IV.—INTELLIGENCE AND LUCK.
Once upon a time Luck met Intelligence on a garden-seat.
`Make room for me!' said Luck. Intelligence was then as
yet inexperienced, and didn't know who ought to make room
for whom. He said: `Why should I make room for you?
you're no better than I am.' `He's the better man,'
answered Luck, `who performs most. See you there yon
peasant's son who's ploughing in the field? Enter into him,
and if he gets on better through you than through me, I'll
always submissively make way for you, whensoever and
wheresoever we meet.' Intelligence agreed, and entered at
once into the ploughboy's head. As soon as the ploughboy
felt that he had intelligence in his head, he began to think:
`Why must I follow the plough to the day of my death? I
can go somewhere else and make my fortune more easily.'
He left off ploughing, put up the plough, and drove home.
`Daddy,' says he, `I don't like this peasant's life; I'd rather
learn to be a gardener.' His father said: `What ails you,
Vanek? have you lost your wits?' However, he bethought
himself, and said: `Well, if you will, learn, and God be with
you! Your brother will be heir to the cottage after me.'
Vanek lost the cottage, but he didn't care for that, but went
and put himself apprentice to the king's gardener. For
every little that the gardener showed him, Vanek comprehended
ever so much more. Ere long he didn't even obey
the gardener's orders as to how he ought to do anything,
but did everything his own way. At first the gardener was
angry, but, seeing everything thus getting on better, he was
content. `I see that you've more intelligence than I,'
said he, and henceforth let Vanek garden as he thought fit.
In no long space of time Vanek made the garden so beautiful,
that the king took great delight in it, and frequently
walked in it with the queen and with his only daughter.
The princess was a very beautiful damsel, but ever since she
was twelve years old she had ceased speaking, and no one
ever heard a single word from her. The king was much
grieved, and caused proclamation to be made, that whoever
should bring it to pass that she should speak again,
should be her husband. Many young kings, princes and
other great lords announced themselves one after the other,
but all went away as they had come; no one succeeded in
causing her to speak. `Why shouldn't I too try my luck?'
thought Vanek; `who knows whether I mayn't succeed in
bringing her to answer when I ask her a question?' He at
once caused himself to be announced at the palace, and the
king and his councillors conducted him into the room where
the princess was. The king's daughter had a pretty little dog,
and was very fond of him because he was so clever, understanding
everything that she wanted. When Vanek went
into the room with the king and his councillors, he made as
if he didn't even see the princess, but turned to the dog and
said: `I have heard, doggie, that you are very clever, and I
come to you for advice. We are three companions in
travel, a sculptor, a tailor and myself. Once upon a time
we were going through a forest and were obliged to pass the
night in it. To be safe from wolves, we made a fire, and
agreed to keep watch one after the other. The sculptor
kept watch first, and for amusement to kill time took a log
and carved a damsel out of it. When it was finished he
woke the tailor to keep watch in his turn. The tailor,
seeing the wooden damsel, asked what it meant. "As you
see," said the sculptor, "I was weary, and didn't know what
to do with myself, so I carved a damsel out of a log; if you
find time hang heavy on your hands, you can dress her."
The tailor at once took out his scissors, needle and thread,
cut out the clothes, stitched away, and when they were
ready, dressed the damsel in them. He then called me to
come and keep watch. I, too, asked him what the meaning
of all this was. "As you see," said the tailor, "the sculptor
found time hang heavy on his hands and carved a damsel
out of a log, and I for the same reason clothed her; and if
you find time hanging on your hands, you can teach her to
speak." And by morning dawn I had actually taught her to
speak. But in the morning when my companions woke up,
each wanted to possess the damsel. The sculptor said, "I
made her;" the tailor, "I clothed her." I, too, maintained
my right. Tell me, therefore, doggie, to which of us the
damsel belongs?' The dog said nothing, but instead of the
dog the princess replied: `To whom can she belong but to
yourself? What's the good of the sculptor's damsel without
life? What's the good of the tailor's dressing without
speech? You gave her the best gift, life and speech, and
therefore she by right belongs to you.' `You have passed
your own sentence,' said Vanek; `I have given you speech
again and a new life, and you therefore by right belong to
me.' Then said one of the king's councillors: `His Royal
Grace will give you a plenteous reward for succeeding in
unloosing his daughter's tongue; but you cannot have her
to wife, as you are of mean lineage.' The king said: `You
are of mean lineage; I will give you a plenteous reward
instead of our daughter.' But Vanek wouldn't hear of any
other reward, and said: `The king promised without any
exception, that whoever caused his daughter to speak again
should be her husband. A king's word is a law; and if the
king wants others to observe his laws, he must first keep
them himself. Therefore the king
must give me his
daughter.' `Seize and bind him!' shouted the councillor.
`Whoever says the king
must do anything, offers an insult to
his Majesty, and is worthy of death. May it please your
Majesty to order this malefactor to be executed with the
sword?' The king said: `Let him be executed.' Vanek
was immediately bound and led to execution. When they
came to the place of execution Luck was there waiting for
him, and said secretly to Intelligence, `See how this man
has got on through you, till he has to lose his head! Make
way, and let me take your place!' As soon as Luck entered
Vanek, the executioner's sword broke against the scaffold,
just as if someone had snapped it; and before they
brought him another, up rode a trumpeter on horseback
from the city, galloping as swift as a bird, trumpeted
merrily, and waved a white flag, and after him came the
royal carriage for Vanek. This is what had happened: The
princess had told her father at home that Vanek had but
spoken the truth, and the king's word ought not to be
broken. If Vanek were of mean lineage the king could
easily make him a prince. The king said: `You're right;
let him be a prince!' The royal carriage was immediately
sent for Vanek, and the councillor who had irritated the
king against him was executed in his stead. Afterwards,
when Vanek and the princess were going together in a
carriage from the wedding, Intelligence happened to be
somewhere on the road, and seeing that he couldn't help
meeting Luck, bent his head and slipped on one side, just as
if cold water had been thrown upon him. And from that
time forth it is said that Intelligence has always given a wide
berth to Luck whenever he has had to meet him.
