The Singing, Springing Lark

Once uponThere was once on a time there wastime a man who was about to set out on a long journey, and before leavingon parting he asked his three daughters what he should bring back with him for them. The eldestWhereupon the eldest wished for pearls, the second wished for diamonds, but the third said, “Dear father, I should like a singing, soaring lark.” The father said, “Yes, if I can get it, you shall have it,” kissed all three, and set out. Now when the time had come for him to be on his way home again, he had brought pearls and diamonds for the two eldest, but he had searched everywhere without successhe had sought everywhere in vain for a singing, soaring lark for the youngest, and he was very unhappy about it, for she was his favorite child. His road led through a forest. In its middle stood a splendid castle, with a tree nearby. Right atThen his road lay through a forest, and in the midst of it was a splendid castle, and near the castle stood a tree, but quite on the top of the tree, he saw a singing, soaring lark. “Aha, you come just at the right moment!” he said, quite delighted, and called to his servant to climb up and catch the little creature. But as the servant approached the tree, a lionBut as he approached the tree, a lion leapt from beneath it, shook himself, and roared till the leaves on the trees trembled. “WhoeverHe who tries to steal my singing, soaring lark,” he cried, “I willwill I devour.” Then the man said, “I did not know that the bird belonged to youthee. I will make upamends for the wrong I have done and buy my freedomransom myself with a large sum of money, only spare my life.” The lion said, “Only one thing can save you: promise to give me whatever first comes to meet you when you get home. If you do that, I’ll spare your life and give you the bird for your daughter as well.Nothing can save thee, unless thou wilt promise to give me for mine own what first meets thee on thy return home; and if thou wilt do that, I will grant thee thy life, and thou shalt have the bird for thy daughter, into the bargain.” But the man hesitated and said, “That might be my youngest daughter, she loves me best, and always runs to meet me on my return home.” The servant, however, was terrified and said, “Why should your daughter be the very one to meet you? It might as easily be a cat or dog.Why should your daughter be the very one to meet you, it might as easily be a cat, or dog?” Then the man letallowed himself be persuadedto be over-persuaded, took the singing, soaring lark, and promised to give the lion whateverwhatsoever should first meet him on his return home.

When he reached home and entered his house, the first who met him was no other than his youngest and dearest daughter, who came running up, kissed and embraced him, and when she saw that he had brought with him a singing, soaring lark, she was beside herself with joy. The father, however, could not rejoice, but began to weep, and said, “My dearest child, I have paid dearly for thisbought the little bird  dear. In return for it, I have had to promise to give youI have been obliged to promise thee to a savage lion, and when he has youthee he will devour youtear thee in pieces and devour theeExplanation: The father's fear that the lion will eat his daughter remains; the graphic image of tearing her apart is omitted.,” and he told her all, just as it had happened, and begged her not to go there, whatever happenedcome what might. But she consoled him and said, “Dearest father, you must keep your promiseindeed your promise must be fulfilled. I will go therethither and soften the lion’s heartlion, so that I may return to youthee safely.” Next morning she asked the way, said goodbye and went fearlesslyhad the road pointed out to her, took leave, and went fearlessly out into the forest. But the lion was a prince under a spell. By day, he and all his people were lions; at night, they became human again.The lion, however, was an enchanted prince and was by day a lion, and all his people were lions with him, but in the night they resumed their natural human shapes. On her arrival she was kindly received and led into the castle. When night came, the lion turned into a handsome man, and their wedding was celebrated with great magnificence. They lived happily together, remained awake at night, and slept in the daytime. One day he came and said, “TomorrowTo-morrow there is a feast in yourthy father’s house, because your eldest sister is to be married, and if you would likethou art inclined to go there, my lions shall take youconduct thee.” She said, “Yes, I should very much like to see my father again,” and went therethither, accompanied by the lions. There was great joy when she arrived, for they had all believed that the lionsheExplanation: The family still believes she has been killed; the graphic description is omitted. had killed herbeen torn in pieces by the lion, and had long agoceased to live. But she told them what a handsome husband she had, and how well off she was, remained with them while the wedding-feast lasted, and then went back again to the forest. When the second daughter was about to be married, and she was again invited to the wedding, she said to the lion, “This time I will not be alone, youthou must come with me.” The lion, however, said that it was too dangerous for him, if even a ray of candlelight touched him there, he would turn into a dove and have to fly with the doves for seven yearsfor if when there a ray from a burning candle fell on him, he would be changed into a dove, and for seven years long would have to fly about with the doves. She said, “Ah, but do come with me, I will take great care of youthee, and guard youthee from all light.” So they went away together, and took with them their little child as well. She had a room built there with walls so solid and thick that no ray of light could get through. He was to shut himself inside when the wedding candles were lit.chamber built there, so strong and thick that no ray could pierce through it; in this he was to shut himself up when the candles were lit for the wedding-feast. But the door was made of freshly cut wood which warped as it driedgreen wood which warped and left a little crack which no one noticed. The wedding was celebrated with magnificence, but when the procession with all its candles and torches came back from church, and passed by this roomapartment, a ray about the width of a hair fell on the King’s son. The moment it touched him, he was transformed. When she came in and looked for him, she did not see him: a white dove was sitting there.a ray about the breadth of a hair fell on the King’s son, and when this ray touched him, he was transformed in an instant, and when she came in and looked for him, she did not see him, but a white dove was sitting there. The dove said to her, “For seven years I must fly about the worldFor seven years must I fly about the world, but at every seventh step that you take I will let fall a drop of red blood and a white feather, and these will show youthee the way, and if you followthou followest the trail you cantrace thou canst release me.” ThenThereupon the dove flew out at the door, and she followed him, and at every seventh step a red drop of blood and a little white feather fell down and showed her the way.

So she travelled further and further across the wide world, never looking around or stopping to rest. The seven years were almost over, and she was happy, thinking they would soon be free. Yet they were stillSo she went continually further and further in the wide world, never looking about her or resting, and the seven years were almost past; then she rejoiced and thought that they would soon be delivered, and yet they were so far from it! One day, as they travelled onOnce when they were thus moving onwards, no little feather and no drop of red blood fell, and when she raised her eyes the dove had disappeared. And as she thought to herself, “No human being can help me nowIn this no man can help thee,” she climbed up to the sun, and said to him, “You shineThou shinest into every crackevery crevice, and over every peak, have youhast thou not seen a white dove flying?” “No,” said the sun, “I have seen none, but I give youpresent thee with a small boxcasket, open it when you arethou art in greatestsorest need.” Then she thanked the sun, and went on until evening came and the moon appeared; she then asked her, “You shineThou shinest the whole night through, and on every field and forest, have youhast thou not seen a white dove flying?” “No,” said the moon, “I have seen no dove, but here I give youthee an egg, break it when you arethou art in great need.” She thanked the moon, and went on until the night wind came up and blew on her, then she said to it, “You blowThou blowest over every tree and under every leaf, have youhast thou not seen a white dove flying?” “No,” said the night wind, “I have seen none, but I will ask the three other winds, perhaps they have seen it.” The east wind and the west wind came, and had seen nothing, but the south wind said, “I have seen the white dove, it has flown to the Red Sea, where it has become a lion again, for the seven years are over, and the lion is there fighting with a dragon; the dragon, however, is an enchanted princess.” The night wind then said to her, “Here is my advice: go to the Red Sea. On the right bank are some tall reeds. Count them, break off the eleventh, and strike the dragon with it. Then the lion will be able to overcome it, and both will regain their human form.I will advise thee; go to the Red Sea, on the right bank are some tall reeds, count them, break off the eleventh, and strike the dragon with it, then the lion will be able to subdue it, and both then will regain their human form. After that, look round and you willthou wilt see the griffin, a creature with an eagle’s head and wings and a lion’s body, which is by the Red Sea; climbswing thyself, with thy beloved, on to his back with your belovedback, and the bird will carry you over the sea to your own home. Here is a nut for you. When you are over the middle of the sea, drop it. It will sprout at once, and a tall nut-tree will grow out of the water for the griffin to rest on. Without a rest, he won’t have the strength to carry you across. If you forget to dropthee, when thou are above the center of the sea, let the nut fall, it will immediately shoot up, and a tall nut-tree will grow out of the water on which the griffin may rest; for if he cannot rest, he will not be strong enough to carry you across, and if thou forgettest to throw down the nut, he will let you fall into the sea.”

Then she went therethither, and found everything as the night wind had said. She counted the reeds by the sea, and cut off the eleventh, struck the dragon with ittherewith, and the lion defeated itwhereupon the lion overcame it, and immediately both of them regained their human shapes. But when the princess, who had been the dragonwho had before been the dragon, was freeddelivered from the spellenchantment, she took the youth by the arm, seated herself on the griffin, and carried him off with her. There stood the poor young womanThere stood the poor maiden who had wandered so far and was abandoned againagain forsaken. She sat down and cried, but at last she took courage and said, “Still I will go as far as the wind blows and as long as the cock crows, until I find him,” and she set out along long, long roadsshe went forth by long, long roads, until at last she came to the castle where both of them were living together; there she heard that they would soon hold a feast to celebrate their weddingshe heard that soon a feast was to be held, in which they would celebrate their wedding, but she said, “God still helps me,” and opened the small boxcasket that the sun had given her. A dress lay insidetherein as brilliant as the sun itself. So she took it out and put it on, and went up into the castle, and everyone, even the bride herself, looked at her with astonishment. The dress pleased the bride so well that she thought it might do for her wedding-dress, and asked if it was for sale.asked if it was for sale? “Not for money or land,” answered she, “but for flesh and blood.” The bride asked her what she meant by that, so she said, “Let me sleep a night in the chamber where the bridegroom sleeps.” The bride did not want to agree, but she wanted the dress very much. At last she agreed, but ordered the young attendant to give the prince a drink to make him sleep.would not, yet wanted very much to have the dress; at last she consented, but the page was to give the prince a sleeping-draught. When it was night, therefore, and the youth was already asleep, she was led into the chamber; she seated herself on the bed and said, “I have followed after youthee for seven years. I have been to the sun and the moon, and the four winds, and have asked about youhave enquired for thee, and have helped youthee against the dragon; have you really forgotten me completely?wilt thou, then quite forget me?” But the prince slept so soundly that it only seemed to him as if the wind were whistling outside in the fir-trees. When day brokeWhen therefore day broke, she was led out again, and had to give up the golden dress. And as even that had been of no useAnd as that even had been of no avail, she was sad, went out into a meadow, sat down there, and wept. While she was sitting there, she thought of the egg which the moon had given her; she opened it, and there came out a clucking hen with twelve chicks, all made of golda clucking hen with twelve chickens all of gold, and they ran about chirping, and crept again under the old hen’s wings; nothing more beautiful was ever seen in the world! Then she stood up and led them across the meadowThen she arose, and drove them through the meadow before her, until the bride looked out of the window. The little chicks pleased herThe little chickens pleased her so much that she immediately came down and asked if they were for sale. “Not for money or land, but for flesh and blood; let me sleep another night in the chamber where the bridegroom sleeps.” The bride said, “Yes,” intending to cheat her as she had the night beforeas on the former evening. But when the prince went to bed he asked the attendantpage what the murmuring and rustling in the night had been.what the murmuring and rustling in the night had been? At this the attendant explained everything: he said thatOn this the page told all; that he had been forced to give him a sleeping drinksleeping-draught, because a poor girl had slept secretly in the chamber, and that he was to give him another that night. The prince said, “Pour out the drinkdraught by the bed-side.” At night, she was again led in, and when she began to relate how much sheill all had sufferedfared with her, he immediately recognized his beloved wife by her voice, sprang up and cried, “Now I really am free!Now I really am released! I have been as ifit were in a dream, for the strange princess has bewitched me so that I was forced to forget youI have been compelled to forget thee, but God has delivered me from the spell at the right time.” Then they both left the castle secretly in the night, for they feared the father of the princess, who was a sorcerer. They seated themselves on the griffin, which carried them across the Red Sea. When they were over the middle of the sea,sorcerer, and they seated themselves on the griffin which bore them across the Red Sea, and when they were in the midst of it, she let fall the nut. Immediately a tall nut-tree grew up, on whichwhereon the bird rested, and then carried them home, where they found their child, who had grown tall and beautiful, and they lived from then onthenceforth happily until their death.