The Three Musicians

THE THREE MUSICIANS

Once upon a time three musicians left their home and set out on their

travels. They had all learnt music from the same master, and they

determined to stick together and to seek their fortune in foreign lands.

They wandered merrily from place to place and made quite a good living,

and were much appreciated by everyone who heard them play. One evening

they came to a village where they delighted all the company with their

beautiful music. At last they ceased playing, and began to eat and drink

and listen to the talk that was going on around them. They heard all the

gossip of the place, and many wonderful things were related and

discussed. At last the conversation fell on a castle in the

neighbourhood, about which many strange and marvellous things were told.

One person said that hidden treasure was to be found there; another that

the richest food was always to be had there, although the castle was

uninhabited; and a third, that an evil spirit dwelt within the walls, so

terrible, that anyone who forced his way into the castle came out of it

more dead than alive.

As soon as the three musicians were alone in their bedroom they agreed

to go and examine the mysterious castle, and, if possible, to find and

carry away the hidden treasure. They determined, too, to make the

attempt separately, one after the other, according to age, and they

settled that a whole day was to be given to each adventurer in which to

try his luck.

The fiddler was the first to set out on his adventures, and did so in

the best of spirits and full of courage. When he reached the castle he

found the outer gate open, quite as if he were an expected guest, but no

sooner had he stepped across the entry than the heavy door closed behind

him with a bang, and was bolted with a huge iron bar, exactly as if a

sentinel were doing his office and keeping watch, but no human being was

to be seen anywhere. An awful terror overcame the fiddler; but it was

hopeless to think of turning back or of standing still, and the hopes of

finding gold and other treasures gave him strength and courage to force

his way further into the castle. Upstairs and downstairs he wandered,

through lofty halls, splendid rooms, and lovely little boudoirs,

everything beautifully arranged, and all kept in the most perfect order.

But the silence of death reigned everywhere, and no living thing, not

even a fly, was to be seen. Notwithstanding, the youth felt his spirits

return to him when he entered the lower regions of the castle, for in

the kitchen the most tempting and delicious food was spread out, the

cellars were full of the most costly wine, and the store-room crammed

with pots of every sort of jam you can imagine. A cheerful fire was

burning in the kitchen, before which a roast was being basted by unseen

hands, and all kinds of vegetables and other dainty dishes were being

prepared in like manner. Before the fiddler had time to think, he was

ushered into a little room by invisible hands, and there a table was

spread for him with all the delicious food he had seen cooking in the

kitchen.

The youth first seized his fiddle and played a beautiful air on it which

echoed through the silent halls, and then he fell to and began to eat a

hearty meal. Before long, however, the door opened and a tiny man

stepped into the room, not more than three feet high, clothed in a

dressing-gown, and with a small wrinkled face, and a grey beard which

reached down to the silver buckles of his shoes. And the little man sat

down beside the fiddler and shared his meal. When they got to the game

course the fiddler handed the dwarf a knife and fork, and begged him to

help himself first, and then to pass the dish on. The little creature

nodded, but helped himself so clumsily that he dropped the piece of meat

he had carved on to the floor.

The good-natured fiddler bent down to pick it up, but in the twinkling

of an eye the little man had jumped on to his back, and beat him till he

was black and blue all over his head and body. At last, when the fiddler

was nearly dead, the little wretch left off, and shoved the poor fellow

out of the iron gate which he had entered in such good spirits a few

hours before. The fresh air revived him a little, and in a short time he

was able to stagger with aching limbs back to the inn where his

companions were staying. It was night when he reached the place, and the

other two musicians were fast asleep. The next morning they were much

astonished at finding the fiddler in bed beside them, and overwhelmed

him with questions; but their friend hid his back and face, and answered

them very shortly, saying, 'Go there yourselves, and see what's to be

seen! It is a ticklish matter, that I can assure you.'

[Illustration]

The second musician, who was a trumpeter, now made his way to the

castle, and everything happened to him exactly as it had to the fiddler.

He was just as hospitably entertained at first, and then just as

cruelly beaten and belaboured, so that next morning he too lay in his

bed like a wounded hare, assuring his friends that the task of getting

into the haunted castle was no enviable one. Notwithstanding the warning

of his companions, the third musician, who played the flute, was still

determined to try his luck, and, full of courage and daring, he set out,

resolved, if possible, to find and secure the hidden treasure.

Fearlessly he wandered through the whole castle, and as he roamed

through the splendid empty apartments he thought to himself how nice it

would be to live there always, especially with a full larder and cellar

at his disposal. A table was spread for him too, and when he had

wandered about for some time, singing and playing the flute, he sat

down as his companions had done, prepared to enjoy the delicious food

that was spread out in front of him. Then the little man with the beard

entered as before and seated himself beside the flute-player, who wasn't

the least startled at his appearance, but chatted away to him as if he

had known him all his life. But he didn't find his companion very

communicative. At last they came to the game, and, as usual, the little

man let his piece fall on the ground. The flute-player was

good-naturedly just going to pick it up, when he perceived that the

little dwarf was in the act of springing on his back. Then he turned

round sharply, and, seizing the little creature by his beard, he gave

him such a shaking that he tore his beard out, and the dwarf sank

groaning to the ground.

But as soon as the youth had the beard in his hands he felt so strong

that he was fit for anything, and he perceived all sorts of things in

the castle that he had not noticed before, but, on the other hand, all

strength seemed to have gone from the little man. He whined and sobbed

out: 'Give, oh give me my beard again, and I will instruct you in all

the magic art that surrounds this castle, and will help you to carry-off

the hidden treasure, which will make you rich and happy for ever.'

But the cunning flute-player replied: 'I will give you back your beard,

but you must first help me as you have promised to do. Till you have

done so, I don't let your beard out of my hands.'

Then the old man found himself obliged to fulfil his promise, though he

had had no intention of doing so, and had only desired to get his beard

back. He made the youth follow him through dark secret passages,

underground vaults, and grey rocks till at last they came to an open

field, which looked as if it belonged to a more beautiful world than

ours. Then they came to a stream of rushing water; but the little man

drew out a wand and touched the waves, whereupon the waters parted and

stood still, and the two crossed the river with dry feet. And how

beautiful everything on the other side was! lovely green paths leading

through woods and fields covered with flowers, birds with gold and

silver feathers singing on the trees, lovely butterflies and glittering

beetles fluttered and crawled about, and dear little beasts hid in the

bushes and hedges. The sky above them was not blue, but like rays of

pure gold, and the stars looked twice their usual size, and far more

brilliant than on our earth.

[Illustration]

The youth grew more and more astonished when the little grey man led him

into a castle far bigger and more splendid than the one they had left.

Here, too, the deepest silence reigned. They wandered all through the

castle, and came at last to a room in the middle of which stood a bed

hung all round with heavy curtains. Over the bed hung a bird's cage, and

the bird inside it was singing beautiful songs into the silent space.

The little grey man lifted the curtains from the bed and beckoned the

youth to approach. On the rich silk cushions embroidered with gold a

lovely maiden lay sleeping. She was as beautiful as an angel, with

golden hair which fell in curls over her marble shoulders, and a diamond

crown sparkled on her forehead. But a sleep as of death held her in its

spell, and no noise seemed able to waken the sleeper.

Then the little man turned to the wondering youth and said: 'See, here

is the sleeping child! She is a mighty Princess. This splendid castle

and this enchanted land are hers, but for hundreds of years she has

slept this magic sleep, and during all that time no human being has been

able to find their way here. I alone have kept guard over her, and have

gone daily to my own castle to get food and to beat the greedy

gold-seekers who forced their way into my dwelling. I have watched over

the Princess carefully all these years and saw that no stranger came

near her, but all my magic power lay in my beard, and now that you have

taken it away I am helpless, and can no longer hold the beautiful

Princess in her enchanted sleep, but am forced to reveal my treasured

secret to you. So set to work and do as I tell you. Take the bird which

hangs over the Princess's head, and which by its song sang her into this

enchanted sleep--a song which it has had to continue ever since; take it

and kill it, and cut its little heart out and burn it to a powder, and

then put it into the Princess's mouth; then she will instantly awaken,

and will bestow on you her heart and hand, her kingdom and castle, and

all her treasures.

The little dwarf paused, quite worn out, and the youth did not wait long

to do his bidding. He did all he was told carefully and promptly, and

having cut the little bird's heart out he proceeded to make it into a

powder. No sooner had he placed it in the Princess's mouth than she

opened her lovely eyes, and, looking up into the happy youth's face, she

kissed him tenderly, thanked him for freeing her from her magic sleep,

and promised to be his wife. At the same moment a sound as of thunder

was heard all over the castle, and on all the staircases and in every

room sounds were to be heard. Then a troop of servants, male and female,

flocked into the apartment where the happy couple sat, and after wishing

the Princess and her bridegroom joy, they dispersed all over the castle

to their different occupations.

But the little grey dwarf began now to demand his beard again from the

youth, for in his wicked heart he was determined to make an end of all

their happiness; he knew that if only his beard were once more on his

chin, he would be able to do what he liked with them all. But the clever

flute-player was quite a match for the little man in cunning, and said:

'All right, you needn't be afraid, you shall get your beard back before

we part; but you must allow my bride and me to accompany you a bit on

your homeward way.'

The dwarf could not refuse this request, and so they all went together

through the beautiful green paths and flowery meadows, and came at last

to the river which flowed for miles round the Princess's land and formed

the boundary of her kingdom. There was no bridge or ferry-boat to be

seen anywhere, and it was impossible to get over to the other side, for

the boldest swimmer would not have dared to brave the fierce current and

roaring waters. Then the youth said to the dwarf: 'Give me your wand in

order that I may part the waves.'

[Illustration]

And the dwarf was forced to do as he was told because the youth still

kept his beard from him; but the wicked little creature chuckled with

joy and thought to himself: 'The foolish youth will hand me my beard as

soon as we have crossed the river, and then my power will return, and I

will seize my wand and prevent them both ever returning to their

beautiful country.'

But the dwarf's wicked intentions were doomed to disappointment. The

happy youth struck the water with his wand, and the waves at once parted

and stood still, and the dwarf went on in front and crossed the stream.

No sooner had he done so than the waters closed behind him, and the

youth and his lovely bride stood safe on the other side. Then they threw

his beard to the old man across the river, but they kept his wand, so

that the wicked dwarf could never again enter their kingdom. So the

happy couple returned to their castle, and lived there in peace and

plenty for ever after. But the other two musicians waited in vain for

the return of their companion; and when he never came they said: 'Ah,

he's gone to play the flute,' till the saying passed into a proverb, and

was always said of anyone who set out to perform a task from which he

never returned.

Grimm.