The Three Birds
Many years ago there lived up among the hills in our country some petty Kings, who every day went out hunting, and had their palaces high above everybody else. One day when one of them had come forth from his castle with his Huntsmen there were three Girls who were tending their cows, and, as they saw the King pass by with his people, the eldest of them, pointing to the King, called out to her companions, “Hilloa! hilloa! if I had any I would have him!” Then the two Girls on the other side of the hill exclaimed, each pointing to the two Men nearest the King, the one with her right hand, the other with her left, “Hilloa! hilloa! if I had any I would have him.” Now these two were the King’s Ministers. The King, who heard all that was said, as soon as he returned from the hunt, ordered the three Maidens to be fetched, and asked them what they had meant in the morning by what they said on the mountains. This question, however, they would not answer, and at last the King inquired of the eldest if she would have him for a husband. To this she said yes; and her two Sisters were then asked in marriage by the Ministers, for they were all three beautiful and fair, especially the King’s wife, who had flaxen hair.
Now the two Sisters had no children at first, and, as the King had to go out on a journey, he invited them to come and stay with the Queen. During his absence the Queen bore a child who had a red forehead, and was besides very pretty. The two Sisters, however, agreed together they would throw the child into the mill-pond, and as they did so a little Bird flew up into the air, which sang,
“Ready to die
And for ever to quit
These lilies and flowers,
Brave boy, are you fit!”
When the two Sisters heard this they were very much alarmed, and made all the haste they could home. Afterwards, when the King returned, they told him that the Queen had borne a dead child; but the King only replied, “What God wills I must bear.” Meanwhile a Fisherman had fished the little Boy up out of the water while it still breathed, and, as his wife had no children of her own they brought it up. A year after the King again went out on a journey, and in his absence another Boy was born, which the two Sisters stole away as before and threw into the water. Just as they did so a Bird flew up as at the first time and sang,
“Ready to die
And for ever to quit
These lilies and flowers,
Little boy, are you fit!”
When the King returned they told the same tale as before about the Queen; but he merely replied, “What God wills I must bear.” However, the Fisherman had again luckily rescued the child, whom he brought up with his brother.
Some time passed before the King went out again, but during his absence a child was born, and this time it was a little Girl, which the false Sisters also threw into the river, and the little Bird instantly flew up, singing,
“Ready to die
And for ever to quit
These lilies and flowers,
Little maid, are you fit!”
Afterwards, when the King returned, he was told the same tale as before, and this made him so angry that he caused the Queen to be put in prison, where she was kept for many years.
During that time the Children grew up; but, when the eldest went out to fish, the other boys would not let him come near, and said, “Go your own way, you foundling!” This made him very sad, and he asked the Fisherman who he was, and the Fisherman told him how he had fished him and his brother and sister all out of the water in his net. The eldest Boy resolved, thereupon that he would go in search of their Father; but the Fisherman was very unwilling to part with him. At length he consented, and the Boy set out, and after travelling for several days came to an immense piece of water, by which stood a Woman fishing.
“Good day, mother,” said the Boy.
“Thank you, my lad,” she replied.
“You will sit there a good long time before you catch any fish,” said the Boy.
“And you will seek a long while before you find your Father,” returned the Woman. “And pray how do you mean to cross this water?” “Heaven alone knows!” he replied; and thereupon the old Woman took him on her back and carried him across, and there he searched everywhere, but could never find his Father.
A year after his departure his Brother made up his mind to go in search of him, and he also, coming to the great water, found the old Woman, with whom he held the same conversation, and was likewise carried across as his Brother had been. The Sister was now left alone at home, but she became so restless and dispirited at her Brothers’ absence that she set out herself in search of them. On her way she came, as they had done, to the great piece of water, and found there the same old Woman, to whom she said, “Good day, mother.” “Thank you my child,” was the reply. “God bless your fishing!” said the Girl. As soon as the old Woman heard this she became very friendly, and after carrying the maiden across the water she gave her a staff, and said, “Now, go straight along on this path, my daughter, and when you come to a great black Dog you must take care neither to laugh at it nor kick it, but pass it by quietly. Then you will come to a large castle, upon whose threshold you must let the staff fall, and then go straight through it to a fountain on the other side of the castle. This fountain will be in a stream, wherein stands also a tree, on which there will hang a bird in a cage, which you must take off. Then take also a glass of water from the fountain, and return with these the same way exactly as you came. On the threshold pick up your staff again, and when you pass the Dog the second time hit it in the face, and then come straight back to me.” The maiden found every thing just as the old Woman said, and at the back of the castle she found also her two Brothers, who had been seeking half through the world. So they went together and came to the place where the black Dog lay, whose face they knocked, and immediately the Dog became a handsome Prince, and accompanied them to the great water. There still stood the old Woman, who was very glad to see them return, and carried them all across the water. This done, she disappeared, for she was now released from her labours. The Brothers and Sister, however, returned to the Fisherman, and all were made happy on seeing each other again; but the Bird they hung upon the wall in his cage. The second Brother, however, could not rest at home, and soon he took his cross-bow and went to the hunt. When he got tired he took out his flute and played a tune which the King, who was also hunting, heard, and, coming up to the youth, inquired who had given him leave to hunt there. “Nobody,” he replied.
“To whom do you belong then?” asked the King.
“I am the fisherman’s son,” was the reply.
“But he has no children,” said the King.
“If you will not believe me,” said the Youth, “come and see.” So the King went to the Fisherman, who told him all that had taken place; and the Bird on the wall began to sing,
“The mother sits lonely
In prison fast kept,
But there are her children
Torn away while she slept
By the false-hearted sisters,
Who, the children to kill,
In the deep waters threw them,
By the side of the Mill.
This frightened them all, and the King took the Bird, the Fisherman, and the three Children with him to the castle, and ordered the prison to be opened, and brought his Wife out, who at first was very ill and weak after her long confinement. So her Daughter gave her some of the water she had procured at the fountain, and that made her quite well again as soon as she had drunk it. Afterwards the two false Sisters were burnt, and the Daughter of the King married the handsome Prince; and so all were happy and lived to a good old age.