University of Virginia Library

X.—THE THREE LEMONS.

There was once upon a time an old king who had an only
son. This son he one day summoned before him, and
spoke to him thus: `My son, you see that my head has
become white; ere long I shall close my eyes, and I do not
yet know in what condition I shall leave you. Take a wife,
my son! Let me bless you in good time, before I close my
eyes.' The son made no reply, but became lost in thought;
he would gladly with all his heart have fulfilled his father's
wish, but there was no damsel in whom his heart could take
delight.

Once upon a time, when he was sitting in the garden, and
just considering what to do, all of a sudden an old woman
appeared before him—where she came, there she came.
`Go to the glass hill, pluck the three lemons, and you will
have a wife in whom your heart will take delight,' said she,
and as she had appeared so she disappeared. Like a bright
flash did these words dart through the prince's soul. At
that moment he determined, come what might, to seek the
glass hill and pluck the three lemons. He made known his
determination to his father, and his father gave him for the
journey a horse, arms and armour, and his fatherly blessing.

Through forest-covered mountains, through desert plains,
went our prince on his pilgrimage, for a very, very great
distance; but there was nothing to be seen, nothing to be
heard of the glass hill and the three lemons. Once, quite
wearied out with his long journey, he threw himself down
under the cool shade of a broad lime-tree. As he threw
himself down, his father's sword, which he wore at his side,
clanged against the ground, and a dozen ravens began
croaking at the top of the tree. Frightened by the clang of
the sword, they rose on their wings, and flew into the air
above the lofty tree. `Hem! till now I haven't seen a

living creature for a long while,' said the prince to himself,
springing from the ground. `I will go in the direction in
which the ravens have flown; maybe some hope will disclose
itself to me.'

He went on—he went on anew for three whole days and
three nights, till at last a lofty castle displayed itself to him
at a distance. `Praise be to God! I shall now at any
rate come to human beings,' cried he, and proceeded
further.

The castle was of pure lead; round it flew the twelve
ravens, and in front of it stood an old woman—it was
Jezibaba[2] —leaning on a long leaden staff. `Ah, my son!
whither have you come? Here there is neither bird nor
insect to be seen, much less a human being,' said Jezibaba
to the prince. `Flee, if life is dear to you; for, if my son
comes, he will devour you.' `Ah! not so, old mother, not
so!' entreated the prince. `I have come to you for counsel
as to whether you cannot let me have some information
about the glass hill and the three lemons.' `I have never
heard of the glass hill; but stay! when my son comes
home, maybe he will be able to let you have the information.
But I will now conceal you somewhat; you will hide yourself
under the besom, and wait there concealed till I call
you.'

The mountains echoed, the castle quaked, and Jezibaba
whispered to the prince that her son was coming. `Foh!
foh! there is a smell of human flesh; I am going to eat
it!' shouted Jezibaba's son, while still in the doorway, and
thumped on the ground with a huge leaden club, so that the
whole castle quaked. `Ah, not so, my son, not so!' said
Jezibaba, soothing him. `There has come a handsome
youth who wants to consult you about something.' `Well,
if he wants to consult me, let him come here.' `Yes,

indeed, my son, he shall come, but only on condition that
you promise to do nothing to him.' `Well, I'll do nothing
to him, only let him come.'

The prince was trembling like an aspen under the besom,
for he saw before him through the twigs an ogre, up to
whose knees he didn't reach. Happily his life was safeguarded,
when Jezibaba bade him come out from under the
besom. `Well, you beetle, why are you afraid?' shouted
the giant. `Whence are you? What do you want?'
`What do I want?' replied the prince. `I've long been
wandering in these mountains, and can't find that which I
am seeking. Now I've come to ask you whether you can't
give me information about the glass hill and the three
lemons.' Jezibaba's son wrinkled his brow, but, after a
while, said in a somewhat gentler voice: `There's nothing
to be seen here of the glass hill; but go to my brother in
the silver castle, maybe he'll be able to tell you something.
But stay, I won't let you go away hungry. Mother, here
with the dumplings!' Old Jezibaba set a large dish upon
the table, and her gigantic son sat down to it. `Come and
eat!' shouted he to the prince. The prince took the first
dumpling and began to eat, but two of his teeth broke, for
they were dumplings of lead. `Well, why don't you eat?
maybe you don't like them?' inquired Jezibaba's son.
`Yes, they are good; but I don't want any just now.'
`Well, if you don't want any just now, pocket some, and go
your way.' The good prince—would he, nould he—was
obliged to put some of the leaden dumplings into his
pocket. He then took leave and proceeded further.

On he went and on he went for three whole days and three
nights, and the further he went, the deeper he wandered into a
thickly wooded and gloomy range of mountains. Before him it
was desolate, behind him it was desolate; there wasn't a single
living creature to be seen. All wearied from his long journey,

he threw himself on the ground. The clang of his silver-mounted
sword spread far and wide. Above him four and
twenty ravens, frightened by the clash of his sword, began to
croak, and, rising on their wings, flew into the air. `A good
sign!' cried the prince. `I will go in the direction in which
the birds have flown.'

And on he went in that direction, on he went as fast as
his feet could carry him, till all at once a lofty castle displayed
itself to him! He was still far from the castle, and
already its walls were glistening in his eyes, for the castle
was of pure silver. In front of the castle stood an old
woman bent with age, leaning on a long silver staff, and this
was Jezibaba. `Ah, my son! How is it that you have
come here? Here there is neither bird nor insect, much
less a human being!' cried Jezibaba to the prince; `if life is
dear to you, flee away, for if my son comes, he will devour
you!' `Nay, old mother, he will hardly eat me. I bring
him a greeting from his brother in the leaden castle.'
`Well, if you bring a greeting from the leaden castle, then
come into the parlour, my son, and tell me what you are
seeking.' `What I am seeking, old mother? For ever so
long a time I've been seeking the glass hill and the three
lemons, and cannot find them; now I've come to inquire
whether you can't give me information about them.' `I
know nothing about the glass hill; but stay! when my son
comes, maybe he will be able to give you the information.
Hide yourself under the bed, and don't make yourself known
unless I call you.'

The mountains echoed with a mighty voice, the castle
quaked, and the prince knew that Jezibaba's son was coming
home. `Foh! foh! there's a smell of human flesh; I'm
going to eat it!' roared a horrible ogre already in the doorway,
and thumped upon the ground with a silver club, so
that the whole castle quaked. `Ah! not so, my son, not

so; but a handsome youth has come and has brought you a
greeting from your brother in the leaden castle.' `Well, if
he's been at my brother's, and if he has done nothing to him,
let him have no fear of me either; let him come out.' The
prince sprang out from under the bed, and went up to him,
looking beside him as if he had placed himself under a very
tall pine. `Well, beetle, have you been at my brother's?'
`Indeed, I have; and here I've still the dumplings, which
he gave me for the journey.' `Well, I believe you; now
tell me what it is you want.' `What I want? I am come
to ask you whether you can't give me information about the
glass hill or the three lemons.' `Hem! I've heard formerly
about it, but I don't know how to direct you. Meanwhile,
do you know what? Go to my brother in the golden castle,
he will direct you. But stay, I won't let you go away
hungry. Mother, here with the dumplings!' Jezibaba
brought the dumplings on a large silver dish, and set them on
the table. `Eat!' shouted her son. The prince, seeing
that they were silver dumplings, said that he didn't want to
eat just then, but would take some for his journey, if he
would give him them. `Take as many as you like, and
greet my brother and aunt.' The prince took the dumplings,
thanked him courteously, and proceeded further.

Three days had already passed since he quitted the silver
castle, wandering continuously through densely wooded
mountains, not knowing which way to go, whether to the
right hand or to the left. All wearied out, he threw himself
down under a wide-spreading beech, to take a little breath.
His silver-mounted sword clanged on the ground, and the
sound spread far and wide. `Krr, krr, krr!' croaked a flock
of ravens over the traveller, scared by the clash of his sword,
and flew into the air. `Praise be to God! the golden castle
won't be far off now,' cried the prince, and proceeded, encouraged,
onwards in the direction in which the ravens

showed him the road. Scarcely had he come out of the
valley on to a small hill, when he saw a beautiful and wide
meadow, and in the midst of the meadow stood a golden
castle, just as if he were gazing at the sun; and before the
gate of the castle stood an old bent Jezibaba, leaning on a
golden staff. `Ah! my son! what do you seek for here?'
cried she to the prince. `Here there is neither bird nor
insect to be seen, much less a human being! If your life is
dear to you, flee, for if my son comes, he will devour you!'
`Nay, old mother, he'll hardly eat me,' replied he. `I
bring him a greeting from his brother in the silver castle.'
`Well, if you bring him a greeting from the silver castle,
come into the parlour and tell me what has brought you to
us.' `What has brought me to you, old mother? I have
long been wandering in this mountain range, and haven't
been able to find out where are the glass hill and the three
lemons. I was directed to you, because haply you might
be able to give me information about it.' `Where is the
glass hill? I cannot tell you that; but stay! when my son
comes, he will counsel you which way you must go, and
what you must do. Hide yourself under the table, and stay
there till I call you.'

The mountains echoed, the castle quaked, and Jezibaba's
son stepped into the parlour. `Foh! foh! there's a smell
of human flesh; I'm going to eat it!' shouted he, while
still in the doorway, and thumped with a golden club upon
the ground, so that the whole castle quaked. `Gently, my
son, gently!' said Jezibaba, soothing him; `there is a handsome
youth come, who brings you a greeting from your
brother in the silver castle. If you will do nothing to him,
I will call him at once.' `Well, if my brother has done
nothing to him, neither will I do anything to him.' The
prince came out from under the table and placed himself
beside him, looking, in comparison, as if he had placed

himself beside a lofty tower, and showed him the silver
dumplings in token that he had really been at the silver
castle. `Well, tell me, you beetle, what you want!' shouted
the monstrous ogre; `if I can counsel you, counsel you I
will; don't fear!' Then the prince explained to him the
aim of his long journey, and begged him to advise him
which way to go to the glass hill, and what he must do to
obtain the three lemons. `Do you see that black knoll that
looms yonder?' said he, pointing with his golden club; `that
is the glass hill; on the top of the hill stands a tree, and on
the tree hang three lemons, whose scent spreads seven miles
round. You will go up the glass hill, kneel under the tree,
and hold up your hands; if the lemons are destined for you,
they will fall off into your hands of themselves; but, if they
are not destined for you, you will not pluck them, whatever
you do. When you are on your return, and are hungry or
thirsty, cut one of the lemons into halves, and you will eat
and drink your fill. And now go, and God be with you!
But stay, I won't let you go hungry. Mother, here with
the dumplings!' Jezibaba set a large golden dish on the
table. `Eat!' said her son to the prince, `or, if you don't
want to do so now, put some into your pocket; you will eat
them on the road.' The prince had no desire to eat, but
put some into his pocket, saying that he would eat them on
the road. He then thanked him courteously for his hospitality
and counsel, and proceeded further.

Swiftly he paced from hill into dale, from dale on to a
fresh hill, and never stopped till he was beneath the glass
hill itself. There he stopped, as if turned to a stone. The
hill was high and smooth; there wasn't a single crack in it.
On the top spread the branches of a wondrous tree, and on
the tree swung three lemons, whose scent was so powerful
that the prince almost fainted. `God help me! Now, as it
shall be, so it will be. Now that I'm once here, I will at

any rate make the attempt,' thought he to himself, and
began to climb up the smooth glass; but scarcely had he
ascended a few fathoms when his foot slipped, and he himself,
pop! down the hill, so that he didn't know where he
was, or what he was, till he found himself on the ground at
the bottom. Wearied out, he began to throw away the
dumplings, thinking that their weight was a hindrance to
him. He threw away the first, and lo! the dumpling fixed
itself on the glass hill. He threw a second and a third, and
saw before him three steps, on which he could stand with
safety. The prince was overjoyed. He kept throwing the
dumplings before him, and in every case steps formed themselves
from them for him. First he threw the leaden ones,
then the silver, and then the golden ones. By the steps
thus constructed he ascended higher and higher till he
happily attained the tompost ridge of the glass hill. Here
he knelt down under the tree and held up his hands. And
lo! the three beautiful lemons flew down of themselves into
the palms of his hands. The tree disappeared, the glass
hill crashed and vanished, and when the prince came to
himself, there was no tree, no hill, but a wide plain lay
extended before him.

He commenced his return homeward with delight. He
neither ate nor drank, nor saw nor heard, for very joy.
But when the third day came, a vacuum began to make
itself felt in his stomach. He was so hungry that he would
gladly have then and there betaken himself to the leaden
dumplings if his pocket hadn't been empty. His pocket
was empty, and all around was just as bare as the palm of
his hand. Then he took a lemon out of his pocket and cut
it into halves; and what came to pass? Out of the lemon
sprang a beautiful damsel, who made a reverence before
him, and cried out: `Have you made ready for me to eat?
Have you made ready for me to drink? Have you made

pretty dresses ready for me?' `I have nothing, beautiful
creature, for you to eat, nothing for you to drink, nothing
for you to put on,' said the prince, in a sorrowful voice, and
the beautiful damsel clapped her white hands thrice before
him, made a reverence and vanished.

`Aha! now I know what sort of lemons these are,' said
the prince; `stay! I won't cut them up so lightly.' From
the cut one he ate and drank to his satisfaction, and thus
refreshed, proceeded onwards.

But on the third day a hunger three times worse than
the preceding, assailed him. `God help me!' said he;
`I have still one remaining over. I'll cut it up.' He then
took out the second lemon, cut it in halves, and lo! a
damsel still more beautiful than the preceding one placed
herself before him. `Have you made ready for me to eat?
Have you made ready for me to drink? Have you made
pretty dresses ready for me?' `I have not, dear soul! I
have not!' and the beautiful damsel clapped her hands thrice
before him, made a reverence, and vanished.

Now he had only one lemon remaining; he took it in his
hand and said: `I will not cut you open save in my father's
house,' and therewith proceeded onwards. On the third
day he saw, after long absence, his native town. He didn't
know himself how he got there, when he found himself at once
in his father's castle. Tears of joy bedewed his old father's
cheeks: `Welcome, my son! welcome a hundred times!'
he cried, and fell upon his neck. The prince related how
it had gone with him on his journey, and the members of
the household how anxiously they had waited for him.

On the next day a grand entertainment was prepared;
lords and ladies were invited from all quarters; and beautiful
dresses, embroidered with gold and studded with pearls
were got ready. The lords and ladies assembled, took their
seats at the tables, and waited expectantly to see what would

happen. Then the prince took out the last lemon, cut it
in halves, and out of the lemon sprang a lady thrice as
beautiful as had been the preceding ones. `Have you
made ready for me to eat? Have you made ready for me
to drink? Have you got pretty dresses ready for me?' `I
have, my dear soul, got everything ready for you,' answered
the prince, and presented the handsome dresses to her. The
beautiful damsel put on the beautiful clothes, and all rejoiced
at her extraordinary beauty. Ere long the betrothal
took place, and after the betrothal a magnificent wedding.

Now was fulfilled the old king's wish; he blessed his son,
resigned the kingdom into his hands, and ere long died.

The first thing that occurred to the new king after his
father's death was a war, which a neighbouring king excited
against him. Now he was constrained for the first time to
part from his hard-earned wife. Lest, therefore, anything
should happen to her in his absence, he caused a throne to
be erected for her in a garden beside a lake, which no one
could ascend, save the person to whom she let down a
silken cord, and drew that person up to her.

Not far from the royal castle lived an old woman, the
same that had given the prince the counsel about the three
lemons. She had a servant, a gipsy, whom she was in the
habit of sending to the lake for water. She knew very well
that the young king had obtained a wife, and it annoyed her
excessively that he had not invited her to the wedding,
nay, had not even thanked her for her good advice. One
day she sent her maidservant to the lake for water. She
went, drew water, and saw a beautiful image in the water.
Under the impression that this was her own reflection, she
banged her pitcher on the ground, so that it flew into a
thousand pieces. `Are you worthy,' said she, `that so
beautiful a person as myself should carry water for an old
witch like you?' As she uttered this she looked up, and

lo! it wasn't her own reflection that she saw in the water,
but that of the beautiful queen. Ashamed, she picked up
the pieces and returned home. The old woman, who knew
beforehand what had occurred, went out to meet her with
a fresh pitcher, and asked her servant, for appearance' sake,
what had happened to her. The servant related all as it
had occurred. `Well, that's nothing!' said the old woman.
`But, do you know what? Go you once more to the lake,
and ask the lady to let down the silken cord and draw you
up, promising to comb and dress her hair. If she draws
you up, you will comb her hair, and when she falls asleep,
stick this pin into her head. Then dress yourself in her
clothes and sit there as queen.'

It wasn't necessary to use much persuasion to the gipsy;
she took the pin, took the pitcher, and returned to the
lake. She drew water and looked at the beautiful queen.
`Dear me! how beautiful you are! Ah! you are beautiful!'
she screamed, and looked with coaxing gestures into her
eyes. `Yes,' said she; `but you would be a hundred times
more beautiful if you would let me comb and dress your
hair; in truth, I would so twine those golden locks that
your lord could not help being delighted.' And thus she
jabbered, thus she coaxed, till the queen let down the silken
cord and drew her up.

The nasty gipsy combed, separated, and plaited the golden
hair till the beautiful queen fell sound asleep. Then the
gipsy drew out the pin, and stuck it into the sleeping queen's
head. At that moment a beautiful white dove flew off the
golden throne, and not a vestige remained of the lovely
queen save her handsome clothes, in which the gipsy speedily
dressed herself, took her seat in the place where the queen
sat before, and gazed into the lake; but the beautiful
reflection displayed itself no more in the lake, for even in the
queen's clothes the gipsy nevertheless remained a gipsy.

The young king was successful in overcoming his enemies,
and made peace with them. Scarcely had he returned to
the town, when he went to the garden to seek his delight,
and to see whether anything had happened to her. But
who shall express his astonishment and horror, when, instead
of his beautiful queen, he beheld a sorry gipsy. `Ah, my
dear, my very dear one, how you have altered!' sighed he,
and tears bedewed his cheeks. `I have altered, my beloved!
I have altered; for anxiety for you has tortured me,' answered
the gipsy, and wanted to fall upon his neck; but the king
turned away from her and departed in anger. From that
time forth he had no settled abode, no rest; he knew
neither day nor night; but merely mourned over the lost
beauty of his wife, and nothing could comfort him.

Thus agitated and melancholy, he was walking one day
in the garden. Here, as he moved about at haphazard, a
beautiful white dove flew on to his hand from a high tree,
and looked with mournful gaze into his bloodshot eyes.
`Ah, my dove! why are you so sad? Has your mate been
transformed like my beautiful wife?' said the young king,
talking to it and caressingly stroking its head and back.
But feeling a kind of protuberance on its head, he blew the
feathers apart, and behold! the head of a pin! Touched
with compassion, the king extracted the pin; that instant
the beautiful mourning dove was changed into his beautiful
wife. She narrated to him all that had happened to her,
and how it had happened; how the gipsy had deluded her,
and how she had stuck the pin into her head. The king
immediately caused the gipsy and the old woman to be
apprehended and burnt without further ado.

From that time forth nothing interfered with his happiness,
neither the might of his enemies nor the spite of wicked
people. He lived with his beautiful wife in peace and love;
he reigned prosperously, and is reigning yet, if he be yet alive.