Crimson Fairy Book

Chapter 17 Eisenkopf

Once upon a time there was an old man who had an only son who was very popular with the old man, but his family was very poor and often had no food to eat.Later, when the old man fell ill, the situation at home became even worse, so the old man called his son to him and said to him:
"My dear boy, I can no longer support you, and you must go out and fend for yourself. Do any work, but you must remember that if you do well and are faithful to your master, you will be rewarded."

So, the boy named Peter put a piece of black bread in his backpack, picked up the backpack, and took a thick stick in his hand, and went out of the house to venture into the world.He walked and walked for a long time, but he was never asked to work.One day, Peter met an old man. He took off his hat politely and said kindly: "Good morning." The old man replied: "Good morning, where are you going?"

"I'm walking around looking for a job," Peter answered.

"Then you stay with me, I will send you a lot of work." The old man said.So Peter stayed.

He only looked after two horses and a cow, so the work was not heavy.The old man hired him to work for one year, but there were only three days left in the year, so he received his payment not long after. In addition to giving him a nut, the old man promised to keep him for another year.Peter was a little homesick, and he didn't agree, and besides, he'd rather have some money than a nut.Nuts are everywhere, he thought, and I can pick as many as I want.However, he didn't tell the kind old man what he said, but said goodbye to the old man in a hurry.

The closer he got to home, the more ashamed Peter became: what's the use of bringing home such a ridiculous pay?Can't even get a slice of bacon.Since it's useless, it's better to eat it.So he sat down on a rock, broke the shell with his teeth, and took it out of his mouth to peel it.But what crawled out of the nut?No one can imagine it!It turned out that horses, cows, and sheep crawled out of the nuts in groups, and there was no end to it.Peter clasped his hands in horror.He looked at the animals and stood there blankly, thinking: what should I do with these animals, where should I take them?At this time, Eisenkopf happened to pass by.

"What's the matter, young man?" he asked.

"Oh, it's troublesome," answered Peter, "I got a nut from my work, but when I opened it, there came out so many animals that I didn't know what to do with them!"

"Listen to me, boy," said Eisenkopf, "if you promise me never to marry, I'll help you drive 'em back into the nuts."

Encountering such a big trouble, Peter was willing to agree to any difficulty, so he readily accepted Eisenkopf's conditions.The stranger gave a whistle, and the cattle rushed into the nuts, nearly tripping in their haste.When all the livestock has gone in, the two halves of the nut are closed.Peter pocketed the nuts and continued on his way.

As soon as he entered the house, Peter opened the nut again, and the horses, cows, and sheep rushed out again.Peter felt that this time was more than the last time.The old father couldn't believe his eyes when he saw so many animals standing at the door. When he regained his senses, he asked his son:

"Where did you get these livestock?" The son told his father the ins and outs of the matter, and how he accepted Eisenkopf's conditions and changed the livestock back.

The next day, they drove some livestock to the market to sell, and then used the money to buy some fields and orchards. In just a few months, the old man became the richest and most successful person in the village.One day, the old man and his son were sitting in the orchard of their home, looking at the herds of livestock grazing on the grass.He suddenly said to his son, "Peter, you should also think about your own marriage."

"But, father, I told you I could not marry, I promised Eisenkopf."

"Everyone makes promises, but few keep them. Eisenkopf should bear with it even if he doesn't like your marriage! Besides, the gray horses in our stable always have saddles. If If Eisenkopf really comes, you should jump on your horse and run away, no one can catch up with you. When everything is safe and you come back, we will be as happy as fish living in water.”

The young man followed his father's advice and found a beautiful brown-skinned girl to be his bride.The whole village came to drink wedding wine.The most beautiful music was played at the banquet, accompanied by the most beautiful dance.At this moment, Eisenkopf stood outside the window and said to the young man:

"Oh, dear brother! What's going on here? It looks like someone's having a wedding reception. But, if I remember correctly, you promised me never to get married." As soon as Peter saw Eisenkopf, he rushed into the room like the wind. Stables, rode on the horse and galloped away, Eisenkopf rode fast and followed closely.

They walked through dense forests where the sun never appeared, crossed wide rivers that could not be crossed in a whole day, climbed the Glass Mountain, and ran through seventy-seven forty-nine countries. Finally, Peter reined in at the door of an old woman's house. .

"Hello, old mother." Peter jumped off the horse and opened the door.

"Hello, boy," said the old man, "what are you doing here? It's the end of the world!"

"I'm running for my life, old mother, to the end of the world. Eisenkopf is after me."

"Come in and rest for a while and get something to eat. My dog ​​is very alert. He will bark when Eisenkopf is seven miles away."

So Peter went inside and warmed himself up, and ate and drank some water, until suddenly the dog barked.

"Go, boy, go!" cried the old man.Peter jumped out like lightning, and just as he was about to get on his horse, the old man cried again:
"Wait a minute, bring a handkerchief and a piece of cake, put it somewhere convenient, it will be delicious on the road." Peter said goodbye to the old man gratefully, and then ran away like the wind.

He ran and ran, through seventy-seven forty-nine countries, through thicker forests, over wider rivers, and over smoother hills, and at last Peter stopped his horse at the door of another old woman's house. the reins.

"Hello, old mother," said Peter.

"Hello, boy!" said the old man, "what are you looking for here? It's the end of the sky!"

"I'm running for my life, old mother, to the end of the world. Eisenkopf is after me."

"Come in and rest for a while and have something to eat. My dog ​​is very alert. When Eisenkopf walks seven miles away, he will bark. You can lie on this bed and rest quietly for a while."

Then she went into the kitchen and baked so many cakes that Peter couldn't eat them all for a month.He hadn't finished a quarter of the meal when the dog barked.

"Hurry up, child, you must go quickly," the old man called, "but before you go, you must take this handkerchief and this cake with you, and put them where you can easily get them. They will be delicious on the road." Peter Thanks to the old mother, ran away like the wind.

He rode a horse, ran and ran, and ran across 49 countries. Finally, he stopped the horse at the door of the third old woman's house.The old man received him like the previous two old ladies.When the dog barked, she gave Peter the same gift.Peter had just jumped on the horse when the old woman said to him, "I know that my sisters have given you something, and you have three handkerchiefs and three cakes. Please do as I tell you: go straight on, Riding for seven days and seven nights, on the morning of the eighth day, you will see a big fire. Pat the flames with your handkerchief, and the flames will split in two. Walk in along the part where the flames split, and when you get to the middle, use your left hand to hold three Throw the cake behind your back."

Peter thanked the old man, and did exactly what she said.On the morning of the eighth day, he really saw a sea of ​​fire, and he could see nothing around him except the fire.However, when he patted the flames with his handkerchief, the fire immediately parted, like two walls of fire lined up on the left and right.When he rode to the center, he threw three cakes behind him.The three cakes turned into three big dogs, and Peter named them respectively: Shiqiang, Tiezhuang and Shunfenger.They cried out with joy when they saw Peter.When Peter bent down to pat the dog, he saw Eisenkopf standing on the other side of the fire, but immediately the two walls of fire closed behind Peter, and Eisenkopf couldn't get over it.

"Stop, you dishonest bastard!" Eisenkopf yelled, "You slipped from me this time, but wait, I will catch you next time!" After finishing speaking, he Just sitting by the fire watching the raging fire, thinking about what to do next.

When Peter found that he no longer had to be afraid of Eisenkopf catching up, he slowed down and came to a white hut.Entering the house, he saw an old woman with gray hair spinning, and next to her, a beautiful girl was combing her hair by the window, her hair was shining golden.

"How did you come here, child?" asked the old woman.

"I want a place to live, old mother," Peter answered.

"Stay with me, I just need a servant," said the old woman.

"That's great, thank you old mother." Peter replied.

After that, Peter lived happily ever after.He sows and cultivates the land all day long, and takes his dogs to hunt from time to time.Whatever game he brought back, the blonde girl knew how to cook it.

One day, the old woman went into town to buy flour, and there were only Peter and the fair-haired girl in the house.So they chatted.The girl asked him where his home was and how he got through the fire.Peter told the blond girl all about his experience, and how he did as the old woman ordered him to pat the fire with three handkerchiefs.The girl listened attentively, wondering at the same time—is what he said true or false?After Peter finished telling the story, he went to work in the field.The girl tiptoed into Peter's room, secretly took the handkerchief, and ran along a mountain road towards the fire.

When she took the third tap, the flame split in two.Eisenkopf, who had been waiting for an opportunity, immediately ran over along the gap and stood in front of her.The girl was frightened to death, and she ran home as hard as she could, with Eisenkopf following closely behind.Panting, she rushed through the door and fell to the floor, followed by Eisenkopf, who slipped into the kitchen and hid under the stove.

Soon, Peter came back. He picked up the three handkerchiefs that the girl had dropped on the threshold suspiciously, thinking, he put the handkerchiefs in the room himself, how could they be here?Seeing the girl's pale face and unconsciousness on the ground, he was shocked, and quickly picked her up and put her on the bed.The girl woke up quickly, but she didn't tell Peter about Eisenkopf.At this time, Eisenkopf, who was hiding under the stove, was almost crushed to death by the dog named Shiqiang.

The next morning Peter tied up the dogs and went to the forest by himself.

Eisenkopf saw him go and followed closely.Peter hurriedly climbed up a tall tree. "Come down, you bloody fellow," cried Eisenkopf, "have you forgotten your promise not to marry?"

"I remember the promise well," said Peter, "but allow me to ask for help three times."

"You don't have a problem asking for help a hundred times." Eisenkopf said, "Anyway, you are in my hands now, and you have to pay for what you did."

"Shiqiang, Tiezhuang and Shunfenger, come and save me!" Peter shouted.Shunfeng heard the shout and said to the other two dogs, "Listen, the master is calling us."

"You're talking in your sleep, idiot," Shiqiang said, "Master hasn't had breakfast yet." He slapped Shunfeng's ear with his paw, and Shunfeng's ear was the smallest, Shiqiang wanted to train it.

"Shiqiang, Tiezhuang and Shunfenger, come and save me!" Peter shouted again.

This time, Shiqiang also heard it, and said, "Oh, this time, the master is really calling us."

"You are so stupid!" Tie Zhuang said, "You know the master must be eating at this time." After finishing speaking, he slapped Shiqiang, who was the oldest and most knowledgeable.

Standing on the tree, Peter trembled. He was afraid that his dogs would never hear his call, or that they would hear him, but would not come.He had only one last chance left, so, with all his strength, he shouted at the top of his voice:

"Shiqiang, Tiezhuang and Shunfenger, come and save me, or I will die!"

This time, Tie Zhuang also heard it.It said: "It is really the owner who is barking, we have to go immediately." It opened the door, and the three dogs ran towards the sound.As soon as they got under the tree, Peter ordered: "Bite him!" After a while, Eisenkopf was killed and disappeared.

Once the enemy was dead, Peter jumped from the tree and went back inside to say goodbye to the old granny and her daughter.The grandmother gave him a beautiful ring studded with diamonds.It was a Lord of the Rings, but neither Peter nor the girl knew it.

Peter set foot on the way home with a heavy heart.He no longer liked the wife at the wedding banquet, and his heart was already on the blonde girl.But, what's the use of thinking about it, he continued on his way on horseback.

After walking for a long time, he came to the fire again. Peter shook his handkerchief three times, and the flames immediately forked their way.At this time, a miracle happened, and the three dogs who followed him along the way turned into three pancakes. Peter put them into his pocket together with the handkerchief, and then he stopped at the door of the three old women, and took the handkerchief and pancakes. The pancakes were returned to them one by one.

"Where's my wife?" Peter asked his father when he got home.

"Oh, my dear son, why did you leave us? After you left, your poor wife did not eat or drink. She was getting thinner and thinner, and she died last month. She left with regret."

Hearing this news, Peter wept sadly, because before he left home, he still liked his wife.

Peter spent half a year in grief.One night, he dreamed that he took off the diamond ring given by the old woman from his right hand and put it on his left.The dream was so real that he awoke immediately and moved the ring to his other hand.At this time, guess what he saw?God, the blonde girl was standing right in front of him.He jumped up and kissed the girl, and said, "From now on, you are mine, forever, forever, even if we die, we will be buried together."

Everything has come true.

(End of this chapter)