Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-05
The White Snake.
From Grimm.s Fairy Tales eGinn & COZ.

From Grimms Fairy Tales tt'inn & Coz.
A long while ago there lived king whose
wisdom was the wonder of the world Moth
ing was unknown to him. and it seemed as
Ii the tidings of the most hidden things
were borne to him through the air. He had,
however, one strange custom, every noon,
when the table was quite cleared, and no
one was present his trusty servant had
to bring him covered dish. The servant
himself did not know what lay in it, and no
man knew. for the king never ate thereof
| until he was quite alone.
This went on for a long time, until one
day the servant who carried the dish was
seized with such a desire to know the Sc
cret. that he could not resist 1t, and so
took the dish into his chamber. AS soon
as he had locked the door. he raised the
cover, and there lay before him a white
snake. When he saw it. he wished to taste
it, so he cut piece off and put 1t into his
mouth. Scarcely had his tongue touched
it,, when he heard before his window a
strange whisper of low voices.
He listened. and found out that 1t was
the Sparrows who were talking with one
| another. and telling what each had seen in
field or wood The morsel of the snake had
given him the power to understand the
speech of animals.
queen lost her finest ring, and many
thought this faithful servant who had the
care of all her jewels. had stolen it. The
king ordered him to appear before him,
and said in angry words, that he should
be taken up and tried If he did not know
before the morrow whom to name as the
guilty person.
In his distress and trouble the servant
went away into the courtyard, thinking
how he might help himself There, on a
running stream of water. the ducks were
smoothing themselves down with their
beaks while they talked to each other. The
servant stood still and listened to them
| they told where they had waddled, and
| what nice food they had found. One said,
| in a vexed tone: Something very hard is
| in my stomach, for in my haste / swallowed
ring which lay under the queens win
dow" Then the servant caught the speak
er up by her neck. and carried her to the
cook, saying: Just kill this fowl. it Is fat"
Yes" said the cook, lifting it in her
| hand, 1T has spared no trouble in cram
! ming itself; it ought to have been roasted
| long ago." So saying, she chopped off its
| head. and when she cut it open, in it's
! stomach was found the queens ring.
| The servant was now able to prove his
| innocence to the queen. who, wishing to re-
! pair the wrong done him, not only granted
him pardon. but offered him the greatest
| place of honor at court. The servant re-
| fused the Office. and asked for a horse and
money instead. for he had a desire to see
| the world. and to travel about it for a
while.
| AS soon as his wish was granted he set
| off on his tour. One day he came to a
| pond. in which he saw three fishes caught
| in the reeds gasping for water. Although
men say fishes are dumb. yet he heard their
| complaint. that they must soon die. Having
| kind heart, he put them into the water
| again. They splashed about for joy, and
| putting their heads above the water, said
! to him: I'VE shall be grateful, and repay
you for saving u.s.
| He rode EDWARDS. and after while,
| heard as it were. voice in the sand at
his feet. He listened and heard an ant king
complain thus: IF these men would but
| keep away with their great fat beasts!
Here comes an awkward horse treading my
! people under foot without mercy" SO he
rode on to q side path and the ant king
! called to him: I'VE will be grateful and
| reward you
+ His way led him into forest and there
! he saw two ravens dragging their young
out of their nest. "On with you, they
| cried, I'VE can feed you no longer, you are
big enough now to help yourselves. The
| poor young ones lay on the ground beating
! their wings and crying: I'VE helpless chill
| dren we must feed ourselves. we who cam
| not fly yeti What is left to US but to die
| here of hunger?,' Then the servant gave
| them food enough to last until they could
| fly, and they said: I'VE will be grateful.
| and will reward you in time of need?'
After he had gone a long way he came to
| a large town. in the streets of which there
| was a great crowd. A man on horseback
shouted as he rode: THE princess seeks
husband: but he who wins her must per-
/ form a hard task. and If he falls, his life
4 shall be lost" Many had tried in vain.
| But when the youth saw the princess. he
| was so blinded by her beauty, that he for
| got all danger, and stepping before the
4 king offered himself sutton
! He was taken to the sea. and golden
1 ring was thrown in before his eyes. Then
! the king babe him fetch this ring up again
from the bottom of the sea. adding: IF you
! rise without the ring. you shall be thrown
| in again and again, until you perish in the
/ waves" Every one pitied the handsome
| youth and then left him alone on the sea-
shore.
| While he stood planning what he should
/ do, he saw three fishes swimming towards
| him, and they were no others than the
4 three whose lives he had saved. The mid
die one bore a mussel-shell in its mouth,
/ which 1t lay on the shore at the feet of
| the youth, who opened it, and found the
| gold ring within.
Full of JOY he took it to the king. hop
| ing that he should receive his reward. But
the proud princess. when she saw that he
was not her equal in birth. was ashamed of
| him and gave him second task. She went
| into the garden and strewed there ten bags
| of millet-seed in the grass, saying: These
4 he must pick up before sunrise tomorrow,
| and let him not miss one grain"
The youth sat down in the garden, won
4 dering how he could do 1t. but as he could
devise no way, he sat there In sorrow. fear