merve/folk-mythology-tales · Datasets at Hugging Face

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'Truly,' said the second crow; 'for to-morrow, when midday strikes, the
bridge over the Gold Stream will break just as they are driving over
it. But, listen! whoever overhears and tells what we have said will be
turned to stone up to his knees.'

The crows had hardly done speaking when away they flew. And close upon
them followed three pigeons.

'Even if the prince and princess get safe over the bridge they will
perish,' said they; 'for the king is going to send a carriage to meet
them which looks as new as paint. But when they are seated in it a
raging wind will rise and whirl the carriage away into the clouds. Then
it will fall suddenly to earth, and they will be killed. But anyone who
hears and betrays what we have said will be turned to stone up to his
waist.'

With that the pigeons flew off and three eagles took their places, and
this is what they said:

'If the young couple does manage to escape the dangers of the bridge
and the carriage, the king means to send them each a splendid gold
embroidered robe. When they put these on they will be burnt up at once.
But whoever hears and repeats this will turn to stone from head to
foot.'

Early next morning the travellers got up and breakfasted. They began to
tell each other their dreams. At last the servant said:

'Gracious prince, I dreamt that if your Royal Highness would grant all
I asked we should get home safe and sound; but if you did not we should
certainly be lost. My dreams never deceive me, so I entreat you to
follow my advice during the rest of the journey.'

'Don't make such a fuss about a dream,' said the prince; 'dreams are but
clouds. Still, to prevent your being anxious I will promise to do as you
wish.'

With that they set out on their journey.

At midday they reached the Gold Stream. When they got to the bridge the
servant said: 'Let us leave the carriage here, my prince, and walk
a little way. The town is not far off and we can easily get another
carriage there, for the wheels of this one are bad and will not hold out
much longer.'

The prince looked well at the carriage. He did not think it looked so
unsafe as his servant said; but he had given his word and he held to it.

They got down and loaded the horses with the luggage. The prince and
his bride walked over the bridge, but the servant said he would ride the
horses through the stream so as to water and bathe them.

They reached the other side without harm, and bought a new carriage in
the town, which was quite near, and set off once more on their travels;
but they had not gone far when they met a messenger from the king who
said to the prince: 'His Majesty has sent your Royal Highness this
beautiful carriage so that you may make a fitting entry into your own
country and amongst your own people.'

The prince was so delighted that he could not speak. But the servant
said: 'My lord, let me examine this carriage first and then you can get
in if I find it is all right; otherwise we had better stay in our own.'

The prince made no objections, and after looking the carriage well
over the servant said: 'It is as bad as it is smart'; and with that
he knocked it all to pieces, and they went on in the one that they had
bought.

At last they reached the frontier; there another messenger was waiting
for them, who said that the king had sent two splendid robes for the
prince and his bride, and begged that they would wear them for their
state entry. But the servant implored the prince to have nothing to do
with them, and never gave him any peace till he had obtained leave to
destroy the robes.

The old king was furious when he found that all his arts had failed;
that his son still lived and that he would have to give up the crown to
him now he was married, for that was the law of the land. He longed to
know how the prince had escaped, and said: 'My dear son, I do indeed
rejoice to have you safely back, but I cannot imagine why the beautiful
carriage and the splendid robes I sent did not please you; why you had
them destroyed.'

'Indeed, sire,' said the prince, 'I was myself much annoyed at their
destruction; but my servant had begged to direct everything on the
journey and I had promised him that he should do so. He declared that we
could not possibly get home safely unless I did as he told me.'

The old king fell into a tremendous rage. He called his Council together
and condemned the servant to death.

The gallows was put up in the square in front of the palace. The servant
was led out and his sentence read to him.

The rope was being placed round his neck, when he begged to be allowed
a few last words. 'On our journey home,' he said, 'we spent the first
night at an inn. I did not sleep but kept watch all night.' And then he
went on to tell what the crows had said, and as he spoke he turned to
stone up to his knees. The prince called to him to say no more as he had
proved his innocence. But the servant paid no heed to him, and by the

'Truly,' said the second crow; 'for to-morrow, when midday strikes, the

bridge over the Gold Stream will break just as they are driving over

it. But, listen! whoever overhears and tells what we have said will be

turned to stone up to his knees.'

The crows had hardly done speaking when away they flew. And close upon

them followed three pigeons.

'Even if the prince and princess get safe over the bridge they will

perish,' said they; 'for the king is going to send a carriage to meet

them which looks as new as paint. But when they are seated in it a

raging wind will rise and whirl the carriage away into the clouds. Then

it will fall suddenly to earth, and they will be killed. But anyone who

hears and betrays what we have said will be turned to stone up to his

waist.'

With that the pigeons flew off and three eagles took their places, and

this is what they said:

'If the young couple does manage to escape the dangers of the bridge

and the carriage, the king means to send them each a splendid gold

embroidered robe. When they put these on they will be burnt up at once.

But whoever hears and repeats this will turn to stone from head to

foot.'

Early next morning the travellers got up and breakfasted. They began to

tell each other their dreams. At last the servant said:

'Gracious prince, I dreamt that if your Royal Highness would grant all

I asked we should get home safe and sound; but if you did not we should

certainly be lost. My dreams never deceive me, so I entreat you to

follow my advice during the rest of the journey.'

'Don't make such a fuss about a dream,' said the prince; 'dreams are but

clouds. Still, to prevent your being anxious I will promise to do as you

wish.'

With that they set out on their journey.

At midday they reached the Gold Stream. When they got to the bridge the

servant said: 'Let us leave the carriage here, my prince, and walk

a little way. The town is not far off and we can easily get another

carriage there, for the wheels of this one are bad and will not hold out

much longer.'

The prince looked well at the carriage. He did not think it looked so

unsafe as his servant said; but he had given his word and he held to it.

They got down and loaded the horses with the luggage. The prince and

his bride walked over the bridge, but the servant said he would ride the

horses through the stream so as to water and bathe them.

They reached the other side without harm, and bought a new carriage in

the town, which was quite near, and set off once more on their travels;

but they had not gone far when they met a messenger from the king who

said to the prince: 'His Majesty has sent your Royal Highness this

beautiful carriage so that you may make a fitting entry into your own

country and amongst your own people.'

The prince was so delighted that he could not speak. But the servant

said: 'My lord, let me examine this carriage first and then you can get

in if I find it is all right; otherwise we had better stay in our own.'

The prince made no objections, and after looking the carriage well

over the servant said: 'It is as bad as it is smart'; and with that

he knocked it all to pieces, and they went on in the one that they had

bought.

At last they reached the frontier; there another messenger was waiting

for them, who said that the king had sent two splendid robes for the

prince and his bride, and begged that they would wear them for their

state entry. But the servant implored the prince to have nothing to do

with them, and never gave him any peace till he had obtained leave to

destroy the robes.

The old king was furious when he found that all his arts had failed;

that his son still lived and that he would have to give up the crown to

him now he was married, for that was the law of the land. He longed to

know how the prince had escaped, and said: 'My dear son, I do indeed

rejoice to have you safely back, but I cannot imagine why the beautiful

carriage and the splendid robes I sent did not please you; why you had

them destroyed.'

'Indeed, sire,' said the prince, 'I was myself much annoyed at their

destruction; but my servant had begged to direct everything on the

journey and I had promised him that he should do so. He declared that we

could not possibly get home safely unless I did as he told me.'

The old king fell into a tremendous rage. He called his Council together

and condemned the servant to death.

The gallows was put up in the square in front of the palace. The servant

was led out and his sentence read to him.

The rope was being placed round his neck, when he begged to be allowed

a few last words. 'On our journey home,' he said, 'we spent the first

night at an inn. I did not sleep but kept watch all night.' And then he

went on to tell what the crows had said, and as he spoke he turned to

stone up to his knees. The prince called to him to say no more as he had

proved his innocence. But the servant paid no heed to him, and by the