Andrew Lang - The Red Fairy Book

Andrew Lang (March 31, 1844, Selkirk July 20, 1912, Banchory,Kincardineshire) was a prolific Scots man of letters. He was apoet, novelist, and literary critic, and contributor toanthropology. He now is best known as the collector of folk andfairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at St Andrews University arenamed for him. Source: Wikipedia

IN a second gleaning of the fields of Fairy Land wecannot expect to find a second Perrault. But there aregood stories enough left, and it is hoped that some in the RedFairy Book may have the attraction of being less familiar thanmany of the old friends. The tales have been translated,or, in the case of those from Madame dAulnoys long stories,adapted, by Mrs. Hunt from the Norse, by Miss Minnie Wrightfrom Madame dAulnoy, by Mrs. Lang and Miss Bruce fromother French sources, by Miss May Sellar, Miss Farquharson,and Miss Blackley from the German, while the story of`Sigurd is condensed by the Editor from Mr. William Morrissprose version of the `Volsunga Saga. The Editor has tothank his friend, M. Charles Marelles, for permission toreproduce his versions of the `Pied Piper, of `Drakestail,and of `Little Golden Hood from the French, and M. HenriCarnoy for the same privilege in regard to `The Six Silliesfrom La Tradition.

Lady Frances Balfour has kindly copied an old versionof `Jack and the Beanstalk, and Messrs. Smith and Elderhave
permitted the publication of two of Mr. Ralstonsversions from the Russian.

A. L.

One morning about the middle of August, just atmid-day when the sun was hottest, Michael ate his dinner of a pieceof dry bread, and went to sleep under an oak. And while heslept he dreamt that there appeared before him a beautiful lady,dressed in a robe of cloth of gold, who said to him: Go tothe castle of Beloeil, and there you shall marry a princess.

That evening the little cow-boy, who had beenthinking a great deal about the advice of the lady in the goldendress, told his dream to the farm people. But, as wasnatural, they only laughed at the Star Gazer.

The next day at the same hour he went to sleep againunder the same tree. The lady appeared to him a second time,and said: Go to the castle of Beloeil, and you shall marry aprincess.

In the evening Michael told his friends that he haddreamed the same dream again, but they only laughed at him morethan before. Never mind, he thought to himself; if the ladyappears to me a third time, I will do as she tells me.

The following day, to the great astonishment of allthe village, about two oclock in the afternoon a voice was heardsinging:

Raleo, raleo, How the cattle go!

It was the little cow-boy driving his herd back tothe byre.

The farmer began to scold him furiously, but heanswered quietly, I am going away, made his clothes into abundle, said good-bye to all his friends, and boldly set out toseek his fortunes.

There was great excitement through all the village,and on the top of the hill the people stood holding their sideswith laughing, as they watched the Star Gazer trudging bravelyalong the valley with his bundle at the end of his stick.

It was enough to make anyone laugh, certainly.

It was well known for full twenty miles round thatthere lived in the castle of Beloeil twelve princesses of wonderfulbeauty, and as proud as they were beautiful, and who were besidesso very sensitive and of such truly royal blood, that they wouldhave felt at once the presence of a pea in their beds, even if themattresses had been laid over it.

It was whispered about that they led exactly thelives that princesses ought to lead, sleeping far into the morning,and never getting up till mid-day. They had twelve beds allin the same room, but what was very extraordinary was the fact thatthough they were locked in by triple bolts, every morning theirsatin shoes were found worn into holes.

When they were asked what they had been doing allnight, they always answered that they had been asleep; and, indeed,no noise was ever heard in the room, yet the shoes could not wearthemselves out alone!

At last the Duke of Beloeil ordered the trumpet to besounded, and a proclamation to be made that whoever could discoverhow his daughters wore out their shoes should choose one of themfor his wife.

On hearing the proclamation a number of princesarrived at the castle to try their luck. They watched allnight behind the open door of the princesses, but when the morningcame they had all disappeared, and no one could tell what hadbecome of them.

When he reached the castle, Michael went straight tothe gardener and offered his services. Now it happened thatthe garden boy had just been sent away, and though the Star Gazerdid not look very sturdy, the gardener agreed to take him, as hethought that his pretty face and golden curls would please theprincesses.

The first thing he was told was that when theprincesses got up he was to present each one with a bouquet, andMichael thought that if he had nothing more unpleasant to do thanthat he should get on very well.

Accordingly he placed himself behind the door of theprincesses room, with the twelve bouquets in a basket. Hegave one to each of the sisters, and they took them without evendeigning to look at the lad, except Lina the youngest, who fixedher large black eyes as soft as velvet on him, and exclaimed, Oh,how pretty he is our new flower boy! The rest all burst outlaughing, and the eldest pointed out that a princess ought never tolower herself by looking at a garden boy.