Sedem žrebet | Waltey

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Once upon a time there were two poor folk who lived in a wretched little hut far away in the forest. They lived from hand to mouth, and barely managed even that; but they had three sons, and the youngest was Askeladden, for he did nothing but lie about grubbing in the ashes.

One day the eldest lad said he wanted to go out and find work. His parents readily gave him leave, and off he went into the world. He walked and walked all day, and towards evening he came to a royal palace. The King was standing outside on the steps and asked where he was bound. “Oh, I’m looking for work, sir,” said the lad. “Will you take service with me and tend my seven colts?” asked the King. “If you can tend them for a whole day and tell me in the evening what they eat and drink, you shall have the Princess and half the kingdom; but if you cannot, I shall have three red strips cut from your back.” The lad thought that sounded easy enough; he was sure he could do it.

In the morning, at the first light of dawn, the stablemaster let out the seven colts. Away they dashed, with the lad behind them, and you may be sure they went over hill and dale, through bushes and thickets. When the lad had run like this for a good while, he began to tire, and after keeping it up a little longer he had quite enough of tending colts. Just then he came to a cleft in the hillside, where an old woman sat spinning with a spindle. When she saw the lad running after the colts, with sweat pouring off him, she called out, “Come here, come here, my handsome boy, and let me pick the lice from your hair!” The lad was glad to do so. He sat down beside the old woman in the cleft and laid his head in her lap, and she picked through his hair all day while he lay there idling. Towards evening the lad wanted to leave. “I might as well wander straight home again,” he said, “for there’s no use my going back to the palace.” “Wait a little, till dusk,” said the old woman, “and the King’s colts will come past here again. Then you can run home with them;

no one will know you’ve been lying here all day instead of tending the colts.” When they came, she gave the lad a flask of water and a tuft of moss, which he was to show the King and say were what the seven colts ate and drank. “Well, have you tended them faithfully all day?” asked the King when the lad came before him that evening. “Yes, indeed I have,” said the lad. “Then I suppose you can tell me what my seven colts eat and drink?” asked the King. The lad held out the water jug and the tuft of moss the old woman had given him.

“There you see their food, and there you see their drink,” he said. But the King knew well enough then how he had tended them, and grew so angry that he ordered the lad to be driven home that very instant—but first they were to cut three red strips from his back and rub salt into the wounds. You can imagine how the lad felt when he came home again. Once he had gone out to find work, he said, but he would never do so again.

The next day the second son said he wanted to go out into the world and try his luck. His parents said no, and told him to look at his brother’s back; but the lad would not give in. He stuck to his purpose, and at long last they gave him leave, and he set off. After walking all day, he too came to the royal palace. There stood the King on the steps, asking where he was bound, and when the lad answered that he was looking for work, the King said he could take service with him and tend his seven colts. Then the King set him the same punishment and the same reward as he had his brother. The lad agreed at once and entered the King’s service, for he was sure he could look after the colts and tell the King what they ate and drank.

At daybreak the stablemaster let out the seven colts, and away they went again over hill and dale, with the lad behind them. But he fared just like his brother. When he had run after the colts for a long, long time and was hot and tired, he passed a cleft in the hillside where an old woman sat spinning with a spindle. She called out to him, “Come here, come here, my handsome boy, and let me pick the lice from your hair.” That suited the lad very well. He let the colts go their own way and sat down beside the old woman in the cleft. There he sat, and there he lay, idling the whole day long.

When the colts came back towards evening, he too was given a tuft of moss and a flask of water by the old woman, to show the King. But when the King asked him, “Can you tell me now what my seven colts eat and drink?” and the lad held out the tuft of moss and the water jug, saying, “Yes, there you see their food, and there you see their drink,” the King grew angry again. He ordered them to cut three red strips from the lad’s back, rub salt into the wounds, and drive him home that very instant.

When the lad came home again, he too told them how he had fared, and said that once he had gone out to find work, but he would certainly never do so again.

On the third day Askeladden wanted to set off. He would like to try tending the seven colts too, he said. The others laughed and made fun of him. “After what happened to us, you’re surely the one to manage it! You look just the fellow—you who have never done anything but lie grubbing in the ashes,” they said. “Well, I mean to go all the same,” said Askeladden, “for I’ve set my heart on it.” And though the others laughed and his parents pleaded, it was no use; Askeladden set off. When he had walked all day, he too came to the royal palace at dusk. There stood the King on the steps, and he asked where he was bound. “I’m looking for work,” said Askepot. “Where do you come from, then?” asked the King, for this time he wanted to know a little more before taking anyone into service. Askeladden told him where he came from and said he was the brother of the two who had tended the King’s seven colts. Then he asked whether he might try tending them the next day. “Oh, plague take you!” said the King—he grew quite angry at the very thought of the others. “If you’re their brother, you’re likely no better yourself;

I’ve had enough of your sort!” “Yes, but now that I’ve come all this way, surely I might be allowed to try as well,” said Askeladden. “Oh, very well! If you’re so set on having your back flayed, you’re welcome to it as far as I’m concerned,” said the King. “I’d sooner have the Princess,” said Askeladden. At daybreak the next morning the stablemaster let out the seven colts again, and away they went over hill and dale, through bushes and thickets, with Askeladden behind them. After he had run like this for a good while, he too came to the cleft in the hillside;

there sat the old woman again, spinning with her spindle, and she called out to Askepot, “Come here, come here, my handsome boy, and let me pick the lice from your hair!” “Kiss my backside, kiss my backside!” said Askepot, skipping and leaping along, holding fast to a colt’s tail. When he was well past the cleft, the youngest colt said, “Climb onto my back, for we still have a long way to go.” And so he did.

Then they travelled a long, long way farther. “Do you see anything now?” asked the colt. “No,” said Askeladden. They went on another good stretch. “Do you see anything now?” asked the colt. “Oh, no,” said the lad. When they had travelled a long, long way, the colt asked again, “Do you see anything now?” “Yes, I think I can see something white,” said Askepot. “It looks like a great, thick birch stump.” “Yes, that’s where we must go in,” said the colt.

When they reached the stump, the eldest colt wrenched it aside, and there was a door where the stump had stood. Inside was a little room, with scarcely anything in it but a small fireplace and a couple of stools; but behind the door hung a great rusty sword and a little jug. “Can you wield the sword?” asked the colt. Askeladden tried, but he could not. So he had to take a drink from the flask, first once, then again, and then once more, and after that he could wield it as though it weighed nothing. “Now you must take the sword with you,” said the colt. “On your wedding day you must use it to cut off the heads of all seven of us, and then we shall become princes again, as we were before. For we are the brothers of the Princess you are to marry when you can tell the King what we eat and drink; but a wicked troll has enchanted us into these shapes. When you have cut off our heads, you must take great care to lay each head by the tail of the body it belonged to. Then the spell will have no more power over us.” Askeladden promised to do this, and they travelled on.

When they had gone a long, long way, the colt asked, “Do you see anything?” “No,” said Askeladden. So they travelled on for another good while. “What about now?” asked the colt. “Do you see anything now?” “Oh, no,” said Askeladden. Then they went many, many miles farther, over hill and dale. “And now?” said the colt. “Do you still see nothing?” “Yes,” said Askeladden, “now I can see something like a blue streak far, far away.” “Yes, that’s a river,” said the colt. “We must cross it.” A fine, long bridge spanned the river, and when they had reached the other side they travelled a long, long way again. Then the colt asked once more whether Askeladden could see anything. Yes, this time he could see something dark far away, rather like a church tower. “Yes, that’s where we must go in,” said the colt.

When the colts entered the churchyard, they became human again and looked like princes, in clothes so splendid that they shone. Then they went into the church and received bread and wine from the priest, who stood before the altar.

Askeladden went in too; but when the priest had laid his hands upon the princes and pronounced the blessing, they went out of the church again, and so did Askeladden, taking a flask of wine and a communion wafer with him. The moment the seven princes stepped into the churchyard, they became colts again. Askeladden climbed onto the youngest one’s back, and off they went by the same road they had come, but much, much faster than before. First they crossed the bridge, then passed the stump, and then the old woman sitting in the cleft, spinning. They went so fast that Askeladden could not make out what she shrieked after him, but he heard enough to know she was terribly angry.

It was almost dark when they returned to the palace that evening, and the King himself stood in the courtyard waiting for them. “Well, have you tended them faithfully all day?” he asked Askeladden. “I’ve done my best,” Askeladden answered. “Then I suppose you can tell me what my seven colts eat and drink?” asked the King. Askeladden took out the communion wafer and the flask of wine and showed them to the King. “There you see their food, and there you see their drink,” he said. “Yes, you have tended them faithfully,” said the King, “and you shall have the Princess and half the kingdom.” So preparations were made for the wedding, and the King declared that it should be so splendid and grand that people everywhere would hear of it and talk about it. But when they were seated at the wedding feast, the bridegroom rose and went down to the stable, saying he had forgotten something there and must go and fetch it. When he got there, he did as the colts had told him and cut off the heads of all seven, beginning with the eldest and taking the others in order of age. He was very careful to lay each head by the tail of the colt it belonged to, and as he did so, they became princes again. When he returned to the wedding feast with the seven princes, the King was so happy that he kissed and embraced Askeladden, and his bride loved him even more than she had before. “You have already been given half the kingdom,” said the King, “and you shall have the other half when I die; for now that my sons are princes again, they can win lands and kingdoms for themselves.” You may be sure there was joy and merriment at that wedding;

I was there too, but no one had time to spare a thought for me. All I got was a slice of bread and butter. I put it on the stove, and the bread burned away, and the butter ran astray, and never a crumb came back my way.

Izvirnik

Der var engang et Par fattige Folk; de boede i en ussel Hytte langt borte i Skoven, og for dem var der ikke Mere end fra Haanden og i Munden og med Nød og Neppe det; men de havde tre Sønner, og den yngste af dem var da Askeladden; for han gjorde ikke Andet end laa og grov i Asken. En Dag sagde den ældste Gutten at han vilde ud at tjene; det fik han strax Lov til, og han vandrede da ud i Verden. Han gik og han gik hele Dagen, og da det led mod Kvelden kom han til en Kongsgaard; der stod Kongen ude paa Trappen og spurgte, hvor han skulde hen? „Aa jeg gaaer nok og hører efter Tjeneste jeg, Faer!“ sagde Gutten. „Vil du tjene hos mig og gjæte de syv Folerne mine?“ spurgte Kongen. „Dersom

du kan gjæte dem en heel Dag og sige mig om Kvelden hvad de æde og drikke, saa skal du faae Prindsessen og det halve Riget; men kan du ikke det, saa skjærer jeg tre røde Remme af Ryggen din.“ Ja, det syntes Gutten var et let Arbeide; det skulde han nok gjøre, meente han. Om Morgenen, da det begyndte at lyse af Dagen, slap Staldmesteren de syv Folerne; de sprang afsted og Gutten bag efter; og saa kan det vel hænde, det gik baade over Bjerg og Dale, gjennem Busker og Kjær. Da Gutten havde løbet saaledes en god Stund, begyndte han at blive træt, og da han havde holdt paa endda et Stykke, var han vel fornøiet af hele Gjætningen, og med det samme kom han til en Bjergskorte; der

sad en gammel Kjærring og spandt paa en Haandteen. Da hun fik see Gutten, som sprang efter Folerne, saa Sveden drev af ham, raabte Kjærringen: „Kom hid, kom hid, min smukke Søn, skal jeg lyske dig!“ Det vilde Gutten gjerne; han satte sig i Bjergskorten hos Kjærringen og lagde Hovedet sit i hendes Favn, og saa lyskede hun ham hele Dagen, mens han laa og ladede sig. Da det led mod Kvelden, vilde Gutten gaae; „jeg faaer ligesaa godt rangle lige hjem igjen,“ sagde han, „for til Kongsgaarden kan det ikke nytte, jeg kommer.“ „Bi lidt til i Mørkningen,“ sagde Kjærringen „saa kommer Folerne til Kongen her forbi igjen; saa kan du springe hjem igjen med dem; der er Ingen som veed, at du har ligget her hele Dagen i

Stedet for at gjæte Folerne.“ Da de nu kom, gav hun Gutten en Vandflaske og en Mosedot; det skulde han vise Kongen og sige var det, de syv Folerne aad og drak. „Har du nu gjætet tro og vel hele Dagen da?“ sagde Kongen, da Gutten kom frem for ham om Kvelden. „Ja, jeg har nok det,“ sagde Gutten. „Saa kan du vel sige mig, hvad det er, de syv Folerne mine æde og drikke?“ spurgte Kongen. Ja, Gutten viste frem Vandkrukken og Mosedotten, han havde faaet af Kjærringen; „der seer du Maden og der seer du Drikken deres,“ sagde Gutten.

Men saa skjønte Kongen nok, hvorledes han havde gjætet, og han blev saa sindt at han befalede, de skulde jage ham hjem igjen paa Øieblikket, men først skulde de skjære tre røde Remme af Ryggen paa ham og strøe Salt i. Da Gutten kom hjem igjen, kan du nok vide, hvorledes han var tilmode; een Gang havde han gaaet ud for at faae Tjeneste, sagde han, men det gjorde han aldrig mere.

Dagen efter sagde den anden Søn, at han vilde ud i Verden og prøve sin Lykke. Forældrene sagde nei, og bad ham see paa Ryggen til Broderen sin, men Gutten gav sig ikke, han blev ved Sit, og langt om længe fik han da Lov, og lagde i Veien. Da han havde gaaet hele Dagen, kom han ogsaa til Kongsgaarden; der stod Kongen ude paa Trappen og spurgte, hvor han skulde hen, og da Gutten svarede, at han gik og hørte efter Tjeneste, sagde Kongen, han kunde faae tjene hos ham og gjæte de syv Folerne hans; og saa satte Kongen samme Straf og samme Løn for ham, som han havde sat for Broderen. Ja, Gutten var strax villig til det; han stedede sig i Tjeneste hos Kongen, for han skulde nok passe Folerne og sige Kongen hvad de aad og drak, meente han.

I Graalysningen om Morgenen slap Staldmesteren de syv Folerne; de afsted igjen over Bjerg og Dal, og Gutten bag efter. Men ham gik det ligeens som Broderen; da han havde sprunget efter Folerne en lang, lang Stund, saa han baade var svedt og træt, kom han forbi en Bjergskorte, hvor en gammel Kjærring sad og spandt paa en Haandteen, og hun raabte til Gutten: „Kom hid, kom hid, min smukke Søn, skal jeg lyske dig.“ Det syntes Gutten vel om; han lod Folerne løbe sin Vei og satte sig i Bjergskorten hos Kjærringen. Saa sad og saa laa han, og lade sig gjorde han hele Dagen.

Da Folerne kom tilbage mod Kvelden, fik han ogsaa en Mosedot og en Vandflaske af Kjærringen, som han skulde vise Kongen. Men da saa Kongen spurgte Gutten: „Kan du nu sige mig, hvad de syv Folerne mine æde og drikke?“ og Gutten stak frem Mosedotten og Vandkrukken og sagde: „Ja, der seer du Maden og der seer du Drikket deres,“ — blev Kongen vred igjen og befalede, at de skulde skjære tre røde Remme af Ryggen paa Gutten og strøe Salt i og jage ham hjem paa Øieblikket.

Da saa Gutten kom hjem igjen, fortalte han ogsaa, hvorledes det var gaaet ham, og sagde, at een Gang havde han gaaet ud for at faae Tjeneste, men det gjorde han nok aldrig mere. Den tredie Dag vilde Askeladden i Veien; han havde nok Lyst til at prøve at gjæte de syv Folerne han ogsaa, sagde han. De Andre loe og gjorde Nar af ham; „naar det er gaaet saaledes med os, saa skal vel du gjøre det færdigt — du seer ud til det, du, som aldrig har gjort Andet end at ligge i Asken og grave,“ sagde de. „Ja, jeg vil nok i Veien ligevel jeg,“ sagde Askeladden, „for jeg har nu faaet det i Hovedet,“ — og alt de Andre loe og Forældrene bad, saa hjalp det ikke; Askeladden lagde i Veien. Da han saa havde gaaet hele Dagen, kom han ogsaa til Kongsgaarden i Mørkningen. Der stod Kongen ude paa

Trappen, og spurgte, hvor han skulde hen? „Jeg gaaer nok og hører efter Tjeneste,“ sagde Askepot. „Hvor er du fra da?“ spurgte Kongen; for han vilde vide lidt bedre Besked nu, før han stedede Nogen i Tjeneste. Askeladden fortalte da, hvor han var fra, og sagde at han var Broder til de To som havde gjætet de syv Folerne til Kongen, og saa spurgte han, om ikke han kunde faae prøve, at gjæte dem næste Dagen. „Aa tvi!“ sagde Kongen — han blev ganske sindt, bare han kom i Hu dem — „er du Broder til de To, saa duer du vel ikke stort du heller; Slige har jeg havt nok af!“ „Ja, men siden jeg nu er kommen her, kunde jeg vel faae Lov at prøve mig, jeg ogsaa,“ sagde Askeladden. „Aa ja, vil du endelig have Ryggen din flaaet, saa

gjerne for mig!“ sagde Kongen. „Jeg vil nok heller have Prindsessen jeg,“ sagde Askeladden. — Om Morgenen i Graalysningen slap Staldmesteren de syv Folerne igjen, og de afsted over Bjerg og Dal, gjennem Buske og Kjær, og Askeladden bagefter. Da han havde sprunget saaledes en god Stund, kom ogsaa han til Bjergskorten; der sad den gamle Kjærringen igjen og spandt paa Haandteen sin og raabte til Askepot: „Kom hid, kom hid min smukke Søn, skal jeg lyske dig!“ sagde hun. „Kys mig bag, kys mig bag!“ sagde Askepot, han hoppede og sprang og holdt i Folerumpen. Da han vel var kommen forbi Bjergskorten, sagde den yngste Folen: „Sæt dig op paa Ryggen min du, for vi har lang Vei endnu,“ og det gjorde han.

Saa reiste de et langt, langt Stykke til. „Seer du Noget nu?“ sagde Folen. „Nei!“ sagde Askeladden. De reiste da et godt Stykke igjen. „Seer du Noget nu?“ spurgte Folen. „Aa nei,“ sagde Gutten. Da de saa havde reist et langt, langt Stykke, spurgte Folen igjen: „Seer du Noget nu da?“ „Ja, nu synes jeg, det hvidner i Noget,“ sagde Askepot; „det seer ud som en stor, diger Birkestubbe.“ „Ja, der skal vi ind,“ sagde Folen.

Da de kom til Stubben, tog den ældste Folen og brød den til Side, — saa var der en Dør, der Stubben havde staaet; — indenfor var der en liden Stue, og i Stuen var der ikke stort Andet end en liden Skorsten og et Par Krakke; men bag Døren hang et stort, rustent Sværd og en liden Krukke. „Kan du svinge Sværdet?“ spurgte Folen. Askeladden prøvede, men han kunde ikke; saa maatte han tage sig en Slurk af Flasken, først en Gang, saa en Gang til og saa endda en Gang, og saa kunde han haandtere det som ingen Ting. „Ja, nu maa du tage Sværdet med dig,“ sagde Folen, „med det skal du hugge Hovedet af os alle syv paa Bryllupsdagen din, saa blive vi til Prindser igjen, som vi vare før. For vi ere Brødre til Prindsessen,

du skal faae, naar du kan sige Kongen, hvad vi æde og drikke; men der er et fælt Trold, som har kastet Ham paa os. Naar du nu har hugget Hovedet af os, maa du passe vel paa og lægge hvert Hoved ved Halen af den Krop, som det før sad paa; saa har Trolddommen ikke mere Magt med os.“ Det lovede Askeladden, og saa reiste de videre. Da de nu havde reist en lang, lang Vei, spurgte Folen: „Seer du Noget?“ „Nei,“ sagde Askeladden. Saa reiste de en god Stund endda. „End nu?“ spurgte Folen; „seer du Noget nu?“ „Aa nei!“ sagde Askeladden. Saa reiste de mange, mange Mile igjen baade over Bjerg og Dale. „Nu da?“ sagde Folen, „seer du ikke Noget endnu?“ „Jo“ sagde Askeladden, „nu seer jeg ligesom en Stribe, som blaaner langt, langt borte.“ „Ja,

det er en Elv det,“ sagde Folen; „den skal vi over.“ Over Elven gik der en lang, gjild Bro, og da de vare komne paa den anden Side, reiste de igjen et langt, langt Stykke; saa spurgte Folen igjen, om Askeladden ikke saa Noget? Jo, den Gang saa han, det sortnede i Noget langt borte, ligesom i et Kirketaarn. „Ja, der skal vi ind igjen,“ sagde Folen. Da Folerne kom ind paa Kirkegaarden, bleve de til Mennesker igjen og saae ud som Kongssønner, med saa prægtige Klæder at det lyste af dem; og saa gik de ind i Kirken og annammede Brød og Viin af Præsten, som stod for Alteret.

Askeladden gik ogsaa ind; men da Præsten havde lagt Hænderne paa Prindserne og lyst Velsignelsen, gik de ud af Kirken igjen, og det gjorde Askeladden ogsaa; men han tog med sig en Viinflaske og et Alterbrød. Og med det samme de syv Kongssønnerne kom ud paa Kirkegaarden, bleve de til Foler igjen, saa satte Askeladden sig op paa Ryggen af den Yngste, og saa gik det tilbage igjen den samme Vei, de vare komne, men endda meget, meget fortere end frem. Først reiste de over Broen, saa forbi Stubben og saa forbi Kjærringen, som sad i Bjergskorten og spandt; og det gik saa fort at Askeladden ikke kunde høre det, Kjærringen skreg efter ham, men saa meget hørte han, at han forstod, hun var fælt sindt.

Det var næsten mørkt, da de kom tilbage til Kongsgaarden om Kvelden, og Kongen selv stod paa Gaarden og ventede paa dem. „Har du nu gjætet tro og vel hele Dagen?“ sagde Kongen til Askeladden. „Jeg har gjort mit Bedste jeg,“ svarede Askeladden. „Saa kan du vel sige mig, hvad de syv Folerne mine æde og drikke?“ spurgte Kongen. Askeladden tog da frem Alterbrødet og Viinflasken og viste Kongen. „Der seer du Maden og der seer du Drikket deres,“ sagde han. „Ja du har gjætet tro og vel,“ sagde Kongen; „og du skal have Prindsessen og halve Riget.“ Saa blev der lavet til Bryllups og det skulde være saa prægtigt og gjildt, at det baade skulde høres og spørges, sagde Kongen. Men da de saa sad ved Brudebordet, reiste

Brudgommen sig og gik ned i Stalden, for han havde glemt Noget der, og det maatte han gaae efter, sagde han. Da han kom derned, gjorde han som Folerne havde sagt, og hug Hovedet af dem alle syv, først af den Ældste og saa af de Andre, efter som de vare gamle til, og saa passede han nøie paa at lægge hvert Hoved ved Halen paa den Folen, det havde siddet paa; og eftersom han gjorde det, bleve de til Prindser igjen. Da han kom ind til Bryllupsbordet med de syv Prindserne, blev Kongen saa glad, at han baade kyssede og klappede Askeladden; og Bruden hans blev endnu gladere i ham, end hun før havde været. „Det halve Riget har du nu faaet,“ sagde Kongen, „og det andet halve skal du faae efter min Død; for Sønnerne mine de kan skaffe sig Land og Rige selv, nu de ere blevne Prindser igjen.“

Saa kan det vel hænde, der blev Glæde og Moro i det Bryllup; jeg var ogsaa med; men der var Ingen som havde Stunder at komme i Hu mig: jeg fik ikke Andet end et Smørrebrød, det lagde jeg paa Kakkelovnen, og Brødet brand, og Smørret rand, og aldrig fik jeg igjen et eneste Gran.

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