moment of possession, dies.

Another

A little common sense and knowledge of the world
will show that this story belongs to long ago.
Husbands no longer inspire such terror
or foolishly try to rule
by demanding the impossible.
Even when unhappy
or burning with wicked jealousy,
they speak softly.
Whatever colour their beards may be—black,
blue, grey or reddish-brown—it is hard
to say
who rules, the husband or the wife.A very little share of common sense,
And knowledge of the world, will soon evince
That this a story is of time long pass'd;
No husbands now such panic terrors cast;
Nor weakly, with a vain despotic hand,
Imperious, what's impossible, command:
And be they discontented, or the fire
Of wicked jealousy their hearts inspire,
They softly sing; and of whatever hue
Their beards may chance to be, or black, or blue,
Grizeld, or russet, it is hard to say
Which of the two, the man or wife, bears sway.