144 The Donkey

Once on a time there lived a King and a Queen, who were rich, and had
everything they wanted, but no children. The Queen lamented over this
day and night, and said, “I am like a field on which nothing grows.” At
last God gave her her wish, but when the child came into the world, it
did not look like a human child, but was a little donkey. When the
mother saw that, her lamentations and outcries began in real earnest;
she said she would far rather have had no child at all than have a
donkey, and that they were to throw it into the water that the fishes
might devour it. But the King said, “No, since God has sent him he
shall be my son and heir, and after my death sit on the royal throne,
and wear the kingly crown.” The donkey, therefore, was brought up and
grew bigger, and his ears grew up beautifully high and straight. He
was, however, of a merry disposition, jumped about, played and had
especial pleasure in music, so that he went to a celebrated musician
and said, “Teach me thine art, that I may play the lute as well as thou
dost.” “Ah, dear little master,” answered the musician, “that would
come very hard to you, your fingers are certainly not suited to it, and
are far too big. I am afraid the strings would not last.” No excuses
were of any use. The donkey was determined to play the lute; he was
persevering and industrious, and at last learnt to do it as well as the
master himself. The young lordling once went out walking full of
thought and came to a well, he looked into it and in the mirror-clear
water saw his donkey’s form. He was so distressed about it, that he
went out into the wide world and only took with him one faithful
companion. They travelled up and down, and at last they came into a
kingdom where an old King reigned who had an only but wonderfully
beautiful daughter. The donkey said, “Here we will stay,” knocked at
the gate, and cried, “A guest is without open, that he may enter.” As,
however, the gate was not opened, he sat down, took his lute and played
it in the most delightful manner with his two fore-feet. Then the
door-keeper opened his eyes most wonderfully wide, and ran to the King
and said, “Outside by the gate sits a young donkey which plays the lute
as well as an experienced master!” “Then let the musician come to me,”
said the King. When, however, a donkey came in, every one began to
laugh at the lute-player. And now the donkey was asked to sit down and
eat with the servants. He, however, was unwilling, and said, “I am no
common stable-ass, I am a noble one.” Then they said, “If that is what
thou art, seat thyself with the men of war.” “No,” said he, “I will sit
by the King.” The King smiled, and said good-humouredly, “Yes, it shall
be as thou wilt, little ass, come here to me.” Then he asked, “Little
ass, how does my daughter please thee?” The donkey turned his head
towards her, looked at her, nodded and said, “I like her above measure,
I have never yet seen anyone so beautiful as she is.” “Well, then, thou
shalt sit next her too,” said the King. “That is exactly what I wish,”
said the donkey, and he placed himself by her side, ate and drank, and
knew how to behave himself daintily and cleanly. When the noble beast
had stayed a long time at the King’s court, he thought, “What good does
all this do me, I shall still have to go home again?” let his head hang
sadly, and went to the King and asked for his dismissal. But the King
had grown fond of him, and said, “Little ass, what ails thee? Thou
lookest as sour as a jug of vinegar, I will give thee what thou
wantest. Dost thou want gold?” “No,” said the donkey, and shook his
head. “Dost thou want jewels and rich dress?” “No.” “Dost thou wish for
half my kingdom?” “Indeed, no.” Then said the King, “if I did but know
what would make thee content. Wilt thou have my pretty daughter to
wife?” “Ah, yes,” said the ass, “I should indeed like her,” and all at
once he became quite merry and full of happiness, for that was exactly
what he was wishing for. So a great and splendid wedding was held. In
the evening, when the bride and bridegroom were led into their
bed-room, the King wanted to know if the ass would behave well, and
ordered a servant to hide himself there. When they were both within,
the bridegroom bolted the door, looked around, and as he believed that
they were quite alone, he suddenly threw off his ass’s skin, and stood
there in the form of a handsome royal youth. “Now,” said he, “thou
seest who I am, and seest also that I am not unworthy of thee.” Then
the bride was glad, and kissed him, and loved him dearly. When morning
came, he jumped up, put his animal’s skin on again, and no one could
have guessed what kind of a form was hidden beneath it. Soon came the
old King, “Ah,” cried he, “is the little ass merry? But surely thou art
sad?” said he to his daughter, “that thou hast not got a proper man for
thy husband?” “Oh, no, dear father, I love him as well as if he were
the handsomest in the world, and I will keep him as long as I live.”
The King was surprised, but the servant who had concealed himself came
and revealed everything to him. The King said, “That cannot be true.”
“Then watch yourself the next night, and you will see it with your own
eyes; and hark you, lord King, if you were to take his skin away and
throw it in the fire, he would be forced to show himself in his true
shape.” “Thy advice is good,” said the King, and at night when they
were asleep, he stole in, and when he got to the bed he saw by the
light of the moon a noble-looking youth lying there, and the skin lay
stretched on the ground. So he took it away, and had a great fire
lighted outside, and threw the skin into it, and remained by it himself
until it was all burnt to ashes. As, however, he was anxious to know
how the robbed man would behave himself, he stayed awake the whole
night and watched. When the youth had slept his sleep out, he got up by
the first light of morning, and wanted to put on the ass’s skin, but it
was not to be found. On this he was alarmed, and, full of grief and
anxiety, said, “Now I shall have to contrive to escape.” But when he
went out, there stood the King, who said, “My son, whither away in such
haste? what hast thou in mind? Stay here, thou art such a handsome man,
thou shalt not go away from me. I will now give thee half my kingdom,
and after my death thou shalt have the whole of it.” “Then I hope that
what begins so well may end well, and I will stay with you,” said the
youth. And the old man gave him half the kingdom, and in a year’s time,
when he died, the youth had the whole, and after the death of his
father he had another kingdom as well, and lived in all magnificence. 145 The Ungrateful Son

A man and his wife were once sitting by the door of their house, and
they had a roasted chicken set before them, and were about to eat it
together.