The Water of Life
by Andrew Lang
The Sister's Brave Quest
Once, there were three brothers and a sister. An old man visits their home. He says they need three things. They need magic water. They need a pretty tree. They need a talking bird. The Eldest Brother says, "I will go." The sister is worried. "How will we know you are safe?" The old man gives them a knife. "If the blade turns red, I'm in trouble," he says. The Eldest Brother walks and walks. He meets a giant. The giant is friendly. "Do not turn back," says the giant. "The stones will make mean words." "Do not listen." The brother climbs the mountain. He hears silly voices. He turns to look. He becomes still like a stone. The sister looks at the knife. The blade is red. "Oh no!" she says. The Second Brother says, "I will go." He walks and walks. He meets the giant. "Do not turn back," says the giant. The brother climbs the mountain. He hears mean words. He thinks he hears his brother. He turns to look. He becomes still like a stone. The sister looks at the knife again. The blade is red. The Youngest Brother says, "I will go." He walks and walks. He meets the giant. "Do not turn back," says the giant. The brother climbs the mountain. He hears mean words. He thinks he hears his brothers. He turns to look. He becomes still like a stone. The sister looks at the knife. The blade is red. "Now I must go," she says. She walks and walks. She meets the giant. "Do not turn back," he says. The sister climbs the mountain. She hears mean words. She hears her brothers' voices. She does not listen. She does not turn back. She reaches the top. She finds the magic water. She finds the pretty tree. She finds the talking bird. "Hello! Good job!" says the bird. She carries the water down. A little water spills on a stone. The stone wakes up! It is a person! She sprinkles water on all the stones. Her brothers wake up. Many people wake up. They all go home. She plants the tree branch. She gives it magic water. It grows into a beautiful tree. Many people come to see. A prince comes to see. He sees the brave sister. "You are very brave," he says. He likes her courage. They get married and are happy. Being brave and ignoring mean words helps you win.
Original Story
The Water of Life Cuentos Populars Catalans, per lo Dr. D. Francisco de S. Maspous y Labros. Barcelona, 1885. Three brothers and one sister lived together in a small cottage, and they loved one another dearly. One day the eldest brother, who had never done anything but amuse himself from sunrise to sunset, said to the rest, ‘Let us all work hard, and perhaps we shall grow rich, and be able to build ourselves a palace.’ And his brothers and sister answered joyfully, ‘Yes, we will all work!’ So they fell to working with all their might, till at last they became rich, and were able to build themselves a beautiful palace; and everyone came from miles round to see its wonders, and to say how splendid it was. No one thought of finding any faults, till at length an old woman, who had been walking through the rooms with a crowd of people, suddenly exclaimed, ‘Yes, it is a splendid palace, but there is still something it needs!’ ‘And what may that be?’ ‘A church.’ When they heard this the brothers set to work again to earn some more money, and when they had got enough they set about building a church, which should be as large and beautiful as the palace itself. And after the church was finished greater numbers of people than ever flocked to see the palace and the church and vast gardens and magnificent halls. But one day, as the brothers were as usual doing the honours to their guests, an old man turned to them and said, ‘Yes, it is all most beautiful, but there is still something it needs!’ ‘And what may that be?’ ‘A pitcher of the water of life, a branch of the tree the smell of whose flowers gives eternal beauty, and the talking bird.’ ‘And where am I to find all those?’ ‘Go to the mountain that is far off yonder, and you will find what you seek.’ After the old man had bowed politely and taken farewell of them the eldest brother said to the rest, ‘I will go in search of the water of life, and the talking bird, and the tree of beauty.’ ‘But suppose some evil thing befalls you?’ asked his sister. ‘How shall we know?’ ‘You are right,’ he replied; ‘ I had not thought of that!’ Then they followed the old man, and said to him, ‘My eldest brother wishes to seek for the water of life, and the tree of beauty, and the talking bird, that you tell him are needful to make our palace perfect. But how shall we know if any evil thing befall him?’ So the old man took them a knife, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Keep this carefully, and as long as the blade is bright all is well; but if the blade is bloody, then know that evil has befallen him.’ The brothers thanked him, and departed, and went straight to the palace, where they found the young man making ready to set out for the mountain where the treasures he longed for lay hid. And he walked, and he walked, and he walked, till he had gone a great way, and there he met a giant. ‘Can you tell me how much further I have still to go before I reach that mountain yonder?’ ‘And why do you wish to go there?’ ‘I am seeking the water of life, the talking bird, and a branch of the tree of beauty.’ ‘Many have passed by seeking those treasures, but none have ever come back; and you will never come back either, unless you mark my words. Follow this path, and when you reach the mountain you will find it covered with stones. Do not stop to look at them, but keep on your way. As you go you will hear scoffs and laughs behind you; it will be the stones that mock. Do not heed them; above all, do not turn round. If you do you will become as one of them. Walk straight on till you get to the top, and then take all you wish for.’ The young man thanked him for his counsel, and walked, and walked, and walked, till he reached the mountain. And as he climbed he heard behind him scoffs and jeers, but he kept his ears steadily closed to them. At last the noise grew so loud that he lost patience, and he stooped to pick up a stone to hurl into the midst of the clamour, when suddenly his arm seemed to stiffen, and the next moment he was a stone himself! That day his sister, who thought her brother’s steps were long in returning, took out the knife and found the blade was red as blood. Then she cried out to her brothers that something terrible had come to pass. ‘I will go and find him,’ said the second. And he went. And he walked, and he walked, and he walked, till he met the giant, and asked him if he had seen a young man travelling towards the mountain. And the giant answered, ‘Yes, I have seen him pass, but I have not seen him come back. The spell must have worked upon him.’ ‘Then what can I do to disenchant him, and find the water of life, the talking bird, and a branch of the tree of beauty?’ ‘Follow this path, and when you reach the mountain you will find it covered with stones. Do not stop to look at them, but climb steadily on. Above all, heed not the laughs and scoffs that will arise on all sides, and never turn round. And when you reach the top you can then take all you desire.’ The young man thanked him for his counsel, and set out for the mountain. But no sooner did he reach it than loud jests and gibes broke out on every side, and almost deafened him. For some time he let them rail, and pushed boldly on, till he had passed the place which his brother had gained; then suddenly he thought that among the scoffing sounds he heard his brother’s voice. He stopped and looked back; and another stone was added to the number. Meanwhile the sister left at home was counting the days when her two brothers should return to her. The time seemed long, and it would be hard to say how often she took out the knife and looked at its polished blade to make sure that this one at least was still safe. The blade was always bright and clear; each time she looked she had the happiness of knowing that all was well, till one evening, tired and anxious, as she frequently was at the end of the day, she took it from its drawer, and behold! the blade was red with blood. Her cry of horror brought her youngest brother to her, and, unable to speak, she held out the knife! ‘I will go,’ he said. So he walked, and he walked, and he walked, until he met the giant, and he asked, ‘Have two young men, making for yonder mountain, passed this way?’ And the giant answered, ‘Yes, they have passed by, but they never came back, and by this I know that the spell has fallen upon them.’ ‘Then what must I do to free them, and to get the water of life, and the talking bird, and the branch of the tree of beauty?’ ‘Go to the mountain, which you will find so thickly covered with stones that you will hardly be able to place your feet, and walk straight forward, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left, and paying no heed to the laughs and scoffs which will follow you, till you reach the top, and then you may take all that you desire.’ The young man thanked the giant for his counsel, and set forth to the mountain. And when he began to climb there burst forth all around him a storm of scoffs and jeers; but he thought of the giant’s words, and looked neither to the right hand nor to the left, till the mountain top lay straight before him. A moment now and he would have gained it, when, through the groans and yells, he heard his brothers’ voices. He turned, and there was one stone the more. And all this while his sister was pacing up and down the palace, hardly letting the knife out of her hand, and dreading what she knew she would see, and what she did see. The blade grew red before her eyes, and she said, ‘Now it is my turn.’ So she walked, and she walked, and she walked till she came to the giant, and prayed him to tell her if he had seen three young men pass that way seeking the distant mountain. ‘I have seen them pass, but they have never returned, and by this I know that the spell has fallen upon them.’ ‘And what must I do to set them free, and to find the water of life, and the talking bird, and a branch of the tree of beauty?’ ‘You must go to that mountain, which is so full of stones that your feet will hardly find a place to tread, and as you climb you will hear a noise as if all the stones in the world were mocking you; but pay no heed to anything you may hear, and, once you gain the top, you have gained everything.’ The girl thanked him for his counsel, and set out for the mountain; and scarcely had she gone a few steps upwards when cries and screams broke forth around her, and she felt as if each stone she trod on was a living thing. But she remembered the words of the giant, and knew not what had befallen her brothers, and kept her face steadily towards the mountain top, which grew nearer and nearer every moment. But as she mounted the clamour increased sevenfold: high above them all rang the voices of her three brothers. But the girl took no heed, and at last her feet stood upon the top. Then she looked round, and saw, lying in a hollow, the pool of the water of life. And she took the brazen pitcher that she had brought with her, and filled it to the brim. By the side of the pool stood the tree of beauty, with the talking bird on one of its boughs; and she caught the bird, and placed it in a cage, and broke off one of the branches. After that she turned, and went joyfully down the hill again, carrying her treasures, but her long climb had tired her out, and the brazen pitcher was very heavy, and as she walked a few drops of the water spilt on the stones, and as it touched them they changed into young men and maidens, crowding about her to give thanks for their deliverance. So she learnt by this how the evil spell might be broken, and she carefully sprinkled every stone till there was not one left--only a great company of youths and girls who followed her down the mountain. When they arrived at the palace she did not lose a moment in planting the branch of the tree of beauty and watering it with the water of life. And the branch shot up into a tree, and was heavy with flowers, and the talking bird nestled in its branches. Now the fame of these wonders was noised abroad, and the people flocked in great numbers to see the three marvels, and the maiden who had won them; and among the sightseers came the king’s son, who would not go till everything was shown him, and till he had heard how it had all happened. And the prince admired the strangeness and beauty of the treasures in the palace, but more than all he admired the beauty and courage of the maiden who had brought them there. So he went home and told his parents, and gained their consent to wed her for his wife. Then the marriage was celebrated in the church adjoining the palace. Then the bridegroom took her to his own home, where they lived happy for ever after.
Moral of the Story
True perseverance and humility, especially when faced with temptation and mockery, are rewarded, and courage can come from unexpected sources.
Characters
Eldest Brother ◆ supporting
Strong and capable, but easily distracted
Attire: Simple tunic and trousers, suitable for travel
Ambitious, easily discouraged
Second Brother ◆ supporting
Similar to his elder brother, but perhaps more cautious
Attire: Simple tunic and trousers, suitable for travel
Loyal, easily swayed
Youngest Brother ◆ supporting
Determined and focused
Attire: Simple tunic and trousers, suitable for travel
Resolute, easily turned to stone
Sister ★ protagonist
Brave and resourceful
Attire: Simple but practical dress, suitable for travel and labor
Courageous, determined
Giant ◆ supporting
Large and imposing
Attire: Roughspun clothing
Wise, helpful
Prince ○ minor
Of noble bearing
Attire: Richly decorated clothing befitting his status
Impressed, decisive
Talking Bird ◆ supporting
Exotic plumage, intelligent eyes
Wise, observant
Locations
Small Cottage
A small, shared dwelling where the siblings lived together in close affection.
Mood: warm, loving, familial
The siblings initially decide to work hard and build a palace.
Splendid Palace with Church and Gardens
A beautiful palace, a large and beautiful church, vast gardens, and magnificent halls.
Mood: grand, impressive, admired
The siblings build the palace and church, attracting visitors from miles around.
Mountain Covered with Stones
A mountain thickly covered with stones, making it difficult to walk. The stones mock and jeer at those who climb.
Mood: eerie, dangerous, treacherous
The siblings attempt to retrieve the water of life, talking bird, and tree of beauty, but are turned to stone.
Hollow at the Mountain Top
A hollow at the mountain top containing the pool of the water of life, the tree of beauty, and the talking bird.
Mood: magical, rewarding, serene
The sister retrieves the treasures and breaks the spell, freeing her brothers and others.
Story DNA
Moral
True perseverance and humility, especially when faced with temptation and mockery, are rewarded, and courage can come from unexpected sources.
Plot Summary
After building a magnificent palace, three brothers and their sister are told they need a 'water of life,' 'tree of beauty,' and 'talking bird' to complete it. The eldest three brothers each attempt the quest to a mountain guarded by a giant, but despite warnings, they succumb to the mountain's magical mockery and turn to stone. The sister, seeing her brothers' fates via a magical knife, bravely undertakes the quest herself. She ignores all temptations and mockery, retrieves the items, and discovers that the water of life can reverse the stone spell, freeing her brothers and many others. She returns a hero, and her courage and beauty lead to her marriage with a prince.
Themes
Emotional Arc
anxiety and loss to triumph and joy
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Andrew Lang's collection 'The Blue Fairy Book' popularized many European folk tales. This specific tale is attributed to 'Cuentos Populars Catalans', indicating its roots in Catalan oral tradition, which often features themes of perseverance and magical quests.
Plot Beats (15)
- Three brothers and a sister build a grand palace and church, becoming rich.
- An old woman and then an old man suggest the palace needs a 'water of life,' 'tree of beauty,' and 'talking bird'.
- The eldest brother volunteers for the quest; an old man provides a magical knife whose blade indicates his well-being.
- The eldest brother meets a giant who warns him not to turn back on the mountain, but he succumbs to the mocking stones and turns to stone.
- The sister sees the knife blade turn bloody, and the second brother sets out.
- The second brother also meets the giant, receives the same warning, but turns back upon hearing voices and becomes a stone.
- The sister sees the knife blade turn bloody again, and the youngest brother sets out.
- The youngest brother meets the giant, receives the warning, but turns back at the last moment upon hearing his brothers' voices and becomes a stone.
- The sister sees the knife blade turn bloody for the third time and decides to go herself.
- The sister meets the giant, receives the warning, and steadfastly ignores all mockery and voices on the mountain.
- The sister reaches the mountain top, finds the water of life, the tree of beauty, and the talking bird.
- On her descent, drops of the water of life spill, turning stones into young men and maidens, revealing how to break the spell.
- The sister sprinkles all the stones, freeing her brothers and many others, who follow her back to the palace.
- She plants the tree, and its wonders attract many, including a prince.
- The prince is captivated by her beauty and courage, asks for her hand, and they marry and live happily ever after.
