As soon as the divided parts were joined the snake moved and was alive again, and both snakes hastened away together. The leaves remained lying on the ground, and the unfortunate King, who had seen all, bethought himself whether the miraculous power of the leaves, which had restored a snake to life, might not help a man. So he picked up the leaves, and laid one on the mouth of the corpse, and the other two on her eyes; and he had scarcely done so when the blood circulated again in the veins, and, mounting into the pale countenance, flushed it with colour. Then she drew her breath, opened her eyes, and said, “Ah, where am I?” “You are with me, dear wife,” he replied, and told her how every thing had happened, and how he had brought her to life. Then he helped her to some wine and bread; and when her strength had returned she raised herself up, and they went to the door, and knocked and shouted so loudly that the watchers heard them and told the King. The King came down himself and opened the door, and there found them both alive and well, and he rejoiced with them that their trouble had passed away. But the young King took away the three snake-leaves, and gave them to his servant saying, “Preserve them carefully for me, and carry them with you at all times. Who knows in what necessity they may not help us?”

A change, however, had come over the wife, after she was restored to life, and it was as if all love for her husband had passed out of her heart. And when, some little time after, he wished to make a voyage over the sea to his old father, and they had gone on board the ship, she forgot the great love and fidelity which he had shown, and through which he had saved her life, and disclosed a wicked plan to the Captain. When the young Prince lay asleep, she called up the Captain, and, taking the sleeper by the head while he carried the feet, they threw the Prince into the sea. And as soon as the evil deed was done she said to the Captain, “Now let us return home, and say he died on the voyage. I will so praise and commend you to my father that he shall give you to me in marriage, and you shall sit as his heir.”

But the faithful servant, who had seen all unremarked, let loose a little boat from the ship, and, getting in it himself, rowed after his master, and let the betrayers sail away. He fished the dead body up again, and, by the help of the three snake-leaves, which he carried with him, he brought him happily to life again. Then they both rowed away with all their strength day and night, and their little boat glided on so fast that they arrived before the others at the old King’s palace. He marvelled to see them return alone, and asked what had happened. When he heard of the wickedness of his daughter he said, “I can scarcely believe that she has done such evil; but the truth will soon come to light.” Then he bade them both go into a secret chamber, and keep themselves private from every body. Soon afterwards the great vessel came sailing up, and the godless wife appeared before her father with a sorrowful countenance. “Why are you returned alone?” he asked. “Where is your husband?” “Alas! dear father,” she replied, “I return home with great grief, for my husband was suddenly taken ill during the voyage and died; and if the good Captain had not given me his assistance it would have gone terribly with me; he was present at my husband’s death, and can tell you all about it.” The King said, “I will bring the dead to life,” and opening the chamber, he bade the Prince and his servant both to come forth. As soon as the wife perceived her husband she was struck as if by lightning, and, falling on her knees, she begged his pardon. But the King answered, “For you there is no pardon. He was ready to die with you, and gave you life again; but you have conspired against him in his sleep, and shall receive your due reward.” Then she was put, with her companion in crime, on board a ship which was pierced with holes, and drawn out into the sea; and they soon sank beneath the waves.

Rapunzel

020

Once upon a time there lived a man and his wife, who much wished to have a child, but for a long time in vain. These people had a little window in the back part of their house, out of which one could see into a beautiful garden, which was full of fine flowers and vegetables; but it was surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to go in, because it belonged to a Witch who possessed great power, and who was feared by the whole world. One day the woman stood at this window looking into the garden, and there she saw a bed which was filled with the most beautiful radishes, and which seemed so fresh and green that she felt quite glad; and a great desire seized her to eat of these radishes. This wish returned daily, and as she knew that she could not partake of them she fell ill, and looked very pale and miserable. This frightened her husband, who asked, “What ails you, my dear wife?”

“Ah!” she replied, “if I cannot get any of those radishes to eat out of the garden behind the house I shall die!” The husband, loving her very much, thought, “Rather than let my wife die, I must fetch her some radishes, cost what they may.” So in the gloom of the evening, he climbed the wall of the Witch’s garden, and, snatching a handful of radishes in great haste, brought them to his wife, who made herself a salad with them, which she ate with relish. However, they were so nice, and so well-flavoured, that the next day after she felt the same desire for the third time, and could not get any rest, so that her husband was obliged to promise her some more. So, in the evening, he made himself ready, and began clambering up the wall; but, oh! how terribly frightened he was, for there he saw the old Witch standing before him. “How dare you,”—she began, looking at him with a frightful scowl,—“how dare you climb over into my garden to take away my radishes like a thief? Evil shall happen to you for this.”

“Ah!” replied he, “let pardon be granted before justice; I have only done this from a great necessity: my wife saw your radishes from her window, and took such a fancy to them that she would have died if she had not eaten of them.” Then the Witch ran after him in a passion, saying, “If she behave as you say I will let you take away all the radishes you please, but I make one condition: you must give me the child which your wife will bring into the world. All shall go well with it, and I will care for it like a mother.” In his anxiety the man consented, and when the child was born the Witch appeared at the same time, gave the child the name “Rapunzel,” and took it away with her.

Rapunzel grew to be the most beautiful child under the sun, and when she was twelve years old the Witch shut her up in a tower, which stood in a forest, and had neither stairs nor door, and only one little window just at the top.