第2章TheKnapsacktheHatandtheHorn

第2章theknapsackthehatandthehorn

therewereoncethreebrotherswhohadfallendeeperanddeeperintopoverty,andatlasttheirneedwassogreatthattheyhadtoendurehunger,andhadnothingtoeatordrink.thensaidthey:“itcannotgoonlikethis,wehadbettergointotheworldandseekourfortune.”theythereforesetout,andhadalreadywalkedovermanyalongroadandmanyabladeofgrass,buthadnotyetmetwithgoodluck.onedaytheyarrivedinagreatforest,andinthemidstofitwasahill,andwhentheycamenearertheysawthatthehillwasallsilver.thenspoketheeldest:“nowihavefoundthegoodluckiwishedfor,andidesirenothingmore.”hetookasmuchofthesilverashecouldpossiblycarry,andthenturnedbackandwenthomeagain.butthetwootherssaid:“wewantsomethingmorefromgoodluckthanmeresilver,”anddidnottouchit,butwentonwards.aftertheyhadwalkedfortwodayslongerwithoutstopping,theycametoahillwhichwasallgold.thesecondbrotherstopped,tookthoughtwithhimself,andwasundecided.“whatshallido?”saidhe;“shallitakeformyselfsomuchofthisgold,thatihavesufficientforalltherestofmylife,orshalligofarther?”atlengthhemadeadecision,andputtingasmuchintohispocketsaswouldgoin,saidfarewelltohisbrother,andwenthome.butthethirdsaid:“silverandgolddonotmoveme,iwillnotrenouncemychanceoffortune,perhapssomethingbetterstillwillbegivenme.”hejourneyedonwards,andwhenhehadwalkedforthreedays,hecametoaforestwhichwasstilllargerthantheonebefore,andneverwouldcometoanend,andashefoundnothingtoeatortodrink,hewasallbutexhausted.thenheclimbedupahightreetofindoutifuptherehecouldseetheendoftheforest,butsofarashiseyecouldpiercehesawnothingbutthetopsoftrees.thenhebegantodescendthetreeagain,buthungertormentedhim,andhethoughttohimself:“ificouldbuteatmyfilloncemore!”whenhegotdownhesawwithastonishmentatablebeneaththetreerichlyspreadwithfood,thesteamofwhichroseuptomeethim.“thistime,”saidhe,“mywishhasbeenfulfilledattherightmoment.”andwithoutinquiringwhohadbroughtthefood,orwhohadcookedit,heapproachedthetable,andatewithenjoymentuntilhehadappeasedhishunger.whenhewasdone,hethought:“itwouldafterallbeapityiftheprettylittletableclothweretobespoiltintheforesthere,”andfoldedituptidilyandputitinhispocket.thenhewentonwards,andintheevening,whenhungeroncemorereturnedtohim,hewantedtomakeatrialofhislittlecloth,andspreaditoutandsaid:“iwishyoutobecoveredwithgoodcheeragain,”andscarcelyhadthewishcrossedhislipsthanasmanydisheswiththemostexquisitefoodonthemstoodonthetableastherewasroomfor.“nowiperceive,”saidhe,“inwhatkitchenmycookingisdone.youshallbedearertomethanthemountainsofsilverandgold.”forhesawplainlythatitwasawishingcloth.thecloth,however,wasstillnotenoughtoenablehimtositdownquietlyathome;hepreferredtowanderabouttheworldandpursuehisfortunefarther.

onenighthemet,inalonelywood,adusty,blackcharcoalburner,whowasburningcharcoalthere,andhadsomepotatoesbythefire,onwhichhewasgoingtomakeameal.“goodevening,blackbird!”saidtheyouth.“howdoyougetoninyoursolitude?”“onedayislikeanother,”repliedthecharcoalburner,“andeverynightpotatoes!haveyouamindtohavesome,andwillyoubemyguest?”“manythanks,”repliedthetraveller,“iwon'trobyouofyoursupper;youdidnotreckononavisitor,butifyouwillputupwithwhatihave,youshallhaveaninvitation.”

“whoistoprepareitforyou?”saidthecharcoal-burner.“iseethatyouhavenothingwithyou,andthereisnoonewithinatwohours'walkwhocouldgiveyouanything.”“andyetthereshallbeameal,”answeredtheyouth,“andbetterthananyyouhaveevertasted.”thereuponhebroughthisclothoutofhisknapsack,spreaditontheground,andsaid:“littlecloth,coveryourself,”andinstantlyboiledmeatandbakedmeatstoodthere,andashotasifithadjustcomeoutofthekitchen.thecharcoalburnerstaredwithwideopeneyes,butdidnotrequiremuchpressing;hefellto,andthrustlargerandlargermouthfulsintohisblackmouth.whentheyhadeateneverything,thecharcoalburnersmiledcontentedly,andsaid:“listen,yourtableclothhasmyapproval;itwouldbeafinethingformeinthisforest,wherenooneevercooksmeanythinggood.iwillproposeanexchangetoyou;thereinthecornerhangsasoldier'sknapsack,whichiscertainlyoldandshabby,butinitlieconcealedwonderfulpowers;but,asinolongeruseit,iwillgiveittoyouforthetablecloth.”

“imustfirstknowwhatthesewonderfulpowersare,”answeredtheyouth.

“thatwillitellyou,”repliedthecharcoal-burner;“everytimeyoutapitwithyourhand,acorporalcomeswithsixmenarmedfromheadtofoot,andtheydowhatsoeveryoucommandthem.”“sofarasiamconcerned,”saidtheyouth,“ifnothingelsecanbedone,wewillexchange,”andhegavethecharcoalburnerthecloth,tooktheknapsackfromthehook,putiton,andbadefarewell.whenhehadwalkedawhile,hewishedtomakeatrialofthemagicalpowersofhisknapsackandtappedit.immediatelythesevenwarriorssteppeduptohim,andthecorporalsaid:“whatdoesmylordandrulerwishfor?”

“marchwithallspeedtothecharcoalburner,anddemandmywishing-clothback.”theyfacedtotheleft,anditwasnotlongbeforetheybroughtwhatherequired,andhadtakenitfromthecharcoal-burnerwithoutaskingmanyquestions.theyoungmanbadethemretire,wentonwards,andhopedfortunewouldshineyetmorebrightlyonhim.bysunsethecametoanothercharcoalburner,whowasmakinghissupperreadybythefire.“ifyouwilleatsomepotatoeswithsalt,butwithnodripping,comeandsitdownwithme,”saidthesootyfellow.

“no,”hereplied,“thistimeyoushallbemyguest,”andhespreadouthiscloth,whichwasinstantlycoveredwiththemostbeautifuldishes.theyateanddranktogether,andenjoyedthemselvesheartily.afterthemealwasover,thecharcoalburnersaid:“upthereonthatshelfliesalittleoldworn-outhatwhichhasstrangeproperties:themomentsomeoneputsiton,andturnsitroundonhishead,thecannonsgooffasiftwelvewerefiredalltogether,andtheydemolisheverythingsothatnoonecanwithstandthem.thehatisofnousetome,andiwillwillinglygiveitforyourtablecloth.”

“thatsuitsmeverywell,”heanswered,tookthehat,putiton,andlefthistableclothbehindhim.buthardlyhadhewalkedawaythanhetappedonhisknapsack,andhissoldiershadtofetchtheclothbackagain.“onethingcomesonthetopofanother,”thoughthe,“andifeelasifmyluckhadnotyetcometoanend.”neitherhadhisthoughtsdeceivedhim.afterhehadwalkedonforthewholeofoneday,hecametoathirdcharcoalburner,wholikethepreviousones,invitedhimtopotatoeswithoutdripping.buthelethimalsodinewithhimfromhiswishingcloth,andthecharcoalburnerlikeditsowell,thatatlastheofferedhimahornforit,whichhadverydifferentpropertiesfromthoseofthehat.themomentsomeoneblewitallthewallsandfortificationsfelldown,andalltownsandvillagesbecameruins.forthisheimmediatelygavethecharcoalburnerthecloth,butheafterwardssenthissoldierstodemanditbackagain,sothatatlengthhehadtheknapsack,hatandhorn,allthree.“now,”saidhe,“iamamademan,anditistimeformetogohomeandseehowmybrothersaregettingon.”

whenhereachedhome,hisbrothershadbuiltthemselvesahandsomehousewiththeirsilverandgold,andwerelivinginclover.hewenttoseethem,butashecameinaedcoat,withhisshabbyhatonhishead,andhisoldknapsackonhisback,theywouldnotacknowledgehimastheirbrother.theymockedandsaid:“yougiveoutthatyouareourbrotherwhodespisedsilverandgold,andcravedforsomethingstillbetterforhimself.suchapersonarrivesinhiscarriageinfullsplendourlikeamightyking,notlikeaar,”andtheydrovehimoutofdoors.thenhefellintoarage,andtappedhisknapsackuntilahundredandfiftymenstoodbeforehimarmedfromheadtofoot.hecommandedthemtosurroundhisbrothers'house,andtwoofthemweretotakehazelstickswiththem,andbeatthetwoinsolentmenuntiltheyknewwhohewas.aviolentdisturbancebrokeout,peoplerantogether,andwantedtolendthetwosomehelpintheirneed,butagainstthesoldierstheycoulddonothing.newsofthisatlengthcametotheking,whowasveryangry,andorderedacaptaintomarchoutwithhistroop,anddrivethisdisturberofthepeaceoutofthetown;butthemanwiththeknapsacksoongotagreaterbodyofmentogether,whorepulsedthecaptainandhismen,sothattheywereforcedtoretirewithbloodynoses.thekingsaid:“thisvagabondisnotbroughttoorderyet,”andnextdaysentastilllargertroopagainsthim,buttheycoulddoevenless.theyouthsetstillmoremenagainstthem,andinordertobedonethesooner,heturnedhishattwiceroundonhishead,andheavygunsbegantoplay,andtheking'smenwerebeatenandputtoflight.“andnow,”saidhe,“iwillnotmakepeaceuntilthekinggivesmehisdaughtertowife,andigovernthewholekingdominhisname.”hecausedthistobeannouncedtotheking,andthelattersaidtohisdaughter:“necessityisahardnuttocrack—whatelseisthereformetodobutwhathedesires?ifiwantpeaceandtokeepthecrownonmyhead,imustgiveyouaway.”

sotheweddingwascelebrated,buttheking'sdaughterwasvexedthatherhusbandshouldbeacommonman,whoworeashabbyhat,andputonanoldknapsack.shelongedtogetridofhim,andnightanddaystudiedhowshecouldaccomplishthis.thenshethoughttoherself:“isitpossiblethathiswonderfulpowerslieintheknapsack?”andshefeignedaffectionandcaressedhim,andwhenhisheartwassoftened,shesaid:“ifyouwouldbutlayasidethathorridknapsack,itmakesyoulooksougly,thatican'thelpbeingashamedofyou.”“dearchild,”saidhe,“thisknapsackismygreatesttreasure;aslongasihaveit,thereisnopoweronearththatiamafraidof.”andherevealedtoherthewonderfulvirtuewithwhichitwasendowed.thenshethrewherselfinhisarmsasifsheweregoingtokisshim,butcleverlytooktheknapsackoffhisshoulders,andranawaywithit.assoonasshewasaloneshetappedit,andcommandedthewarriorstoseizetheirformermaster,andtakehimoutoftheroyalpalace.theyobeyed,andthefalsewifesentstillmoremenafterhim,whoweretodrivehimquiteoutofthecountry.thenhewouldhavebeenruinedifhehadnothadthelittlehat.andhardlywerehishandsfreebeforeheturnedittwice.immediatelythecannonbegantothunder,anddemolishedeverything,andtheking'sdaughterherselfwasforcedtocomeandbegformercy.assheentreatedinsuchmovingterms,andpromisedtobetterherways,heallowedhimselftobepersuadedandgrantedherpeace.shebehavedinafriendlymannertohim,andactedasifshelovedhimverymuch,andaftersometimeman-agedsotobefoolhim,thatheconfidedtoherthatevenifsomeonegottheknapsackintohispower,hecoulddonothingagainsthimsolongastheoldhatwasstillhis.whensheknewthesecret,shewaiteduntilhewasasleep,andthenshetookthehatawayfromhim,andhaditthrownoutintothestreet.butthehornstillremainedtohim,andingreatangerheblewitwithallhisstrength.instantlyallwalls,fortifications,towns,andvillages,toppleddown,andcrushedthekingandhisdaughtertodeath.andhadhenotputdownthehornandhadblownjustalittlelonger,everythingwouldhavebeeninruins,andnotonestonewouldhavebeenleftstandingonanother.thennooneopposedhimanylonger,andhemadehimselfkingofthewholecountry.