One day the bear said: "Thou shalt now go away with me, and then thou wilt escape being longer with thy wicked stepmother. But one thing thou must promise me, that thou wilt obey me in everything that I shall enjoin thee." To this the damsel agreed, and the bear took her on his back, and thus they departed, travelling over hill and dale. At length they came to a very large forest; but this forest was not like other forests, for every, even the smallest, leaf on every tree, was of bright silver, so that it shed light all around. Now," said the bear, "thou must not touch anything here; for if thou dost, both thou and I will be most unfortunate." And the damsel promised not to touch anything. But when they had reached the middle of the forest, the foliage glittered so beautifully around her, that, forgetting her promise, she broke off a little silver leaf. Thereupon the bear said: "My love, what hast thou done?" The damsel answered: "I have only broken off a little silver leaf." The bear continued: "That thou shouldst not have done. It is now a chance whether we escape from hence with life." At the same moment the whole forest was filled with a terrific roaring, and from all sides there streamed forth an innumerable multitude of wild beasts, lions, tigers, and every other kind; and they all went in pursuit of the bear, and strove to tear him in pieces. Now the damsel was indeed terrified, and durst not look up, so affrighted was she. But the bear ran with all his might, and the wild beasts after him, so that when at length he came out of the forest he was almost dead with fear and faintness. Some time after they came to another forest, where every little leaf was of bright gold, so that it glittered all around. Here the same took place as before. At last they entered a third forest, much more extensive than either of the before-mentioned, in which every, even the smallest, leaf was of the brightest diamond, so that it played and sparkled far and wide. There also the damsel could not refrain, but broke a diamond leaf from a tree. Instantly there rushed forth an innumerable multitude of wild beasts, and the bear ran, the wild beasts after him, and were so quick upon him that they almost tore him in pieces before he could get out of the forest. 66 The bear and the damsel now journeyed on gently; for he was both weary and wounded, nor did he utter a single word on the way. At length they came to a clear spring, which flowed out of a mountain, and there they sat to rest. After having rested awhile, the bear said: "Here we must part, for now either thou or I must descend into the fountain." The damsel answered: "In that case it is I that should go down, seeing I have been so disobedient to thee." 'No," replied the bear, "that thou, nevertheless, shalt not do; but here is a knife; take it and kill me, and cast my carcass into the fountain. Afterwards thou shalt clothe thyself in my skin, and go up to the king's palace, and beg to be employed in the court. Every time thou needest help blow in the golden pipe which I gave thee." The damsel durst not do otherwise than obey, and killed the bear, cast his body into the fountain, wrapped herself in his skin, and wandered with a heart full of sorrow up to the king's palace. There she got employment in the kitchen, K and sat in the chimney-corner raking the cinders. But every one was struck with wonder at her garb and manners, and called her Fröken Skinnpels rör i askan (Miss Skin-cloak rakes in the ashes). After this introduction, it is related how the king and the queen and the young prince, together with their court, go to church, and the master-cook is also desirous of going. As he had no one to prepare the king's dinner, he applied to Fröken Skinnpels for assistance. The damsel long excused herself, but finally yielded to his entreaties. So when all the folks were gone their several ways, she took her golden pipe, blew in it, and said: "Up, my little Pysslings*, and prepare a dinner so dainty, that the like was never seen on royal table." Instantly there appeared a numerous swarm of little Pysslings, who began to boil, and roast, and prepare the repast, so as no one ever saw the like. When all was ready the damsel said: "Bring now my silver habit, for I also will go to church." Instantly the Pysslings brought forth the most magnificent of silver habits, and clad Fröken Skinnpels in it, and kept a careful watch over her. She then proceeded to church, and seated herself on the bench between the queen and princess. But all the congregation were amazed at her beauty, and the young prince was so smitten that it seemed to him he could not live unless he could possess her. The continuation and end of the story agree with what is above communicated. 6. A variation from Upland, called "Kråknäbba-pelsen" (Crow'snib-cloak), has also a long introduction, composed of originally unconnected fragments. Of these some appear in the introduction to the story of "Rosalill och Långa Leda" (see p. 41), and in the remarks on the same story (Nos. 1 and 2); while others are borrowed from a wellknown Troll story of a totally unlike kind+. The story treats of a stepdaughter that was sent by her wicked stepmother to tend cattle in the forest without any food. While she was sitting and weeping, a large black ox came to her and said: "If thou wilt do as I say, I will help thee." The girl consented. Then continued the ox: "Shake my ear, and hold thy apron under." The girl did so, and got as much delicate food as she could eat. When she returned from the forest, the hag, her stepmother, was still more cruel towards her than before. It happened one day that the crone forgot her axe in the rain, and sent her stepdaughter to fetch it. The girl went, and found three little doves sitting on the haft of the axe. She spoke to them kindly, caressed them, and gave them food from her hand. The doves then flew up in a tree, and consulted together how they should reward her. One of them said: "I wish that every time she speaks, a gold ring may spring out of her mouth." The second said: "I wish she may grow fairer and fairer.” The third said: "I wish she may have a king for her husband." The damsel returned home, and was much more beautiful than be * See "Northern Mythology and Traditions," vol. ii. p. 94. † See fore; whereupon the crone became envious, and sent her own daughter to the forest to fetch the axe. But the crone's daughter cursed the little doves, and drove them away. They again flew into the tree, and consulted together how they should reward her ill-usage. One of them said: "I wish that every time she speaks a frog may spring out of her mouth." The second said: "I wish she may grow fouler and fouler every day." The third said: "And I wish that her nose may grow longer and longer." And so it came to pass. She became uglier and uglier, and her nose grew out like a crow's nib, and became so long that she could not open a door. So she had made a large cloak, which she hung over her nose, to conceal its ugliness. There was now no good for the stepdaughter in staying at home; so she went to the black ox, and asked his advice. The ox said: "Make haste, and take thy sister's crow's nib cloak, then we will depart from hence. The damsel did so, and when they were on their journey the ox said: "Here thou hast a piece of a tree, a bottle, and a stone; cast them behind thee, one at a time, when there is need." After travelling awhile, they perceived the Troll-wife coming after them, and the damsel cast the piece of wood behind her, and there grew up a large forest; but the crone returned home for her axe, and hewed down the forest. The girl then cast the bottle, and a spacious lake arose; but the crone went home for her horn, and drank up the whole lake. At last she cast the stone, when a lofty mountain rose up. The crone now went home for her pickaxe, for the purpose of breaking through the mountain; but with her picking and hacking the mountain fell in behind her, and she never came out. The continuation accords in its chief points with what is related above. The stepdaughter comes to a royal palace, where she gets employment as a stair-sweeper, and rides three Sundays on the back of the ox, and magnificently clad, to church. The third Sunday the prince watches at the door, and gets her little shoe. He thereupon issues an order that all the maidens in the whole country should come to the king's palace and try on the shoe; but it does not fit the foot of a single one. A little bird then sings: "In the chimney sits the damsel whom the shoe fits. The prince thereupon goes into the kitchen, finds little Kråknäbbapelsen, and takes her to wife. On the wedding-day the stepdaughter goes to the meadow to see after the black ox. The ox said: "If thou wilt requite me, take a sword and divide me into three pieces." The damsel did as he desired, although it pierced her to the heart. A comely young prince now started up, who had been enchanted, and could never have recovered the human form without the damsel's aid. Kråknäbba-pelsen's marriage was then celebrated, and with such pomp that it is famed even at the present day. 7. A variation from Upland, called "Kråkskinns-Maja, tells of a wicked queen, who had two daughters of her own and a stepdaughter. When the maidens were grown up, there came a message from a neighbouring king that they should come to his palace; because he was desirous that his son should take one of them to wife. Thereupon the queen's daughters gave their stepsister a soporific potion, because they were envious of her great beauty, and then took their departure. When the damsel awoke she instantly set out after them, running as fast as she was able. As the daughters were riding in their magnificent chariot, they observed a little apple come rolling out of a field, and crying incessantly: "Oh! oh! I am freezing." But they had no compassion on the little apple, and ordered the driver to give it a lash with his whip, to help it on its way. They then continued their journey, and the apple rolled on and met the stepdaughter. But she did not do as the others had done, but immediately stopped, took up the apple, and warmed it in her bosom. Then said the apple: "Wait until thou art in need, and I will render thee a service in return." Shortly after there came a little pear rolling into the road, and met the three damsels, when all took place as with the apple; a plum also rolled forth in like manner, crying that it was freezing, and received from the queen's daughters a lash from the whip, but which the stepdaughter warmed in her bosom. Thus did the queen's daughters arrive at the royal palace, and were received with feastings and many tokens of honour; but the stepdaughter sought shelter in a little hut by the wayside. She there clad herself in an old cloak, made solely of crow-skins, with a veil before her face, and thus wandered up to the royal palace, and got employment in the kitchen. But the court folks made game of her wonderful appearance, and called her in derision, "Kråkskinns-Maja." When Sunday came, and all the folks were gone to church, the stepdaughter took forth her apple, and wished for a garment of pure silver. She then said : 66 'Light before me, Darkness after me, And may no one know whither I go." And thus she went to church, where she seated herself between the stepsisters; but they did not recognise her, and the young prince was so smitten with her beauty, that he could not turn his eyes on any other object. The next Sunday passed in like manner. The stepdaughter took forth her pear, wished for herself a habit of pure gold, and went to church. On the third Sunday she took her plum, and clothed herself in a dress wholly of precious stones. As she was hurrying out of church, the young prince ran after her, when she lost one of her gold shoes. But the prince took it up, and issued a proclamation, that no one should be his wife, save her whose foot fitted the little gold shoe. All the young maidens in the kingdom, of whatever degree, must now go to the royal palace and try on the shoe; in doing which they sat behind a curtain, and held forth a foot, each in her turn; but the Now the gold shoe was always too small, till Kråkskinns-Maja came. prince was in no little hurry to put aside the curtain, when lo! there was no longer Kråksinns-Maja, but a beautiful princess entirely clad in precious stones. Thus did the queen's daughters return home with shame, and the prince celebrated his nuptials with the stepdaughter. Such was her reward, because she was discreet and good. х THE BOY THAT STOLE THE GIANT'S TREASURES. 1. THE SWORD, THE GOLDEN FOWLS, THE GOLDEN LANTERN, AND THE GOLDEN HARP. From South Småland. The THERE was once a poor peasant, who had three sons. eldest two accompanied their father to field and forest, and aided him in his labour; but the youngest lad stayed at home with his mother, and helped her in her occupations. Hence he was slighted by his brothers, who treated him wrongfully whenever they had an opportunity. After a time the father and mother died, and the three sons were to divide the inheritance; on which occasion, as may easily be imagined, the elder brothers took for their share all that was of any value, leaving nothing for their young brother. When everything else had been appropriated, there remained only an old split kneading-trough that neither of the two would have. One of the brothers thereupon said, "The old trough is exactly the thing for our young brother, he is so fond of baking and coddling." The lad, as he well might, thought this was but a poor inheritance; but he had no remedy, and from that time he was convinced there was no good to be got by staying at home. So, bidding his brothers farewell, he went out into the world to try his luck. On coming to the water-side he caulked his trough with oakum, and so made a little boat of it, using two sticks for oars. He then rowed away. Having crossed the water, he came to a spacious palace, into which he entered, and demanded to speak with the king. The king said, "What is thy family and thy errand?” The lad answered, "I am a poor peasant's son, who has nothing in the world but an old kneading-trough. I come hither in search of employment." When the king heard this he laughed, and said, "Thou hast, indeed, but a small |