Golden Grain Garnered from the World's Great Harvest-field of Knowledge: Comprising Selections from the Ablest Modern Writers of Prose, Poetry, and Legendary Lore
General
Golden Grain Garnered from the World's Great Harvest-field of Knowledge: Comprising Selections from the Ablest Modern Writers of Prose, Poetry, and Legendary Lore
American literature
Well, when he had got a bit on his way, he came to a raven, which was
lying in the road flapping his wings, and was unable to get out of his
way, it was so famished. "Oh, dear friend, give me something to eat,
and I will help you in your utmost need," said the raven.--"very little
food have I," said the prince, "and you don't look as if you could help
me much either, but a little I must give you for you want it badly, I
see," and then he gave the raven some of the food he had with him.
When he had traveled some distance further he came to a stream. There
he saw a big salmon, which had got ashore and was dashing and knocking
itself about and could not get into the water again, "Oh, dear friend,
help me into the water again," said the salmon to the prince, "and I
will help you in your utmost need."--"I don't suppose it can be much of
a help you can give me," said the prince, "but it is a pity you should
lie there and very likely perish," so he shoved the fish into the
stream again.
So he traveled a long, long way, till he met a wolf, which was so
famished that he was only able to drag himself along the road. "Dear
friend, give me your horse," said the wolf. "I am so hungry, I hear the
wind whistling in my empty stomach. I have had nothing to eat for two
years."
"No," said Ash-ie-pat-tle, "I can't do it; first I came to a raven
which I had to give all my food to; then I came to a salmon which I had
to help back into the water; and now you want my horse. But that is
impossible, for then I should have nothing to ride upon."
"Yes, yes, my friend, but you must help me," said the wolf, "you can
ride on me instead; I shall help you again in your utmost need."
"Well, the help you can give me will not be great; but I suppose you
must have the horse then, since you are so needy," said the prince. And
when the wolf had finished the horse Ash-ie-pat-tle took the bridle and
put the bit in the wolf's mouth and the saddle on his back, and the
wolf felt now so strong and well after what he had had to eat, that he
set off with the prince as if he were nothing at all; Ash-ie-pat-tle
had never ridden so fast before.
"When we get a little bit further I will show you a giant's castle,"
said the wolf, and in a little while they came there. "See, here is
the giant's castle," said the wolf again, "and there you see all your
six brothers, whom the giant has turned into stone, and there are their
six brides. Over yonder is the door of the castle, and you must go in
there."
"I dare not," said the prince, "the giant will kill me."
"Not at all," answered the wolf; "when you go in there you will meet
a princess. She will tell you what to do to make an end of the giant.
Only do as she tells you."
Well, Ash-ie-pat-tle went into the castle, but to tell the truth he
felt rather afraid. When he got inside, he found the giant was out; but
in a chamber sat the princess, just as the wolf had said. Such a lovely
maiden Ash-ie-pat-tle had never seen before.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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