Prevod

Once upon a time there was a king’s son who no longer cared to stay at home in his father’s house. Since he feared nothing, he thought, “I shall go out into the wide world. There I shall never be bored, and I shall see wonders enough.” So he took leave of his parents and set off, walking on and on from morning till evening, without caring where the road might lead him. It so happened that he came to a giant’s house, and as he was tired, he sat down outside the door to rest. As he looked about him, he saw the giant’s playthings lying in the courtyard: a few enormous balls and some skittles as tall as a man. Before long he felt like playing, so he set up the skittles and rolled the balls at them, shouting and cheering whenever they fell, and enjoying himself greatly. The giant heard the noise, put his head out of the window, and saw a man no bigger than any other, yet playing with his skittles. “You little worm,” he cried, “what are you doing playing with my skittles? Who gave you the strength for that?” The king’s son looked up at the giant and said, “You great lump! Do you think you are the only one with strong arms? I can do anything I please.” The giant came downstairs, watched the game in amazement, and said, “Child of man, if that is the sort you are, go and fetch me an apple from the Tree of Life.” “What do you want it for?” asked the king’s son. “I do not want the apple for myself,” answered the giant, “but I have a bride who longs for it. I have travelled far and wide through the world, but I cannot find the tree.” “I shall find it,” said the king’s son, “and I do not see what is to stop me from picking the apple.” The giant said, “Do you think it is so easy? The garden where the tree grows is surrounded by an iron fence, and outside the fence lie wild beasts, one beside another, keeping watch and letting no one in.” “They will let me in,” said the king’s son. “Well, even if you reach the garden and see the apple hanging on the tree, it is not yours yet. A ring hangs in front of it, and anyone who wants to reach the apple and pick it must put his hand through that ring. No one has ever managed it.” “I shall manage it,” said the king’s son.

Then he took leave of the giant and travelled over hill and dale, through fields and forests, until at last he found the enchanted garden. The beasts lay all around it, but their heads were lowered and they were asleep. Nor did they wake when he approached. He stepped over them, climbed the fence, and made his way safely into the garden. There in the middle stood the Tree of Life, with red apples gleaming among its branches. He climbed the trunk, and as he reached for an apple, he saw a ring hanging in front of it. But he slipped his hand through without difficulty and picked the apple. The ring closed tightly around his arm, and he felt a mighty strength suddenly surge through his veins. When he had climbed down from the tree with the apple, he did not care to climb back over the fence. Instead, he seized the great gate and gave it a single shake, and it burst open with a crash. He went out, and the lion that had been lying before it woke and sprang after him—not in rage or fury, but following him humbly as its master.

The king’s son brought the giant the apple he had promised and said, “You see, I fetched it without any trouble.” The giant was delighted that his wish had been fulfilled so soon. He hurried to his bride and gave her the apple she had asked for. She was a beautiful and clever maiden, and when she did not see the ring on his arm, she said, “I shall not believe you fetched the apple until I see the ring on your arm.” The giant said, “I need only go home and fetch it,” thinking it would be easy to take by force from the weak little man what he would not give willingly. So he demanded the ring, but the king’s son refused. “Where the apple is, the ring must be too,” said the giant. “If you will not give it up willingly, you must fight me for it.”

They wrestled for a long time, but the giant could do nothing against the king’s son, whom the ring’s magic made strong. Then the giant devised a trick and said, “The struggle has made me hot, and you too. Let us bathe in the river and cool ourselves before we begin again.” The king’s son, who knew nothing of deceit, went with him to the water, took off his clothes, slipped the ring from his arm, and jumped into the river. At once the giant seized the ring and ran off with it. But the lion, who had seen the theft, raced after the giant, tore the ring from his hand, and brought it back to its master. Then the giant hid behind an oak tree, and while the king’s son was busy putting his clothes back on, he fell upon him and put out both his eyes.

Now the poor king’s son stood there blind, not knowing what to do. The giant came back, took him by the hand as though to guide him, and led him to the top of a high cliff. Then he left him standing there and thought, “A few more steps and he will fall to his death, and I can take the ring from his arm.” But the faithful lion had not left its master. It caught hold of his clothes and gradually drew him back. When the giant came to rob the dead man, he saw that his trick had failed. “Can such a weak child of man not be destroyed?” he said angrily to himself. He seized the king’s son and led him by another path to the precipice once more. But the lion, sensing his wicked purpose, again saved its master from danger. As they neared the edge, the giant let go of the blind man’s hand and was about to leave him there alone, but the lion gave the giant a shove, sending him over the cliff to lie shattered on the ground below.

The faithful creature drew its master back from the precipice and led him to a tree beside a clear stream. The king’s son sat down there, while the lion lay beside him and splashed water into his face with its paw. Scarcely had a few drops moistened his eye sockets when he began to see a little. He noticed a small bird flying close by, which struck against a tree trunk. Then it dipped down into the water and bathed, after which it rose and flew between the trees without striking anything, as though it had regained its sight. The king’s son recognized this as a sign from God, bent down to the water, and washed and bathed his face in it. When he stood up again, his eyes were restored, clearer and brighter than they had ever been.

The king’s son thanked God for His great mercy and continued his travels through the world with his lion. Now it happened that he came to an enchanted castle. In the gateway stood a maiden with a lovely figure and a delicate face, but she was black all over. She spoke to him and said, “Ah, if only you could free me from the evil spell that has been cast upon me!” “What must I do?” asked the king’s son. The maiden answered, “You must spend three nights in the great hall of this enchanted castle, but no fear must enter your heart. If you endure their cruellest torments without making a sound, I shall be set free. They are not allowed to take your life.” Then the king’s son said, “I am not afraid. With God’s help, I shall try.” So he entered the castle cheerfully, and when darkness fell, he sat down in the great hall and waited. All was quiet until midnight, when a tremendous uproar suddenly broke out, and little devils came swarming from every nook and corner. They pretended not to see him, sat down in the middle of the room, lit a fire, and began to gamble. Whenever one of them lost, he said, “Something is wrong. There is someone here who does not belong to us. He is the reason I am losing.” “Just you wait, you behind the stove! I am coming for you,” said another. Their shouting grew louder and louder, until no one could have heard it without terror. The king’s son sat quite still and felt no fear. At last, however, the devils leapt up from the floor and fell upon him, and there were so many that he could not fend them off. They dragged him about the floor, pinched him, stabbed him, beat him, and tormented him, but he did not utter a sound. Towards morning they vanished, and he was so exhausted that he could scarcely move his limbs. But when day broke, the black maiden came in to him. In her hand she carried a little bottle containing the Water of Life. She washed him with it, and at once he felt all his pain vanish and fresh strength flow through his veins. She said, “You have safely endured one night, but two more lie ahead.” Then she went away again, and as she left, he noticed that her feet had turned white. The following night the devils came and began their game afresh. They fell upon the king’s son and beat him far more cruelly than the night before, until his body was covered with wounds. Yet because he bore everything in silence, they had to leave him, and at dawn the maiden appeared and healed him with the Water of Life. As she went away, he saw with joy that she had turned white as far as her fingertips. Now he had only one more night to endure, but it was the worst of all. The devilish horde returned. “Are you still here?” they shrieked. “We shall torment you until your breath fails!” They stabbed and beat him, tossed him to and fro, and pulled at his arms and legs as though they meant to tear him apart. But he endured it all without making a sound. At last the devils vanished, but he lay unconscious and motionless. He could not even raise his eyes to see the maiden come in and sprinkle and bathe him with the Water of Life. Suddenly, however, he was freed from all pain and felt fresh and well, as though he had woken from sleep. When he opened his eyes, he saw the maiden standing beside him, snow-white and as beautiful as the bright day. “Rise,” she said, “and swing your sword three times over the staircase, and everything will be set free.” When he had done so, the whole castle was released from the spell, and the maiden proved to be a wealthy king’s daughter. The servants came and announced that the table had been laid in the great hall and the food was served. Then they sat down, ate and drank together, and that evening their wedding was celebrated with great rejoicing.