Polish Fairy Tales — A. J. Gliński
You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org . If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title : Polish Fairy Tales Author : A. J. Gliński Illustrator : Cecile Walton Translator : Maude Ashurst Biggs Release date : July 8, 2011 [eBook #36668] Most recently updated: January 7, 2021 Language : English Other information and formats : www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36668 Credits : Produced by Jana Srna, Matthew Wheaton and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) *** START OF William Brendon & Son, Ltd. The pictures in this book are dedicated to my sons .... Gavril and Teddy." Cecile Walton. TALES FROM POLAND These are selections from a large collection made by A. J. Glinski, printed at Wilna in 1862. These fairy tales come from a far past and may even date from primitive Aryan times. They represent the folklore current among the peasantry of the Eastern provinces of Poland, and also in those provinces usually known as White Russia. They were set down by Glinski just as they were related to him by the peasants. In the translation it was of course necessary to shorten them considerably; the continual repetition—however quaint and fascinating in the original—cannot easily be reproduced. Portions, too, are often told in rhyme, or in a species of rhyming prose that we associate with the ancient ballad. The obvious likenesses between these and the folklore of Germany, the Celtic nations, or to the Indian fairy-tales, will strike every reader. Maude Ashurst Biggs. CONTENTS PAGE The Frog Princess 1 Princess Miranda and Prince Hero 15 The Eagles 29 The Whirlwind 37 The Good Ferryman and the Water Nymphs 53 The Princess of the Brazen Mountain 69 The Bear in the Forest Hut 79 Appendix 94 ILLUSTRATIONS The Fairy Girls Make the Carpet FRONTISPIECE TO FACE PAGE The Little House Turns 10 The Way Home 13 Through the Telescope 15 The Dragon who Kept Watch 25 The Children Transformed 29 The Old Man Blesses the Princess 31 To Trick the Basilisk 36 The Bride Carried off by the Whirlwind 37 The Horse Appears in the Storm 42 The Dwarf Defeated 49 The Good Ferryman Captures the Mermaid 53 The Purse that was Ever Full 55 The Meeting of the Sisters 63 The Fight for the Magic Boots 69 The Prince Steals the Wings 70 The Truant Wife is Captured 77 The Mouse Saves the Good Little Girl 79 The Good Little Girl is Sent Away 80 The Reward of the Good Little Girl 93 POLISH FAIRY TALES THE FROG PRINCESS HERE was once a king, who was very old; but he had three grown-up sons. So he called them to him, and said: "My dear sons, I am very old, and the cares of government press heavily upon me. I must therefore give them over to one of you. But as it is the law among us, that no unmarried prince may be King, I wish you all to get married, and whoever chooses the best wife shall be my successor." So they determined each to go a different way, and settled it thus. They went to the top of a very high tower, and each one at a given signal shot an arrow in a different direction to the others. Wherever their arrows fell they were to go in search of their future wives. The eldest prince's arrow fell on a palace in the city, where lived a senator, who had a beautiful daughter; so he went there, and married her. The second prince's arrow struck upon a country-house, where a very pretty young lady, the daughter of a rich gentleman, was sitting; so he went there, and proposed to her, and they were married. But the youngest prince's arrow shot through a green wood, and fell into a lake. He saw his arrow floating among the reeds, and a frog sitting thereon, looking fixedly at him. But the marshy ground was so unsafe that he could not venture upon it; so he sat down in despair. "What is the matter, prince?" asked the frog. "What is the matter? Why, I cannot reach that arrow on which you are sitting." "Take me for your wife, and I will give it to you." "But how can you be my wife, little frog?" "That is just what has got to be. You know that you shot your arrow from the tower, thinking that where it fell, you would find a loving wife; so you will have her in me." "You are very wise, I see, little frog. But tell me, how can I marry you, or introduce you to my father? And what will the world say?" "Take me home with you, and let nobody see me. Tell them that you have married an Eastern lady, who must not be seen by any man, except her husband, nor even by another woman." The prince considered a little. The arrow had now floated to the margin of the lake; he took the arrow from the little frog, put her in his pocket, carried her home, and then went to bed, sighing very deeply. Next morning the king was told that all his sons had got married; so he called them all together, and said: "Well children, are you all pleased with your wives?" "Very pleased indeed, father and king." "Well, we shall see who has chosen best. Let each of my daughters-in-law weave me a carpet by to-morrow, and the one whose carpet is the most beautiful shall be queen." The elder princes hastened at once to their ladies; but the youngest, when he reached home, was in despair. "What is the matter, prince?" asked the frog. "What is the matter? My father has ordered that each of his daughters-in-law shall weave him a carpet, and the one whose carpet proves the most beautiful shall be first in rank. My brothers' wives are most likely working at their looms already. But you, little frog, although you can give back an arrow, and talk like a human being, will not be able to weave a carpet, as far as I can see." "Don't be afraid," she said; "go to sleep, and before you wake the carpet shall be ready." So he lay down, and went to sleep. But the little frog stood on he