PRINCE CSIHAN (NETTLES)

2

MAGYAR

FOLK-TALES.

" Hide

_{me, miller,}

and you

^shall be rewarded for

your

kind-ness." "

Where

^{shall I} hide

you

^?

"

saidthe_miller,

"

seeingthat Ipossess nothing but ^{the clothes I stand}

in?" "There

^{is an}

old torn sack lying beside that trough,'⁵replied the fox; "

throw

itover me,and,

when

thedogs come,^drive

them away

^with

your

broom."

When

the

huntsmen came

_{they asked}the miller if

he had

seen a fox _passthat

way. " How

could I

have

seen_{it; for,} behold, I

have

nothing butthe clothes Istand in?"

With

that the

huntsmen

left,

and

in a little while the fox

came

out

and

said, "Miller, ^Ithank

you

^foryourkindness; ^for

you have

pre-served

me, and

^saved

my

^{life. I}

^am

^{anxious to do}

you

^a

good

turnif I can. Tell

me, do you want

^to get married?^"

"My

dearlittle fox," ^said the _miller,

"

_if

I could _{get a wife,}

who would come

here of her

own

free will, Idon't say that ^I

would

not _indeed, there is

no

other

way

^of

my

getting one; ^{for I} can't

go among

the spinning-girls in these clothes."

The

fox took leave of the _{miller, and, in} lessthan a quarter of

an

_hour, he returned with _{a piece} of copper ^{in his}

mouth. " Here you

are, miller,"^said

he

_; ^"_putthis away, you^will

want

iterelong."

The

millerput^it

away, and

^the fox departed^; but, before long,

he came back

with a

lump

of gold ^{in his}

mouth. " Put

this away, also," said

he

to the _miller,

"as you

^will

need

it before long."

"And _now,"

said the fox,

"wouldn't you

^{like to} get

married?" "Well, my

^{dear little fox," said the} miller,

"I am

quite willing ^to

do

so at

any moment,

^{as that is}

my

special desire/'

The

fox vanished _again,but soon returned with ^a

lump

of

diamond

in his

mouth.

^"Well, miller," said the _fox, "

I will not ask

you any more

^to getmarried; I willget

you

^{a wife} myself.

And now

_give

me

that piece of copper ^Igave you."

Then,

taking ^{it in his}

mouth,

^{the fox started off over seven} times seven_countries,

and

travelled till

he came

to

King ^Yellow Hammer's. " Good

_day,

most

_gracious

King ^Yellow Hammer,"

said the fox; "

my

^life

^and

^{death are in}

your

majesty's hands. ^I have heardthat

you have

an unmarried _daughter. I

am

a

mes-PRINCE CSIHAN. ₃ senger from Prince _Csihan,

who

has sent

me

to ask for your daughter^{as his wife."}

"

_{I will}

give her with _pleasure,

my

^dear

little fox," replied

King ^Yellow Hammer

;

"

_I

will not refuse her;

on

the

contrary, ^I give her with _great

pleasure; but I

would

do so

more

_willingly if I

saw

to

whom

she is to be married even asit is, I willnotrefuseher."

The

fox accepted the king's proposal,

and

_theyfixedaday

upon which

_they

would

fetchthe

lady.

"

Very

well,"^saidthe fox; and, takingleave of theking, ^setoffwith _{the ring}tothe miller.

"Now

_then, miller," ^said the _fox,

"you

^are

^no

longer a miller, but Prince _Csihan,

and

on a certain day and hour

you must

_{be ready} to start _; but, ^first of _all, give

me

that

lump

^of gold ^Igave

you

^{that I}

may

^takeitto His Majesty

King ^Yellow Hammer,

^{so thathe}

may

^notthink

you

^{are a}nobody.

5'

The

fox then started off to the king.

"

Good

_day,

most

gracious king,

my

^{father. PrinceCsihan has sent this}

lump

^of gold ^to

my

^{father the} king ^that he

may

spend^{it in}preparing for thewedding,

and

that he

might change

^{it, as} Prince Csihan has

no

smaller change,^his gold ^allbeingⁱⁿ

lumps

like this."

"

Well,'

5reasoned

King ^Yellow Hammer,

^"I

am

not sending

my

daughter ^toa

bad

sort of

place, for although ^I

am

a king ^I have

no

such

lumps

^of goldlying aboutin

my

palace."

The

^fox then returned

home

to Prince Csihan. "

Now

_then,

Prince Csihan,"said he,"_Ihave arrived _safely,

you

^see; prepare yourself^{to start}to-morrow."

Next morning he

appeared^before Prince Csihan.

" Are you

ready^?

"

askedhe.

" Oh

^! _yes, ^I

am

_ready; I can start at

any moment,

^{as I} got ready long ago."

With

^this _theystarted over seventimes seven lands.

As

_they

passed a

hedge

^{the fox said, "Prince Csihan, do}

you

^{see that} splendid ^castle?

" "

How

could I help seeing^it,

my

^{dear little}

fox."

"Well,"

replied the

fox,

"in

that castle dwells your wife."

On

_{they went,}

when

_suddenly^{the fox}said,"

Take

offthe clothes

you

^haveon, ^letus put

them

into thishollow_tree,and

B2

4

MAGYAR

FOLK-TALES.

then burn them, ^{so that}

we may

get^rid of them." "

You

are right,

we

won't have them, nor

any

^{like them."}

Then

said the _fox, " Prince Osihaii,

go

^{into the river}

and

take a bath."

Having

^{done so} the prince said,

"

Now

I'vedone."

"Allright," ^saidthe fox

;

"

go and

^{sit in the} forest until1

go

intothe king's presence."

The

fox set off

and

arrived at

King Yellow Hammer's

castle.

"Alas! my

gracious king,

my

^life

and my

^{death are in thy hands. I started} with Prince Csihan with three loaded

waggons and

a carriage

and

six horses,

and

I've just

managed

^to get the prince

naked

out of the water."

The

_king raised his hands in _despair, exclaiming,

" Where

hast thouleft

my

dear son-in-law, ^little fox?^{5' tl}

Most

gracious king, Ileft

him

insuch-and-such a place in the forest."

The

_king^at once ordered four horsesto be put^{to a}carriage,

and

then looked

up

^{the robeshe}

wore

in his

younger

days

and

ordered

them

to be put^{in the}carriage; the

coachman

and footman to take their places, the fox_sitting

on

the box.

When

_they arrived at the forest the fox got

down, and

^the footman, carrying the clothes

upon

^his arm, took

them

to Prince Csihan.

Then

saidthe foxto the servant, "Don't

you

^{dress the} prince, he will

do

it

more _becomingly

himself."

He

then

made

Prince Csihan _arise,

and

_said, ^"

Come

_here, Prince Csihan, don't stare atyourself too

much _{when you}

get dressed ⁱⁿthese _clothes, else the king

might

^think

you were

^{not used to such robes/'} Prince Csihan got ^dressed,

and

drove off to the

king.

When

theyarrived,

King ^Yellow Hammer

took his son-in-law in his

arms and

said, "

Thanks

be to

God, my

dear future son-in-law, for that

He

has preserved thee

from

the great waters;

and now

let ussend forthe

clergyman and

^letthe marriage ^take place."

The _{grand ceremony}

_{over, they}

remained

at the court ofthe king.

One

_day, a

month

or so after they were married, the princess ^{said to} Prince _Csihan,

"My

^{dear treasure, don't}

you

think it

would

be as well to

go and

^seeyour

realm?"

Prince Csihan left the

room

in great sorrow,

and went

towards the

PRINCE CSIHAN. 5 stables in

great trouble^toget ready^{for the} journey he^could

no

longerpostpone.

Here

he

met

the fox _lolling about.

As

the prince

came

his tears rolled

down _upon

the _straw. "

Hollo !

Prince _Csihan, what's the

matter?"

cried the fox.

"Quite

enough,"

was

_{the reply;}

"my

^{dear wife insists}

_upon

_going to see

my ^home."

^{" All} right,"^said the fox; "

prepare _yourself, Prince _Csihan,

and we

willgo."

The

_prince

went

off to his castle

and

_said,

"Dear

_wife,get ready ^;

we

will start at once."

The

_king ordered out a

carriage

and

_six,

and

three

waggons

loaded with treasure and

money,

^so thatthey

might

^haveallthey ^needed.

So

_theystarted off.

Then

said the _fox,

"

Now,

^Prince Csihan, wherever I

go you must

follow."

So

_they

went

over seven times seven countries.

As

they ^travelledthey

met

a herdof oxen. "

Now,

herdsmen," ^said the _fox, "

if

you

^won't say that^thisherd _belongstotheVasfogu Baba, but ^to Prince _Csihan,

you

^{shallhave a}

handsome

present."

With

this the fox left them,

and

ran _straight to the Vasfogu Baba. u

Good

_day,

my

mother,"^{said he.} "

Welcome, my

^son,"

replied she ^;

"

it's a

good

thing ^for

you

^that

you

^called

me

_your

mother, ^{else I}

would

have crushed your bones ^{smaller than} poppy-seed/' "Alas!

my

mother," ^{said the}_fox, "

don't let us waste our time_talking such nonsense, the

French

are

coming

^!

"

"

Oh

^!

my

^{dear son, hide}

^me away ^somewhere

^{!" criedthe old}

woman.

^"I

know

of a bottomless_lake,^5'thought^thefox; and he took her

and

left her

on

the bank, saying,

"

Now, my

^{dear old}

mother,

wash your

^{feethere until I} return."

The

fox then left the

Vasfogu

^Baba,

and went

^to Prince Csihan,

whom

he found standingⁱⁿ the

same

_place

where

he lefthim.

He

_begantoswear

and

rave at

him

_fearfully.

"Why

^didn't

^you

^drive

^on

^after

^me?

come

_along at once."

They

^{arrived at}the Vasfogu's greatcastle,

and took _possession ofa suite of apartments.

Here

_{they found} everythingthe heart could wish for,

and

^at _night^all

went

to bed in peace.

Suddenly

^{the fox}

remembered

^{that the} _Vasfogu

Baba

hadno

MAGYAR

FOLK-TALES.

proper abode _yet,

and

set off to her. "_I

hear,

my

^{dear son,"}

said she, "thatthe horseswith theirbells

have

_arrived; take

me away

^{to another} place."

The

_{fox crept}

_up

^behind _{her, gave} her a push,

and

she ^fell into the bottomless _lake,

and was

drowned, leaving ^all hervastproperty ^to Prince Csihan. "

You were

born

under

a luckystar,

my

prince," said the _fox,

when he

_returned; "forsee I have placed

you

ⁱⁿpossession ^{of all this} great wealth." In his joy ^the prince gave ^a great ^{feast to} celebrate his

coming

^{into his} property, ^sothatthe people from Banczida to Zsukhajna

were

feasted

royally, but he

gave them no

drink.

"Now,"

^{saidthe fox}to himself,"

after^allthis feasting I will

sham

_illness,

and

see

what

treatment I shall receiveat his hands in return for all

my

^{kindness to}

^{him." So Mr. Fox}

became

_dreadfully ill,he

moaned and

_groaned sofearfullythat theneighbours

made

_complaintto the _prince. "_Seize

him,"

^said theprince,

"

and

_pitch

him

out

on

the dunghill."

So

thepoor fox

was thrown

out

on

the dunghill.

One _day

Prince Csihan

was

passing thatway.

"You

a prince !" muttered the fox;

"you

are nothing ^else but a miller_;

would you

^{like tobe a} house-holder such as

you were

^{at the} nettle-mill ?"

The

_prince

was

terrified

by

^this speech of the _fox, so terrified that

he

_nearly

fainted.

a Oh

^! dearlittlefox,

do

not do that," cried the prince,

"

and

^I_promise

you on my

^royal

^word

^{that I will}give

you

^the

same

foodas I have,

and

that so long ^{as I live}

you

^shallbe

my

dearest friend

and you

^{shall be}

^honoured

^as

my

greatest bene-factor."

He

then ordered the fox to be taken tothe _castle,

and

to sit at the

royal ^table, nor did he ever forget

him

_again,

So

_they lived happily ^{ever after,}

and

do_yet, if they ^are not dead.

May

they beyourguests

to-morrow

!

In document IS IS (Pldal 77-83)