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The Ill-Fated Princess

"A queen could not marry off her three daughters. A beggarwoman told her to mark how they slept, and then the youngest, who slept with her hands in her lap, was ill-fated, and her fate kept her sisters from being married. The youngest daughter heard this, told her mother to sew her dowry into the hem of her skirt, dressed herself as a nun, and left, despite her mother's pleas. She stayed at a cloth-dealer's, but her fate came and tore up the cloth, and they turned her out; she paid for the damage from her dowry and went on. She stayed at a glass-merchant's, but her fate came and smashed the glass; she paid for the damage and went on. Then she took service with a queen, who realized she had an evil Fate and kept her on.

Finally, the queen told her she had to change her fate: she had to go to the mountain where they lived, and offer her some bread to change her fate. The princess did this, and would not leave until her fate took the bread; the fate resisted a long time, even when the other fates argued with her, but finally gave her silk thread and told her to give it away only for its weight in gold.

A nearby king was marrying, and a quantity of silk was missing to sew the bride's dress. The princess brought her silk; it was perfect, and they set out to give her the gold, but nothing would even out the scale, until the king himself stepped on the scales. He said that showed she should have him, and they married."

The Imp Prince

"The story is about the life of Léandre, a handsome prince who was a human but turned into a lutin (imp) after the ruling prince forced his retreat from court into the countryside.

There was once a king and queen who had a malformed son named Furibon. He was as large as the largest man and small as smallest dwarf, he had an ugly face, deformed body and mean spirit, but the queen was insane and thought Furibon was the most beautiful child in the world. Furibon's governor was a rival prince, who had claims to the throne. This governor (a rival prince) brought with him his own son named prince Léandre.

Léandre was very well liked in court, the ladies loved him, thought him very handsome, and called him the "beautiful indifferent one" (translated). Furibon was hated. Furibon insulted people and reported their secret faults to the King and Queen.

One day, ambassadors came from afar and seeing Léandre with Furibon together, they bowed to Léandre thinking he was the prince, and thinking Furibon was just a dwarf. They teased Furibon and laughed at him. After that, when no one was looking, Furibon angrily took Léandre by the hair and tore out three handfuls. Thus Léandre's father sent Léandre to live in a castle in the countryside, to be safely far away from Furibon. In the countryside, Léandre was free to hunt, fish, walk, paint, read and play musical instruments. Léandre was happy but lonely. While living alone in the country, Léandre almost killed a grass snake, but then brought it home and gave it a room and brought it milk, flowers and food, out of kindness.

One day Furibon came into the woods with assassins to hunt Léandre down and kill him. This convinced Léandre that he must travel the world and away from the kingdom.

Before leaving, Léandre visited the room of the grass snake and found out that it had turned into a beautiful jewel-studded fairy named Gentille. She said she took the form of a grass snake for 8 days every 100 years and could have been killed. Gentille was indebted to Léandre for protecting her life when she was a grass snake and offered him all sorts of rewards: riches, a long life, a kingdom with houses full of gold, the life of an excellent orator, poet, musician, or painter. Finally she suggested he become an "air, water and terrestrial lutin." Gentille described the benefits of being a lutin (imp): "You are invisible when you like it; you cross in one moment the vast space of the universe; you rise without having wings; you go through the ground without dying; you penetrate the abysses of the sea without drowning; you enter everywhere, though the windows and the doors are closed; and, when you decide to, you can let yourself be seen in your natural form."

Léandre agreed to be a lutin (imp). So Gentille said "Be Imp" and passed her hands three times over his eyes and face. Then she gave him a small red hat, trimmed with two parrot feathers, that would make him invisible when he wore it.

As an imp, Léandre began to travel. First Léandre took revenge on Foribon and the queen, by sneaking invisible into their palace where he nailed Foribond's ear to a door, beat them a 1000 times with a rod used on the king's dogs, and tore up all the fruit and flowers in the queen's garden.

Léandre then traveled far away. In one kingdom, he fell in love with a maid of honor named Blondine, but learned by putting a magic pink rose on her throat, that she was in love with a hateful musician, so left her kingdom and was sad a long time.

In three separate adventures, Léandre came to the invisible aid of young maidens by cursing and battling with people that were going to harm them: He saved the first maiden from being married to an old man, another from being sacrificed in a temple by her family, and the third a young girl named Abricotine (which translates to "Apricot-plum"), who he found enslaved in the forest by four robbers.

After rescuing Abricotine, Léandre learned she was a fairy who lived on a secluded island that was only for females. An old fairy mother had created this island and retreated from the world because she had been hurt in a love affair and so drove out all the male guards and the officers and replaced them with women from the Amazon race instead. She named this place the Island of Quiet Pleasures. Abricontine served the daughter princess who had inherited the Island. Léandre asked to see the island, but Abricotine could not allow a man inside. So he went invisibly by himself and saw a palace made of pure gold; crystal figures and precious stones, and “all the wonders of nature, sciences and arts, the elements, the sea and fish, the ground and the animals, hunting of Diane with her nymphs, (and) the noble exercises of the Amazons."

The fairy princess had lived here in seclusion for 600 years, but looked like a young girl of incomparable beauty to him. Léandre pretended to be the voice of the parrots in her house, and told her about a man had saved Abricotine's life, and tried to convince her to give this man (himself) a chance to meet her. The princess appeared interested but suspicious. He stayed invisible a long time in her palace, and listened to her conversations, ate invisibly beside her at her table every night, spoke as the parrot sometimes, and slowly convinced her that she might be able to trust a man. He brought her monkeys and fine clothes from around the world when she mentioned them. The fairy princess could not decide if the invisible presence was good or evil. One day Léandre painted and put a portrait of himself out. She liked it very much, but was afraid it was done by a demon. Léandre finally wrote her a love note:

Léandre, intending to speak, wrote these words on its shelves and threw them to the feet of the princess:
"No I am not demon nor fairy,
I am an unhappy lover
Who does not dare to appear in your eyes:
Feel sorry for my destiny at least
THE PRINCE LUTIN."

At the same time, Furibon wanted the same princess, and planned to attack the Island of Quiet Pleasures with an army 1400 men in order to break in and take her. Léandre dressed himself as an Amazon woman in disguise, and went out to buy off Furibon, giving Furibon rooms full of gold if he left without attacking the island. Furibon planned to take the gold, then kill the Amazon and attack the palace anyway but Léandre put on his hat, and then killed and beheaded Furibon. Furibon's army was so happy that the evil Furibon had been killed. Léandre became their new and rightful king, and he spread all the gold among them. Léandre took Furibon's head into the palace to show the fairies they were safe.

Much tired, Léandre went back into the palace and fell asleep as if dead, not wearing his invisibility hat. The princess saw him sleeping, and most of her fears were resolved. Her mother the "old hag" (as translated) who had secluded the island for 600 years was angry with his appearance and against their marriage. Léandre's friend Gentille came to his aid and convinced the old fairy to trust Léandre. The marriage festivals were very joyful."

Iron John

"A king sends a huntsman into a forest nearby, and the huntsman never returns. The king sends more men into the forest, each meeting with the same fate. The king sends all his remaining huntsmen out as a group, but again, none return. The king proclaims the woods as dangerous and off-limits to all.

Some years later, a wandering explorer accompanied by a dog hears of these dangerous woods and asks permission to hunt in the forest, claiming that he might be able to discover the fate of the other hunters. The man and his dog are allowed to enter, and as they come to a lake in the middle of the forest, the dog is dragged under water by a giant arm. The hunter returns to the forest the next day with a group of men to empty the lake. They find a naked man with skin like iron and long shaggy hair all over his body. They capture him and he is locked in a cage in the courtyard as a curiosity. No one is allowed to set the wild man free, on penalty of death.

Years later the young prince is playing with a ball in the courtyard. He accidentally rolls it into the cage where the wild man picks it up and will only return it if he is set free. He states further that the only key to the cage is hidden beneath the queen’s pillow.

Though the prince hesitates at first, eventually he builds up the courage to sneak into his mother’s room and steal the key. He releases the wild man, who reveals his name to be Iron John (or Iron Hans, depending on the translation). The prince fears he will be killed for setting Iron John free, so Iron John agrees to take the prince with him into the forest.

As it turns out, Iron John is a powerful being and has many treasures that he guards. He sets the prince to watch over his well, but warns him not to let anything touch it or fall in because it will turn instantly to gold. The prince obeys at first, but begins to play in the well, eventually turning all his hair into gold. Disappointed in the boy’s failure, Iron John sends him away to experience poverty and struggle, but also tells the prince that if he ever needs anything, simply to call the name of Iron John three times.

The prince travels to a distant land and offers his services to its king. Since he is ashamed of his golden hair, he refuses to remove his cap before the king and is sent to assist the gardener.

When war comes to the kingdom, the prince sees his chance to make a name for himself. He calls upon Iron John who gives him a horse, armour, and a legion of iron warriors to fight alongside him. The prince successfully defends his new homeland, but returns all that he borrowed to Iron John before returning to his former position.

In celebration, the king announces a banquet and offers his daughter’s hand in marriage to any one of the knights who can catch a golden apple that will be thrown into their midst. The king hopes that the mysterious knight who saved the kingdom will show himself for such a prize.

Again the prince asks Iron John for help, and again Iron John disguises the prince as the mysterious knight. Though the prince catches the golden apple and escapes, and does so again on two more occasions, he is eventually found. The prince is returned to his former station, marries the princess, and is happily reunited with his parents. Iron John too comes to the wedding, but now without the shaggy hair or iron skin that made him frightening. He reveals he was under enchantment until he found someone worthy and pure of heart to set him free."

Issun-bōshi

"The story begins with an old, childless couple who live alone. The old woman wishes for a child, despite her old age, "Please, please let us have a child, no matter how small." Eventually, a son was born to them. But small indeed was the child--no larger than a grown man's fingertip. They named the miniature child Issun-bōshi (Issun is a measure of approximately 3 centimeters. Bōshi means son). The child, despite being incredibly small, is treated well by his parents. One day, the boy realizes he will never grow, so he goes on a trip to seek his place in the world. Fancying himself a miniature samurai, Issun-bōshi is given a sewing needle for a sword, a soup bowl for a boat, and chopsticks for oars.

He sails down river to the city, where he petitions for a job with the government and goes to the home of a wealthy daimyo, whose daughter is an attractive princess. He is scorned for his height, but nevertheless given the job of accompanying the princess as her playmate. While they travel together, they are suddenly attacked by an oni, who deals with the pesky boy by swallowing him. The boy defeats the Oni by pricking him from within with his needle/sword. The Oni spits out Issun-boshi and drops the magical Uchide's Mallet as he runs away. As a reward for his bravery, the princess uses the power of the mallet to grow him to full size. Issun-bōshi and the princess remain close companions and eventually wed."

Jack and His Golden Snuff-Box

"Jack lived with his parents in the forest, never seeing anyone else. He decided to leave one day, and his mother offered him a big cake with her curse or a little one with her blessing. He took the big one. He met his father on the way, and his father gave him a golden snuff-box, to open only when he was in danger of death.

He came to a house and asked for some food and a place to stay. The servant told the master, who asked him what he could do; he said, anything, meaning any bit of work about the house, but the master demanded a great lake and a man-of-war on it, ready to fire a salute, or Jack would forfeit his life. Jack opened the snuff-box, and three little red men hopped out. He told them what was needed, and they told him to go to sleep. In the morning, there was a lake and a man-of-war.

The master said that with two more tasks, he could marry his daughter. He felled all the trees about, and built the master a castle with a regiment, and married the daughter.

One day, as they went on a hunt, a valet found the snuff-box and with it carried the castle and himself over the sea. The master threatened to take Jack's wife from him, but agreed that Jack should have a year and a day to bring it back. He set out and met the King of the Mice, who summoned all the mice in the world. When none of them had seen it, he sent Jack on to the King of the Frogs, giving him a new horse. A little mouse asked to come with him, Jack tried to refuse on the grounds of offending the king, but the mouse told him it would be better. The King of the Frogs summoned all the frogs in the world. When none of them had seen it, he sent Jack on to the King of the Birds. A little frog asked to come with him, and again Jack was persuaded. The King of the Birds summoned all the birds, and last of all, an eagle came, and told of the castle. The eagle carried him to it, and the mouse stole the box back. They quarreled as they went back, and the box fell into the sea, but the frog retrieved it.

When he returned to the King of the Birds, he had the little men retrieve the castle. The men waited until everyone there but a cook and a maid had left for a dance; then they asked them whether they would rather go or stay, and when they said go, told them to run into the castle. Then Jack had them carry it to the King of the Frogs, and then next day to the King of the Mice, where he left it and rode home on his horse. There, he had the little men bring him the castle, and his wife showed him his new son."

The Jackal and the Spring

"All the rivers and streams ran dry. The animals dug a well to keep from dying, but the jackal did not help. They set a guard to keep the jackal from drinking. The first, a rabbit, kept off the jackal until it bribed it with some honeycomb to let it tie it up; then the jackal drank its full. The second, a hare, met the same fate. The third, the tortoise, did not answer the jackal, so it thought it could kick it aside, but the tortoise grabbed its leg and never let it go. The jackal did not manage to free itself until the other animals appeared; then it managed to wrench itself free and flee without drinking."

Jesper Who Herded the Hares

"A king of a kingdom so small he could see every border from the towers on his castle, still was proud of it. Having a single daughter, he wished her to marry a man fit to be king. He declared that whoever brought him twelve of the finest pearls (to ensure the wooer was rich) and could perform certain tasks would marry her. Many princes and merchants brought the pearls but failed the tasks, and many tried false pearls and were turned away more quickly.

A fisherman had three sons: Peter, Paul, and Jesper. One day he caught three dozen oysters, each of which had a fine pearl. It was decided that each son would have his chance to win the princess. On the way, Peter met the King of the Ants, who was battling the King of the Beetles and had been worsted; he asked for Peter's help, and Peter said he was too busy. Then he met an old woman, who asked what he was carrying; he said cinders, she said that, very well, it was cinders, and when he got to the castle, the pearls turned into cinders. He did not tell what had happened when he came home. Paul tried, and met the same fate. Jesper tried; he helped the king of the ants, who won the field with him, and told the old woman of his pearls. The old woman begged some food from him, since he could eat at the castle. He handed over his entire lunch. The old woman called him back and gave him a whistle that would bring back what he had lost.

The king was not pleased with such a son-in-law. He had a sack each of wheat, barley, oats, and rye mixed together and told Jesper he had to sort them in a day. The ants did it for him.

Then he was set to herd a hundred hares. Using the whistle, he kept them together. The king heard of it and resolved to stop him. A shabby girl begged for a hare to feed for guests; finally, Jesper agreed to give her one in return for a kiss, but then he whistled it back. A stout old woman, in peasant dress, came next. He agree to give her one if she would tiptoe about him cackling like a hen, and then he whistled it back. An fat old man in a royal groom's livery came, and Jesper agreed to give him one if he stood on his head, and then whistled it back.

The next day, the king set out a tub and said that Jesper must fill it with undoubted truths, and he would judge when that was. Jesper told about the girl, and that she was the princess; then about the woman, and that she was the queen; then about the old man -- and the king declared that the tub was full, so Jesper married the princess, and the king decided he would be a good king if he looked after the people as well as he looked after the hares."

The Jezinkas

"A poor orphan named Johnny tried to get into service. He travelled far without finding a place. He came to an old man who had caverns in his head instead of eyes, and whose goats were bleating in their stall. The man took him as a goatherd but warned him against the hills; there, the Jezinkas would put him to sleep and tear out his eyes.

For two days, Johnny obeyed him, but on the third day, he decided the pasture was better there. He took three shoots of bramble and drove the goats to the hill. A beautiful young woman appeared, offering him an apple; he said he had eaten his fill of apples from his master's apple tree. Another appeared, with a rose, offering to let him smell it; he said he had smelled his fill of the more beautiful roses in his master's garden. A third one offered to comb his hair. He said nothing, but when she came close, he trapped her with the bramble shoot. The other two came and could not undo it, and he trapped them as well.

He fetched his master. Taking the oldest Jezinka, he demanded his master's eyes. When she said she did not know, he threatened to throw her into the river. She brought him to a cave filled with eyes and gave him two. His master put them in and wept, saying he could see nothing but owls. Johnny threw that Jezinka into the river. He did the same with the second, and when she gave his master eyes that saw nothing but wolves, he threw her, too, into the river. With the third, after she gave his master eyes that saw nothing but pike, he went to throw her in, but she pleaded with him, gave his master his actual eyes, and vanished.

After that, Johnny pastured the goats, and his master made cheeses. They never saw the Jezinkas again."