The Herd-Boy

The Herd-Boy

There was once a poor herd-boy, who had neither kith nor kin except his stepmother, who was a wicked woman, and hardly allowed him food or clothing. Thus the poor boy suffered great privation; during all the livelong day he had to tend cattle, and scarcely ever got more than a morsel of bread morning and evening.

One day his stepmother had gone out without leaving him any food; he had, therefore, to drive his cattle to the field fasting, and being very hungry, he wept bitterly. But at the approach of noon he dried his tears, and went up on a green hill, where he was in the habit of resting, while the sun was hot in the summer. On this hill it was always cool and dewy under the shady trees; but now he remarked that there was no dew, that the ground was dry, and the grass trampled down. This seemed to him very singular, and he wondered who could have trodden down the green grass. While thus sitting and thinking, he perceived something that lay glittering in the sunshine. Springing up to see what it might be, he found it was a pair of very, very small shoes of the whitest and clearest glass. The boy now felt quite happy again, forgot his hunger, and amused himself the whole day with the little glass shoes.

In the evening, when the sun had sunk behind the forest, the herd-boy called his cattle and drove them to the village. When he had gone some way, he was met by a very little boy, who in a friendly tone greeted him with “Good evening!” “Good evening again,” answered the herd-boy. “Hast thou found my shoes, which I lost this morning in the green grass?” asked the little boy. The herd-boy answered: “Yes, I have found them; but, my good little fellow, let me keep them. I intended to give them to my stepmother, and then, perhaps, I should have got a little meat, when I came home.” But the boy prayed so earnestly, “Give me back my shoes; another time I will be as kind to thee,” that the herd-boy returned him the shoes. The little one then, greatly delighted, gave him a friendly nod, and went springing away.

The herd-boy now collected his cattle together, and continued his way homewards. When he reached his dwelling it was already dark, and his stepmother chided him for returning so late. “There’s still some porridge in the pot,” said she; “eat now, and pack thyself off to bed, so that thou canst get up in the morning betimes, like other folks.” The poor herd-boy durst not return any answer to these hard words, but ate, and then slunk to bed in the hayloft, where he was accustomed to sleep. The whole night he dreamed of nothing but the little boy and his little glass shoes.

Early in the morning, before the sun shone from the east, the boy was waked by his stepmother’s voice: “Up with thee, thou sluggard! It is broad day, and the animals are not to stand hungry for thy sloth.” He instantly rose, got a bit of bread, and drove the cattle to the pasture.

When he came to the green hill, which was wont to be so cool and shady, he again wondered to see that the dew was all swept from the grass, and the ground dry, even more so than on the preceding day. While he thus sat thinking, he observed something lying in the grass and glittering in the bright sunshine. Springing towards it, he found it was a very, very little red cap set round with small golden bells. At this he was greatly delighted, forgot his hunger, and amused himself all day with the little elegant cap.

In the evening, when the sun had sunk behind the forest, the herd-boy gathered his cattle together, and drove them towards the village. When on his way, he was met by a very little and, at the same time, very fair damsel. She greeted him in a friendly tone with “Good evening!” “Good evening again,” answered the lad. The damsel then said: “Hast thou found my cap, which I lost this morning in the green grass?” The boy answered: “Yes, I have found it: but let me keep it, my pretty maid. I thought of giving it to my wicked stepmother, and then, perhaps, I shall get a little meat when I go home.” But the little damsel entreated so urgently, “Give me back my cap; another time I will be as good to thee,” that the lad gave her the little cap, when she appeared highly delighted, gave him a friendly nod, and sprang off.

On his return home, he was received as usual by his cruel stepmother, and dreamed the whole night of the little damsel and her little red cap.

In the morning he was turned out fasting, and on coming to the hill, found it was drier than on either of the preceding days, and that the grass was trodden down in large rings. It then entered his mind all that he had heard of the little elves, how in the summer nights they were wont to dance in the dewy grass, and he found that these must be elfin-rings, or elfin-dances. While sitting absorbed in thought, he chanced to strike his foot against a little bell that lay in the grass, and which gave forth so sweet a sound, that all the cattle came running together, and stood still to listen. Now the boy was delighted, and could do nothing but play with the little bell, till he forgot his troubles and the cattle forgot to graze. And so the day passed much more quickly than can be imagined.

When it drew towards evening, and the sun was level with the tree-tops, the boy called his cattle and prepared to return home. But let him entice and call them as he might, they were not to be drawn from the pasture, for it was a delightful grassy spot. Then thought the boy to himself, “Perhaps they will pay more heed to the little bell.” So drawing forth the bell, he tingled it as he went along the way. In one moment the bell-cow came running after him, and was followed by the rest of the herd. At this the boy was overjoyed, for he was well aware what an advantage the little bell would be to him. As he was going on, a very little old man met him, and kindly bade him a good evening. “Good evening again,” said the boy. The old man asked: “Hast thou found my little bell, which I lost this morning in the green grass?” The herd-boy answered: “Yes, I have found it.” The old man said: “Then give it me back.” “No,” answered the boy, “I am not so doltish as you may think. The day before yesterday I found two small glass shoes, which a little boy wheedled from me. Yesterday I found a cap, which I gave to a little damsel; and now you come to take from me the little bell, which is so good for calling the cattle. Other finders get a reward for their pains, but I get nothing.” The little man then used many fair words, with the view of recovering his bell, but all to no purpose. At last he said: “Give me back the little bell, and I will give thee another, with which thou mayest call thy cattle; thou shalt, moreover, obtain three wishes.” These seemed to the boy no unfavourable terms, and he at once agreed to them, adding, “As I may wish whatever I will, I will wish to be a king, and I will wish to have a great palace, and also a very beautiful queen.” “Thou hast wished no trifling wishes,” said the old man, “but bear well in mind what I now tell thee. To-night when all are sleeping, thou shalt go hence, till thou comest to a royal palace, which lies due north. Take this pipe of bone. If thou fallest into trouble, blow it; if thou afterwards fallest into great trouble, blow it again; but if, on a third occasion, thou findest thyself in still greater peril, break the pipe in two, and I will help thee, as I have promised.” The boy gave the old man many thanks for his gifts, and the elf-king—for it was he—went his way. But the boy bent his steps homewards, rejoicing as he went along, that he should so soon escape from tending cattle for his wicked stepmother.

When he reached the village it was already dark, and his stepmother had been long awaiting his coming. She was in a great rage, so that the poor lad got blows instead of food. “This will not last long,” thought the boy, comforting himself with the reflection, as he went up to his hayloft, where he laid himself down and slumbered for a short time. About midnight, long before the cock crew, he arose, slipped out of the house, and began his journey in a northward direction, as the old man had enjoined. He travelled incessantly, over hill and dale, and twice did the sun rise and twice set, while he was still on his way.

Towards evening on the third day he came to a royal palace, which was so spacious that he thought he should never again see the like. He went to the kitchen and asked for employment. “What dost thou know, and what canst thou do?” inquired the master-cook. “I can tend cattle in the pasture,” answered the boy. The master-cook said: “The king is in great want of a herd-boy; but it will, no doubt, be with thee as with the others, that every day thou losest one of the herd.” The boy answered: “Hitherto I have never lost any beast that I drove to the field.” He was then taken into the king’s service, and tended the king’s cattle; but the wolf never got a beast from him: so he was well esteemed by all the king’s servants.

One evening, as the herd-boy was driving his cattle home, he observed a beautiful young damsel standing at a window and listening to his song. Though he seemed hardly to notice her, he, nevertheless, felt a glow suffused over him. Some time passed in this manner, the herd-boy being delighted every time he saw the young maiden; though he was still ignorant that she was the king’s daughter. It happened one day that the young girl came to him as he was driving the herd to their pasture. She had with her a little snow-white lamb, and begged him in a friendly tone to take charge of her lamb, and protect it from the wolves in the forest. At this the herd-boy was so confused that he could neither answer nor speak. But he took the lamb with him, and found his greatest pleasure in guarding it, and the animal attached itself to him, as a dog to its master. From that day the herd-boy frequently enjoyed the sight of the fair princess. In the morning, when he drove his cattle to the pasture, she would stand at the window listening to his song; but in the evening, when he returned from the forest, she would descend to caress her little lamb, and say a few friendly words to the herd-boy.

Time rolled on. The herd-boy had grown up into a comely, vigorous young man; and the princess had sprung up and was become the fairest maiden that could be found far or near. Nevertheless, she came every evening, according to her early custom, to caress her lamb. But one day the princess was missing and could nowhere be found. This event caused a great sorrow and commotion in the royal court, for the princess was beloved by every one; but the king and queen, as was natural, grieved the most intensely of all. The king sent forth a proclamation over the whole land, that whosoever should recover his daughter should be rewarded with her hand and half the kingdom. This brought a number of princes, and knights, and warriors from the east and the west. Cased in steel they rode forth with arms and attendants, to seek the lost princess; but few were they that returned from their wanderings, and those that did return brought no tidings of her they went in quest of. The king and queen were now inconsolable, and thought that they had sustained an irreparable loss. The herd-boy, as before, drove his cattle to the pasture but it was in sadness, for the king’s fair daughter engrossed his thoughts every day and every hour.

One night in a dream the little elfin king seemed to stand before him and to say: “To the north! to the north! there thou wilt find thy queen.” At this the young man was so overjoyed that he sprang up, and as he woke, there stood the little man, who nodded to him, and repeated: “To the north! to the north!” He then vanished, leaving the youth in doubt whether or not it were an illusion. As soon as it was day he went to the hall of the palace, and requested an audience of the king. At this all the royal servants wondered, and the master-cook said: “Thou hast served for so many years that thou mayest, no doubt, get thy wages increased without speaking to the king himself.” But the young man persisted in his request, and let it be understood that he had something very different in his mind. On entering the royal apartment, the king demanded his errand, when the young man said: “I have served you faithfully for many years, and now desire permission to go and seek for the princess.” Hereupon the king grew angry and said: “How canst thou, a herd-boy, think of doing that which no warrior nor prince has been able to accomplish?” But the youth answered boldly, that he would either discover the princess or, for her sake, lay down his life. The king then let his anger pass, and called to mind the old proverb: A heart worthy of scarlet often lies under a coarse woollen cloak. He therefore gave orders that the herd-boy should be equipped with a charger and all things requisite. But the youth said: “I reck not of riding; give me but your word and permission, together with means sufficient.” The king then wished him success in his enterprise; but all the boys and other servants in the court laughed at the herd-boy’s rash undertaking.

The young man journeyed towards the north, as he had been instructed by the elf-king, and proceeded on and on until he could not be far distant from the world’s end. When he had thus travelled over mountains and desolate ways, he came at length to a great lake, in the midst of which there was a fair island, and on the island a royal palace, much more spacious than the one whence he came. He went down to the water’s edge, and surveyed the palace on every side. While thus viewing it, he perceived a damsel with golden locks standing at one of the windows, and making signs with a silken band, such as the princess’s lamb was accustomed to wear. At this sight the young man’s heart leaped in his breast; for it rushed into his mind that the damsel could be no other than the princess herself. He now began to consider how he should cross over the water to the great palace; but could hit upon no plan. At last the thought occurred to him that he would make a trial whether the little elves would afford him some assistance; and he took forth his pipe, and blew a long-continued strain. He had scarcely ceased, when he heard a voice behind him, saying “Good evening.” “Good evening again,” answered the youth, turning about: when just before him there stood the little boy whose glass shoes he had found in the grass. “What dost thou wish of me?” asked the elfin boy. The other answered: “I wish thee to convey me across the water to the royal palace.” The boy replied: “Place thyself on my back.” The youth did so; and at the same instant the boy changed his form and became an immensely huge hawk, that darted through the air, and stopped not until it reached the island as the young man had requested.

He now went up to the hall of the palace and asked for employment. “What dost thou understand and what canst thou do?” inquired the master-cook. “I can take charge of cattle,” answered the youth. The master-cook then said: “The giant is just now in great want of a herdsman; but it will, I dare say, be with thee as with the others; for if a beast by chance is lost, thy life is forfeited.” The youth answered: “This seems to me a hard condition; but I will, nevertheless, agree to it.” The master-cook then accepted his service, and he was to commence on the following day.

The young man now drove the giant’s cattle, and sung his song, and rang his little bell, as he had formerly done; and the princess sat at her window, and listened, and made signs to him that he should not appear to notice her. In the evening he drove the herd from the forest, and was met by the giant, who said to him: “Thy life is in the place of any one that may be missing.” But not a beast was wanting, let the giant count them as he would. Now the giant was quite friendly, and said: “Thou shalt be my herdsman all thy days.” He then went down to the lake, loosed his enchanted ship, and rode thrice round the island, as he was wont to do.

During the giant’s absence the princess stationed herself at the window and sang:—

“To-night, to-night, thou herdsman bold,

Goes the cloud from under my star.

And if thou comest hither, then will I be thine,

My crown I will gladly give thee.”

The young man listened to her song, and understood from it that he was to go in the night and deliver the princess. He therefore went away without appearing to notice anything. But when it was late, and all were sunk in deep sleep, he steadily approached the tower, placed himself before the window, and sang:—

“To-night will wait thy herdsman true,

Will sad stand under thy window;

And if thou comest down, thou mayest one day be mine,

While the shadows fall so wildly.”

The princess whispered: “I am bound with chains of gold, come and break them.” The young man now knew no other course than again to blow with his pipe a very long-continued strain; when instantly he heard a voice behind him saying “Good evening.” “Good evening again,” answered the youth, looking round; when there stood the little elf-king, from whom he had got the little bell and the pipe. “What wilt thou with me?” inquired the old man. The young man answered: “I beseech you to convey me and the princess hence.” The little man said “Follow me.” They then ascended to the maiden’s tower; the castle gate opened spontaneously, and when the old man touched the chain, it burst in fragments. All three then went down to the margin of the lake, when the elf-king sang:—

“Thou little pike in the water must go,

Come, come, hastily!

A princess fair on thy back shall ride,

And eke a king so mighty.”

At the same moment appeared the little damsel, whose cap the herd-boy had found in the grass. She sprang down to the lake, and was instantly changed into a large pike that sported about in the water. Then said the elf-king: “Sit ye on the back of the pike. But the princess must not be terrified, let what may happen; for then will my power be at an end.” Having so said, the old man vanished; but the youth and the fair princess followed his injunctions, and the pike bore them rapidly along through the billows.

While all this was taking place, the giant awoke, looked through the window, and perceived the herd-boy floating on the water together with the young princess. Instantly snatching up his eagle-plumage, he flew after them. When the pike heard the clapping of the giant’s wings, it dived far down under the surface of the water, whereat the princess was so terrified that she uttered a scream. Then was the elf-king’s power at an end, and the giant seized the two fugitives in his talons. On his return to the island he caused the young herdsman to be cast into a dark dungeon, full fifteen fathoms underground; but the princess was again placed in her tower, and strictly watched, lest she should again attempt to escape.

The youth now lay in the captives’ tower, and was in deep affliction at finding himself unable to deliver the princess, and, at the same time, having most probably forfeited his own life. The words of the elfin king now occurred to his memory: “If, on a third occasion, thou findest thyself in great peril, break the pipe in two, and I will help thee.” As a last resource, therefore, he drew forth the little pipe and broke it in two. At the same moment he heard behind him the words “Good evening.” “Good evening again,” answered the youth; and when he looked round there stood the little old man close by him, who asked: “What wilt thou with me?” The young man answered: “I wish to deliver the princess, and to convey her home to her father.” The old man then led him through many locked doors and many splendid apartments till they came to a spacious hall, filled with all kinds of weapons, swords, spears, and axes, of which some shone like polished steel, others like burnished gold. The old man kindled a fire on the hearth, and said: “Undress thyself!” The young man did so, and the little man burnt his old garments. He then went to a large iron chest, out of which he took a costly suit of armour, resplendent with the purest gold. “Dress thyself,” said he: the young man did so. When he was thus armed from head to foot, the old man bound a sharp sword by his side, and said: “It is decreed that the giant shall fall by this sword, and this armour no steel can penetrate.” The young herdsman felt quite at ease in the golden armour, and moved as gracefully as if he had been a prince of the highest degree. They then returned to the dark dungeon; the youth thanked the elf-king for his timely succour, and they parted from each other.

Till a late hour there was a great bustle and hurrying in the whole palace; for the giant was on that day to celebrate his marriage with the beautiful princess, and had invited many of his kin to the feast. The princess was clad in the most sumptuous manner, and decorated with a crown and rings of gold, and other costly ornaments, which had been worn by the giant’s mother. The health of the wedded pair was then drunk amid all kinds of rejoicing, and there was no lack of good cheer, both of meat and drink. But the bride wept without intermission, and her tears were so hot that they felt like fire on her cheeks.

When night approached, and the giant was about to conduct his bride to the nuptial chamber, he sent his pages to fetch the young herdsman, who lay in the dungeon. But when they entered the prison, the captive had disappeared, and in his stead there stood a bold warrior, with sword in hand, and completely armed. At this apparition the young men were frightened and fled; but were followed by the herdsman, who thus ascended to the court of the palace, where the guests were assembled to witness his death. When the giant cast his eyes on the doughty warrior, he was exasperated, and exclaimed: “Out upon thee, thou base Troll!” As he spoke his eyes became so piercing that they saw through the young herdsman’s armour; but the fearless youth said: “Here shalt thou strive with me for thy fair bride.” The giant was not inclined to stay, and was about to withdraw; but the herdsman drew his sword, which blazed like a flame of fire. When the giant recognized the sword, under which he was doomed to fall, he was terror-struck and sank on the earth; but the young herdsman advanced boldly, swung round his sword, and struck a blow so powerful that the giant’s head was separated from his carcase. Such was his end.

On witnessing this exploit, the wedding-guests were overcome with fear, and departed, each to his home; but the princess ran forth and thanked the brave herdsman for having saved her. They then proceeded to the water, loosed the giant’s enchanted ship, and rowed away from the island. On their arrival at the king’s court, there was great joy that the king had recovered his daughter, for whom he had mourned so long. There was afterwards a sumptuous wedding, and the young herdsman obtained the king’s fair daughter. They lived happily for very many years, and had many beautiful children.

Moth’s story was liked very much and Titania was so pleased that her two fairies had told such pretty tales that she turned to the king saying,

“My dear Oberon, will not one of your people tell us a story next?”

“Certainly,” replied the king, and he at once called Puck to him and asked him if he did not know an amusing story which he could tell them.

“Your Majesty,” said Puck, in a serious tone, “I can tell you all the stories that have ever been told, or that ever will be told. Which one will you have?”

“Something funny,” said the king.

Puck considered for a moment, then he said, “I can tell you about a very funny thing if you have not heard it before. Ariel has boasted that he could put a girdle round the earth in forty minutes, but I can tell you of a nose which grew and grew and grew until it would have gone right round the earth which would have been a much more wonderful kind of girdle than Ariel could have managed.”

“Tell it us,” answered Oberon, and Puck turning a back somersault landed neatly on the tale-teller’s stool and commenced the story of