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THE RIDDLE.
OxCE upon a time there was a King's son, who had a mind to see the
world ; so he set forth, and took no one with him but a faithful servant.
One day he came into a great forest, and when evening drew on he
could find no shelter, and did not know where to pass the night. Just
then he perceived a maiden who was going towards a little cottage, and
as he approached he saw that she was young and beautiful, so he asked
her whether he and his servant could find a welcome in the cottage for
the night. " Yes, certainly," replied the maiden in a sorrowful voice,
"you can; but I advise you not to enter." "Why not?" asked the
Prince. The maiden sighed, and answered, " My stepmother practises
wicked arts ; she acts not hospitably to strangers." He perceived now
that he was come to a Witch's cottage ; but because it was very dark,
and he could go no further, he went in, for he was not at all afraid.
The old woman was sitting in an arm-chair by the fire, and looked at
the strangers out of her red eyes. " Good evening," she muttered,
appearing very friendly ; " sit yourselves down and rest." Then she
poked up the fire on which a little pot was boiling. The daughter
warned them both to be cautious, and neither to eat or drink anything,
for the old wonmn brewed bad drinks ; so they slept quietly till morning.
As they made ready for their departure, and the Prince was already
mounted on horseback, the old Witch said, " Wait a bit, I will bring you
a parting draught." While she went for it the Prince rode away ; but
the servant, who had to buckle his saddle, was left alone when she came
with the draught. " Take that to thy master," she said, but at the
same moment the glass cracked, and the poison spirted on the horse, and
so strong was it that the poor animal fell backwards dead. The servant
ran after his master, and told him what had occurred ; but as he would
not leave the saddle behind, he went back to fetch it. As he came to
The dead horse he saw a crow perched upon it feeding himself. " Who
knows whether we shall meet with anything better to-day?" said the
OxCE upon a time there was a King's son, who had a mind to see the
world ; so he set forth, and took no one with him but a faithful servant.
One day he came into a great forest, and when evening drew on he
could find no shelter, and did not know where to pass the night. Just
then he perceived a maiden who was going towards a little cottage, and
as he approached he saw that she was young and beautiful, so he asked
her whether he and his servant could find a welcome in the cottage for
the night. " Yes, certainly," replied the maiden in a sorrowful voice,
"you can; but I advise you not to enter." "Why not?" asked the
Prince. The maiden sighed, and answered, " My stepmother practises
wicked arts ; she acts not hospitably to strangers." He perceived now
that he was come to a Witch's cottage ; but because it was very dark,
and he could go no further, he went in, for he was not at all afraid.
The old woman was sitting in an arm-chair by the fire, and looked at
the strangers out of her red eyes. " Good evening," she muttered,
appearing very friendly ; " sit yourselves down and rest." Then she
poked up the fire on which a little pot was boiling. The daughter
warned them both to be cautious, and neither to eat or drink anything,
for the old wonmn brewed bad drinks ; so they slept quietly till morning.
As they made ready for their departure, and the Prince was already
mounted on horseback, the old Witch said, " Wait a bit, I will bring you
a parting draught." While she went for it the Prince rode away ; but
the servant, who had to buckle his saddle, was left alone when she came
with the draught. " Take that to thy master," she said, but at the
same moment the glass cracked, and the poison spirted on the horse, and
so strong was it that the poor animal fell backwards dead. The servant
ran after his master, and told him what had occurred ; but as he would
not leave the saddle behind, he went back to fetch it. As he came to
The dead horse he saw a crow perched upon it feeding himself. " Who
knows whether we shall meet with anything better to-day?" said the
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| Early Gaelic Book Collections > J. F. Campbell Collection > Household stories > (100) |
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| Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/79774260 |
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| Description | Collected by the Brothers Grimm. Newly translated. With ... illustrations by E.H. Wehnert. |
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| Shelfmark | Cam.2.e.22 |
| Additional NLS resources: | |
| Attribution and copyright: |
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More information
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| Description | Volumes from a collection of 610 books rich in Highland folklore, Ossianic literature and other Celtic subjects. Many of the books annotated by John Francis Campbell of Islay, who assembled the collection. |
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| Description | Selected items from five 'Special and Named Printed Collections'. Includes books in Gaelic and other Celtic languages, works about the Gaels, their languages, literature, culture and history. |
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