The Miracle Tree

One day, a shepherd’s son – I do not know whether he was the son of the same poor man, whom our Lord Christ and St. Peter had blessed – was grazing sheep in the field. Suddenly he saw a large tree there. It was so huge and beautiful that he stood there for a long time; mystified with amazement he looked on and on. At last, his admiration forced him to move forward and climb the tree. Climbing the tree was easy for him, since its branches sprouted like the steps of a ladder. He took his shoes off and climbed and climbed for nine long days. Then he reached a wide field, on which he found many palaces made of pure copper; behind the palace, there was a large forest of copper trees. On the highest tree in that forest, there sat a rooster made of copper. A copper stream was flowing under the tree; this stream was sparkling more and more with time, and that flow made the only sound he could hear. Everything else seemed to be lifeless, nobody was visible, and nothing else was moving.

As the boy finished visiting the place, he plucked a tiny twig from a tree. His legs were too tired of climbing. So he wanted to wash them in the stream. He bathed his feet in the spring and as he pulled them out, they were changed into bright copper! Quickly he returned to the tree. But the tree rose still higher piercing the clouds high above. He could not see the end of it.

“Higher it will be more beautiful I believe!” – He started climbing higher keeping this in mind. He continued climbing for another nine days till he felt tired again. Again he found another large field over there. This was also full of palaces, but all made of pure silver! And behind the row of palaces, there was a larger forest with all silver trees. On the highest tree in the forest, there was a silver rooster. Under the tree he found a stream of flowing silver; the stream was glowing evermore, and that made the only sound he could hear. Everything else remained lifeless, nobody was visible, and nothing else was moving.

As the boy finished seeing these all, he broke a small twig from a tree and went to wash his hands in the stream; but the moment he pulled his hands out of the flowing silver, they turned into sparkling silver! Quickly he returned to the large tree that rose still higher piercing the cloud above, the end of which was still invisible. “High above it will be more stunning!”- He thought and started climbing again. After nine long days, he reached at the treetop. An enormous open land was visible there; on that stood bright golden palaces and behind the row of palaces, there was a huge forest of golden trees. On the tallest tree in that forest, there sat a golden rooster; below the rooster, a golden stream was flowing. The murmuring of this glowing gold-stream made the only sound audible there. Everything else remained lifeless, nobody was visible, and nothing else was moving.

The boy had seen everything here as well, and as he finished seeing these all, he picked a small twig from a tree. He took off his hat and bent over the stream and let his long hair fall on the sparkling gold. But the moment he took it out, it all turned into golden hair! He put on his hat now. After he had seen everything here too, he came back to the large tree and started climbing down. He was not at all tired this time. After reaching the earth, he put on his shoes and started looking for his sheep. There was no trace of them. But far away, he saw a big city. Now he realized that he arrived in a different country. What can one do in such a situation?

He decided to enter the city and search for a job there. But before that, he hid all three twigs inside his coat and made a pair of gloves also in order to hide his silver hands.

The time the boy came to the city, the king’s cook was looking for an assistant in kitchen. He could not find anyone suitable till he saw our boy that day. He asked the boy if he wanted to accept the job for a very good salary. The boy was very happy with this proposal. But he had one condition – he should never be told to remove his coat, gloves and boots. He told that he wanted to hide a bad sore which he found embarrassing. The king’s cook was not very glad with the condition, but he had to agree since he didn’t find anyone else for the job. He understood that the boy can be engaged only in the kitchen so that no one can see him.

The same arrangement went on for a long time. The boy was diligent – he did everything directed by the cook so punctually that the master became very happy with him.

One fine day, the knights and noblemen of the country gathered together in order to climb a mountain of ice. The princess of the country was sitting at the peak. The man, who could touch the hands of the princess climbing the mountain, could marry her. Many tried this in vain; all of them slipped long before reaching the goal, many had broken their necks. That day, our kitchen-assistant requested the cook to grant him a leave so that he can visit the city. The cook did not want to disappoint him – while he was sincere and diligent. Only thing he told was: “But you have to hide yourself properly, so that none can see you!” The boy promised the same and then – rushed to the mountain of ice.

The knights and noblemen were already standing near the mountain, armed with their snowshoes. Some even started climbing up. But none of them could reach even midway of the mountain. All fell down; many died on their way. Now the boy thought: “How it will happen, if I also try this?” He took his hat, coat and the gloves off and then took off the boots too. He took his copper twig in hand and – before anyone could notice it, slipped through the crowd and stepped on the mountain. The knights and noblemen were taken aback; the boy carried on walking towards the top of the mountain. The snowflakes under his feet seemed like wax-flakes that protected him from slipping. Arriving at the top, he gave the copper twig to the princess in a very polite manner. Then he climbed down taking strong and certain steps, but quickly vanished before the crowd could notice him among them.

He hurried to his hideaway; put his special attire on and entered into the kitchen. The cook also arrived there soon and told the boy the story of a wonder-boy with copper feet, silver hands and golden hair who climbed the steep snowy mountain to present the princess a copper twig and then vanished. He asked the young assistant if he also had watched the incident. The boy told: “No, I haven’t seen this, ‘cause it was me!” But the cook laughed at the dumb invention and replied jokingly: “Well, I would have to be a famous man then!”

On the second day, many more noblemen and knights assembled in front of the mountain of ice to give a try again. The boy again requested the cook to grant him another leave so that he can visit the city. The cook could not hurt him by denying. Only thing he told: “But you have to hide yourself properly, so that none can see you!” The boy promised so and then – rushed to location he visited day before.

The noblemen started climbing up in the meantime – but without any success. They all fell down, and more noblemen died. The young boy did not hesitate long to take a second attempt this time. Quickly he removed his special attire, took the silver twig and stepped forward bypassing the crowd before anyone could mark, from where he came. Silent and confident, he started climbing the mountain of ice. The snowflakes under his feet behaved like wax-flakes again and showed him the way. Arriving at the top, he gave the silver twig to the princess in a very polite manner. The delighted princess wanted to hold his hand. But he turned away fast, climbed down quickly and vanished before the crowd could notice him.

He hurriedly put his attire on and rushed home. Soon, the cook also arrived there and told the boy the story of the wonder-boy with copper feet, silver hands and golden hair –how he climbed the steep snowy mountain to present the princess a silver twig and vanished after climbing down fast. He asked his assistant if he also had watched the incident. The boy told: “No, I haven’t seen this, ‘cause it was me!” The cook again laughed at him loud and replied jokingly: “Well, even I would have to be a famous man then!”

On the third day, some of the noblemen and knights decided to give an attempt to climb the mountain once again. The boy again asked the cook for permission to visit the city. The cook did not want to hurt and told: “But you have to hide yourself properly, so that none can see you!” The boy promised so and then – ran to the previous location as fast as possible.

The noblemen and knights took an attempt again only to fail. They all fell down, and even more noblemen died. The young boy thought: “I have to try it once again!” He threw his special attire off his body, took the golden twig and stepped towards the mountain of ice bypassing the crowd before anyone could mark him. Everything went fine for him. He stepped upwards sure and confident. The snowflakes under his feet worked like wax-flakes to show him the way. Arriving at the top, he gave the golden twig to the princess in a very polite manner and offered her his right hand. The delighted princess wanted to climb down holding his hand. But he made himself free; turned away very fast, climbed down alone and vanished before the crowd could notice him. Quickly he put his attire on and returned to his place in kitchen.

As the cook arrived there, he told the boy the story of the wonder-boy with copper feet, silver hands and golden hair –how he climbed the steep snowy mountain third time to hand the princess a golden twig and offered his hand as well; but climbed down alone and vanished from the crowd. He asked the assistant if he also had seen that. The boy told: “No, I haven’t seen this, ‘cause it was me!” The cook again laughed at him and told: “Well, even I would have to be a famous man then!”

But the king and the princess became very sad, that the beautiful young boy did not reveal himself. The king gave an order that all young men from his kingdom have to parade before him barefoot and even without gloves, so that he can see them. Many came and walked, but the one he was looking for was not among them. The king asked everyone if there was no other boy left in his kingdom. Soon, the cook came to the king to tell: “My Lord, I have a young assistant in my kitchen. He is diligent and honest. But I am sure he is not the boy you are looking for. He has a bad sore, so he set forth a condition before joining my service that he would never remove his gloves, coat, hat and boots.” But the king wanted to be sure about his statement. The princess was secretly happy and thought: “That could be him!” The cook had to wait there. One servant brought the cook’s assistant, who was covered with kitchen dirt then, in front of the king. The king asked him: “Is that you who climbed the mountain of ice thrice?”

“Yes, that was me!” – told the boy, “and I have told the same to my master!” Hearing this, the cook felt there was no ground under his feet. He tried to remember all; finally he told: “But how can you talk like this now?” The king did not pay any attention to this conversation, only told the young assistant: “Well, remove the covers from your head, hands and feet!” The boy uncovered those immediately; everyone there was amazed to see his good look. The princess merrily pressed his hand hard as he shook hand with her. Soon they had the wedding celebration. Very soon, the king gave him the kingdom as well.

One day the boy, now he became the king, asked the cook: “Do you now believe that I was the one who climbed the mountain thrice? The cook replied: “What else can I believe if I don’t believe that?” and beg pardon from him. “Now, you should also become a big person, as you wanted to be, and supervise all the cooks in the kingdom.” – The new king made him the chief cook of the kingdom.

But the young queen still wanted to know how her man got the copper feet, silver hands and gold-hair and also the three twigs he presented her. One day, the young king told her, “Today I want to tell you all these. And you will see yourself how it all happened!” He took her to the place where the miracle-tree stood. He wanted to climb the tree once again and show her the wonder. But as they arrived at the place, there was no tree any longer. The miracle tree did vanish forever, and none could hear of it or find it anymore.

Translation of the “Der Wunderbaum” from “Sächsische Volksmärchen aus Siebenbürgen”