The Drummer
A young drummer went out quite alone one
evening into the country, and came to a lake on the shore of which he perceived lying
there three pieces of white linen. What fine linen, said he, and put one piece in his
pocket. He returned home, thought no more of what he had found, and went to bed. Just as
he was going to sleep, it seemed to him as if someone was calling his name. He listened,
and was aware of a soft voice which cried to him, drummer, drummer, wake up. As it was a
dark night he could see no one, but it appeared to him that a figure was hovering about
his bed. What do you want, he asked. Give me back my shift, answered the voice, that you
took away from me last evening by the lake. You shall have it back again, said the
drummer, if you will tell me who you are.
Ah, replied the voice, I am the daughter of a
mighty king. But I have fallen into the power of a witch, and am shut up on the
glass-mountain. I have to bathe in the lake every day with my two sisters, but I cannot
fly back again without my shift. My sisters have gone away, but I have been forced to stay
behind. I entreat you to give me my shift back. Don't worry, poor child, said the drummer.
I will willingly give it back to you. He took it out of his pocket, and reached it to her
in the dark. She snatched it in haste, and wanted to go away with it. Stop a moment,
perhaps I can help you. You can only help me by ascending the glass-mountain, and indeed
if you were quite close to it you could not ascend it. When I want to do a thing I always
can do it, said the drummer. I am sorry for you, and have no fear of anything. But I do
not know the way which leads to the glass-mountain. The road goes through the great
forest, in which the man-eaters live, she answered, and more than that, I dare not tell
you. And then he heard her wings as she flew away. By daybreak the drummer arose, buckled
on his drums, and went without fear straight into the forest.
After he had walked for a while without seeing
any giants, he thought to himself, I must waken up the sluggards, and he hung his drum
before him, and beat such a roll that the birds flew out of the trees with loud cries. It
was not long before a giant who had been lying sleeping among the grass, rose up, and was
as tall as a fir-tree. Wretch, cried he, what are you drumming here for, and wakening me
out of my best sleep. I am drumming, he replied, because I want to show the way to many
thousands who are following me. What do they want in my forest, demanded the giant. They
want to put an end to you, and cleanse the forest of such a monster as you.
Oho. Said the giant, I will trample you all to
death like so many ants. Do you think you can do anything against us, said the drummer, if
you stoop to take hold of one, he will jump away and hide himself. But when you are lying
down and sleeping, they will come forth from every thicket, and creep up to you. Every one
of them has a hammer of steel in his belt, and with that they will beat in your skull. The
giant grew angry and thought, if I meddle with the crafty folk, it might turn out badly
for me. I can strangle wolves and bears, but I cannot protect myself from these
earth-worms. Listen, little fellow, said he, go back again, and I will promise you that
for the future I will leave you and your comrades in peace, and if there is anything else
you wish for, tell me, for I am quite willing to do something to please you. You have long
legs, said the drummer, and can run quicker than I. Carry me to the glass-mountain, and I
will give my followers a signal to go back, and they shall leave you in peace this time.
Come here, worm, said the giant. Seat yourself on my shoulder, I will carry you where you
wish to be.
The giant lifted him up, and the drummer began
to beat his drum up aloft to his heart's delight. The giant thought, that is the signal
for the other people to turn back. After a while, a second giant was standing in the road,
who took the drummer from the first, and stuck him in his button-hole. The drummer laid
hold of the button, which was as large as a dish, held on by it, and looked merrily
around. Then they came to a third giant, who took him out of the button-hole, and set him
on the rim of his hat. Up there the drummer walked backwards and forwards, and looked over
the trees, and when he perceived a mountain in the blue distance, he thought, that must be
the glass-mountain, and so it was. The giant only made two more steps, and they reached
the foot of the mountain, where the giant put him down.
The drummer demanded to be put on the summit of
the glass-mountain, but the giant shook his head, growled something in his beard, and went
back into the forest. And now the poor drummer was standing before the mountain, which was
as high as if three mountains were piled on each other, and at the same time as smooth as
a looking-glass, and did not know how to get up it. He began to climb, but that was
useless, for he always slipped back again. If one was a bird now, thought he. But what was
the good of wishing, no wings grew for him. Whilst he was standing thus, not knowing what
to do, he saw, not far from him, two men who were struggling fiercely together. He went up
to them and saw that they were disputing about a saddle which was lying on the ground
before them, and which both of them wanted to have.
What fools you are, said he, to quarrel about a
saddle, when you have not a horse for it. The saddle is worth fighting about, answered one
of the men. Whosoever sits on it, and wishes himself in any place, even if it should be
the very end of the earth, gets there the instant he has uttered the wish. The saddle
belongs to us in common. It is my turn to ride on it, but that other man will not let me
do it. I will soon decide the quarrel, said the drummer, and he went to a short distance
and stuck a white rod in the ground. Then he came back and said, now run to the goal, and
whoever gets there first, shall ride first. Both set out at a trot, but hardly had they
gone a couple of steps before the drummer swung himself on the saddle, wished himself on
the glass-mountain and before any one could turn round, he was there.
On the top of the mountain was a plain. There
stood an old stone house, and in front of the house lay a great fish-pond, but behind it
was a dark forest. He saw neither men nor animals, everything was quiet. Only the wind
rustled amongst the trees, and the clouds moved by quite close above his head. He went to
the door and knocked. When he had knocked for the third time, an old woman with a brown
face and red eyes opened the door. She had spectacles on her long nose, and looked sharply
at him. Then she asked what he wanted. Entrance, food, and a bed for the night, replied
the drummer. That you shall have, said the old woman, if you will perform three services
in return. Why not, he answered, I am not afraid of any kind of work, however, hard it may
be. The old woman let him go in, and gave him some food and a good bed at night.
The next morning when he had slept his fill,
she took a thimble from her wrinkled finger, reached it to the drummer, and said, go to
work now, and empty out the pond with this thimble. But you must have done it before
night, and must have sought out all the fishes which are in the water and laid them side
by side, according to their kind and size. That is strange work, said the drummer, but he
went to the pond, and began to empty it. He baled the whole morning. But what can anyone
do to a great lake with a thimble, even if he were to bale for a thousand years. When it
was noon, he thought, it is all useless, and whether I work or not it will come to the
same thing. So he gave it up and sat down. Then came a maiden out of the house who set a
little basket with food before him, and said, what ails you, that you sit so sadly here.
He looked at her, and saw that she was wondrously beautiful.
Ah, said he, I cannot finish the first piece of
work, how will it be with the others. I came forth to seek a king's daughter who is said
to dwell here, but I have not found her, and I will go farther. Stay here, said the
maiden, I will help you out of your difficulty. You are tired, lay your head in my lap,
and sleep. When you awake again, your work will be done. The drummer did not need to be
told that twice. As soon as his eyes were shut, she turned a wishing-ring and said, rise,
water. Fishes, come out. Instantly the water rose on high like a white mist, and moved
away with the other clouds, and the fishes sprang on the shore and laid themselves side by
side each according to his size and kind. When the drummer awoke, he saw with amazement
that all was done. But the maiden said, one of the fish is not lying with those of its own
kind, but quite alone. When the old woman comes to-night and sees that all she demanded
has been done, she will ask you, what is this fish lying alone for. Then throw the fish in
her face, and say, this one shall be for you, old witch.
In the evening the witch came, and when she had
put this question, he threw the fish in her face. She behaved as if she did not notice it,
and said nothing, but looked at him with malicious eyes. Next morning she said, yesterday
it was too easy for you, I must give you harder work. To-day you must hew down the whole
of the forest, split the wood into logs, and pile them up, and everything must be finished
by the evening. She gave him an axe, a mallet, and two wedges. But the axe was made of
lead, and the mallet and wedges were of tin. When he began to cut, the edge of the axe was
blunted, and the mallet and wedges were beaten out of shape. He did not know how to
manage, but at mid-day the maiden came once more with his dinner and comforted him. Lay
your head on my lap, said she, and sleep. When you awake, your work will be done. She
turned her wishing-ring, and in an instant the whole forest fell down with a crash, the
wood split, and arranged itself in heaps, and it seemed just as if unseen giants were
finishing the work.
When he awoke, the maiden said, do you see that
the wood is piled up and arranged, one bough alone remains. But when the old woman comes
this evening and asks you about that bough, give her a blow with it, and say, that is for
you, you witch. The old woman came, there you see how easy the work was, said she. But for
whom have you left that bough. For you, you witch, he replied, and gave her a blow with
it. But she pretended not to feel it, laughed scornfully, and said, early to-morrow
morning you shall arrange all the wood in one heap, set fire to it, and burn it.
He rose at break of day, and began to pick up
the wood, but how can a single man get a whole forest together. The work made no progress.
The maiden, however, did not desert him in his need. She brought him his food at noon, and
when he had eaten, he laid his head on her lap, and went to sleep. When he awoke, the
entire pile of wood was burning in one enormous flame, which stretched its tongues out
into the sky. Listen to me, said the maiden, when the witch comes, she will give you all
kinds of orders. Do whatever she asks you without fear, and then she will not be able to
get the better of you, but if you are afraid, the fire will lay hold of you, and consume
you. At last when you have done everything, seize her with both your hands, and throw her
into the midst of the fire.
The maiden departed, and the old woman came
sneaking up to him. Oh, I am cold, said she, but that is a fire that burns. It warms my
old bones, and does me good. But I see a log lying there which won't burn, bring it out
for me. When you have done that, you are free, and may go where you like. Now, jump in.
The drummer did not reflect long. He sprang into the midst of the flames, but they did not
hurt him, and could not even singe a hair of his head. He carried the log out, and laid it
down. Hardly, however, had the wood touched the earth than it was transformed, and the
beautiful maiden who had helped him in his need stood before him, and by the silken and
shining golden garments which she wore, he knew right well that she was the king's
daughter. But the old woman laughed venomously, and said, you think you have her safe, but
you have not got her yet. Just as she was about to fall on the maiden and take her away,
the youth seized the old woman with both his hands, raised her up on high, and threw her
into the jaws of the fire, which closed over her as if it were delighted that an old witch
was to be burnt.
Then the king's daughter looked at the drummer,
and when she saw that he was a handsome youth and remembered how he had risked his life to
deliver her, she gave him her hand, and said, you have ventured everything for my sake,
but I also will do everything for yours. Promise to be true to me, and you shall be my
husband. We shall not want for riches, we shall have enough with what the witch has
gathered together here. She led him into the house, where there were chests and coffers
crammed with the old woman's treasures.
The maiden left the gold and silver where it
was, and took only the precious stones. She would not stay any longer on the
glass-mountain, so the drummer said to her, seat yourself by me on my saddle, and then we
will fly down like birds. I do not like the old saddle, said she, I need only turn my
wishing-ring and we shall be at home. Very well, then, answered the drummer, then wish us
in front of the town-gate. In the twinkling of an eye they were there, but the drummer
said, I will just go to my parents and tell them the news. Wait for me outside here, I
shall soon be back.
Ah, said the king's daughter, I beg you to be
careful. On your arrival do not kiss your parents on the right cheek, or else you will
forget everything, and I shall stay behind here outside, alone and deserted. How can I
forget you, said he, and promised her to come back very soon, and gave his hand upon it.
When he went into his father's house, he had changed so much that no one knew who he was,
for the three days which he had passed on the glass-mountain had been three years. Then he
made himself known, and his parents fell on his neck with joy, and his heart was so moved
that he forgot what the maiden had said and kissed them on both cheeks. But when he had
given them the kiss on the right cheek, every thought of the king's daughter vanished from
him.
He emptied out his pockets, and laid handfuls
of the largest jewels on the table. The parents had not the least idea what to do with the
riches. Then the father built a magnificent castle all surrounded by gardens, woods, and
meadows as if a prince were going to live in it, and when it was ready, the mother said, I
have found a maiden for you and the wedding shall be in three days. The son was content to
do as his parents desired. The poor king's daughter had stood for a long time outside the
town waiting for the return of the young man. When evening came, she said, he must
certainly have kissed his parents on the right cheek, and has forgotten me. Her heart was
full of sorrow, she wished herself into a solitary little hut in a forest, and would not
return to her father's court. Every evening she went into the town and passed the young
man's house. He often saw her, but he no longer knew her. At length she heard the people
saying, the wedding will take place to-morrow. Then she said, I will try if I can win back
his heart.
On the first day of the wedding ceremonies, she
turned her wishing-ring, and said, a dress as bright as the sun. Instantly the dress lay
before her, and it was as bright as if it had been woven of real sunbeams. When all the
guests were assembled, she entered the hall. Every one was amazed at the beautiful dress,
and the bride most of all, and as pretty dresses were the things she had most delight in,
she went to the stranger and asked if she would sell it to her. Not for money, she
answered, but if I may pass the first night outside the door of the room where your
betrothed sleeps, I will give it up to you. The bride could not overcome her desire and
consented, but she mixed a sleeping-draught with the wine her betrothed took at night,
which made him fall into a deep sleep. When all had be- - line missing in book copy - of
the bedroom, opened it just a little, and cried, drummer, drummer, I pray you hear. Have
you forgotten you held me dear. That on the glass-mountain we sat hour by hour. That I
rescued your life from the witch's power. Did you not plight your troth to me. Drummer,
drummer, hearken to me. But it was all in vain, for the drummer did not awake, and when
morning dawned, the king's daughter was forced to go back again as she came.
On the second evening she turned her
wishing-ring and said, a dress as silvery as the moon. When she appeared at the feast in
the dress which was as soft as moonbeams, it again excited the desire of the bride, and
the king's daughter gave it to her for permission to pass the second night also, outside
the door of the bedroom. When in the stillness of the night, she cried, drummer, drummer,
I pray you hear. Have you forgotten you held me dear. That on the glass-mountain we sat
hour by hour. That I rescued your life from the witch's power. Did you not plight your
troth to me. Drummer, drummer, hearken to me. But the drummer, who was stupefied with the
sleeping-draught, could not be aroused. Sadly next morning she went back to her hut in the
forest. But the people in the house had heard the lamentation of the unknown maiden, and
told the bridegroom about it. They told him also that it was impossible that he could hear
anything of it, because the maiden he was going to marry had poured a sleeping-draught
into his wine.
On the third evening, the king's daughter
turned her wishing-ring, and said, a dress glittering like the stars. When she showed
herself therein at the feast, the bride was quite beside herself with the splendor of the
dress, which far surpassed the others, and she said, I must, and will have it. The maiden
gave it as she had given the others for permission to spend the night outside the
bridegroom's door. The bridegroom, however, did not drink the wine which was handed to him
before he went to bed, but poured it behind the bed, and when everything was quiet, he
heard a sweet voice which called to him, drummer, drummer, I pray you hear. Have you
forgotten you held me dear. That on the glass-mountain we sat hour by hour. That I rescued
your life from the witch's power. Did you not plight your troth to me. Drummer, drummer,
hearken to me. Suddenly his memory returned to him.
Ah, cried he, how can I have acted so
unfaithfully. But the kiss which in the joy of my heart I gave my parents, on the right
cheek, that is to blame for it all. That is what stupefied me. He sprang up, took the
king's daughter by the hand, and led her to his parents, bed. This is my true bride, said
he. If I marry the other, I shall do a great wrong. The parents, when they heard how
everything had happened, gave their consent. Then the lights in the hall were lighted
again, drums and trumpets were brought, friends and relations were invited to come, and
the real wedding was solemnized with great rejoicing. The first bride received the
beautiful dresses as a compensation, and declared herself satisfied.
--The End-- |
