Auditing & Assurance Service Louwers 5th Edition Test Bank
Auditing & Assurance Service Louwers 5th Edition Test Bank
Auditing & Assurance Service Louwers 5th Edition Test Bank
Auditing & Assurance Service Louwers 5th Edition Test Bank
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5. 1 | P a g e
Auditing & Assurance Service Louwers 5th Edition
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Chapter 01
Auditing and Assurance Services
True / False Questions
1. Financial decision makers demand reliable information that is provided by
accountants.
True False
2. Financial decision makers obtain their accounting information from lenders of
funds.
True False
3. Four conditions that create demand for reliable information are complexity,
remoteness, timeliness, and consequences.
True False
4. The lending of credibility to financial information is known as certification.
True False
6. 2 | P a g e
5. Independent auditors are employees of the client.
True False
6. Assurance service is the systematic process of objectively obtaining and
evaluating evidence.
True False
7. Evidence consists of assertions about economic actions and events.
True False
8. The purpose of obtaining and evaluating evidence is to ascertain the degree of
correspondence between the assertions and established criteria.
True False
9. The AICPA Statement on Auditing Standards defines auditing more broadly than
the AAA definition of auditing.
True False
10.The PCAOB audit objective related to the completeness assertion is to establish
evidence that assets, liabilities, and equities actually exist.
True False
11.The ASB balance audit objective related to valuation or accuracy is to determine
whether proper values have been assigned to assets, liabilities, equities,
revenues, and expenses.
True False
12.The objective of internal auditing is to assist members of an organization to
effectively perform their obligations.
True False
13.Internal auditors perform only operational audits.
True False
7. 3 | P a g e
14.Government auditors perform both financial and performance audits.
True False
15.Expanded scope governmental auditing includes economy and efficiency and
program results audits.
True False
16.The AICPA licenses CPAs to practice in the United States.
True False
17.Professional skepticism is an auditor's tendency not to believe anyone.
True False
18.Assurance services are independent professional services that improve the
quality of information or its context for decision makers.
True False
19.The concept "professional skepticism" requires that auditors assume
management is dishonest and should not be trusted.
True False
20.For independent auditors of financial statements in the United States, established
criteria largely consist of the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
True False
8. 4 | P a g e
Multiple Choice Questions
21.The audit objective of presenting all transactions and accounts in the financial
statements are in fact included is related to which of the PCAOB assertions?
A. Existence.
B. Rights and obligations.
C. Completeness.
D. Valuation.
22.To be proficient as an auditor, a person must first be able to accomplish which of
these tasks in a decision-making process?
A. Identify audit evidence relevant to the verification of assertions management
makes in its unaudited financial statements and notes.
B. Formulate evidence-gathering procedures (audit plan) designed to obtain
sufficient, competent evidence about assertions management makes in
financial statements and notes.
C. Recognize the financial assertions made in management's financial statements
and footnotes.
D. Evaluate the evidence produced by the performance of procedures and decide
whether management's assertions conform to generally accepted accounting
principles and reality.
23.Which of the following is an underlying condition that in part creates the demand
by users for reliable information?
A. Economic transactions are numerous and complex.
B. Decisions are time sensitive.
C. Users are separated from accounting records by distance and time.
D. Financial decisions are important to investors and users.
E. All of the above.
9. 5 | P a g e
24.Which of the following is not included in The American Accounting Association
(AAA) definition of auditing?
A. Potential conflict of interest.
B. Systematic process.
C. Assertions about economic actions.
D. Established criteria.
25.What is the term used to identify the risk that the client's financial statements may
be materially false and misleading?
A. Business risk.
B. Information risk.
C. Client risk.
D. Risk assessment.
26.Which of the following is not a recommendation usually made following the
completion of an operational audit?
A. Economic and efficient use of resources.
B. Effective achievement of business objectives.
C. Attesting to the fairness of the financial statements.
D. Compliance with company policies.
27.In order to be considered as external auditors with respect to government
agencies, GAO auditors must be
A. Organizationally independent.
B. Empowered as the accounting and auditing agency by the U.S. Congress.
C. Funded by the federal government.
D. Guided by standards similar to GAAS.
10. 6 | P a g e
28.Which of the following is the essential purpose of the audit function?
A. Detection of fraud.
B. Examination of individual transactions to certify their validity.
C. Determination of whether the client's financial statement assertions are fairly
stated.
D. Assurance of the consistent application of correct accounting procedures
29.The audit objective that all the transactions and accounts presented in the
financial statements represent real assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses is
related most closely to which of the PCAOB assertions?
A. Existence or occurrence.
B. Rights and obligations.
C. Completeness.
D. Presentation and disclosure.
30.The audit objective that all transactions are recorded in the proper period is
related most closely to which of the Audit Standards Board (ASB) transaction
assertions?
A. Occurrence.
B. Completeness.
C. Cutoff.
D. Accuracy.
31.The audit objective that all transactions are recorded in the proper account is
related most closely to which one of the ASB transaction assertions?
A. Occurrence.
B. Completeness.
C. Accuracy.
D. Classification.
11. 7 | P a g e
32.The audit objective that all balances include items owned by the client is related
most closely to which one of the ASB balance assertions?
A. Existence.
B. Rights and obligations.
C. Completeness.
D. Valuation.
33.The audit objective that all balances include all items that should be recorded in
that account is related most closely to which one of the ASB balance assertions?
A. Existence.
B. Rights and obligations.
C. Completeness.
D. Valuation.
34.The audit objective that footnotes in the financial statements should be clear and
expressed so that the information is easily conveyed to the readers of the
financial statements is related most closely with which of the ASB presentation
and disclosure assertions?
A. Occurrence.
B. Rights and obligations.
C. Comprehensibility.
D. Understandability.
12. 8 | P a g e
35.The engineering department at Omni Company built a piece of equipment in the
company's own shop for use in the company's operations. The auditor reviewed
all work orders that were capitalized as part of the equipment costs. Which of the
following is the ASB transaction assertion most closely related to the auditor's
testing?
A. Occurrence.
B. Completeness.
C. Accuracy.
D. Classification.
36.The engineering department at Omni Company built a piece of equipment in the
company's own shop for use in the company's operations. When looking at the
ending balance for the fixed asset account, the auditor examined all work orders,
purchased materials, labor cost reports, and applied overhead that were
capitalized as part of the equipment costs. Which of the following is the ASB
balance assertion most closely related to the auditor's testing?
A. Existence.
B. Completeness.
C. Rights and obligations.
D. Valuation.
37.Which of the following best describes the primary role and responsibility of the
independent external auditor?
A. Produce a company's annual financial statements and notes.
B. Express an opinion on the fairness of a company's annual financial statements
and footnotes.
C. Provide business consulting advice to audit clients.
D. Obtain an understanding of the client's internal control structure and give
management a report about control problems and deficiencies.
13. 9 | P a g e
38.Which of the following best describes the main reason that independent auditors
report on management's financial statements?
A. Management fraud may exist, and it is likely to be detected by independent
auditors.
B. The management that prepares the statements and the persons who use the
statements may have conflicting interests.
C. Misstated account balances may be corrected as the result of the independent
audit work.
D. The management that prepares the statements may have a poorly designed
system of internal control.
39.The auditor's judgment concerning the overall fairness of the presentation of
financial position, results of operations, and cash flows is applied within the
framework of
A. Quality control.
B. Generally accepted auditing standards, which include the concept of
materiality.
C. The auditor's evaluation of the audited company's internal control.
D. The applicable financial reporting framework (i.e., GAAP in the United States).
40.Assurance services involve all of the following except
A. Relevance as well as the reliability of information.
B. Nonfinancial information as well as traditional financial statements.
C. Providing absolute rather than reasonable assurance.
D. Electronic databases as well as printed reports.
14. 10 | P a g e
41.Because of the risk of material misstatement, an audit of financial statements in
accordance with generally accepted auditing standards should be planned and
performed with an attitude of
A. Objective judgment.
B. Independent integrity.
C. Professional skepticism.
D. Impartial conservatism.
42.Which of the following best describes assurance services?
A. Independent professional services that report on the client's financial
statements.
B. Independent professional services that improve the quality of information for
decision makers.
C. Independent professional services that report on specific written management
assertions.
D. Independent professional services that improve the client's operations.
43.Which of the following is not a PCAOB assertion about inventory related to
presentation and disclosure?
A. Inventory is properly classified as a current asset on the balance sheet.
B. Inventory is properly stated at its cost on the balance sheet.
C. Major inventory categories and their valuation bases are adequately disclosed
in notes.
D. All of the above are PCAOB presentation and disclosure assertions about
inventory.
15. 11 | P a g e
44.Which of the following is not an ASB assertion about inventory related to
presentation and disclosure?
A. Inventory is properly classified as a current asset on the balance sheet.
B. Inventory is properly stated at cost on the balance sheet.
C. Major inventory categories and their valuation bases are adequately disclosed
in notes.
D. All of the above are ASB presentation and disclosure assertions about
inventory.
45.In performing an attestation engagement, a CPA typically
A. Supplies litigation support services.
B. Assesses control risk at a low level.
C. Expresses a conclusion on an assertion about some type of subject matter.
D. Provides management consulting advice.
46.An attestation engagement is one in which a CPA is engaged to
A. Issue a report on subject matter or an assertion about the subject matter that is
the responsibility of another party.
B. Provide tax advice or prepare a tax return based on financial information the
CPA has not audited or reviewed.
C. Testify as an expert witness in accounting, auditing, or tax matters, given
certain stipulated facts.
D. Assemble prospective financial statements based on the assumptions of the
entity's management without expressing any assurance.
16. 12 | P a g e
47.The underlying conditions that create demand by users for reliable information
include all of the following except
A. Transactions are numerous and complex.
B. Users lack professional skepticism.
C. Users are separated from accounting records by distance and time.
D. Financial decisions are important to investors and users.
E. Decisions are time sensitive.
48.Cutoff tests designed to detect credit sales made before the end of the year that
have been recorded in the subsequent year provide assurance about the PCAOB
assertion of
A. Presentation.
B. Completeness.
C. Rights.
D. Existence.
49.Inquiries of warehouse personnel concerning possible obsolete or slow-moving
inventory items provide assurance about the PCAOB assertion of
A. Completeness.
B. Existence.
C. Presentation.
D. Valuation.
E. Rights and obligations.
50.Inquiries of warehouse personnel concerning possible obsolete or slow-moving
inventory items provide assurance about the ASB balance assertion of
A. Completeness.
B. Existence.
C. Presentation.
D. Valuation.
E. Rights and obligations.
17. 13 | P a g e
51.The probability that the information circulated by a company will be false or
misleading is referred to as
A. Business risk.
B. Information risk.
C. Assurance risk.
D. Audit risk.
52.The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that the key company officials certify
the financial statements. Certification means that the company CEO and CFO
must sign a statement indicating
A. They have read the financial statements.
B. They are not aware of any false or misleading statements (or any key omitted
disclosures)
C. They believe that the financial statements present an accurate picture of the
company's financial condition.
D. All of the above.
53.The process by which a CPA obtains a certificate and license in a state other than
the state in which the CPA's certificate was originally obtained is referred to as
A. Substantial equivalency.
B. Quid pro quo.
C. Relicensing.
D. Re-examination
54.The risk that an entity will fail to meet its objectives is referred to as
A. Business risk.
B. Information risk.
C. Assurance risk.
D. Audit risk.
18. 14 | P a g e
55.The four basic requirements for becoming a CPA in most states relate to
A. Education, the CPA Examination, experience, and substantial equivalency.
B. The CPA Examination, experience, continuing professional education, and a
state certificate.
C. Continuing professional education, the CPA Examination, experience, and an
AICPA certificate.
D. Education, the CPA Examination, experience, and a state certificate.
56.The study of business operations for the purpose of making recommendations
about the efficient use of resources, effective achievement of business objectives,
and compliance with company policies is referred to as
A. Environmental auditing.
B. Financial auditing.
C. Compliance auditing.
D. Operational auditing.
57.The accounting, auditing, and investigating agency of the U.S. Congress that is
headed by the U.S. Comptroller General is known as
A. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
B. The U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO).
C. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
D. The United States Legislative Auditors (USLA).
19. 15 | P a g e
58.Which of the following would be considered an assurance engagement?
A. Giving an opinion on a prize promoter's claims about the amount of
sweepstakes prizes awarded in the past.
B. Giving an opinion on the conformity of the financial statements of a university
with generally accepted accounting principles.
C. Giving an opinion on the fair presentation of a newspaper's circulation data.
D. Giving assurance about the average drive length achieved by golfers with a
client's golf balls.
E. All of the above.
59.It is always a good idea for auditors to begin an audit with the professional
skepticism characterized by the assumption that
A. A potential conflict of interest always exists between the auditor and the
management of the enterprise under audit.
B. In audits of financial statements, the auditor acts exclusively in the capacity of
an auditor.
C. The professional status of the independent auditor imposes commensurate
professional obligations.
D. Financial statements and financial data are verifiable.
60.In an attestation engagement, a CPA practitioner is engaged to
A. Compile a company's financial forecast based on management's assumptions
without expressing any form of assurance.
B. Prepare a written report containing a conclusion about the reliability of a
management assertion.
C. Prepare a tax return using information the CPA has not audited or reviewed.
D. Give expert testimony in court on particular facts in a corporate income tax
controversy.
20. 16 | P a g e
61.A determination of cost savings obtained by outsourcing cafeteria services is
most likely to be an objective of
A. Environmental auditing.
B. Financial auditing.
C. Compliance auditing.
D. Operational auditing.
62.The primary difference between operational auditing and financial auditing is that
in operational auditing
A. The operational auditor is not concerned with whether the audited activity is
generating information in compliance with financial accounting standards.
B. The operational auditor is seeking to help management use resources in the
most effective manner possible.
C. The operational auditor starts with the financial statements of an activity being
audited and works backward to the basic processes involved in producing
them.
D. The operational auditor can use analytical skills and tools that are not
necessary in financial auditing.
63.According to the AICPA, the purpose of an audit of financial statements is to
A. Enhance the degree of confidence that intended users can place in the
financial statements.
B. Express an opinion on the fairness with which they present financial position,
results of operations, and cash flows in conformity with accounting standards
promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
C. Express an opinion on the fairness with which they present financial position,
result of operations, and cash flows in conformity with accounting standards
promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
D. Obtain systematic and objective evidence about financial assertions and report
the results to interested users.
21. 17 | P a g e
64.Bankers who are processing loan applications from companies seeking large
loans will probably ask for financial statements audited by an independent CPA
because
A. Financial statements are too complex to analyze themselves.
B. They are too far away from company headquarters to perform accounting and
auditing themselves.
C. The consequences of making a bad loan are very undesirable.
D. They generally see a potential conflict of interest between company managers
who want to get loans and the bank's needs for reliable financial statements.
65.The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 prohibits public accounting firms from providing
which of the following services to an audit client?
A. Bookkeeping services.
B. Internal audit services.
C. Valuation services.
D. All of the above.
66.Independent auditors of financial statements perform audits that reduce
A. Business risks faced by investors.
B. Information risk faced by investors.
C. Complexity of financial statements.
D. Timeliness of financial statements.
67.The primary objective of compliance auditing is to
A. Give an opinion on financial statements.
B. Develop a basis for a report on internal control.
C. Perform a study of effective and efficient use of resources.
D. Determine whether auditee personnel are following laws, rules, regulations,
and policies.
22. 18 | P a g e
68.What requirements are usually necessary to become licensed as a certified public
accountant?
A. Successful completion of the Uniform CPA Examination.
B. Experience in the accounting field.
C. Education.
D. All of the above.
69.The organization primarily responsible for ensuring that public officials are using
public funds efficiently, economically, and effectively is the
A. Governmental Internal Audit Agency (GIAA).
B. Central internal auditors (CIA).
C. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
D. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
70.Performance audits usually include
A. Financial audits.
B. Economy and efficiency audits.
C. Compliance audits.
D. Program audits.
71.The objective in an auditor's review of credit ratings of a client's customers is to
obtain evidence related to management's financial statement assertion about
A. Completeness.
B. Existence.
C. Valuation and allocation.
D. Rights and obligations.
E. Occurrence.
23. 19 | P a g e
72.Jones, CPA, is planning the audit of Rhonda's Company. Rhonda verbally asserts
to Jones that all expenses for the year have been recorded in the accounts.
Rhonda's representation in this regard
A. Is sufficient evidence for Jones to conclude that the completeness assertion is
supported for expenses.
B. Can enable Jones to minimize the work on the gathering of evidence to
support Rhonda's completeness assertion.
C. Should be disregarded because it is not in writing.
D. Is not considered a sufficient basis for Jones to conclude that all expenses
have been recorded.
73.The risk to investors that a company's financial statements may be materially
misleading is called
A. Client acceptance risk.
B. Information risk.
C. Moral hazard.
D. Business risk.
74.When auditing merchandise inventory at year-end, the auditor performs audit
procedures to ensure that all goods purchased before year-end are received
before the physical inventory count. This audit procedure provides assurance
about which management assertion?
A. Cutoff.
B. Existence.
C. Valuation and allocation.
D. Rights and obligations.
E. Occurrence.
24. 20 | P a g e
75.When auditing merchandise inventory at year-end, the auditor performs audit
procedures to obtain evidence that no goods held on consignment are included in
the client's ending inventory balance. This audit procedure provides assurance
about which management assertion?
A. Completeness.
B. Existence.
C. Valuation and allocation.
D. Rights and obligations.
E. Occurrence.
76.When an auditor reviews additions to the equipment (fixed asset) account to
make sure that repair and maintenance expenses are not understated, she wants
to obtain evidence as to management's assertion regarding
A. Completeness.
B. Existence.
C. Valuation and allocation.
D. Rights and obligations.
E. Occurrence.
77.The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 generally prohibits professional service firms
from
A. Acting in a managerial decision-making role for an audit client.
B. Auditing the firm's own work on an audit client.
C. Providing tax consulting to an audit client without audit committee approval.
D. All of the above.
26. They are living still if they have not died since. May they be your
guests to-morrow!
27. LUCK AND BLISS.
Luck and Bliss went out one day, and came to a town where they
found a poor man selling brooms, but nobody seemed to buy
anything from him. Bliss thereupon said, "Let us stop, and I will buy
them all from the poor fellow, so that he may make a good bargain."
So they stopped, and Bliss bought them all, and gave him six times
the market value of them, in order that the poor man might have a
good start.
On another occasion they came to the same town and found the
man still selling brooms. Bliss bought them all, and gave him ten
times their market value. They came a third time to the town, and
the man was still selling brooms, whereupon Luck said, "Let me try
now, for, see, you have bought them all twice, and in vain, for the
man is a poor broom-seller still;" so Luck bought them, but she did
not give a penny more than the market price. They came to the
town a fourth time and saw the man who had sold brooms leading
wheat into town in a wagon with iron hoops on the wheels and
drawn by four fine bullocks. When they saw this Luck said to Bliss,
"Do you see that man who used to sell brooms? You bought them all
twice for a very high price. I bought them but once, and that for the
market value, and the consequence of my having done so is that he
no longer sells brooms, as he used to do, but wheat, and it appears
he must have got on well with his farm too."
28. THE LAZY CAT.
A lad married a lazy rich girl, and he made a vow that he would
never beat her. The missis never did any work but went about from
house to house gossiping and making all kinds of mischief, but still
her husband never beat her. One morning as he was going out to his
work he said to the cat, "You cat, I command you to do everything
that is needed in the house. While I am away put everything in
order, cook the dinner, and do some spinning; if you don't, I'll give
you such a thrashing as you won't forget." The cat listened to his
speech half asleep, blinking on the hearth. The woman thought to
herself, "My husband has gone mad." So she said, "Why do you
order the cat to do all these things, which she knows nothing
about?" "Whether she does or whether she doesn't it's all the same
to me, wife. I have no one else whom I can ask to do anything; and
if she does not do all that I have ordered her to do you will see that
I will give her such a thrashing as she will never forget." With this he
went out to work, and the wife began to talk to the cat and said,
"You had better get your work done, or he will beat you;" but the cat
did not work, and the wife went from house to house gossiping.
When she came home the cat was asleep on the hearth, and the fire
had gone out; so she said, "Make the fire up, cat, and get your work
done, or you will get a sound thrashing;" but the cat did no work. In
the evening the master came home and found that nothing was
done and that his orders were not carried out; so he took hold of the
cat by its tail and fastened it to his wife's back, and began to beat till
his wife cried out, "Don't beat that cat any more! Don't beat that cat
any more! it is not her fault, she cannot help it, she does not
understand these things." "Will you promise then that you will do it
all in her stead?" inquired her husband. "I will do it all and even
more than you order," replied his wife, "if you will only leave off
beating that cat."
29. The woman then ran off home to complain to her mother of all these
things, and said, "I have promised that I will do all the work instead
of the cat, in order to prevent my husband beating her to death on
my back." And then her father spoke up and said, "If you have
promised to do it you must do it; if not, the cat will get a thrashing
to-morrow." And he sent her back to her husband.
Next time the master again ordered the cat what she had to do, and
she did nothing again. So she got another beating on the wife's
back, who ran home again to complain; but her father drove her
back, and she ran so fast that her foot did not touch the ground as
she went.
On the third morning again the master commenced to give his
commands to the cat, who, however, was too frightened to listen,
and did no work that day; but this time the mistress did her work for
her. She forgot no one thing she had promised—she lighted the fire,
fetched water, cooked the food, swept the house, and put everything
in order; for she was frightened lest her husband should beat the
poor cat again; for the wretched animal in its agony stuck its claws
into her back, and, besides, the end of the two-tailed whip reached
further than the cat's back, so that with every stroke she received
one as well as the cat. When her husband came home everything
was in order, and he kept muttering, "Don't be afraid, cat, I won't
thrash you this time;" and his wife laid the cloth joyfully, dished up
the food, and they had a good meal in peace.
After that the cat had no more beatings, and the mistress became
such a good housewife that you could not wish for a better.
30. HANDSOME PAUL.
There was once, over seven times seven countries, a poor woman
who had a son, and he decided to go into service. So he said to his
mother, "Mother, fill my bag and let me go out to work, for that will
do me more good than staying here and wasting my time." The lad's
name was Paul. His mother filled his bag for him, and he started off.
As it became dark he reached a wood, and in the distance he saw,
as it were, a spark glimmering amongst the trees, so he made his
way in that direction thinking that he might find some one there,
and that he would be able to get a night's lodging. So he walked and
walked for a long time, and the nearer he came the larger the light
became. By midnight he reached the place where the fire was, and
lo! there was a great ugly giant sleeping by the fire. "Good evening,
my father," said Paul. "God has brought you, my son," replied the
giant; "you may think yourself lucky that you called me father, for if
you had not done so I would have swallowed you whole. And now
what is your errand?"
"I started from home," said Paul, "to find work, and good fortune
brought me this way. My father, permit me to sleep to-night by your
fire, for I am alone and don't know my way." "With pleasure, my
son," said the giant. So Paul sat down and had his supper, and then
they both fell asleep. Next morning the giant asked him where he
intended to go in search of work. "If I could," replied Paul, "I should
like to enter the king's service, for I have heard he pays his servants
justly." "Alas! my son," said the giant, "the king lives far away from
here. Your provisions would fail twice before you reached there, but
we can manage the matter if you will sit on my shoulder and catch
hold of the hair on the back of my head." Paul took his seat on the
giant's shoulders. "Shut your eyes," said the giant, "because if you
don't you will turn giddy." Paul shut his eyes, and the giant started
off, stepping from mountain to mountain, till noon, when he stopped
31. and said to Paul, "Open your eyes now and tell me what you can
see."
Paul looked around as far as he could see, and said, "I see at an
infinite distance something white, as big as a star. What is it, my
father?" "That is the king's citadel," said the giant, and then they sat
down and had dinner. The giant's bag was made of nine buffalo's
skins, and in it were ten loaves (each loaf being made of four
bushels of wheat), and ten large bottles full of good Hungarian wine.
The giant consumed two bottles of wine and two loaves for his
dinner, and gave Paul what he needed. After a short nap the giant
took Paul upon his shoulders, bade him shut his eyes, and started
off again, stepping from mountain to mountain. At three o'clock he
said to Paul, "Open your eyes, and tell me what you can see." "I can
see the white shining thing still," said Paul, "but now it looks like a
building." "Well, then, shut your eyes again," said the giant, and he
walked for another hour, and then again asked Paul to look. Paul
now saw a splendid glittering fortress, such a one as he had never
seen before, not even in his dreams. "In another quarter-of-an-hour
we shall be there," said the giant. Paul shut his eyes again, and in
fifteen minutes they were there; and the giant put him down in front
of the gate of the king's palace, saying, "Well, now, I will leave you
here, for I have a pressing engagement, and must get back, but
whatsoever service they offer to you, take it, behave well, and the
Lord keep you." Paul thanked him for his kindness and his good-will,
and the giant left. As Paul was a fine handsome fellow he was
engaged at once, for the first three months to tend the turkeys, as
there was no other vacancy, but even during this time he was
employed on other work: and he behaved so well, that at the end of
the time he was promoted to wait at the king's table. When he was
dressed in his new suit he looked like a splendid flower. The king had
three daughters; the youngest was more beautiful than the rose or
the lily, and this young lady fell in love with Paul, which Paul very
soon noticed; and day by day his courage grew, and he approached
her more and more, till they got very fond of each other.
32. The queen with her serpent's eye soon discovered the state of
affairs, and told the king of it.
"It's all right," said the king, "I'll soon settle the wretched fellow;
only leave it to me, my wife."
Poor Paul, what awaits thee?
The king then sent for Paul and said, "Look here, you good-for-
nothing, I can see you are a smart fellow! Now listen to me: I order
you to cut down during the night the whole wood that is in front of
my window, to cart it home, chop it up, and stack it in proper order
in my courtyard; if you don't I shall have your head chopped off in
the morning." Paul was so frightened when he heard this that he
turned white and said, "Oh, my king! no man could do this." "What!"
said the king, "you good-for-nothing, you dare to contradict me? go
to prison at once!" Paul was at once taken away, and the king
repeated his commands, saying that unless they were obeyed Paul
should lose his head. Poor Paul was very sad, and wept like a baby;
but the youngest princess stepped into his prison through a secret
trap-door, and consoled him, giving him a copper whip, and telling
him to go and stand outside the gate on the top of the hill, and
crack it three times, when all the devils would appear. He was then
to give his orders, which the devils would carry out.
Paul went off through the trap, and the princess remained in prison
till Paul returned; he went out, stood on the hill, and cracked his
whip well thrice, and lo! the devils came running to him from all
sides, crying, "What are your commands handsome Paul?" "I order
you," replied Paul, "by to-morrow morning to have all that large
forest cut down, chopped, and stacked in the king's courtyard;" with
this he went back to prison and spent a little time with the princess
before she went away. The devils entered the wood, and began to
hew the trees down; there was a roaring, clattering, and cracking
noise as the big trees were dragged by root and crown into the
king's yard; they were chopped up and stacked; and the devils,
having finished the task, ran back to hell. By one o'clock all was
done.
33. In the morning the first thing the king did was to look through the
window in the direction of the wood; he could not see anything but
bare land, and when he looked into the courtyard he saw there all
the wood chopped and stacked.
He then called Paul from prison and said, "Well, I can see that you
know something, my lad, and I now order you to plough up to-night
the place where the wood used to be, and sow it with millet. The
millet must grow, ripen, be reaped, threshed, and ground into flour
by the morning, and of it you must make me a large millet-cake, else
you lose your head." Paul was then sent back to prison, more
miserable than ever, for how could he do such an unheard-of thing
as that? His sweetheart came in again through the trap-door and
found him weeping bitterly. When she heard the cause of his grief
she said, "Oh, don't worry yourself, dear; here is a golden whip, go
and crack it three times on the hill-top, and all the devils will come
that came last night; crack it again three times and all the female
devils will arrive; crack it another three times and even the lame
ones will appear, and those enceinte come creeping forth. Tell them
what you want and they will do it."
Paul went out and stood on the hill-top, and cracked his whip three
good cracks, and then three more, and three more, such loud cracks
that his ears rung, and again the devils came swarming in all
directions like ants, old ones and young ones, males and females,
lame and enceinte, such a crowd that he could not see them all
without turning his head all round. They pressed him hard, saying,
"What are your commands, handsome Paul? What are your
commands, handsome Paul? If you order us to pluck all the stars
from heaven and to place them in your hands it shall be done."
Paul gave his orders and went back to prison, and stayed with the
princess till daybreak.
There was a sight on the hill-side, the devils were shouting and
making such a din that you could not tell one word from another.
"Now then! Come here! This way, Michael! That way, Jack! Pull it this
way! Turn it that way! Go at it! See, the work is done!"
34. The whole place was soon ploughed up, the millet sown, and it
began to sprout, it grew, ripened, was cut, carted in wagons, in
barrows, on their backs, or as best they could. It was thrashed with
iron flails, carried to the mill, crushed and bolted, a light was put to
the timber in the yard, it took fire, and the wood crackled
everywhere, and there was such a light that the king in the seventh
country off could see to count his money by it. Then they brought
from hell the biggest cauldron they could find, put it on the fire, put
flour into it and boiling water; as the millet-cake was bubbling and
boiling they took it out of the pot and put it into Mrs. Pluto's lap,
placed a huge spoon into her hands, and she began to stir away, mix
it up, and cut it up with her quick hands till it began to curl up at the
side of the cauldron after the spoon. As it was quite done she mixed
it well once more, and being out of breath handed the spoon to
Pluto himself—who was superintending the whole work,—who took
out his pocket-knife—which was red-hot—and began to scrape the
cake off the spoon and to eat it with great gusto.
Mrs. Pluto then took the cake out with a huge wooden spoon,
heaped it up nicely, patted it all round, and put it on the fire once
more; when it was quite baked she turned it out a large millet-cake
in the midst of the yard, and then they all rushed back, as fast as
they could run, to hell.
Next morning, when the king looked through the window, an
immense millet-cake was to be seen there, so large that it nearly
filled the whole yard; and he, however vexed he was, could not help
bursting out into a loud laugh. He gave instant orders for the whole
town to come and clear away the millet-cake, and not to leave so
much as a mouthful. Never was such a feast seen before, and I
don't think ever will be again: some carried it away in their hands,
some in bags, some in large table-cloths, sacks, and even in
wagons; everybody took some, and it went in all directions in every
possible manner, so that in three hours the huge cake was all gone;
even the part that had stuck to the ground was scraped up and
carried away. Some made tarts of it at home, pounded poppy-seed,
and spread it over them; others wanted pork to eat with it, others
35. ate it with fresh milk, with dried prunes, with perry, with craps, with
cream-milk, sour-milk, cow's-milk, goat's-milk; some with curds;
others covered it over with cream-cheese, rolled it up and ate it
thus; better houses mixed it with good buffalo-milk, and ate it with
butter, lard, and cream-cheese, so that it was no longer millet-cake
with cream-cheese, but cream-cheese with millet-cake! There were
many who had never eaten anything like it before, and they got so
full of it they could just breathe; even the king had a large piece
served up for his breakfast on a porcelain plate; he then went to the
larder for a large tub, which was full of the best cream-cheese of
Csik like unto the finest butter; he took a large piece of this, spread
it on his cake, set to and ate it to the very last. He then drank three
tumblerfuls of the best old claret, and said, "Well, that really was a
breakfast fit for the gods!" And thus it happened that all the millet-
cake was used up, and then the king sent for Paul and said to him,
"Well, you brat of a devil, did you do all this, or who did it?" "I don't
know." "Well, there are in my stables a bay stallion, a bay mare, two
grey fillies and a bay filly, you must walk them about, in turn, to-
morrow morning, till they are tired out; if you don't I'll have your
head impaled." Paul wasn't a bit frightened this time, but began to
whistle, and hum tunes to himself in the prison, being in capital
spirits. "It will be very easy to walk these horses out," said he; "it's
not the first time I've done that." The matter looked different
however in the evening when his sweetheart came and he told her
all about it. "My love," said she, "this is even worse than all the rest,
because the devils did all your former tasks for you, but this you
must do yourself. Moreover, you must know that the bay stallion will
be my father, the bay mare my mother, the two grey foals my elder
sisters, and the bay foal myself. However, we shall find some way of
doing even this. When you enter the stable we all will begin to kick
so terribly that you won't be able to get near us; but you must try to
get hold of the iron pole that stands inside the door, and with it
thrash them all till they are tame; then you must lead them out as
well as you can; but don't beat me, for I shall not desert you." His
love then gave him a copper bridle, which he hid in his bosom, and
buttoned his coat over it. And his lady-love went back to her
36. bedroom; for she knew there was plenty of hard work in store for
her on the morrow; for the same reason she ordered Paul to try to
sleep well.
In the morning the jailer came, and brought two warders with him,
and led Paul to the stable to take the horses out for a walk. Even in
the distance he could hear the snorting, kicking, pawing, and
neighing in the stable, so that it filled the air. He tried in vain to get
inside the stable-door, he had not courage enough to take even one
step inside. Somehow or other, however, he got hold of the iron
pole, and with it he beat, pounded, and whacked the bay stallion till
it lay down in agony. He then took out his bridle, threw it over its
head, led it out, jumped upon its back, and rode it about till the
foam streamed from it, and then led it in and tied it up. He did the
same with the bay mare, only she was worse; and the grey foals
were worse still, till by the end he was nearly worn out with beating
them. At last he came to the bay foal, but he would not have
touched her for all the treasure of the world; yet, in order to deceive
the others, he banged the crib, box, manger, and posts right lustily,
till at last the bay foal lay down. With this the mare, who was the
queen, said to the bay stallion, "You see it was that bay foal who
was the cause of all this. But wait a bit, confound her!" she cried
after them as he led her out of the stable; "I also have as many wits
as you, and I will teach you both a lesson. Never mind, my sweet
daughter, you have treated us all most cruelly with that iron pole,
but you shall pay for it shortly." When Paul heard this he was so
frightened he could hardly lead the foal. "Don't be afraid," said the
foal, "let's get away from here, and the sooner the better, never to
return, or woe betide us!" They cantered up to the house, where she
sent him in to get money, and jewellery, and the various things they
would need, and then galloped off as fast as she could with Paul on
her back, over seven times seven countries, till noon; and just as the
sun was at noon the foal said to Paul, "Look back; what can you
see?" Paul looked back and saw in the distance an eagle flying
towards them, from whose mouth shot forth a flame seven fathoms
long. Then said the foal, "I will turn a somersault, and become a
37. sprouting millet-field; you do the same, you will become the garde
champêtre, and when the eagle, which is my father, comes, if he ask
you if you have seen such and such travellers, tell him, yes, you saw
them pass when this millet was sown." So the foal turned over and
became a sprouting millet-field, and Paul became the garde
champêtre. The eagle arrived, and said, "My lad, have you not seen
a young fellow on a bay foal pass this way in a great hurry?" "Well,
yes," replied Paul, "I saw them at the time this millet was sown, but
I can't tell you where they may be now." "I don't think they can have
come this way," said the eagle, and flew back home and told his wife
all about it. "Oh! you baulked fool!" cried she, "the millet-field was
your daughter, and the lad Paul. So back you go at once, and bring
them home."
Paul and his foal rode on half the afternoon, and then the foal said,
"Look back, what can you see?" "I see the eagle again," said Paul,
"but now the flame is twice seven fathoms long; he flies very
quickly." "Let's turn over again," said the foal, "and I will become a
lamb and you will be the shepherd, and if my father ask you if you
have seen the travellers say yes, you saw them when the lamb was
born." So they turned over, and one became a lamb and the other a
shepherd; the eagle arrived and asked the shepherd if he had seen
the travellers pass by, and was told that they were seen when the
lamb was born. The king returned and told his wife all, who drove
him back, crying, "The lamb was your daughter and the shepherd,
Paul, you empty-headed fool." Paul and the foal went on a long way,
when the foal said, "What can you see?" He saw the eagle again,
but now it was enveloped in flames; they turned over and the foal
became a chapel, and Paul a hermit inside; the eagle arrived and
inquired after the travellers, and was told by the hermit that they
had passed by when the chapel was building. The eagle went back a
third time, and his wife was in an awful rage and told him to stay
where he was, telling him that the chapel was his daughter and the
hermit Paul. "But you are so dense," said she, "they can make you
believe anything; I will go myself and see whether they will fool me."
38. The queen started off as a falcon. Paul and the foal went still
travelling on, when the foal said, "Look back, what can you see?" "I
see a falcon," said Paul, "With a flame seventy-seven yards long
coming out of its mouth." "That's my mother," said the foal, "We
must be careful this time, Paul, for we shall not be able to hoodwink
her with lies; let us turn over quickly, she will be here in a second. I
will be a lake of milk and you a golden duck on it; take care she
doesn't catch you, or we are done for." They turned over and
changed; the falcon arrived and swooped down upon the duck like
lightning, who had just time to dive and escape. The falcon tried
again and again till it got quite tired; for each time the duck dived
and so she missed him. In a great rage the falcon turned over and
became the queen. She picked up stones and tried to strike the duck
dead, but he was clever enough to dodge her, so she soon got tired
of that and said, "I can see, you beast, that I cannot do anything
with you; my other two daughters died before my eyes to-day from
the beating you gave them with the iron pole, you murderer. Now I
curse you with this curse, that you will forget each other, and never
remember that you have ever known each other."
With this she turned over, became a falcon, and flew away home
very sad, and the other two changed also, this time into Paul and
the princess. "Nobody will persecute us now," said she, "let us travel
on quietly. The death of my two sisters is no sad or bad news to me,
for now when my father and mother are dead the land will be ours,
my dear Paul;" so they wandered on, and talked over their affairs, till
they came to a house; and as the day was closing they felt very
tired and sat down to rest and fell asleep. After sunset they awoke
and stared at each other, but couldn't make out who the other was,
for they had forgotten all the past, and inquired in astonishment
"Who are you?" and "Well, who are you?" But neither could tell who
the other was; so they walked into the town as strangers and
separated. Paul got a situation as valet to a nobleman, and the
princess became a lady's maid in another part of the city. They lived
there for twelve months, and never once remembered anything that
had happened in the past. One night Paul dreamt that the bay
39. stallion was in its last agony, and soon afterwards died; the lady's
maid, at the same time, dreamt that the bay mare was dying, and
died; by this dream they both remembered all that had happened to
each other; but even then they did not know that they were in the
same town. On the day following this dream Paul was sent by the
nobleman's son secretly with a love-letter to the nobleman's
youngest daughter where the lady's maid lived. Paul took the letter,
and handed it to the lady's maid so that she might place it in her
mistress's hands; then he saw who the lady's maid was, that it was
his old sweetheart, the beloved of his soul; now he remembered
how often before he had given her letters from his young master for
the young lady of the house, and how he had done a little love-
making on his own account, but never till now had he recognised
her. The princess recognised Paul at a glance and rushed into his
arms and wept for joy. They told each other their dreams, and knew
that her father and mother—the bay mare and bay stallion of yore—
died last night. "Let us be off," said the princess, "or else the
kingdom will be snatched from us." So they agreed, and fixed the
day after the morrow for the start. Next morning the official crier
proclaimed that the king and queen had died suddenly about
midnight; it happened at the very moment they had had their
dreams.
They started secretly by the same road, and arrived at home in a
day.
The king and queen were still laid in state, and the princess, who
was thought to be lost, shed tears over them.
She was soon afterwards crowned queen of the realm, and chose
Paul for her consort, and got married; if they have not died since
they are still alive, and in great happiness to this day.
40. THE TRAVELS OF TRUTH AND
FALSEHOOD.
A long time ago—I don't exactly remember the day—Truth started,
with her bag well filled, on a journey to see the world. On she went
over hill and dale, and through village and town, till one day she met
Falsehood. "Good day, countrywoman," said Truth; "where are you
bound for? Where do you intend going?" "I'm going to travel all over
the world," said Falsehood. "That's right," said Truth; "and as I'm
bound in the same direction let's travel together." "All right," replied
Falsehood; "but you know that fellow-travellers must live in
harmony, so let's divide our provisions and finish yours first." Truth
handed over her provisions, upon which the two lived till every
morsel was consumed; then it was Falsehood's turn to provide. "Let
me gouge out one of your eyes," said Falsehood to Truth, "and then
I'll let you have some food." Poor Truth couldn't help herself; for she
was very hungry and didn't know what to do. So she had one of her
eyes gouged out, and she got some food. Next time she wanted
food she had the other eye gouged out, and then both her arms cut
off. After all this Falsehood told her to go away. Truth implored not
to be left thus helpless in the wilds, and asked that she might be
taken to the gate of the next town and left there to get her living by
begging. Falsehood led her, not to where she wanted to go, but near
a pair of gallows and left her there. Truth was very much surprised
that she heard no one pass, and thought that all the folks in that
town must be dead. As she was thus reasoning with herself and
trembling with fear she fell asleep. When she awoke she heard some
people talking above her head, and soon discovered that they were
devils. The eldest of them said to the rest, "Tell me what you have
heard and what you have been doing." One said, "I have to-day
killed a learned physician, who has discovered a medicine with which
41. he cured all crippled, maimed, or blind." "Well, you're a smart
fellow!" said the old devil; "what may the medicine be?" "It consists
simply of this," replied the other, "that to-night is Friday night, and
there will be a new moon: the cripples have to roll about and the
blind to wash their eyes in the dew that has fallen during the night;
the cripples will be healed of their infirmities and the blind will see."
"That is very good," said the old devil. "And now what have you
done, and what do you know?" he asked the others.
"I," said another, "have just finished a little job of mine; I have cut
off the water-supply and will thus kill the whole of the population of
the country-town not far from here." "What is your secret?" asked
the old devil. "It is this," replied he; "I have placed a stone on the
spring which is situated at the eastern corner of the town at a depth
of three fathoms. By this means the spring will be blocked up, and
not one drop of water will flow; as for me I can go everywhere
without fear, because no one will ever find out my secret, and all will
happen just as I planned it."
The poor crippled Truth listened attentively to all these things.
Several other devils spoke; but poor Truth either did not understand
them or did not listen to what they said, as it did not concern her.
Having finished all, the devils disappeared as the cock crew
announcing the break of day.
Truth thought she would try the remedies she had heard, and at
night rolled about on the dewy ground, when to her great relief her
arms grew again. Wishing to be completely cured, she groped about
and plucked every weed she could find, and rubbed the dew into the
cavities of her eyes. As day broke she saw light once more. She then
gave hearty thanks to the God of Truth that he had not left her, his
faithful follower, to perish. Being hungry she set off in search of
food. So she hurried off to the nearest town, not only for food, but
also because she remembered what she had heard the devils say
about cutting off the water supply. She hurried on, so as not to be
longer than she could help in giving them her aid in their distress.
She soon got there, and found every one in mourning. Off she went
42. straight to the king, and told him all she knew; he was delighted
when he was told that the thirst of the people might be quenched.
She also told the king how she had been maimed and blinded, and
the king believed all she said. They commenced at once with great
energy to dig up the stone that blocked the spring. The work was
soon done; the stone reached, lifted out, and the spring flowed once
more. The king was full of joy and so was the whole town, and there
were great festivities and a general holiday was held. The king
would not allow Truth to leave, but gave her all she needed, and
treated her as his most confidential friend, placing her in a position
of great wealth and happiness. In the meantime Falsehood's
provisions came to an end, and she was obliged to beg for food. As
only very few houses gave her anything she was almost starving
when she met her old travelling companion again. She cried to Truth
for a piece of bread. "Yes, you can have it," said Truth, "but you
must have an eye gouged out;" and Falsehood was in such a fix that
she had either to submit or starve. Then the other eye was taken
out, and after that her arms were cut off, in exchange for dry crusts
of bread. Nor could she help it, for no one else would give her
anything.
Having lost her eyes and her arms she asked Truth to lead her under
the same gallows as she had been led to. At night the devils came;
and, as the eldest began questioning the others as to what they had
been doing and what they knew, one of them proposed that search
be made, just to see whether there were any listeners to their
conversation, as some one must have been eaves-dropping the
other night, else it would never have been found out how the
springs of the town were plugged up. To this they all agreed, and
search was made; and soon they found Falsehood, whom they
instantly tore to pieces, coiled up her bowels into knots, burnt her,
and dispersed her ashes to the winds. But even her dust was so
malignant that it was carried all over the world; and that is the
reason that wherever men exist there Falsehood must be.
43. THE HUNTING PRINCES.
Once there was a king whose only thought and only pleasure was
hunting; he brought up his sons to the same ideas, and so they
were called the Hunting Princes. They had hunted all over the six
snow-capped mountains in their father's realm; there was a seventh,
however, called the Black Mountain, and, although they were
continually asking their father to allow them to hunt there, he would
not give them permission. In the course of time the king died, and
his sons could scarcely wait till the end of the funeral ceremonies
before they rushed off to hunt in the Black Mountain, leaving the
government in the hands of an old duke. They wandered about
several days on the mountain, but could not find so much as a single
bird, so they decided to separate, and that each of them should go
to one of the three great clefts in the mountain, thinking that
perhaps luck would serve them better in this way. They also agreed
that whoever shot an arrow uselessly should be slapped in the face.
They started off, each on his way. Suddenly the youngest one saw a
raven and something shining in its beak, that, he thought, was in all
probability a rich jewel. He shot, and a piece of steel fell from the
raven's beak, while the bird flew away unhurt. The twang of the bow
was heard all over the mountain, and the two elder brothers came
forward to see what he had done; when they saw that he had shot
uselessly they slapped his face and went back to their places. When
they had gone the youngest suddenly saw a falcon sitting on the top
of the rock. This he thought was of value, so he shot, but the arrow
stuck in a piece of pointed rock which projected under the falcon's
feet, and the bird flew away; as it flew a piece of rock fell to the
ground which he discovered to be real flint. His elder brothers came,
and slapped his face for again shooting in so foolish a manner. No
sooner had they gone and the day was drawing to an end than he
discovered a squirrel just as it was running into its hole in a tree; so
44. he thought its flesh would be good to eat; he shot, but the squirrel
escaped into a hollow of the tree, and the arrow struck what
appeared to be a large fungus, knocking a piece off, which he found
to be a fine piece of tinder. The elder brothers came and gave him a
sound thrashing which he took very quietly, and after this they did
not separate. As it was getting dark and they were wandering on
together a fine roebuck darted across their path; all three shot, and
it fell. On they went till they came to a beautiful meadow by the side
of a spring, where they found a copper trough all ready for them.
They sat down, skinned and washed the roebuck, got all ready for a
good supper, but they had no fire. "You slapped my face three times
because I was wasting my arrows," said the youngest; "if you will
allow me to return those slaps I will make you a good fire." The
elder brothers consented, but the younger waived his claim and said
to them, "You see, when you don't need a thing you think it
valueless; see now, the steel, flint, and tinder you despised will
make us the fire you need." With that he made the fire. They spitted
a large piece of venison and had an excellent huntsman's supper.
After supper they held a consultation as to who was to be the guard,
as they had decided not to sleep without a guard. It was arranged
that they should take the duty in turns, and that death was to be the
punishment of any negligence of duty. The first night the elder
brother watched and the two youngest slept. All passed well till
midnight, when all at once in the direction of the town of the Black
Sorrow, which lay behind the Black Mountain, a dragon came with
three heads, a flame three yards long protruding from its mouth.
The dragon lived in the Black Lake, which lay beyond the town of
the Black Sorrow, with two of his brothers, one with five heads and
the other with seven, and they were sworn enemies to the town of
the Black Sorrow. These dragons always used to come to this spring
to drink at midnight, and for that reason no man or beast could walk
there, because whatever the dragons found there they slew. As soon
as the dragon caught sight of the princes he rushed at them to
devour them, but he who was keeping guard stood up against him
and slew him, and dragged his body into a copse near. The blood
streamed forth in such torrents that it put the fire out, all save a
45. single spark, which the guarding prince fanned up, and by the next
morning there was a fire such as it did one good to see. They
hunted all day, returning at night, when the middle prince was
guard. At midnight the dragon with the five heads came; the prince
slew him, and his blood as it rushed out put the fire entirely out save
one tiny spark, which the prince managed to fan into a good fire by
the morning.
On the third night the youngest prince had to wrestle with the
dragon with seven heads. He vanquished it and killed it. This time
there was so much blood that the fire was completely extinguished.
When he was about to relight it he found that he had lost his flint.
What was to be done? He began to look about him, and see if he
could find any means of relighting the fire. He climbed up into a very
high tree, and from it he saw in a country three days' journey off, on
a hill, a fire of some sort glimmering: so off he went; and as he was
going he met Midnight, who tried to pass him unseen; but the prince
saw him, and cried out, "Here! stop; wait for me on this spot till I
return." But Midnight would not stop; so the prince caught him, and
fastened him with a stout strap to a thick oak-tree, remarking, "Now,
I know you will wait for me!" He went on some four or five hours
longer, when he met Dawn: he asked him, too, to wait for him, and
as he would not he tied him to a tree like Midnight, and went further
and further. Time did not go on, for it was stopped. At last he arrived
at the fire, and found there were twenty-four robbers round a huge
wood fire roasting a bullock. But he was afraid to go near, so he
stuck a piece of tinder on the end of his arrow, and shot it through
the flames. Fortunately the tinder caught fire, but as he went to look
for it the dry leaves crackled under his feet, and the robbers seized
him. Some of the robbers belonged to his father's kingdom, and, as
they had a grudge against the father, they decided to kill the prince.
One said, "Let's roast him on a spit"; another proposed to dig a hole
and bury him; but the chief of the robbers said, "Don't let us kill the
lad, let's take him with us as he may be very useful to us. You all
know that we are about to kidnap the daughter of the king of the
town of the Black Sorrow, and we intend to sack his palace, but we
46. have no means of getting at the iron cock at the top of the spire
because when we go near it begins at once to crow, and the
watchman sees us; let us take this lad with us, and let him shoot off
the iron cock, for we all know what a capital marksman he is; and if
he succeeds we will let him go." To this the robbers kindly
consented, as they saw they would by this means gain more than if
they killed him. So they started off, taking the prince with them, till
they came close to the fortress guarding the town of the Black
Sorrow. They then sent the prince in advance that he might shoot
off the iron cock; this he did. Then said the chief of the robbers,
"Let's help him up to the battlements, and then he will pull us up, let
us down on the other side, and keep guard for us while we are at
work, and he shall have part of the spoil, and then we will let him
go." But the dog-soul of the chief was false, for his plan was, that,
having finished all, he would hand the prince over to the robbers.
This the prince had discovered from some whisperings he had heard
among them. He soon found a way out of the difficulty. As he was
letting them down one by one, he cut off their heads, and sent them
headless into the fortress, together with their chief. Finding himself
all alone, and no one to fear, he went to the king's palace: in the
first apartment he found the king asleep; in the second the queen;
in the third the three princesses. At the head of each one there was
a candle burning; that the prince moved in each case to their feet,
and none of them noticed him, except the youngest princess, who
awoke, and was greatly frightened at finding a man in her bedroom;
but when the prince told her who he was, and what he had done,
she got up, dressed, and took the young prince into a side-chamber
and gave him plenty to eat and drink, treated him kindly, and
accepted him as her lover, and gave him a ring and a handkerchief
as a sign of their betrothal. The prince then took leave of his love,
and went to where the robbers lay, cut off the tips of their noses and
ears, and bound them up in the handkerchief, left the fortress, got
the fire, released Midnight and Dawn, arrived at their resting-place,
made a good fire by morning, so that all the blood was dried up.
47. At daybreak in the town of the Black Sorrow, Knight Red, as he was
inspecting the sentries, came across the headless robbers. As soon
as he saw them he cut bits off their mutilated noses and ears, and
started for the town, walking up and down, and telling everybody
with great pride what a hero he was, and how that last night he had
killed the twenty-four robbers who for such a length of time had
been the terror of the town of the Black Sorrow. His valour soon
came to the ears of the king, who ordered the Red Knight to appear
before him: here he boasted of his valour, and produced his
handkerchief and the pieces cut from the robbers. The king believed
all that he said, and was so overjoyed at the good news that he
gave him permission to choose which of the princesses he pleased
for his wife, adding that he would also give him a share of the
kingdom. The Red Knight, however, made a mistake, for he chose
the youngest daughter, who knew all about the whole affair, and was
already engaged to the youngest prince. The king told his daughter
he was going to give her as a wife.
To this she said, "Very well, father, but to whomsoever you intend to
give me he must be a worthy man, and he must give proofs that he
has rendered great service to our town." To this the king replied,
"Who could be able or who has been able to render greater services
to the town than this man, who has killed the twenty-four robbers?"
The girl answered, "You are right, father; whoever did that I will be
his wife." "Well done, my daughter, you are quite right in carrying
out my wish; prepare for your marriage, because I have found the
man who saved our town from this great danger." The young girl
began to get ready with great joy, for she knew nothing of the
doings of the Red Knight, and only saw what was going to happen
when all was ready, the altar-table laid, and the priest called, when
lo! in walked the Red Knight as her bridegroom, a man whom she
had always detested, so that she could not bear even to look at him.
She rushed out and ran to her room, where she fell weeping on her
pillow. Everyone was there, and all was ready, but she would not
come; her father went in search of her, and she told him how she
had met the youngest of the Hunting Princes the night before, and
48. requested her father to send a royal messenger into the deserted
meadow, where the dragons of the Black Lake went to drink at the
copper trough, and to invite to the wedding the three princes who
were staying there; and asked her father not to press her to marry
the Red Knight till their arrival; on such conditions she would go
among the guests. Her father promised this, and sent the messenger
in great haste to the copper trough, and the young girl went among
the guests. The feast was going on in as sumptuous a manner as
possible. The messenger came to the copper trough, and hid himself
behind a bush at the skirts of an open place, and as he listened to
the conversation of the princes he knew that he had come to the
right place; he hastened to give them the invitation from the king of
the town of the Black Sorrow to the wedding of his youngest
daughter.
The princes soon got ready, especially the youngest one, who, when
he heard that his fiancée was to be married, would have been there
in the twinkling of an eye if he had been able. When the princes
arrived in the courtyard the twelve pillows under the Red Knight
began to move, as he sat on them at the head of the table. When
the youngest prince stepped upon the first step of the stairs, one
pillow slipped out from under the Red Knight, and as he mounted
each step another pillow fled, till as they crossed the threshold even
the chair upon which he sat fell, and down dropped the Red Knight
upon the floor.
The youngest Hunting Prince told them the whole story, how his
elder brothers had slain the dragons with three and five heads, and
he the one with seven heads; he also told them especially all about
the robbers, and how he met the king's daughter, how he had
walked through all their bedrooms and changed the candles from
their head to their feet; he also produced the ring and the
handkerchief, and placed upon the table the nose and ear-tips he
had cut off the robbers.
They tallied with those the Red Knight had shown, and it was
apparent to everybody which had been cut off first.
49. Everyone believed the prince and saw that the Red Knight was false.
For his trickery he was sentenced to be tied to a horse's tail and
dragged through the streets of the whole town, then quartered and
nailed to the four corners of the town.
The three Hunting Princes married the three daughters of the king of
the town of the Black Sorrow. The youngest prince married the
youngest princess, to whom he was engaged before, and he became
the heir-apparent in the town of Black Sorrow, and the other two
divided their father's realm.
May they be your guests to-morrow!
50. THE LAZY SPINNING-GIRL WHO
BECAME A QUEEN.
A common woman had a daughter who was a very good worker, but
she did not like spinning; for this her mother very often scolded her,
and one day got so vexed that she chased her down the road with
the distaff. As they were running a prince passed by in his carriage.
As the girl was very pretty the prince was very much struck with her,
and asked her mother "What is the matter?" "How can I help it?"
said the mother, "for, after she has spun everything that I had, she
asked for more flax to spin." "Let her alone, my good woman," said
the prince; "don't beat her. Give her to me, let me take her with me,
I will give her plenty to spin. My mother has plenty of work that
needs to be done, so she can enjoy herself spinning as much as she
likes." The woman gave her daughter away with the greatest
pleasure, thinking that what she was unwilling to do at home she
might be ashamed to shirk in a strange place, and get used to it,
and perhaps even become a good spinster after all. The prince took
the girl with him and put her into a large shed full of flax, and said
"If you spin all you find here during the month you shall be my
wife." The girl seeing the great place full of flax nearly had a fit, as
there was enough to have employed all the girls in the village for the
whole of the winter; nor did she begin to work, but sat down and
fretted over it, and thus three weeks of the month passed by. In the
meantime she always asked the person who took her her food,
"What news there was?" Each one told her something or other. At
the end of the third week one night, as she was terribly downcast,
suddenly a little man half an ell long, with a beard one and a-half
ells long, slipped in and said, "Why are you worrying yourself, you
good, pretty spinning-girl?" "That's just what's the matter with me,"
replied the girl; "I am not a good spinster, and still they will believe
51. that I am a good spinster, and that's the reason why I am locked up
here." "Don't trouble about that," said the little man; "I can help you
and will spin all the flax during the next week if you agree to my
proposal and promise to come with me if you don't find out my
name by the time that I finish my spinning." "That's all right," said
the girl, "I will go with you," thinking that then the matter would be
all right. The little dwarf set to work. It happened during the fourth
week that one of the men-servants, who brought the girl's food,
went out hunting with the prince. One day he was out rather late,
and so was very late when he brought the food. The girl said,
"What's the news?" The servant told her that that evening as he was
coming home very late he saw, in the forest, in a dark ditch, a little
man half an ell high, with a beard one and a-half ells long, who was
jumping from bough to bough, and spinning a thread, and humming
to himself:—"My name is Dancing Vargaluska. My wife will be good
spinster Sue."
Sue, the pretty spinning-girl, knew very well what the little man was
doing, but she merely said to the servant, "It was all imagination
that made you think you saw it in the dark." She brightened up; for
she knew that all the stuff would be spun, and that he would not be
able to carry her off, as she knew his name. In the evening the little
man returned with one-third of the work done and said to her, "Well,
do you know my name yet?"
"Perhaps, perhaps," said she; but she would not have told his real
name for all the treasures in the world, fearing that he might cease
working if she did. Nor did she tell him when he came the next
night. On the third night the little man brought the last load; but this
time he brought a wheelbarrow with him, with three wheels, to take
the girl away with him. When he asked the girl his name she said,
"If I'm not mistaken your name is Dancing Vargaluska."
On hearing this the little man rushed off as if somebody had pulled
his nose.
The month being up, the prince sent to see if the girl had completed
her work; and when the messenger brought back word that all was
52. finished the king was greatly astonished how it could possibly have
happened that so much work had been done in so short a time, and
went himself, accompanied by a great suite of gentlemen and court-
dames, and gazed with great admiration upon the vast amount of
fine yarn they saw. Nor could they praise the girl enough, and all
found her worthy to be queen of the land. Next day the wedding
was celebrated, and the girl became queen. After the grand
wedding-dinner the poor came, and the king distributed alms to
them; amongst them were three deformed beggars, who struck the
king very much: one was an old woman whose eyelids were so long
that they covered her whole face; the second was an old woman
whose lower lip was so long that the end of it reached to her knee;
the third old woman's posterior was so flat that it was like a
pancake.
These three were called into the reception-room and asked to
explain why they were so deformed. The first said, "In my younger
days I was such a good spinster that I had no rival in the whole
neighbourhood. I spun till I got so addicted to it that I even used to
spin at night: the effect of all this was that my eyelids became so
long that the doctors could not get them back to their places."
The second said, "I have spun so much during my life and for such a
length of time that with continually biting off the end of the yarn my
lips got so soft that one reached my knees."
The third said, "I have sat so much at my spinning that my posterior
became flat as it is now."
Hereupon the king, knowing how passionately fond his wife was of
spinning, got so frightened that he strictly prohibited her ever
spinning again.
The news of the story went out over the whole world, into every
royal court and every town; and the women were so frightened at
what had happened to the beggars that they broke every distaff,
spinning-wheel, and spindle, and threw them into the fire!
53. THE ENVIOUS SISTERS.
A king had three daughters whose names were Pride, Gentleness,
and Kindness. The king was very fond of them all, but he loved the
youngest one, Kindness, the most, as she knew best how to please
him. Many clever young gentlemen came to visit Kindness, but no
one ever came near the other two, and so they were very envious of
her, and decided they would get rid of her somehow or other. One
morning they asked their father's permission to go out into the
fields, and from thence they went into the forest. Kindness was
delighted at having liberty to roam about in such pretty places; the
other two were pleased that they had at last got the bird into their
hands. As the dew dried up the two eldest sisters strolled about arm
in arm, whilst the youngest chased butterflies and plucked the wild
strawberries, with the intention of taking some home to her father;
she spent her time in great glee, singing and listening to the songs
of the birds, when suddenly she discovered that she had strolled into
an immense wood. As she was considering what to do, her two
sisters appeared by her side, and said spitefully, "Well, you good-for-
nothing! you have never done anything but try to make our father
love you most and to spoil our chances in every way, prepare
yourself for your end, for you have eaten your last piece of bread."
Kindness lifted up her hands, and besought them not to harm her,
but they cut off her hands, and only spared her life under the
condition that she would never go near her home again; they then
took her beautiful precious mantle from her, and dressed her in old
rags; they then led her to the highest part of the forest, and showed
her an unknown land, bidding her go there and earn her living by
begging. The blood streamed from Kindness's arms, and her heart
ached in an indescribable way, but she never uttered the slightest
reproach against her sisters, but started off in the direction pointed
out to her. Suddenly she came to a beautiful open plain, where there
54. was a pretty little orchard full of trees, and their fruit was always
ripening all the year round. She gave thanks to God that he had
guided her there, then, entering the garden, she crouched down in a
by-place. As she had no hands to pluck the fruit with she lived upon
what grew upon low boughs; thus she spent the whole summer
unnoticed by any one.
But towards autumn, when every other fruit was gone save grapes,
she lived on these, and then the gardener soon discovered that the
bunches had been tampered with and that there must be some one
about: he watched and caught her. Now it so happened that the
garden belonged to a prince, who spent a great deal of his time
there, as he was very fond of the place. The gardener did not like to
tell him of what had happened, as he pitied the poor handless girl
and was afraid his master would punish her severely. He decided
therefore to let her go. Accidentally, however, the prince came past
and asked who she was. "Your highness," replied the gardener, "I
know no more of her than you do. I caught her in the garden, and
to prevent her doing any more damage I was going to turn her out."
"Don't lead her away," said the prince; "and who are you,
unfortunate girl?" "You have called me right, my lord," said
Kindness, "for I am unfortunate, but I am not bad; I am a beggar,
but I am of royal blood. I was taken from my father because he
loved me most; crippled because I was a good child. That is my
story." To this the prince replied, "However dirtily and ragged you
are dressed, still it is clear to me that you are not of low birth: your
pretty face and polished speech prove it. Follow me; and whatever
you have lost you will find in my house." "Your highness, in this
nasty, dirty dress—how can I come into your presence? Send clothes
to me which I can put on, and then I will do whatever you order."
"Very well," said the prince; "stay here, and I will send to you." He
went and sent her a lady-in-waiting with perfumed water to wash
with, a gorgeous dress, and a carriage. Kindness washed and
dressed herself, got into the carriage, and went to the prince. Quite
changed in her appearance, not at all like as she was before,
however much she suffered she was as pretty as a Lucretia; and the
55. prince fell so much in love with her that he decided on the spot that
he would marry her; and so they got married, with great splendour,
and spent their time together in great happiness.
When the two elder sisters came home from the forest their father
inquired where Kindness was. "Has she not come home?" said they;
"we thought that she would have been home before us. As she was
running after butterflies she got separated from us. We looked for
her everywhere and called for her; as we got no answer we set off
home before the darkness set in."
The king gave orders that Kindness was to be looked for
everywhere; they searched for days but could not find her; then the
king got so angry in his sorrow that he drove the two elder girls
away because they had not taken proper care of their sister. They
set out into the world in quite another direction, but by accident
arrived in the country where Kindness was queen; here they lived a
retired life in a small town unknown to all. Kindness at this time was
enceinte; and as war broke out with a neighbouring nation her royal
husband was obliged to go to the field of battle. The war lasted a
long time, and in the meantime Kindness gave birth to twins, two
handsome sons; on the forehead of one was the sign of the blessed
sun, on the other the sign of the blessed moon; in great joy the
queen's guardian sent a letter containing the good news to the king
by a messenger to the camp. The messenger had to pass through
the small town where the envious sisters dwelt; it was quite dark
when he arrived, and as he did not see a light anywhere but in their
window he went and asked for a night's lodging; while he stayed
there he told them all about the object of his journey; you may
imagine how well he was received, and with what pleasure they
offered him lodging, these envious brutes! When the messenger fell
asleep they immediately took possession of the letter, tore it open,
read it, and burnt it, and put in its place another to the king, saying
that the queen had given birth to two monsters which looked more
like puppies than babes; in the morning they gave meat and drink to
the messenger, and pressed him to call and see them on his way
back, as they would be delighted to see him. He accepted their kind
56. invitation, and promised that he would come to them, and to no one
else, on his return. The messenger arrived at the camp and
delivered his letter to the king, who was very downcast as he read
it; but still he wrote back and said that his wife was not to be
blamed; "if it has happened thus how can I help it? don't show her
the slightest discourtesy," wrote he. As the messenger went back he
slept again in the house of the two old serpent-sisters; they stole the
king's letter and wrote in its place: "I want neither children nor
mother; see that by the time I come home those monsters be out of
my way, so that not even so much as their name remain." When this
letter was read every one was very sorry for the poor queen, and
couldn't make out why the king was so angry, but there was nothing
for it but for the king's orders to be carried out, and so the two
pretty babes were put in a sheet and hung round Kindness's neck,
and she was sent away. For days and days poor Kindness walked
about suffering hunger and thirst, till at last she came to a pretty
wood; passing through this she travelled through a valley covered
with trees; passing through this at last she saw the great alpine fir-
trees at the end of the vale; there she found a clear spring; in her
parching thirst she stooped to drink, but in her hurry she lost her
balance and fell into the water; as she tried to drag herself out with
her two stumps, to her intense astonishment she found that by
immersion her two hands had grown again as they were before; she
wept for joy. Although she was hiding in an unknown place with no
husband, no father, no friend, no help whatever, with two starving
children in this great wilderness, still she wasn't sorrowful, because
she was so delighted to have her hands again. She stood there, and
could not make up her mind in which direction to go; as she stood
looking all round she suddenly caught sight of an old man coming
towards her. "Who are you?" said the old man. "Who am I?" she
replied, sighing deeply; "I'm an unfortunate queen." She then told
him all she had suffered, and how she had recovered her hands that
very minute by washing in the spring. "My poor good daughter," said
the old man, bitterly, "then we are both afflicted ones; it's quite
enough that you are alive, and that I have found you. Listen to me:
your husband was warring against me, he drove me from my
57. country, and hiding from him I came this way; not very far from here
with one of my faithful servants I have built a hut and we will live
together there." The old man, in order to prove the miraculous
curing power of the spring, dipped his maimed finger into it, which
was shot off in the last war; as he took it out, lo! it was all right
once more.
When the war was over, Kindness's husband returned home and
inquired after his wife. They told him all that had happened, and he
was deeply grieved, and went in search of her with a great number
of his people, and they found her at last with her two pretty babes,
living with her old father. On inquiry it was also found out where the
messenger with the letters had slept and how the letters were
changed. Pride and Gentleness were summoned and sentenced to
death; but Kindness forgave them all their misdeeds, and was so
kind to them that she obtained their pardon, and also persuaded her
father to forgive them.
There is no more of this speech to which you need listen, as I have
told it to the very end and I have not missed a word out of it. Those
of whom I have spoken may they be your guests, every one of
them, to-morrow!
58. KNIGHT ROSE.
A king had three sons. When the enemy broke into the land and
occupied it, the king himself fell in the war. The young princes were
good huntsmen and fled from the danger, all three, taking three
horses with them. They went on together for a long time, till they
did not even know where they were; on they journeyed, till at last
they came to the top of the very highest snow-covered mountain,
where the road branched off: here they decided to separate and try
their luck alone. They agreed that on the summit of the mountain, at
the top of a tall tree, they would fix a long pole, and on it a white
handkerchief. They were to keep well in sight of this white flag, and
whenever the handkerchief was seen full of blood the one who saw
it was to start in search of his brothers, as one of them was in
danger. The name of the youngest was Rose; he started off to the
left, the other two went to the right. When Rose came to the
seventh snow-capped mount and had got far into it he saw a
beautiful castle and went in. As he was tired with travelling and
wanted a night's rest, he settled down. When even came the gates
of the castle opened with great noise, and seven immense giants
rushed into the courtyard and from thence into the tower. Every one
of them was as big as a tall tower. Rose, in his fright, crept under
the bed; but the moment the giants entered one of them said,
"Phuh! What an Adam-like smell there is here!" Looking about they
caught Rose, cut him up into small pieces like the stalk of a cabbage
and threw him out of the window.
In the morning the giants went out again on their business. From a
bush there came forth a snake, which had the head of a pretty girl;
she gathered up every morsel of Rose's body, arranged them in
order, and said, "This belongs here, that belongs there." She then
anointed him with grass that had healing power, and brought water
of life and death from a spring that was not far off and sprinkled it
59. over him. Rose suddenly jumped up on his feet and was seven times
more beautiful and strong than before. At this moment the girl cast
off the snake-skin as far as the arm-pits. As Rose was now so strong
he became braver, and in the evening did not creep under the bed,
but waited for the giants coming home, at the gate. They arrived
and sent their servants in advance to cut up that wretched heir of
Adam; but they could not manage him, it took the giants themselves
to cut him up. Next morning the serpent with the girl's head came
again and brought Rose to life as before, and she herself cast off her
skin as far as her waist. Rose was now twice as strong as a single
giant. The same evening the seven giants killed him again, he
himself having killed the servants and wounded several of the giants.
Next morning the giants were obliged to go without their servants.
Then the serpent came and restored Rose once more, who was now
stronger than all the seven giants put together, and was so beautiful
that though you could look at the sun you could not look at him. The
girl now cast off the serpent's skin altogether and became a most
beautiful creature. They told each other the story of their lives. The
girl said that she was of royal blood, and that the giants had killed
her father and seized his land, that the castle belonged to her father,
and that the giants went out every day to plunder the people. She
herself had become a snake by the aid of a good old quack nurse,
and had made a vow that she would remain a serpent until she had
been avenged on the giants, and she knew now that although she
had cast off the snake's skin she had nothing to fear because Rose
was a match for the seven giants. "Now, Rose," said she, "destroy
them every one, and I will not be ungrateful." To which he replied,
"Dearest one, you have restored me to life these three times—how
could I help being grateful to you? My life and my all are yours!"
They took an oath to be true to each other till death, and spent the
day merrily till evening set in, when the giants came, and Rose
addressed them thus: "Is it not true, you pack of scoundrels, that
you have killed me three times? Now, I tell you that not one of you
shall put his foot within these gates! Don't you believe me? Let's
fight!" They charged upon him with great fury, but victory was, this
time, on his side; he killed them one after the other and took the
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