THE ENCHANTED LAMBS
An Emperor once had an only daughter of surpassing beauty. In his pride he caused it to be sounded abroad through all the world that the youth who should guess the position of a certain mole on the maiden’s person should have her for his wife, and the half of his empire besides. But those who did not guess right should be transformed into lambs.
This wonderful news spread over the whole world, so that wooers by thousands came from all lands to sue for the Princess’s hand. But all in vain. A countless number of them were changed into lambs.
The news came also to the ears of a youth who was as poor as a church mouse, but who was as sharp as a needle for all that. His desire to possess the beautiful maiden and half the empire grew so strong that he decided to try his fortune; not, however, by suing at once for the maiden’s hand, but by seeing her first and asking her something.
Arrived at the Emperor’s court, what wonders does he see! Lambs of all kinds pressed around him—God only knows how many there were.
They swarmed about him, a pitiful sight and a warning example that might well turn him from his project. He would have gone back, but at the gate was a monster of a man, wrapped in a blood-red mantle, with wings, and an eye in the middle of his forehead, who cried out in a commanding voice, “Halt! Where are you going? Go back, or you are lost!”
So he went back and caused himself to be announced to the Emperor’s daughter, who was already waiting for him. She said to him, “Did you come to get me for your wife?”
He answered, “No, Imperial Highness; but as I understood that you were thinking of marrying at the first favorable opportunity, I come to ask you if you need more bridal-clothes.”
“What kind of clothes have you to offer?” she asked.
He answered, “I have a skirt of marble, a bodice of dew, a head-dress of threads made from the sun’s rays, with a clasp of the moon and stars; then I have shoes of pure gold which were neither sewed nor made by a smith. So, tell me, do you wish to buy these things or not? You have but to command, and I will bring them to you, but only on one condition. When you try these things on, piece by piece, there shall be no one present but only us two. If they fit we shall soon come to terms; if not, I will never offer them to another soul, but will lay them aside and keep them for my own bride.”
The Princess agreed to this condition and gave him the order to bring the garments. And, really, he brought them to her. God only knows where he found them and how he came to possess them; it is enough for us to know that he kept his word.
They shut themselves up in a room, and first she tried on the skirt, while he watched narrowly to see if by chance he could discover the mole. To his joy he saw it under her right knee—a little golden star; but not the slightest change in his face betrayed his discovery. He only thought in his heart, “It is well for me to-day and for all time!”
Then the Princess tried on the bodice and all the other things, and they fitted her as if she had been poured into them. They agreed as to the price; she paid it on the spot; he packed up his gold and departed.
After a few days, having dressed himself in the finest suit that could be bought for money, he came back to sue for the hand of the Emperor’s daughter. When he appeared before the Emperor he said, “Worthy Emperor, I come to woo your daughter. Make no objections; give her to me!”
“Good!” answered the Emperor; “but do you know how my daughter’s hand is won? Take good care, for if you do not guess the mole you are lost; but if you do guess it she will be yours, and the half of my empire into the bargain.”
The youth bowed to the Emperor and said, “My greetings, O Emperor and father-in-law! If that is the case she is mine. She has a little star under the right knee.”
The Emperor was not a little surprised that he could know this, but there was nothing for it but to yield, and so the youth was married to the Princess.
When the Emperor proceeded to give him the half of his empire the new-made son-in-law said to him, “I willingly leave this half of your empire to you if you are ready to restore these poor souls to their former condition.”
The Emperor answered that this was no longer in his power, but lay in the hands of his daughter, “who now,” he added, “is your wife.”
So he turned to his wife with this request, and she answered:
“Cut the vein under the famous mole. Let every lamb touch the end of its tongue to the blood and moisten its underlip with it, and they will all be changed to men and live as before.”
He did as she directed, and when the lambs had all assumed the forms of men again they were invited as wedding-guests.
Thus the youth took the maiden home amid song and chime of bells, and there he treated everybody royally to meat and drink, until finally they took their homeward way. But he stayed there with his young wife, and God knows what fortunes they met with in life that are all forgotten now.
“I am sorry you have forgotten anything, grandmother,” said the little boy. “It is not dark yet, and I wanted a longer story.”
“It is not I who forgot,” answered the grandmother. “I remember every word as it was told to me.”
“It must have been your great-grandmother,” observed the little boy. “I wish she had had a better memory.”
“I will tell you a short story to make up,” said the grandmother. “It explains why there is so much knot-grass.”
“I should like to know that,” said one of the sisters. “My fingers are tired rooting it out.”
So the grandmother told about