Simeli Mountain
There were once two brothers, the one rich, the
other poor. The rich one, however, gave nothing to the poor one, and he gained a scanty
living by trading in corn, and often did so badly that he had no bread for his wife and
children. Once when he was wheeling a barrow through the forest he saw, on one side of
him, a great, bare, naked-looking mountain, and as he had never seen it before, he stood
still and stared at it with amazement. While he was thus standing he saw twelve great,
wild men coming towards him, and as he believed they were robbers he pushed his barrow
into the thicket, climbed up a tree, and waited to see what would happen. The twelve men,
however, went to the mountain and cried, semsi mountain, semsi mountain, open up, and
immediately the barren mountain opened down the middle, and the twelve went into it, and
as soon as they were within, it shut. After a short time, it opened again, and the men
came forth carrying heavy sacks on their shoulders, and when they were all once more in
the daylight they said, semsi mountain, semsi mountain, shut yourself, then the mountain
closed together, and there was no longer any entrance to be seen to it, and the twelve
went away. When they were quite out of sight the poor man got down from the tree, and was
curious to know what was secretly hidden in the mountain. So he went up to it and said,
semsi mountain, semsi mountain, open up, and the mountain opened up to him also. Then he
went inside, and the whole mountain was a cavern full of silver and gold, and behind lay
great piles of pearls and sparkling jewels, heaped up like corn. The poor man hardly knew
what to do, and whether he might take any of these treasures for himself or not. At last
he filled his pockets with gold, but he left the pearls and precious stones where they
were. When he came out again he also said, semsi mountain, semsi mountain, shut yourself,
and the mountain closed itself, and he went home with his barrow. And now he had no more
cause for anxiety, but could buy bread for his wife and children with his gold, and wine
into the bargain. He lived joyously and honorably, gave help to the poor, and did good to
every one. When the money came to an end, however, he went to his brother, borrowed a
measure that held a bushel, and brought himself some more, but did not touch any of the
most valuable things. When for the third time he wanted to fetch something, he again
borrowed the measure of his brother. But the rich man had long been envious of his
brother's possessions, and of the handsome household which he kept up, and could not
understand from whence the riches came, and what his brother wanted with the measure. Then
he thought of a cunning trick, and covered the bottom of the measure with pitch, and when
he got the measure back a piece of gold was sticking to it. He at once went to his brother
and asked him, what have you been measuring in the bushel measure. Corn and barley, said
the other. Then he showed him the piece of gold and threatened that if he did not tell the
truth he would accuse him before a court of justice. The poor man then told him
everything, just as it had happened. So the rich man ordered his carriage to be made
ready, and drove away, resolved to use the opportunity better than his brother had done,
and to bring back with him quite different treasures. When he came to the mountain he
cried, semsi mountain, semsi mountain, open up. The mountain opened, and he went inside
it. There lay the treasures all before him, and for a long time he did not know which to
grab first. At length he loaded himself with as many precious stones as he could carry. He
wished to carry his burden outside, but as his heart and soul were entirely full of the
treasures, he had forgotten the name of the mountain, and cried, simeli mountain, simeli
mountain, open up. That, however, was not the right name, and the mountain never stirred,
but remained shut. Then he was alarmed, and the longer he thought about it the more his
thoughts confused themselves, and all his treasures were of no help to him. In the evening
the mountain opened, and the twelve robbers came in, and when they saw him they laughed,
and cried out, bird, have we caught you at last. Did you think we had never noticed that
you had been in here twice. We could not catch you then, this third time you shall not get
out again. Then he cried, it was not I, it was my brother, but let him beg for his life
and say what he would, they cut off his head.
--The End-- |
