merve/folk-mythology-tales · Datasets at Hugging Face

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found a dirty looking girl standing near him. The girl returned with him
and managed to get a place as housemaid in the palace.

Of course she was very busy all day long, but whenever she had a little
spare time she sat down to spin. Her distaff turned of itself and her
spindle span by itself and the flax wound itself off; and however much
she might use there was always plenty left.

When the queen--or, rather, the swineherd's daughter--heard of this,
she very much wished to have the distaff, but the girl flatly refused
to give it to her. However, at last she consented on condition that she
might sleep one night in the king's room. The queen was very angry, and
scolded her well; but as she longed to have the distaff she consented,
though she gave the king a sleeping draught at supper.

Then the girl went to the king's room looking seven times lovelier than
ever. She bent over the sleeper and said: 'My heart's love, I am yours
and you are mine. Speak to me but once; I am your Ilonka.' But the king
was so sound asleep he neither heard nor spoke, and Ilonka left the
room, sadly thinking he was ashamed to own her.

Soon after the queen again sent to say that she wanted to buy the
spindle. The girl agreed to let her have it on the same conditions as
before; but this time, also, the queen took care to give the king a
sleeping draught. And once more Ilonka went to the king's room and spoke
to him; whisper as sweetly as she might she could get no answer.

Now some of the king's servants had taken note of the matter, and warned
their master not to eat and drink anything that the queen offered him,
as for two nights running she had given him a sleeping draught. The
queen had no idea that her doings had been discovered; and when, a few
days later, she wanted the flax, and had to pay the same price for it,
she felt no fears at all.

At supper that night the queen offered the king all sorts of nice things
to eat and drink, but he declared he was not hungry, and went early to
bed.

The queen repented bitterly her promise to the girl, but it was too late
to recall it; for Ilonka had already entered the king's room, where he
lay anxiously waiting for something, he knew not what. All of a sudden
he saw a lovely maiden who bent over him and said: 'My dearest love, I
am yours and you are mine. Speak to me, for I am your Ilonka.'

At these words the king's heart bounded within him. He sprang up and
embraced and kissed her, and she told him all her adventures since the
moment he had left her. And when he heard all that Ilonka had suffered,
and how he had been deceived, he vowed he would be revenged; so he gave
orders that the swineherd, his wife and daughter should all be hanged;
and so they were.

The next day the king was married, with great rejoicings, to the fair
Ilonka; and if they are not yet dead--why, they are still living.






Lucky Luck

Once upon a time there was a king who had an only son. When the lad was
about eighteen years old his father had to go to fight in a war against
a neighbouring country, and the king led his troops in person. He bade
his son act as Regent in his absence, but ordered him on no account to
marry till his return.

Time went by. The prince ruled the country and never even thought of
marrying. But when he reached his twenty-fifth birthday he began to
think that it might be rather nice to have a wife, and he thought so
much that at last he got quite eager about it. He remembered, however,
what his father had said, and waited some time longer, till at last it
was ten years since the king went out to war. Then the prince called his
courtiers about him and set off with a great retinue to seek a bride. He
hardly knew which way to go, so he wandered about for twenty days, when,
suddenly, he found himself in his father's camp.

The king was delighted to see his son, and had a great many questions
to ask and answer; but when he heard that instead of quietly waiting
for him at home the prince was starting off to seek a wife he was very
angry, and said: 'You may go where you please but I will not leave any
of my people with you.'

Only one faithful servant stayed with the prince and refused to part
from him. They journeyed over hill and dale till they came to a place
called Goldtown. The King of Goldtown had a lovely daughter, and the
prince, who soon heard about her beauty, could not rest till he saw her.

He was very kindly received, for he was extremely good-looking and had
charming manners, so he lost no time in asking for her hand and her
parents gave her to him with joy. The wedding took place at once, and
the feasting and rejoicings went on for a whole month. At the end of
the month they set off for home, but as the journey was a long one they
spent the first evening at an inn. Everyone in the house slept, and only
the faithful servant kept watch. About midnight he heard three crows,
who had flown to the roof, talking together.

'That's a handsome couple which arrived here tonight. It seems quite a
pity they should lose their lives so soon.'

found a dirty looking girl standing near him. The girl returned with him

and managed to get a place as housemaid in the palace.

Of course she was very busy all day long, but whenever she had a little

spare time she sat down to spin. Her distaff turned of itself and her

spindle span by itself and the flax wound itself off; and however much

she might use there was always plenty left.

When the queen--or, rather, the swineherd's daughter--heard of this,

she very much wished to have the distaff, but the girl flatly refused

to give it to her. However, at last she consented on condition that she

might sleep one night in the king's room. The queen was very angry, and

scolded her well; but as she longed to have the distaff she consented,

though she gave the king a sleeping draught at supper.

Then the girl went to the king's room looking seven times lovelier than

ever. She bent over the sleeper and said: 'My heart's love, I am yours

and you are mine. Speak to me but once; I am your Ilonka.' But the king

was so sound asleep he neither heard nor spoke, and Ilonka left the

room, sadly thinking he was ashamed to own her.

Soon after the queen again sent to say that she wanted to buy the

spindle. The girl agreed to let her have it on the same conditions as

before; but this time, also, the queen took care to give the king a

sleeping draught. And once more Ilonka went to the king's room and spoke

to him; whisper as sweetly as she might she could get no answer.

Now some of the king's servants had taken note of the matter, and warned

their master not to eat and drink anything that the queen offered him,

as for two nights running she had given him a sleeping draught. The

queen had no idea that her doings had been discovered; and when, a few

days later, she wanted the flax, and had to pay the same price for it,

she felt no fears at all.

At supper that night the queen offered the king all sorts of nice things

to eat and drink, but he declared he was not hungry, and went early to

bed.

The queen repented bitterly her promise to the girl, but it was too late

to recall it; for Ilonka had already entered the king's room, where he

lay anxiously waiting for something, he knew not what. All of a sudden

he saw a lovely maiden who bent over him and said: 'My dearest love, I

am yours and you are mine. Speak to me, for I am your Ilonka.'

At these words the king's heart bounded within him. He sprang up and

embraced and kissed her, and she told him all her adventures since the

moment he had left her. And when he heard all that Ilonka had suffered,

and how he had been deceived, he vowed he would be revenged; so he gave

orders that the swineherd, his wife and daughter should all be hanged;

and so they were.

The next day the king was married, with great rejoicings, to the fair

Ilonka; and if they are not yet dead--why, they are still living.

Lucky Luck

Once upon a time there was a king who had an only son. When the lad was

about eighteen years old his father had to go to fight in a war against

a neighbouring country, and the king led his troops in person. He bade

his son act as Regent in his absence, but ordered him on no account to

marry till his return.

Time went by. The prince ruled the country and never even thought of

marrying. But when he reached his twenty-fifth birthday he began to

think that it might be rather nice to have a wife, and he thought so

much that at last he got quite eager about it. He remembered, however,

what his father had said, and waited some time longer, till at last it

was ten years since the king went out to war. Then the prince called his

courtiers about him and set off with a great retinue to seek a bride. He

hardly knew which way to go, so he wandered about for twenty days, when,

suddenly, he found himself in his father's camp.

The king was delighted to see his son, and had a great many questions

to ask and answer; but when he heard that instead of quietly waiting

for him at home the prince was starting off to seek a wife he was very

angry, and said: 'You may go where you please but I will not leave any

of my people with you.'

Only one faithful servant stayed with the prince and refused to part

from him. They journeyed over hill and dale till they came to a place

called Goldtown. The King of Goldtown had a lovely daughter, and the

prince, who soon heard about her beauty, could not rest till he saw her.

He was very kindly received, for he was extremely good-looking and had

charming manners, so he lost no time in asking for her hand and her

parents gave her to him with joy. The wedding took place at once, and

the feasting and rejoicings went on for a whole month. At the end of

the month they set off for home, but as the journey was a long one they

spent the first evening at an inn. Everyone in the house slept, and only

the faithful servant kept watch. About midnight he heard three crows,

who had flown to the roof, talking together.

'That's a handsome couple which arrived here tonight. It seems quite a

pity they should lose their lives so soon.'