There was a very - very poor man.
He had only one son; but did not know how he would raise him. One day, he took
the boy to a dense forest. Together they sat there and started eating bread. The
boy fell asleep as soon as he finished the last piece of bread. While he was
sleeping, his father left for home leaving him there. He knew that the boy
would not be able to find the way home – the same happened as well. As the boy
got up, he did not find his father around. He tried to go home. But the more he
walked, more he went deeper into the forest. It was already getting dark; the
boy was so scared that he started running here and there. Suddenly, he saw a
small hut in one corner of the forest and wanted to take shelter there.
Entering into the hut, he found a
blind man having some chicken soup sitting at a table. The boy was so hungry
that he rushed to the table, took a spoon and started eating from the same
bowl. But the blind man could sense it and asked, “Who is eating my chicken
soup?” “This is me, Grandpa” – told the boy –“because I am too hungry.” The old
man seemed happy with his voice and told, “I was waiting for you since long, and
you can stay here with me.”
After dinner, the old man made a nice
and soft bed for him. The boy slept so well that night that he was feeling as
light as a flying kite. Next morning, after he got up, the old man told, “Now
you will have to tend my goats!” The boy was happily ready for it. Coming back
home in the evening, he sat with the grandfather to have the chicken soup again.
The soup was delicious!
The same routine went on for
twelve years. He kept on tending the goat everyday and the old man remained
happy with him. Finally, one day he gave him one sword and told, “Now, use this
to slaughter all these goats!”*
He led the herd to the grazing
land. This time, he needed to take them very far, while they had finished all
the grass around their home. At the end, he came to a forest where the trees
and their leaves were all made of sparkling copper. While he stood surprised
seeing this, there appeared a dragon made of copper and shouted at him, “Hey,
human child! How dare you are trying to slaughter your herd in my forest!” and
wanted to swallow him right away. But the boy lifted his sword instantly and cut
its heads off in a single blow. Then he saw a castle made of copper nearby. He
entered into the castle, but found no sign of life inside. He saw a copper
bridle hanging on the wall and picked it for himself. In the evening, he
brought the herd back home and these gave more milk than other days. He told
everything to the old man, how he killed the copper–dragon and took the
copper-bridle from the castle. “That is the best thing from the castle!” The
old man explained, “If you shake the bridle, a group of bold soldiers in a
copper armor-suit will appear – as many as you want!”
Next day he took his herd further
inside the forest and arrived at a place where all the trees and their leaves
were made of pure sparkling silver. He stood surprised seeing this, and there
appeared a dragon made of silver and shouted at him, “Hey, human child! How
dare you are trying to slaughter your herd in my forest!” and wanted to devour
him immediately. But the boy took his sword out and cut all it’s heads in a
blow. Then he entered into the nearby castle, which was made of pure silver. But
as before, there was no sign of life inside. He saw a silver bridle hanging on
the wall and picked it for himself. In the evening, he brought the herd back
home and these gave thrice as much as milk they gave the previous day. He told
the old man, how he killed the silver–dragon and took the silver-bridle from
the castle. “This is the best piece of art from that fort!” The old man clarified,
“If you shake the bridle, a whole band of fearless warriors in silver armor-suit
will appear before you – as many as you want them to be!”
On the third day he took his herd
deep inside the forest where all the trees and their leaves were made of pure gold.
How beautifully these glittered! He stood there being amazed at this. All on a
sudden, a dragon made of gold appeared and shouted at him, “Hey, human child!
How dare you are trying to slaughter your herd in my forest!” and tried to gobble
him. But the boy took his sword out and cut its entire heads in a blow. As
before, he entered into the nearby castle, which was made of pure gold. How
beautiful and dazzling it was! But even in this place, there was no sign or
sound of life. He saw a gold bridle hanging on the wall which he picked for
himself. In the evening, as he milked the goat after bringing them home, these
gave nine times as much as milk they gave the previous day. Then he told the
old man, how he killed the golden dragon and brought the gold-bridle from the castle.
“This is the best of all!” The old man told, “If you shake the bridle, one large
valiant armed force in gold armor-suit will appear before you.”
On the following day, the old man
told, “Give me the sword back; it has fulfilled its purpose and proved its
ability. You can set out taking the three bridles. With the help of those, you
may win the most beautiful and youngest princess of the world!” The boy agreed.
But before he started his journey, the old man led him to a black stone; on
this, a fountain was springing high up. “I must wash your head in this,” told
the old man and cleaned his hair in the flowing water. As soon as the boy came
out in the sun, his hair started shining like pure gold. The grandpa was very
happy seeing this. He told; “Now you can move on, but always keep your hair
covered so that no one can see it.”
Soon the boy reached a country
run by a king. He hid his three bridles under a tree before entering the king’s
courtyard and asking if the king needs a butler. Only a young cook was needed
there. So he got the job of a cook. But before joining, he gave the condition
that he would never take his hat off – he told he had a bad boil on his head. The
boy looked so talented that the chef was very glad with him despite of his
condition and appointed him.
The king had three beautiful
daughters; the youngest of them was most beautiful of all. One day, she fell ill.
She had to rest all the day in her bed while the king and his elder daughters
went to the church leaving her alone at the palace. The king’s chef sent the
young cook to her with some hot soup. The princess saw the young cook well;
also did talk to him. She felt so happy that she recovered quickly.
Within a few days, it was time
for all the noblemen of the country and princes from abroad to assemble in the
court. All were invited so that the king’s daughters could select their
husbands from them. They were all eager to marry these beautiful princesses. The
youngest princess won the heart of everyone but she did not favour any of them.
When both her elder sisters offered their hands to two of the princes, her
father told that she should also marry a prince. She could not deny her father,
but told, “I will marry the young cook only; not anyone else.”
Her words terrified the king so
much that he could not speak for some time. Within moments, he was almost
burning with rage. He ordered to tie her with iron chain and lock inside a
tower. Then he forgot about her.
It did not take very long before
the king got involved in a war; both the princes who became his son in laws had
to help him. Therefore, all of them rushed to the battlefield together. The
young cook only requested the chef for his permission to go close to the
battlefield so that he could see how a battle takes place.
At first, the chef tried to plead
him not to go there, because he loved him very much. But finally, he had to
give consent. The boy went to the place where he had hidden his bridles. First
he took his copper-bridle, shook it and there appeared a large number of
soldiers – as many as the number of leaves in the forest –all of them
glittering in copper armor-suit. A saddled stallion in a strong armor-suit appeared
in front of the boy. He mounted on the stallion and in no time – they were in
the battlefield! The king and his son-in laws were already tied up and squirmed
to flee. Now the boy started fighting against the enemy. He fought so severely
that the enemies ran away very soon. Out brave boy also hurried away so that
the king could not even thank him. He led his troop again to the tree, kept the
bridle in its place and the entire troop vanished!
Returning home, the king along
with his people started talking about the heroic troop and leader of the troop who
had helped them in need. They were sad that he had disappeared. Very soon, the
king had to fight another battle. The cook-boy requested the chef for
permission to see the battlefield from a distance once again. This time, he
went to the same tree where he had hidden the bridles and picked the silver one
and shook it. Instantly, there appeared soldiers in such a large number that
even the earth felt their weight - all of them were covered in sparkling silver
armor-suit. A saddled horse clad in an armor-suit stood in front of the boy. He
sat on it and whoosh! They arrived at the battlefield! The king fled because he was hurt. Now the boy made his companions
start the fight afresh against the enemy. This time they fought so hard that all
the enemies were smashed in no time. The king tried to talk to the boy, but could
not even thank him. The boy led his troop to the tree in a hurry, kept the
bridle in its place and the entire troop vanished!
The king wanted to quickly greet
the young leader and thank him. But as soon as his task was over, the hero was
away at once with his troops; he rode to the spot where the bridles are hidden,
placed the silver bridle, and the army was gone at that instant. When the king
and his men returned home, they were again discussing the wonders of the
handsome hero and his army in silver armor. They regretted for not being able
to quickly follow him, meet him and thank him.
After some time, another enemy
attacked the kingdom. This was the most powerful of all they have faced before.
The king left with his entire armed force to fight against them. The boy
appealed his master once again to allow him to see how the battle takes place. First
he went to the same tree where he had hidden the bridles, took the golden one
out and shook it. Countless soldiers swarmed within a moment like a flock of
locusts - all dazzling in golden armor. A saddled horse with an armor-suit
stood in front of the boy. This time he removed his hat, let his amazing golden
hair fall, sat on the horse and in a moment - reached the battlefield! The king
was hit on his head. All his soldiers fled in all directions. Our hero engaged
his own army, attacked the enemy and destroyed them.
The king wanted to thank the savior,
but even before he could take a look at him, the boy had already vanished with his
troops. Back home, the king called for a big victory celebration - all his
enemies are defeated! But so many guests attended the festival that the number
of servants was not sufficient to attend them. The chef had to send the kitchen
boy also to serve the guests. While celebrating his victory, the king was thinking
of his favorite daughter, locked in the tower. His heart was pacified in that
festive moment. He sent an attendant to ask her if she was ready to select one
of the princes or counts from the guests as her husband. The king wanted to get
his dear child back. But even after the poor girl suffered so much in the tower,
living alone for a long year and having only bread and water, she remained
faithful to the person she gave her heart. She said, "I will never marry
any other person but the kitchen boy!”
That brought the king in great
fury, and at the same time, the kitchen boy brought a plate of red-deer roast for
the king wearing the hat, as he always does. "How dare you stand before me
with your shameless head?" - the
king struck his hat on the boy’s head so hard, that it flew in a corner. All on
a sudden, the boy seemed standing glorious with gold flakes over his head, and
he was dazzling like the rising sun. The king immediately recognized his savior,
broke down before him, and said, "Sorry," The boy held him in his
arms. Also the King's youngest daughter was brought into the banquet hall from
the dark tower. The victory celebration became the wedding party too. It was a
cheerful moment for all.
After the wedding, the boy took the beautiful
princess in the golden forest and took possession of the Golden fort; he gave
the copper and silver forests with copper and silver forts to his in-laws. He
kept on searching for the old blind man but all in vain – the man and his small
house had disappeared, none could trace him again.
Translation of the “Goldhaar” from “Sächsische Volksmärchen
aus Siebenbürgen” collected by Josef Haltrich, published 1882.
*I do not exactly know
how to translate “Erhauen” – aber context tells that it may be “slaughter”. I
found an interesting reference of “erhauen “ in a blog : “The word "erhauen"
doesn't really exist in German, but the syllable "hau" is the root
for the verb hauen (to hit). The prefix "er-" usually suggests a
process in which something is acquired. According to an online 19th German
dictionary the verb "erhauen" could mean to beat someone or to carve
out of stone. But this is not in use in modern German. So I'm not certain
exactly what the verb "erhauen" might mean in this context.” - http://kurttucholsky.blogspot.de/
