第23章TheSkillfulHuntsman

第23章theskillfulhuntsman

therewasonceayoungfellowwhohadlearntthetradeoflocksmith,andtoldhisfatherhewouldnowgooutintotheworldandseekhisfortune.“verywell,”saidthefather,“iamquitecontentwiththat,”andgavehimsomemoneyforhisjourney.sohetravelledaboutandlookedforwork.afteratimeheresolvednottofollowthetradeoflocksmithanymore,forhenolongerlikedit,buthetookafancyforhunting.thentheremethiminhisramblesahuntsmandressedingreen,whoaskedwhencehecameandwhitherhewasgoing.theyouthsaidhewasalocksmith'sapprentice,butthatthetradenolongerpleasedhim,andhehadalikingforhuntsmanship,wouldheteachittohim.“oh,yes,”saidthehuntsman,“ifyouwillgowithme.”thentheyoungfellowwentwithhim,apprenticedhimselftohimforsomeyears,andlearnttheartofhunting.afterthishewishedtotryhisluckelsewhere,andthehuntsmangavehimnothinginthewayofpaymentbutanairgun,whichhad,however,thisproperty,thatithititsmarkwithoutfailwheneverheshotwithit.thenhesetoutandfoundhimselfinaverylargeforest,whichhecouldnotgettoshotwithit.thenhesetoutandfoundhimselfinaverylargeforest,whichhecouldnotgettotheendofinoneday.wheneveningcameheseatedhimselfinahightreeinordertoescapefromthewildbeasts.towardsmidnight,itseemedtohimasiftinylittlelightglimmeredinthedistance.thenhelookeddownthroughthebranchestowardsit,andkeptwellinhismindwhereitwas.butinthefirstplacehetookoffhishatandthrewitdowninthedirectionofthelight,sothathemightgotothehatasamarkwhenhehaddescended.hegotdownandwenttohishat,putitonagainandwentstraightforwards.thefartherhewent,thelargerthelightgrew,andwhenhegotclosetoithesawthatitwasanenormousfire,andthatthreegiantsweresittingbyit,whohadanoxonthespit,andwereroastingit.presentlyoneofthemsaid:“imustjusttasteifthemeatwillsoonbefittoeat,”andpulledapieceoff,andwasabouttoputitinhismouthwhenthehuntsmanshotitoutofhishand.“well,really”,saidthegiant,“ifthewindhasnotblownthebitoutofmyhand!”andhelpedhimselftoanother.butwhenhewasjustabouttobiteintoit,thehuntsmanagainshotitawayfromhim.onthisthegiantgavetheonewhowassittingnexthimaboxontheear,andcriedangrily:“whyareyousnatchingmypieceawayfromme?”“ihavenotsnatcheditaway,”saidtheother,“asharpshootermusthaveshotitawayfromyou.”thegianttookanotherpiece,butagaincouldnotkeepitinhishand,forthehuntsmanshotitout.thenthegiantsaid:“thatmustbeagoodshottoshootthebitoutofone'sverymouth,suchanonewouldbeusefultous.”andhecriedaloud:“comehere,yousharpshooter,seatyourselfatthefirebesideusandeatyourfill,wewillnothurtyou;butifyouwillnotcome,andwehavetobringyoubyforce,youarealostman!”onthistheyouthwentuptothemandtoldthemhewasaskilledhuntsman,andthatwhateverheaimedatwithhisgun,hewascertaintohit.thentheysaidifhewouldgowiththemheshouldbewelltreated,andtheytoldhimthatoutsidetheforesttherewasagreatlake,behindwhichstoodatower,andinthetowerwasimprisonedalovelyprincess,whomtheywishedverymuchtocarryoff.“yes,”saidhe,“iwillsoongetherforyou.”thentheyadded:“stillsomethingelse,thereisatinylittledog,whichbeginstobarkdirectlyanyonegoesnear,andassoonasitbarkseveryoneintheroyalpalacewakenup,andforthisreasonwecannotgetthere,canyouundertaketoshootitdead?”“yes,”saidhe,“thatwillbequitefunforme.”afterthishegotintoaboatandrowedoverthelake,andassoonashelanded,thelittledogcamerunningout,andwasabouttobark,butthehuntsmantookhisairgunandshotitdead.whenthegiantssawthat,theyrejoiced,andthoughttheyalreadyhadtheking'sdaughtersafe,butthehuntsmanwishedfirsttoseehowmattersstood,andtoldthemthattheymuststayoutsideuntilhecalledthem.thenhewentintothecastle,andallwasperfectlyquietwithin,andeveryonewasasleep.whenheopenedthedoorofthefirstroom,aswordwashangingonthewallwhichwasmadeofpuresilver,andtherewasagoldenstaronit,andthenameoftheking,andonatablenearitlayasealedletterwhichhebrokeopen,andinsideitwaswrittenthatwhosoeverhadtheswordcouldkilleverythingwhichopposedhim.sohetooktheswordfromthewall,hungitathissideandwentonwards:thenheenteredtheroomwheretheking'sdaughterwaslyingsleeping,andshewassobeautifulthathestoodstilland,holdinghisbreath,lookedather.hethoughttohimself:“howcanigiveaninnocentmaidenintothepowerofthewildgiants,whohaveevilintheirminds?”helookedaboutfurther,andunderthebedstoodapairofslippers,ontherightonewasherfather'snamewithastar,andontheleftherownnamebutthereiswithastar.sheworealsoalargescarfofsilkembroideredwithgold,andontherightsidewasherfather'sname,andontheleftherown,allingoldenletters.thenthehuntsmantookapairofscissorsandcuttherightcorneroff,andputitinhisknapsack,andthenhealsotooktherightslipperwiththeking'sname,andthrustthatin.nowthemaidenstilllaysleeping,andshewasquitesewnintohernightdress,andhecutamorselfromthisalso,andthrustitinwiththerest,buthedidallwithouttouchingher.thenhewentforthandleftherlyingasleepundisturbed,andwhenhecametothegateagain,thegiantswerestillstandingoutsidewaitingforhim,andexpectingthathewasbringingtheprincess.buthecriedtothemthattheyweretocomein,forthemaidenwasalreadyintheirpowerthathecouldnotopenthegatetothem,buttherewasaholethroughwhichtheymustcreep.thenthefirstapproached,andthehuntsmanwoundthegiant'shairroundhishand,pulledtheheadin,andcutitoffatonestrokewithhissword,andthendrewtherestofhimin.hecalledtothesecondandcuthisheadofflikewise,andthenhekilledthethirdalso,andhewaswellpleasedthathehadfreethebeautifulmaidenfromherenemies,andhecutouttheirtonguesandputtheminhisknapsack.thenthoughthe:“iwillgohometomyfatherandlethimseewhatihavealreadydone,andafterwardsiwilltravelabouttheworld;theluckwhichgodispleasedtograntmewilleasilyfindme.”  butwhenthekinginthecastleawoke,hesawthethreegiantslyingtheredead.sohewentintothesleeping-roomofhisdaughter,awokeher,andaskedwhocouldhavekilledthegiants?thensaidshe:“dearfather,iknownot,ihavebeenasleep.”butwhenshearoseandwouldhaveputonherslippers,therightonewasgone,andwhenshelookedatherscarfitwascut,andtherightcornerwasmissing,andwhenshelookedathernightdressapiecewascutoutofit.thekingsummonedhiswholecourttogether,soldiersandeveryoneelsewhowasthere,andaskedwhohadsethisdaughteratliberty,andkilledthegiants.nowithappenedthathehadacaptain,whowasone-eyedandahideousman,andhesaidthathehaddoneit.thentheoldkingsaidthatashehadaccomplishedthis,heshouldmarryhisdaughter.butthemaidensaid:“ratherthanmarryhim,dearfather,iwillgoawayintotheworldasfarasmylegcancarryme.”butthekingsaidthatifshewouldnotmarryhimsheshouldtakeoffherroyalgarmentsandwearpeasant'sclothing,andgoforth,andthatsheshouldgotoapotter,andbeganatradeinearthenvessels.sosheputoffherroyalapparel,andwenttoapotterandborrowedcrockeryenoughforastall,andshepromisedhimalsothatifshehadsolditbytheevening,shewouldpayforit.thenthekingsaidshewastoseatherselfinacornerwithitandsellit,andhearrangedwithsomepeasantstodriveoveritwiththeircarts,sothateverythingshouldbebrokenintoathousandpieces.whenthereforetheking'sdaughterhadplacedherstallinthestreet,bycamethecarts,andbrokeallshehadintotinyfragments.shebegantoweepandsaid:“alas,howshallieverpayforthepotsnow?”theking,however,hadwishedbythistoforcehertomarrythecaptain,butinsteadofthat,sheagainwenttothepotterandaskedhimifhewouldlendtoheroncemore.hesaid,“no,”shemustfirstpayforwhatshealreadyhad.thenshewenttoherfatherandcriedandlamented,andsaidshewouldgoforthintotheworld.thensaidhe:“iwillhavealittlehutbuiltforyouintheforestoutside,andinityoushallstayallyourlifelongandcookforeveryone,butyoushalltakenomoneyforit.”whenthehutwasready,asignwashungonthedoorwhereonwaswritten:“todaygiven,tomorrowsold.”theresheremainedalongtime,anditwasrumouredabouttheworldthatamaidenwastherewhocookedwithoutaskingforpayment,andthatthiswassetforthonasignoutsideherdoor.thehuntsmanhearditlikewise,andthoughttohimself:“thatwouldsuityou.youarepoor,andhavenomoney.”sohetookhisairgunandhisknapsack,whereinallthethingswhichhehadformerlycarriedawaywithhimfromthecastleastokensofhistruthfulnesswerestilllying,andwentintotheforest,andfoundthehutwiththesign:“todaygiven,tomorrowsold.”hehadputontheswordwithwhichhehadcutofftheheadsofthethreegiants,andthusenteredthehut,andorderedsomethingtoeattobegiventohim.hewascharmedwiththebeautifulmaiden,whowasindeedaslovelyasanypicture.sheaskedhimwhencehecameandwhitherhewasgoing,andhesaid:“iamroamingabouttheworld.”thensheaskedhimwherehehadgotthesword,forthattrulyherfather'snamewasonit.heaskedherifsheweretheking'sdaughter.“yes,”answeredshe.“withthissword,”saidhe,“didicutoffsheheadsoftheregiants.”andhetooktheirtonguesoutofhisknapsackinproof.thenhealsoshowedhertheslipper,andthecornerofthescarf,andthepieceofthenightdress.hereuponshewasoverjoyed,andsaidthathewastheonewhohaddeliveredher.onthistheywenttogethertotheoldking,andfetchedhimtothehut,andsheledhimintoherroom,andtoldhimthatthehuntsmanwasthemanwhohadreallysetherfreefromthegiants.andwhentheagedkingsawalltheproofsofthis,hecouldnolongerdoubt,andsaidthathewasverygladheknewhoweverythinghadhappened,andthatthehuntsmanshouldhavehertowifeonwhichthemaidenwasgladatheart.thenshedressedthehuntsmanasifhewereaforeignlord,andthekingorderedafeasttobeprepared.whentheywenttotable,thecaptainsatontheleftsideoftheking'sdaughter,butthehuntsmanwasontheright,andthecaptainthoughthewasaforeignlordwhohadcomeonavisit.whentheyheeatenanddrunk,theoldkingsaidtothecaptainthathewouldsetbeforehimsomethingwhichhemustguess.“supposingsomeonesaidthathehadkilledthethreegiantsandhewereaskedwherethegiants’tongueswere,andhewereforcedtogoandlook,andtherewerenoneintheirheads.howcouldthathavehappened?”thecaptainsaid:“thentheycannothavehadany.”“notso,”saidtheking.“everyanimalhasatongue,”andthenhelikewiseaskedwhatpunishmentshouldbemetedouttoanyonewhomadesuchananswer.thecaptainreplied:“heoughttobetorninpieces.”thenthekingsaidhehadpronouncedhisownsentence,andthecaptainwasputinprisonandthentorninfourpieces;buttheking’sdaughterwasmarriedtohuntsman.afterthishebroughthisfatherandmother,andtheylivedwiththeirsoninhappiness,andafterthedeathoftheoldkinghereceivedthekingdom.