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The Magic Ring from the Yellow Fairy Book, Edited by Andrew Lang

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The Magic Ring from the Yellow Fairy Book, Edited by Andrew Lang The Magic Ring From the Yellow Fairy Book, Edited by Andrew Lang Once upon a time there lived an ‘If you choose to buy him,’ an- old couple who had one son called swered the butchers derisively; ‘but for Martin. Now when the old man’s time such a treasure we won’t take a penny had come, he stretched himself out on less than a hundred florins.’ his bed and died. Though all his life ‘A hundred!’ exclaimed Martin. long he had toiled and moiled, he only ‘Well, so be it, if you will not take left his widow and son two hundred less;’ and, taking the money out of his florins. The old woman determined to pocket, he handed it over in exchange put by the money for a rainy day; but for the dog, whose name was Schurka. alas, the rainy day was close at hand, for When Martin got home, his moth- their meal was all consumed, and who er met him with the question: is prepared to face starvation with two ‘Well, what have you bought?’ hundred florins at their disposal? So the ‘Schurka, the dog,’ replied Martin, old woman counted out a hundred of pointing to his new possession. Where- her florins, and giving them to Martin, upon his mother became very angry, told him to go into the town and lay in and abused him roundly. He ought to a store of meal for a year. be ashamed of himself, when there was So Martin started off for the town. scarcely a handful of meal in the house, When he reached the meat-market he to have spent the money on a useless found the whole place in turmoil, and a great brute like that. noise of angry voices and barking of dogs. Mix- On the following day she sent him back to ing in the crowd, he noticed a stag-hound which the town, saying, ‘Here, take our last hundred the butchers had caught and tied to a post, and florins, and buy provisions with them. I have which was being flogged in a merciless man- just emptied the last grains of meal out of the ner. Overcome with pity, Martin spoke to the chest, and baked a bannock; but it won’t last butchers, saying: over to-morrow.’ ‘Friends, why are you beating the poor dog Just as Martin was entering the town he so cruelly?’ met a rough-looking peasant who was dragging ‘We have every right to beat him,’ they re- a cat after him by a string which was fastened plied; ‘he has just devoured a newly-killed pig.’ round the poor beast’s neck. ‘Leave off beating him,’ said Martin, ‘and ‘Stop,’ cried Martin; ‘where are you drag- sell him to me instead.’ ging that poor cat?’ — — Created for Lit2Go on the web at fcit.usf.edu The Magic Ring Edited by Andrew Lang ‘I mean to drown him,’ was the answer. you serve me faithfully for a year, I promise you ‘What harm has the poor beast done?’ said it shall be for your advantage.’ Martin. So Martin consented, and for a year he ‘It has just killed a goose,’ replied the peas- worked diligently, and served his master faith- ant. fully, not sparing himself in any way. When ‘Don’t drown him, sell him to me instead,’ the day of reckoning had come the peasant led begged Martin. him into a barn, and pointing to two full sacks, ‘Not for a hundred florins,’ was the an- said: swer. ‘Take whichever of these you choose.’ ‘Surely for a hundred florins you’ll sell it?’ Martin examined the contents of the sacks, said Martin. ‘See! here is the money;’ and, so and seeing that one was full of silver and the saying, he handed him the hundred florins, other of sand, he said to himself: which the peasant pocketed, and Martin took ‘There must be some trick about this; I had possession of the cat, which was called Waska. better take the sand.’ And throwing the sack When he reached his home his mother greeted over his shoulders he started out into the world, him with the question: in search of fresh work. On and on he walked, ‘Well, what have you brought back?’ and at last he reached a great gloomy wood. In ‘I have brought this cat, Waska,’ answered the middle of the wood he came upon a mead- Martin. ow, where a fire was burning, and in the midst ‘And what besides?’ of the fire, surrounded by flames, was a lovely ‘I had no money over to buy anything else damsel, more beautiful than anything that Mar- with,’ replied Martin. tin had ever seen, and when she saw him she ‘You useless ne’er-do-weel!’ exclaimed his called to him: mother in a great passion. ‘Leave the house at ‘Martin, if you would win happiness, save once, and go and beg your bread among strang- my life. Extinguish the flames with the sand that ers;’ and as Martin did not dare to contradict you earned in payment of your faithful service.’ her, he called Schurka and Waska and started ‘Truly,’ thought Martin to himself, ‘it off with them to the nearest village in search of would be more sensible to save a fellow-being’s work. life with this sand than to drag it about on one’s On the way he met a rich peasant, who back, seeing what a weight it is.’ And forthwith asked him where he was going. ‘I want to get he lowered the sack from his shoulders and emp- work as a day labourer,’ he answered. tied its contents on the flames, and instantly the ‘Come along with me, then. But I must fire was extinguished; but at the same moment tell you I engage my labourers without wages. If lo! and behold the lovely damsel turned into a — — Created for Lit2Go on the web at fcit.usf.edu The Magic Ring Edited by Andrew Lang Serpent, and, darting upon him, coiled itself ‘My child, I had almost given up the hope round his neck, and whispered lovingly in his of ever seeing you again. Where have you been ear: all these years?’ ‘Do not be afraid of me, Martin; I love you, ‘My father,’ she replied, ‘I owe my life to this and will go with you through the world. But youth, who saved me from a terrible death.’ first you must follow me boldly into my Father’s Upon which the King turned to Martin Kingdom, underneath the earth; and when we with a gracious smile, saying: get there, remember this—he will offer you gold ‘I will reward your courage by granting you and silver, and dazzling gems, but do not touch whatever your heart desires. Take as much gold, them. Ask him, instead, for the ring which he silver, and precious stones as you choose.’ wears on his little finger, for in that ring lies a ‘I thank you, mighty King, for your gra- magic power; you have only to throw it from cious offer,’ answered Martin,’ ‘but I do not one hand to the other, and at once twelve young covet either gold, silver, or precious stones; yet men will appear, who will do your bidding, no if you will grant me a favour, give me, I beg, matter how difficult, in a single night.’ the ring from off the little finger of your royal So they started on their way, and after hand. Every time my eye falls on it I shall think much wandering they reached a spot where a of your gracious Majesty, and when I marry I great rock rose straight up in the middle of the shall present it to my bride.’ So the King took road. Instantly the Serpent uncoiled itself from the ring from his finger and gave it to Martin, his neck, and, as it touched the damp earth, it saying: resumed the shape of the lovely damsel. Point- ‘Take it, good youth; but with it I make ing to the rock, she showed him an opening just one condition— you are never to confide to big enough for a man to wriggle through. Pass- anyone that this is a magic ring. If you do, you ing into it, they entered a long underground will straightway bring misfortune on yourself.’ passage, which led out on to a wide field, above Martin took the ring, and, having thanked which spread a blue sky. In the middle of the the King, he set out on the same road by which field stood a magnificent castle, built out of por- he had come down into the Under-world. When phyry, with a roof of gold and with glittering he had regained the upper air he started for his battlements. And his beautiful guide told him old home, and having found his mother still liv- that this was the palace in which her father lived ing in the old house where he had left her, they and reigned over his kingdom in the Under- settled down together very happily. So unevent- world. Together they entered the palace, and ful was their life that it almost seemed as if it were received by the King with great kindness. would go on in this way always, without let or Turning to his daughter, he said: hindrance. But one day it suddenly came into — — Created for Lit2Go on the web at fcit.usf.edu The Magic Ring Edited by Andrew Lang his mind that he would like to get married, and, her son’s orders.
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