Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories; Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Fairy tales
'I was carried through the streets at lightning speed, and taken to
the room of a Soldier, whom I had to serve as a maid, and do all kinds
of menial work. I had to sweep the room, and clean his boots. Of
course, it was only a dream, and yet I am as tired this morning as if
I had done it all.'
'The dream could not have been true,' said the King. 'But I will give
you a piece of advice. Fill your pocket with peas, and cut a little
hole in it, then if you are carried away again, they will drop out and
leave a track on the road.'
When the King said this, the Little Man was standing by, invisible,
and heard it all.
At night, when he again carried off the Princess, the peas certainly
fell out of her pocket, but they were useless to trace her by, for the
cunning Little Man had scattered peas all over the streets. Again the
Princess had to perform her menial duties till cock-crow.
The next morning the King sent out people who were to find the track;
but they were unable to do so, because in every street the poor
children were picking up peas, and saying: 'It must have rained peas
in the night.'
'We must devise a better plan,' said the King. 'Keep your shoes on
when you go to bed, and before you come away from the place where you
are taken, hide one of them. I shall be sure to find it.'
The Little Man heard this plan also; and when the Soldier told him to
bring the Princess again, he advised him to put it off. He said he
knew no further means against their craftiness; and if the shoe were
found, it would be very dangerous for his master.
'Do what I tell you,' answered the Soldier; and for the third time the
Princess was brought and made to work like a servant. But before
leaving she hid one of her shoes under the bed.
Next morning the King ordered the whole town to be searched for his
Daughter's shoe, and it was soon found in the Soldier's room. He
himself, at the request of the Little Man, had gone outside the gates;
but before long he was seized and thrown into prison.
In his flight he had forgotten his greatest treasures, the Blue Light
and his gold. He had but one ducat in his pocket.
As he stood at his window in the prison, loaded with chains, he saw
one of his comrades going by. He tapped on the pane, and said:
'Be so good as to fetch me the little bundle I left behind at the inn,
and I will give you a ducat.'
His comrade hurried off and brought him the bundle. As soon as the
Soldier was alone, he lighted his pipe and summoned the Little Man.
'Don't be afraid,' he said to his Master. 'Go where they take you, and
let what will happen, only take the Blue Light with you.'
Next day a trial was held, and although the Soldier had done no harm,
the Judge sentenced him to death.
When he was led out to execution he asked a last favour of the King.
'What is your wish?' asked the King.
'That I may smoke a last pipe.'
'You may smoke three,' answered the King. 'But don't imagine that I
will therefore grant you your life.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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