Lilac Fairy Book

Chapter 17 Norwegian Brown Bear (2)
The woman washed their feet and applied ointment, which dispelled the deep pain and refreshed them.The next morning, before sunrise, he got up and was ready to continue his journey.He said to her, "This thing may be useful to you. Here are scissors. If you cut anything with it, it will become silk. The moment the sun rises, I will forget you and the child." It's all clean, and when the sun goes down, I will regain my memory. Goodbye!" Before he had gone far, she left the child and let him appear in her sight again.It was the same day as the first: in the morning the shadow ran ahead of them, in the evening the shadow trailed behind them.He never pauses, and she never rests.As the sun went down, he turned onto another path, and there they found their little girl.The whole family was happy and slept soundly until dawn the next day, and then the journey of the third day began again.

Before he set out, he gave her a comb, and told her that with one stroke of it, pearls and diamonds would fall out of her hair.He has memories from the time when the sun sets to the sun rises, but from the time when the sun rises to the sun sets, he will be controlled by magic, and he will walk forward quickly without looking back.That night, they came to the place where the youngest son was.Next morning, just before sunrise, the prince spoke to her for the last time. "My poor wife," said he, "is a little spool with an endless gold thread wound on it. It is half our wedding ring. If you come to my new house, you will take the half Put the ring together with my half, and I will think of you. There is a forest over there, and the moment I walk in, I will forget everything that happened between us, as if I was born yesterday. Goodbye, Farewell, dear wife and child!" At that moment the sun rose, and he walked towards the forest.She saw the forest parting before him, then closing again behind him.When she stepped forward, the forest was like a stone wall, which could no longer be penetrated.She clasped her hands and wept, and then she remembered something and cried, "Forest, I command you by three magical gifts, the scissors, the comb, and the spool: let me in." And the forest parted. , she went on until she saw a palace and a lawn, and at the edge of the forest, nearest to the palace, was a little house where a woodcutter lived.

She went into the cottage and asked the woodcutters to hire her.They were reluctant at first, and she told them that she wanted no wages, and that she could give them diamonds, pearls, satin, and gold thread whenever they wanted, and they agreed to let her stay.

Before long she heard how a young prince who had just arrived had taken up residence in the palace of the young mistress.He seldom went out, and everyone who met him said he was always walking up and down, silent and sad, like someone looking for something lost.

The servants of the castle and the haughty masters began to notice the pretty young woman in the cottage, and harassed her rudely, the butler being the most annoying.Later, she invited him to drink tea with her.Oh, how happy he was, to brag before the other servants!As night fell, the housekeeper entered the cottage, and was shown into her sitting-room—the landlady and his wife held her in such esteem that two fine rooms had been set aside for her use.He sat up straight, bragging about the great society at the castle while she prepared the tea and the toast.

"Oh," she said to him, "will you reach out through the window and help me pick a rhododendron or two?"

He stood up very happily, and put his hands and head out of the window.And she said, "Let my gift of magic do its magic, and let horns grow from your head, and let you sing to the castle." And it came true, as she had hoped.Two horns grew out in front of his ears and met at the back of his head.Oh, the poor wretch!Look at how he yells!The servants who often listened to his bragging swarmed from the castle, laughing, shouting, pots and pans were put on the battle, and music was played.He cursed, his eyeballs were about to fall out of their sockets, his face was livid, and he kicked back like crazy.

At last, feeling sorry for him, she broke the spell, and the horns fell to the ground.He wished he could kill her on the spot, but he was already as weak as a puddle of water.His companions ran in and carried him to the castle.Somehow this got to the ears of the Prince, and he strolled up the road that led to the cottage.She was sitting by the window sewing.She was wearing peasant women's clothes, but this could not conceal her beauty.After looking at her carefully, he felt very puzzled, as if a person is puzzled by everything that happens to him when he is a child, or is dreaming.The witch's daughter also heard about this, and came to see this strange woman, and saw her cutting a dress out of brown paper, and as soon as she cut it, the paper became the most gorgeous silk she had ever seen.The witch's daughter looked at it greedily, and said, "What will I give you in exchange for the pair of scissors, so that you will be satisfied?" "I don't want anything but a night outside the prince's bedroom," she said.The haughty lady suddenly became furious and was about to say some nasty things.The scissors continued to cut, and the silk and satin became more and more gorgeous inch by inch, so she agreed to the princess' request.

When night fell, the princess was let into the palace.She lay down, and waited until the Prince had fallen into a deep sleep, and all her actions could not wake him, then, sighing and weeping, she sang to him the following hymn.All night long she chanted, but in vain:
"I have been married to you for four years and have three lovely babies for you. Turn around and face me, Norwegian Brown Bear."

When the first ray of dawn appeared, that proud woman came to the dormitory and took her away.When she left the palace, the horned butler stuck his tongue out at her.

So far, she has had no luck.The next day the Prince passed her hut again, looked at her, saluted her as kindly as a Prince would a farmer's daughter, and went away.Soon, the witch's daughter also passed by here, and saw her combing her hair, and saw pearls and diamonds falling from her hair.

So there was a second deal, and the princess spent another sad night at the palace.At dawn, she left the castle.The butler was at work at this time, and he looked at her gloatingly.

On the third day, the prince passed by the hut and stopped to talk to the strange woman.He asked if there was anything he could do for her, and she said yes.She asked him if he used to wake up at night.He said that he often does, but in the last two nights, he heard someone singing a sweet song in his dream, so he couldn't wake up, and said that the song must have been familiar and loved in another world a long time ago. the sound of.

"Did you drink hypnotic milk wine before going to bed these two nights?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "My wife gave me something to drink the last two nights, but I don't know if it's a hypnotic milk wine."

"Ah, prince," she said, "didn't you say that you wanted to do me a favor, that you would be doing me a great favor by not drinking anything tonight."

"Okay," he said, and resumed his walk.

Well, not long after the prince left, the noble lady came.She spotted the strange woman drawing gold thread from a hand spool, and a third deal was made.

That evening, the prince was lying on his bed in the dim light.His mind is messed up.The door opened, and the princess came in, and sat down by his bed and sang:
"I have been married to you for four years and have three lovely babies for you. Turn around and face me, Norwegian Brown Bear."

"Norwegian brown bear?" he said. "I don't know what you mean."

"Don't you remember? Prince, I am your wife who has been married for four years!"

"I don't remember," he said, "but I sure hope so."

"Don't you remember our three darlings? They're all still alive."

"Let me see them. My mind is completely confused."

"Find out the half of your wedding ring that is hanging around your neck, and match it with this half."

He did so, and in that instant the spell was broken.He fully recovered his memory, put his arms around his wife's neck, and they both burst into tears.

Oops, there was a deafening shout outside.They heard the castle walls cracking.Everyone in the castle was fleeing in panic.The prince and princess also ran out with them.When everyone was safely on the lawn, the castle collapsed, shaking the ground for miles around.Since then, no one has seen the witch and her daughter again.It was not long before the prince and princess found their child, and set off for their own palace.Soon, the kings and queens of Ireland, Munster and Ulster came to visit them, wishing everyone who deserved happiness to be as happy as the Norwegian brown bear and his family.

(End of this chapter)