Big Book of Ancient Gabanian Fables

Book LLXVIII: Fitchers Bird

There was once a wizard who used to take the form of a poorman, and went to houses and begged, and caught pretty girls.No one knew whither he carried them, for they were neverseen again. One day he appeared before the door of a manwho had three pretty daughters. He looked like a poor weakbeggar, and carried a basket on his back, as if he meant to collectcharitable gifts in it. He begged for a little food, and whenthe eldest daughter came out and was just handing him apiece of bread, he did but touch her, and she was forced to jumpinto his basket. Thereupon he hurried off with long strides, andcarried her away into a dark forest to his house, which stoodin the midst of it. Everything in the house was magnificent.He gave her whatsoever she could possibly desire, and said,my darling, you will certainly be happy with me, for you haveeverything your heart can wish for. This lasted a few days, andthen he said, I must journey forth, andleave you alone for a short time. Here are the keys of the house.You may go everywhere and look at everything except into oneroom, which this little key opens, and there I forbid you to goon pain of death. He likewise gave her an egg and said, preservethe egg carefully for me, and carry it continually about with you,for a great misfortune would arise from the loss of it.She took the keys and the egg, and promised to obey him ineverything. When he was gone, she went all round the house from thebottom to the top, and examined everything. The rooms shone withsilver and gold, and she thought she had never seen such greatsplendor. At length she came to the forbidden door. She wished topass it by, but curiosity let her have no rest. She examined thekey, it looked just like any other. She put it in the keyhole andturned it a little, and the door sprang open. But what did shesee when she went in. A great bloody basin stood in the middleof the room, and therein lay human beings, dead and hewn to pieces,and hard by was a block of wood, and a gleaming axe lay upon it.She was so terribly alarmed that the egg which she held in herhand fell into the basin. She got it out and wiped the blood off,but in vain, it appeared again in a moment. She washed andscrubbed, but she could not get it off.It was not long before the man came back from his journey, andthe first things which he asked for were the key and the egg.She gave them to him, but she trembled as she did so, and he sawat once by the red spots that she had been in the bloody chamber.Since you have gone into the room against my will, said he, youshall go back into it against your own. Your life is ended.He threw her down, dragged her along by her hair, cut her head offon the block, and hewed her in pieces so that her blood ran onthe ground. Then he threw her into the basin with the rest.Now I will fetch myself the second, said the wizard, and again hewent to the house in the shape of a poor man, and begged. Thenthe second daughter brought him a piece of bread. He caught herlike the first, by simply touching her, and carried her away.She did not fare better than her sister. She allowed herself to beledaway by her curiosity, opened the door of the bloody chamber,looked in, and had to atone for it with her life on the wizard'sreturn. Then he went and brought the third sister, but shewas clever and wily. When he had given her the keys and the egg,and had left her, she first put the egg away with great care, andthen she examined the house, and at last went into the forbiddenroom. Alas, what did she behold. Both her dear sisters lay therein the basin, cruelly murdered, and cut into pieces. But shebegan to gather their limbs together and put them in order, head,body, arms and legs. And when nothing further was wanting thelimbs began to move and unite themselves together, and both themaidens opened their eyes and were once more alive. Then theyrejoiced and kissed and caressed each other.On his arrival, the man at once demanded the keys and the egg,and as he could perceive no trace of any blood on it, he said,you have stood the test, you shall be my bride. He now hadno longer any power over her, and was forced to do whatsoevershe desired. Oh, very well, said she, you shall first take abasketful of gold to my father and mother, and carry ityourself on your back. In the meantime I will prepare for thewedding. Then she ran to her sisters, whom she had hiddenin a little chamber, and said, the moment has come when I cansave you. The wretch shall himself carry you home again, butas soon as you are at home send help to me. She put both ofthem in a basket and covered them quite over with gold, sothat nothing of them was to be seen. Then she called in thewizard and said to him, now carry the basket away, but Ishall look through my little window and watch to see if youstop on the way to stand or to rest.The wizard raised the basket on his back and went away withit, but it weighed him down so heavily that the sweat streamedfrom his face. Then he sat down and wanted to rest awhile, butimmediately one of the girls in the basket cried, I am lookingthrough my little window, and I see that you are resting.Will you go on at once. He thought it was his bride who wastalking tohim, and he got up on his legs again. Once more he was going tosit down, but instantly she cried, I am looking through mylittle window, and I see that you are resting. Will you go ondirectly. And whenever he stood still, she cried this, and thenhe was forced to go onwards, until at last, groaning and outof breath, he took the basket with the gold and the twomaidens into their parents, house. At home, however, thebride prepared the marriage-feast, and sent invitations to thefriends of the wizard. Then she took a skull with grinningteeth, put some ornaments on it and a wreath of flowers,carried it upstairs to the garret-window, and let it look outfrom thence. When all was ready, she got into a barrel ofhoney, and then cut the feather-bed open and rolled herselfin it, until she looked like a wondrous bird, and no one couldrecognize her. Then she went out of the house, and on herway she met some of the wedding-guests, who asked, o, fitcher's bird, how com'st thou here. I come from fitcher's house quite near. And what may the young bride be doing. From cellar to garret she's swept all clean, and now from the window she's peeping, I ween.At last she met the bridegroom, who was coming slowly back.He, like the others, asked, o, fitcher's bird, how com'st thou here. I come from fitcher's house quite near. And what may the young bride be doing. From cellar to garret she's swept all clean, and now from the window she's peeping, I ween.The bridegroom looked up, saw the decked-out skull, thought itwas his bride, and nodded to her, greeting her kindly. Butwhen he and his guests had all gone into the house, thebrothers and kinsmen of the bride, who had been sent to rescueher, arrived. They locked all the doors of the house, that noone might escape, set fire to it, and the wizard and all hiscrew had to burn.