Big Book of Ancient Gabanian Fables

Book CLVIII: Bearskin

There was once a young fellow who enlisted as a soldier, conductedhimself bravely, and was always the foremost when it rained bullets.So long as the war lasted, all went well, but when peace was made, hereceived his dismissal, and the captain said he might go where heliked. His parents were dead, and he had no longer a home, so hewent to his brothers and begged them to take him in, and keep himuntil war broke out again. The brothers, however, were hard-heartedand said, "What can we do with you? You are of no use to us, go andmake a living for yourself." The soldier had nothing left but hisgun, so he took that on his shoulder, and went forth into the world.He came to a wide heath, on which nothing was to be seen but a circleof trees, under these he sat sorrowfully down, and began to thinkover his fate. I have no money, thought he, I have learnt no tradebut that of fighting, and now that they have made peace they don'twant me any longer, so I see before hand that I shall have to starve.All at once he heard a rustling and when he looked round, a strangeman stood before him, who wore a green coat and looked right stately,but had a hideous cloven foot. "I know already what you are in needof," said the man, "gold and possessions shall you have, as much asyou can make away with, do what you will, but first I must know ifyou are fearless, that I may not bestow my money in vain." "A soldierand fear - how can those two things go together?" he answered, "Youcan put me to the proof." "Very well, then," answered the man, "lookbehind you." The soldier turned round, and saw a large bear, whichcame growling towards him. "Oho," cried the soldier, "I will tickleyour nose for you, so that you shall soon lose your fancy forgrowling," and he aimed at the bear and shot it through the muzzle,it fell down and never stirred again. "I see quite well," said thestranger, "that you are not wanting in courage, but there is stillanother condition which you will have to fulfil." "If it does notendanger my salvation," replied the soldier, who knew very well whowas standing by him. "If it does, I'll have nothing to do with it.""You will look to that for yourself," answered greencoat, "you shallfor the next seven years neither wash yourself, nor comb your beard,nor your hair, nor cut your nails, nor once say the Lord's prayer. Iwill give you a coat and a cloak, which during this time you mustwear. If you die during these seven years, you are mine, if youremain alive, you are free, and rich to boot, for all the rest ofyour life." The soldier thought of the great extremity in which henow found himself, and as he so often had gone to meet death, heresolved to risk it now also, and agreed to the terms. The deviltook off his green coat, and gave it to the soldier, and said, "Ifyou have this coat on your back and put your hand into the pocket,you will always find it full of money." Then he pulled the skin offthe bear and said, "This shall be your cloak, and your bed also, forthereon shall you sleep, and and in no other bed shall you lie, andbecause of this apparel shall you be called Bearskin." Whereupon thedevil vanished.The soldier put the coat on, felt at once in the pocket, and foundthat the thing was really true. Then he put on the bearskin and wentforth into the world, and enjoyed himself, refraining from nothingthat did him good and his money harm.During the first year his appearance was passable, but during thesecond he began to look like a monster. His hair covered nearly thewhole of his face, his beard was like a piece of coarse felt, hisfingers had claws, and his face was so covered with dirt that ifcress had been sown on it, it would have come up. Whosoever saw him,ran away, but as he everywhere gave the poor money to pray that hemight not die during the seven years, and as he paid well foreverything he still always found shelter.In the fourth year, he entered an inn where the landlord would notreceive him, and would not even let him have a place in the stable,because he was afraid the horses would be scared. But as Bearskinthrust his hand into his pocket and pulled out a handful of ducats,the host let himself be persuaded and gave him a room in an outhouse.Bearskin, however, was obliged to promise not to let himself be seen,lest the inn should get a bad name.As Bearskin was sitting alone in the evening, and wishing from thebottom of his heart that the seven years were over, he heard a loudlamenting in a neighboring room. He had a compassionate heart, so heopened the door, and saw an old man weeping bitterly, and wringinghis hands. Bearskin went nearer, but the man sprang to his feet andtried to escape from him. At last when the man perceived thatBearskin's voice was human he let himself be prevailed upon, and bykind words bearskin succeeded so far that the old man revealed thecause of his grief. His property had dwindled away by degrees, he andhis daughters would have to starve, and he was so poor that he couldnot pay the innkeeper, and was to be put in prison. "If that is youronly trouble," said Bearskin, "I have plenty of money." He caused theinnkeeper to be brought thither, paid him and even put a purse fullof gold into the poor old man's pocket.When the old man saw himself set free from all his troubles he didnot know how to show his gratitude. "Come with me," said he toBearskin, "my daughters are all miracles of beauty, choose one ofthem for yourself as a wife. When she hears what you have done forme, she will not refuse you. You do in truth look a little strange,but she will soon put you to rights again." This pleased Bearskinwell, and he went. When the eldest saw him she was so terriblyalarmed at his face that she screamed and ran away. The second stoodstill and looked at him from head to foot, but then she said, "Howcan I accept a husband who no longer has a human form? The shavenbear that once was here and passed itself off for a man pleased mefar better, for at any rate it wore a hussar's dress and whitegloves. If he were only ugly, I might get used to that." Theyoungest, however, said, "Dear father, that must be a good man tohave helped you out of your trouble, so if you have promised him abride for doing it, your promise must be kept." It was a pity thatBearskin's face was covered with dirt and with hair, for if not theymight have seen how delighted he was when he heard these words. Hetook a ring from his finger, broke it in two, and gave her one half,the other he kept for himself. Then he wrote his name on her half,and hers on his, and begged her to keep her piece carefully. Then hetook his leave and said, "I must still wander about for three years,and if I do not return then, you are free, for I shall be dead. Butpray to God to preserve my life."The poor betrothed bride dressed herself entirely in black, and whenshe thought of her future bridegroom, tears came into her eyes.Nothing but contempt and mockery fell to her lot from her sisters."Take care," said the eldest, "if you give him your hand, he willstrike his claws into it." "Beware," said the second. "Bears likesweet things, and if he takes a fancy to you, he will eat you up.""You must always do as he likes," began the elder again, or else hewill growl." And the second continued, "But the wedding will be amerry one, for bears dance well." The bride was silent, and did notlet them vex her. Bearskin, however, traveled about the world fromone place to another, did good where he was able, and gave generouslyto the poor that they might pray for him.At length, as the last day of the seven years dawned, he went oncemore out on to the heath, and seated himself beneath the circle oftrees. It was not long before the wind whistled, and the devil stoodbefore him and looked angrily at him, then he threw bearskin hiscoat, and asked for his own green one back. "We have not got so faras that yet," answered Bearskin, "you must first make me clean."Whether the devil liked it or not, he was forced to fetch water, andwash Bearskin, comb his hair, and cut his nails. After this, helooked like a brave soldier, and was much handsomer than he had everbeen before.When the devil had gone away, Bearskin was quite lighthearted. Hewent into the town, put on a magnificent velvet coat, seated himselfin a carriage drawn by four white horses, and drove to his bride'shouse. No one recognized him. The father took him for adistinguished general, and led him into the room where his daughterswere sitting. He was forced to place himself between the two eldest,who helped him to wine, gave him the best pieces of meat, and thoughtthat in all the world they had never seen a handsomer man. Thebride, however, sat opposite to him in her black dress, and neverraised her eyes, nor spoke a word. When at length he asked thefather if he would give him one of his daughters to wife, the twoeldest jumped up, ran into their bedrooms to put on splendid dresses,for each of them fancied she was the chosen one.The stranger, as soon as he was alone with his bride, brought out hishalf of the ring, and threw it in a glass of wine which he handedacross the table to her. She took the wine, but when she had drunkit, and found the half ring lying at the bottom, her heart began tobeat. She got the other half, which she wore on a ribbon round herneck, joined them, and saw that the two pieces fitted exactlytogether. Then said he, "I am your betrothed bridegroom, whom yousaw as Bearskin, but through God's grace I have again received myhuman form, and have once more become clean." He went up to her,embraced her, and gave her a kiss. In the meantime the two sisterscame back in full dress, and when they saw that the handsome man hadfallen to the share of the youngest, and heard that he was Bearskin,they ran out full of anger and rage. One of them drowned herself inthe well, the other hanged herself on a tree. In the evening, someone knocked at the door, and when the bridegroom opened it, it wasthe devil in his green coat, who said, "You see, I have now got twosouls in the place of your one."