Therewasonceupon a time a queentowhomGodhadgivennochildren. EverymorningshewentintothegardenandprayedtoGodinheaventobestowonher a sonor a daughter. Thenanangelfromheavencametoherandsaid: 'Beatrest, youshallhave a sonwiththepowerofwishing, sothatwhatsoeverintheworldhewishesfor, thatshallhehave.' Thenshewenttotheking, andtoldhimthejoyfultidings, andwhenthetimewascomeshegavebirthto a son, andthekingwasfilledwithgladness.
1
Everymorningshewentwiththechildtothegardenwherethewildbeastswerekept, andwashedherselftherein a clearstream. Ithappenedoncewhenthechildwas a littleolder, thatitwaslyinginherarmsandshefellasleep. Thencametheoldcook, whoknewthatthechildhadthepowerofwishing, andstoleitaway, andhetook a hen, andcutitinpieces, anddroppedsomeofitsbloodonthequeen's apronandonherdress. Thenhecarriedthechildawayto a secretplace, where a nursewasobligedtosuckleit, andherantothekingandaccusedthequeenofhavingallowedherchildtobetakenfromherbythewildbeasts. Whenthekingsawthebloodonherapron, hebelievedthis, fellintosuch a passionthatheordered a hightowertobebuilt, inwhichneithersunnormooncouldbeseenandhadhiswifeputintoit, andwalledup. Hereshewastostayforsevenyearswithoutmeatordrink, anddieofhunger. ButGodsenttwoangelsfromheavenintheshapeofwhitedoves, whichflewtohertwice a day, andcarriedherfooduntilthesevenyearswereover.
2
Thecook, however, thoughttohimself: 'Ifthechildhasthepowerofwishing, and I amhere, hemightveryeasilygetmeintotrouble.' Soheleftthepalaceandwenttotheboy, whowasalreadybigenoughtospeak, andsaidtohim: 'Wishfor a beautifulpalaceforyourselfwith a garden, andallelsethatpertainstoit.' Scarcelywerethewordsoutoftheboy's mouth, wheneverythingwastherethathehadwishedfor. After a whilethecooksaidtohim: 'Itisnotwellforyoutobesoalone, wishfor a prettygirlas a companion.' Thentheking's sonwishedforone, andsheimmediatelystoodbeforehim, andwasmorebeautifulthananypaintercouldhavepaintedher. Thetwoplayedtogether, andlovedeachotherwithalltheirhearts, andtheoldcookwentouthuntinglike a nobleman. Thethoughtoccurredtohim, however, thattheking's sonmightsomedaywishtobewithhisfather, andthusbringhimintogreatperil. Sohewentoutandtookthemaidenaside, andsaid: 'Tonightwhentheboyisasleep, gotohisbedandplungethisknifeintohisheart, andbringmehisheartandtongue, andifyoudonotdoit, youshallloseyourlife.' Thereuponhewentaway, andwhenhereturnednextdayshehadnotdoneit, andsaid: 'Whyshould I shedthebloodofaninnocentboywhohasneverharmedanyone?' Thecookoncemoresaid: 'Ifyoudonotdoit, itshallcostyouyourownlife.' Whenhehadgoneaway, shehad a littlehindbroughttoher, andorderedhertobekilled, andtookherheartandtongue, andlaidthemon a plate, andwhenshesawtheoldmancoming, shesaidtotheboy: 'Liedowninyourbed, anddrawtheclothesoveryou.' Thenthewickedwretchcameinandsaid: 'Wherearetheboy's heartandtongue?' Thegirlreachedtheplatetohim, buttheking's sonthrewoffthequilt, andsaid: 'Youoldsinner, whydidyouwanttokillme? Nowwill I pronouncethysentence. Youshallbecome a blackpoodleandhave a goldcollarroundyourneck, andshalleatburningcoals, tilltheflamesburstforthfromyourthroat.' Andwhenhehadspokenthesewords, theoldmanwaschangedinto a poodledog, andhad a goldcollarroundhisneck, andthecookswereorderedtobringupsomelivecoals, andtheseheate, untiltheflamesbrokeforthfromhisthroat. Theking's sonremainedthere a shortwhilelonger, andhethoughtofhismother, andwonderedifshewerestillalive. Atlengthhesaidtothemaiden: 'I willgohometomyowncountry; ifyouwillgowithme, I willprovideforyou.' 'Ah,' shereplied, 'thewayissolong, andwhatshall I doin a strangelandwhere I amunknown?' Asshedidnotseemquitewilling, andastheycouldnotbepartedfromeachother, hewishedthatshemightbechangedinto a beautifulpink, andtookherwithhim. Thenhewentawaytohisowncountry, andthepoodlehadtorunafterhim. Hewenttothetowerinwhichhismotherwasconfined, andasitwassohigh, hewishedfor a ladderwhichwouldreachuptotheverytop. Thenhemountedupandlookedinside, andcried: 'Belovedmother, LadyQueen, areyoustillalive, orareyoudead?' Sheanswered: 'I havejusteaten, andamstillsatisfied,' forshethoughttheangelswerethere. Saidhe: 'I amyourdearson, whomthewildbeastsweresaidtohavetornfromyourarms; but I amalivestill, andwillsoonsetyoufree.' Thenhedescendedagain, andwenttohisfather, andcausedhimselftobeannouncedas a strangehuntsman, andaskedifhecouldofferhimservice. Thekingsaidyes, ifhewasskilfulandcouldgetgameforhim, heshouldcometohim, butthatdeerhadnevertakenuptheirquartersinanypartofthedistrictorcountry. Thenthehuntsmanpromisedtoprocureasmuchgameforhimashecouldpossiblyuseattheroyaltable. Sohesummonedallthehuntsmentogether, andbadethemgooutintotheforestwithhim. Andhewentwiththemandmadethemform a greatcircle, openatoneendwherehestationedhimself, andbegantowish. Twohundreddeerandmorecamerunninginsidethecircleatonce, andthehuntsmenshotthem. Thentheywereallplacedonsixtycountrycarts, anddrivenhometotheking, andforoncehewasabletodeckhistablewithgame, afterhavinghadnoneatallforyears.
3
Nowthekingfeltgreatjoyatthis, andcommandedthathisentirehouseholdshouldeatwithhimnextday, andmade a greatfeast. Whentheywereallassembledtogether, hesaidtothehuntsman: 'Asyouaresoclever, youshallsitbyme.' Hereplied: 'LordKing, yourmajestymustexcuseme, I am a poorhuntsman.' Butthekinginsistedonit, andsaid: 'Youshallsitbyme,' untilhedidit. Whilsthewassittingthere, hethoughtofhisdearestmother, andwishedthatoneoftheking's principalservantswouldbegintospeakofher, andwouldaskhowitwasfaringwiththequeeninthetower, andifshewerealivestill, orhadperished. Hardlyhadheformedthewishthanthemarshalbegan, andsaid: 'Yourmajesty, welivejoyouslyhere, buthowisthequeenlivinginthetower? Isshestillalive, orhasshedied?' Butthekingreplied: 'Sheletmydearsonbetorntopiecesbywildbeasts; I willnothavehernamed.' Thenthehuntsmanaroseandsaid: 'Graciouslordfathersheisalivestill, and I amherson, and I wasnotcarriedawaybywildbeasts, butbythatwretchtheoldcook, whotoremefromherarmswhenshewasasleep, andsprinkledherapronwiththebloodof a chicken.' Thereuponhetookthedogwiththegoldencollar, andsaid: 'Thatisthewretch!' andcausedlivecoalstobebrought, andthesethedogwascompelledtodevourbeforethesightofall, untilflamesburstforthfromitsthroat. Onthisthehuntsmanaskedthekingifhewouldliketoseethedoginhistrueshape, andwishedhimbackintotheformofthecook, inthewhichhestoodimmediately, withhiswhiteapron, andhisknifebyhisside. Whenthekingsawhimhefellinto a passion, andorderedhimtobecastintothedeepestdungeon. Thenthehuntsmanspokefurtherandsaid: 'Father, willyouseethemaidenwhobroughtmeupsotenderlyandwhowasafterwardstomurderme, butdidnotdoit, thoughherownlifedependedonit?' Thekingreplied: 'Yes, I wouldliketoseeher.' Thesonsaid: 'Mostgraciousfather, I willshowhertoyouintheformof a beautifulflower,' andhethrusthishandintohispocketandbroughtforththepink, andplaceditontheroyaltable, anditwassobeautifulthatthekinghadneverseenonetoequalit. Thenthesonsaid: 'Nowwill I showhertoyouinherownform,' andwishedthatshemightbecome a maiden, andshestoodtherelookingsobeautifulthatnopaintercouldhavemadeherlookmoreso.