No. 17.—It all comes to Light
There was a man with as many children as ants in an anthill. And three of the girls went to reap corn, and the emperor’s son came by. And the eldest girl said, ‘If the emperor’s son will marry me, I will clothe his whole army with one spindleful of thread.’ And the middle girl said, ‘I will feed his army with a single loaf.’ And the youngest girl said, ‘If he will marry me, I will bear him twins clever and good, with hair of gold and teeth like pearls.’
His servant heard them. ‘Emperor, the eldest girl said, if you will marry her, she will clothe your army with one spindleful of thread; the middle girl said, if you will marry her, she will feed your army with a single loaf; the youngest girl said, if you will marry her, she will bear you twins clever and good, with golden hair.’
‘Turn back,’ he cried, ‘take the youngest girl, put her in the carriage.’
He brought her home; he lived with her half a year; and they summoned him to the army to fight. He remained a year at the war. His empress brought forth two sons. The servant took them, and flung them into the pigstye; and she put two whelps by the mother.
At evening the pigs came home, and the eldest sow cried, ‘Hah! here are our master’s sons; quick, give them the teat to suck, and keep them warm.’
The pigs went forth to the field. The servant came, saw that the boys are well, not dead; she flung them into the stable. At evening the horses came home, and the eldest mare cried, ‘Hah! here are our master’s sons; quick, give them the teat to suck.’ [[68]]
In the morning the horses went forth to the field. The servant took them, and buried them in the dunghill. And two golden fir-trees grew.
The emperor came from the war. The servant went to meet him. ‘Emperor, the empress has borne you a couple of whelps.’
The emperor buried the empress behind the door up to the waist, and set the two whelps to suck her. He married the servant. This servant said to the emperor, ‘Fell these fir-trees, and make me a bed.’