第3章SweetheartRoland

第3章sweetheartroland

therewasonceuponatimeawomanwhowasarealwitchandhadtwodaughters,oneuglyandwicked,andthisoneshelovedbecauseshewasherowndaughter,andonebeautifulandgood,andthisoneshehated,becauseshewasherstepdaughter.thestepdaughteroncehadaprettyapron,whichtheotherfanciedsomuchthatshebecameenvious,andtoldhermotherthatshemustandwouldhavethatapron.“bequiet,mychild,”saidtheoldwoman,“andyoushallhaveit.yourstep-sisterhaslongdeserveddeath,tonightwhensheisasleepiwillcomeandcutherheadoff.onlybecarefulthatyouareatthefarsideofthebed,andpushherwelltothefront.”itwouldhavebeenalloverwiththepoorgirlifshehadnotjustthenbeenstandinginacorner,andheardeverything.alldaylongshedarednotgooutofdoors,andwhenbedtimehadcome,thewitch'sdaughtergotintobedfirst,soastolieatthefarside,butwhenshewasasleep,theotherpushedhergentlytothefront,andtookforherselftheplaceattheback,closebythewall.inthenight,theoldwomancamecreepingin,sheheldanaxeinherrighthand,andfeltwithherlefttoseeifanyonewerelyingattheoutside,andthenshegraspedtheaxewithbothhands,andcutherownchild'sheadoff.

whenshehadgoneaway,thegirlgotupandwenttohersweetheart,whowascalledroland,andknockedathisdoor.whenhecameout,shesaidtohim:“listen,dearestroland,wemustflyinallhaste;mystepmotherwantedtokillme,buthasstruckherownchild.whendaylightcomes,andsheseeswhatshehasdone,weshallbelost.”“but,”saidroland,“icounselyoufirsttotakeawayhermagicwand,orwecannotescapeifshepursuesus.”themaidenfetchedthemagicwand,andshetookthedeadgirl'sheadanddroppedthreedropsofbloodontheground,oneinfrontofthebed,oneinthekitchen,andoneonthestairs.thenshehurriedawaywithherlover.

whentheoldwitchgotupnextmorning,shecalledherdaughter,andwantedtogivehertheapron,butshedidnotcome.thenthewitchcried:“whereareyou?”“here,onthestairs,iamsweeping,”answeredthefirstdropofblood.theoldwomanwentout,butsawnooneonthestairs,andcriedagain:“whereareyou?”“hereinthekitchen,iamwarmingmyself,”criedtheseconddropofblood.shewentintothekitchen,butfoundnoone.thenshecriedagain:“whereareyou?”“ah,hereinthebed,iamsleeping.”criedthethirddropofblood.shewentintotheroomtothebed.whatdidsheseethere?herownchild,whoseheadshehadcutoff,bathedinherblood.thewitchfellintoapassion,sprangtothewindow,andasshecouldlookforthquitefarintotheworld,sheperceivedherstepdaughterhurryingawaywithhersweetheartroland.“thatshallnothelpyou,”criedshe,“evenifyouhavegotalongwayoff,youshallstillnotescapeme.”sheputonhermanyleagueboots,inwhichshecoveredanhour'swalkateverystep,anditwasnotlongbeforesheovertookthem.thegirl,however,whenshesawtheoldwomanstridingtowardsher,changed,withhermagicwand,hersweetheartrolandintoalake,andherselfintoaduckswimminginthemiddleofit.thewitchplacedherselfontheshore,threwbreadcrumbsin,andwenttoendlesstroubletoenticetheduck;buttheduckdidnotletherselfbeenticed,andtheoldwomanhadtogohomeatnightasshehadcome.atthisthegirlandhersweetheartrolandresumedtheirnaturalshapesagain,andtheywalkedonthewholenightuntildaybreak.thenthemaidenchangedherselfintoabeautifulflowerwhichstoodinthemidstofabriarhedge,andhersweetheartrolandintoafiddler.itwasnotlongbeforethewitchcamestridinguptowardsthem,andsaidtothemusician:“dearmusician,mayipluckthatbeautifulflowerformyself?”“oh,yes,”hereplied,“iwillplaytoyouwhileyoudoit.”asshewashastilycreepingintothehedgeandwasjustgoingtoplucktheflower,knowingperfectlywellwhotheflowerwas,hebegantoplay,andwhethershewouldornot,shewasforcedtodance,foritwasamagicaldance.thefasterheplayed,themoreviolentspringswassheforcedtomake,andthethornstoreherclothesfromherbody,andprickedherandwoundedhertillshebled,andashedidnotstop,shehadtodancetillshelaydeadontheground.

astheywerenowsetfree,rolandsaid:“nowiwillgotomyfatherandarrangeforthewedding.”“theninthemeantimeiwillstayhereandwaitforyou,”saidthegirl,“andthatnoonemayrecognizeme,iwillchangemyselfintoaredstoneland-mark.”thenrolandwentaway,andthegirlstoodlikearedlandmarkinthefieldandwaitedforherbeloved.butwhenrolandgothome,hefellintothesnaresofanother,whosofascinatedhimthatheforgotthemaiden.thepoorgirlremainedtherealongtime,butatlength,ashedidnotreturnatall,shewassad,andchangedherselfintoaflower,andthought:“someonewillsurelycomethisway,andtramplemedown.”itbefell,however,thatashepherdkepthissheepinthefield,andsawtheflower,andasitwassopretty,pluckedit,tookitwithhim,andlaiditawayinhischest.fromthattimeforth,strangethingshappenedintheshepherd'shouse.whenhearoseinthemorning,alltheworkwasalreadydone,theroomwasswept,thetableandbencheswerecleaned,thefireonthehearthwaslighted,andthewaterwasfetched,andatnoon,whenhecamehome,thetablewaslaid,andagooddinnerserved.hecouldnotconceivehowthiscametopass,forheneversawahumanbeinginhishouse,andnoonecouldhaveconcealedhimselfinit.hewascertainlypleasedwiththisgoodattendance,butstillatlasthewassoafraidthathewenttoawisewomanandaskedforheradvice.thewisewomansaid:“thereissomeenchantmentbehindit,listenveryearlysomemorningifanythingismovingintheroom,andifyouseeanything,nomatterwhatitis,throwawhiteclothoverit,andthenthemagicwillbestopped.”

theshepherddidasshebadehim,andnextmorningjustasdaydawned,hesawthechestopen,andtheflowercomeout.swiftlyhesprangtowardsit,andthrewawhiteclothoverit.instantlythetransformationcametoanend,andabeautifulgirlstoodbeforehim,whoadmittedtohimthatshehadbeentheflower,andthatuptothistimeshehadattendedtohishousekeeping.shetoldhimherstory,andasshepleasedhimheaskedherifshewouldmarryhim,butsheanswered:“no,”forshewantedtoremainfaithfultohersweetheartroland,althoughhehaddesertedher.nevertheless,shepromisednottogoaway,buttocontinuekeepinghousefortheshepherd.

andnowthetimedrewnearwhenroland'sweddingwastobecelebrated,andthen,accordingtoanoldcustominthecountry,itwasannouncedthatallthegirlsweretobepresentatit,andsinginhonourofthebridalpair.whenthefaithfulmaidenheardofthis,shegrewsosadthatshethoughtherheartwouldbreak,andshewouldnotgothither,buttheothergirlscameandtookher.whenitcametoherturntosing,shesteppedback,untilatlastshewastheonlyoneleft,andthenshecouldnotrefuse.butwhenshebeganhersonganditreachedroland'sears,hesprangupandcried:“iknowthevoice,thatisthetruebride,iwillhavenoother!”everythinghehadforgotten,andwhichhadvanishedfromhismind,hadsuddenlycomehomeagaintohisheart.thenthefaithfulmaidenheldherweddingwithhersweetheartroland,andgriefcametoanendandjoybegan.