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and got it there, it lies on the shore instead of sand. Can I |
too fetch some of it, said the king, and he was quite eager |
about it. As much as you like, answered he. There is a |
ferryman on the river, let him ferry you over, and you can fill |
your sacks on the other side. The greedy king set out in all |
haste, and when he came to the river he beckoned to the ferryman |
to put him across. The ferryman came and bade him get in, |
and when they got to the other shore he put the oar in his |
hand and sprang over. But from this time forth the king had to |
ferry, as a punishment for his sins. Perhaps he is ferrying |
still. If he is, it is because no one has taken the oar from |
him. |
A certain miller had little by little fallen into poverty, and |
had nothing left but his mill and a large apple-tree behind |
it. Once when he had gone into the forest to fetch wood, an |
old man stepped up to him whom he had never seen before, and |
said, why do you plague yourself with cutting wood, I will |
make you rich, if you will promise me what is standing behind |
your mill. What can that be but my apple-tree, thought the |
miller, and said, yes, and gave a written promise to the |
stranger. He, however, laughed mockingly and said, when three |
years have passed, I will come and carry away what belongs to me, |
and then he went. When the miller got home, his wife came to |
meet him and said, tell me, miller, from whence comes this |
sudden wealth into our house. All at once every box and chest |
was filled, no one brought it in, and I know not how it |
happened. He answered, it comes from a stranger who met me in |
the forest, and promised me great treasure. I' in return, |
have promised him what stands behind the mill - we can very |
well give him the big apple-tree for it. Ah, husband, said the |
terrified wife, that must have been the devil. He did not mean the |
apple-tree, but our daughter, who was standing behind the mill |
sweeping the yard. |
The miller's daughter was a beautiful, pious girl, and lived |
through the three years in the fear of God and without sin. When |
therefore the time was over, and the day came when the evil one |
was to fetch her, she washed herself clean, and made a circle |
round herself with chalk. The devil appeared quite early, but |
he could not come near to her. Angrily, he said to the miller, |
take all water away from her, that she may no longer be able to |
wash herself, for otherwise I have no power over her. The |
miller was afraid, and did so. The next morning the devil came |
again, but she had wept on her hands, and they were quite |
clean. Again he could not get near her, and furiously said to |
the miller, cut her hands off, or else I have no power over |
her. The miller was shocked and answered, how could I cut off my |
own child's hands. Then the evil one threatened him and said, |
if you do not do it you are mine, and I will take you yourself. |
The father became alarmed, and promised to obey him. So he |
went to the girl and said, my child, if I do not cut off both |
your hands, the devil will carry me away, and in my terror |
I have promised to do it. Help me in my need, and forgive me |
the harm I do you. She replied, dear father, do with me what |
you will, I am your child. Thereupon she laid down both her |
hands, and let them be cut off. The devil came for the third |
time, but she had wept so long and so much on the stumps, that |
after all they were quite clean. Then he had to give in, and |
had lost all right over her. |
The miller said to her, I have by means of you received such |
great wealth that I will keep you most handsomely as long as |
you live. But she replied, here I cannot stay, I will go forth, |
compassionate people will give me as much as I require. |
Thereupon she caused her maimed arms to be bound to her back, |
and by sunrise she set out on her way, and walked the whole day |
until night fell. Then she came to a royal garden, and by |
the shimmering of the moon she saw that trees covered with |
beautiful fruits grew in |
it, but she could not enter, for it was surrounded by water. |
And as she had walked the whole day and not eaten one mouthful, |
and hunger tormented her, she thought, ah, if I were but inside, |
that I might eat of the fruit, else must I die of hunger. Then |
she knelt down, called on God the Lord, and prayed. And |
suddenly an angel came towards her, who made a dam in the water, |
so that the moat became dry and she could walk through it. And |
now she went into the garden and the angel went with her. She |
saw a tree covered with beautiful pears, but they were all |
counted. Then she went to them, and to still her hunger, ate |
one with her mouth from the tree, but no more. The gardener |
was watching, but as the angel was standing by, he was afraid |
and thought the maiden was a spirit, and was silent, neither |
did he dare to cry out, or to speak to the spirit. When she had |
eaten the pear, she was satisfied, and went and concealed herself |
among the bushes. The king to whom the garden belonged, came |
down to it next morning, and counted, and saw that one of the |
pears was missing, and asked the gardener what had become of it, |
as it was not lying beneath the tree, but was gone. Then |
answered the gardener, last night, a spirit came in, who had no |
hands, and ate off one of the pears with its mouth. The king |
said, how did the spirit get over the water, and where did it go |
after it had eaten the pear. The gardener answered, someone |
came in a snow-white garment from heaven who made a dam, and |
kept back the water, that the spirit might walk through the moat. |
And as it must have been an angel, I was afraid, and asked |
no questions, and did not cry out. When the spirit had eaten |
the pear, it went back again. The king said, if it be as you |
say, I will watch with you to-night. |
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