The Daughter of the Skies

J. F. Campbell

There was a farmer, and he had daughters. He also had cattle and sheep. One day they all disappeared, and he couldn’t find them. Suddenly he saw a dog next to the house.

“What will you give me,” said the dog, “if I find your cattle and sheep?”

“I don’t know myself”, answered the farmer.

“Will you let me marry your daughter?” asked the dog.

“I will give her to you,” said he, “if she agrees.”

They went home. The farmer asked his daughters to marry the dog. The eldest daughter and the second daughter said they would not take the dog. He asked the youngest one. And she said, that she would marry him. They married, and her sisters were making fun of her.

He took her with him home, where he grew into a splendid man. They lived together for a time. Soon she said she wanted to see her father. He agreed, but she could stay there until her child was born. He gave her a horse.

She did as he asked her. She was not long at her father’s house when she fell ill. And her child was born. That night men were together at the fire to watch. Music came in the night, putting everyone else to sleep, and a man came in and took her child and went away. The music stopped, everyone woke up but they couldn’t find the child.

The woman took her horse and came back home. Her husband said nothing to her.

After some time she said again, “I want see my father.”

He said that she couldn’t stay there for a long time. She took the horse and went to her father’s place.

That very night a child was born. He came as he did before, with music; every one slept, and he took with him the child. When the music stopped they all woke up. Her father was very angry, because his daughter didn’t want to tell him anything. When she felt better, she took herself away home. When she arrived he said nothing. After some time she said again, “I want to see my father.”

“Do,” said he, “but be careful.”

She reached her father’s house, and that very night a child was born. The music came as was usual, and the man took the child away. Her father was very angry. He was going to kill her, if she would not tell what was happening to the children. She told everything to him. When she felt better, she wanted to go home, but she couldn’t find her horse. She went out on foot. At home she found only an old woman, his mother.

“Be quick and you will find him,” said she.

She started her journey. After some time she saw a house. When she went in, she saw a woman. “Come up,” said the housewife, “I know everything. But he is going to marry the daughter of the King of the Skies.”

“He is!” said she.

The housewife gave her something to eat, and let her sleep. In the morning she said, “You will be in the house of my middle sister tonight.” And she gave her the scissors.

She was going, and going, till the night came on her. She saw a house. When she went in the house, the housewife was spinning at the end of the fire. “Come up,” said the housewife.

She made meat for her, she set on water, she washed her feet, and she let her sleep. In the morning the housewife said “You will be in the house of my youngest sister tonight,” said she. And she gave her the needle.

She was going, and going. She saw a house. When she went in, the housewife was spinning at the end of the fire.

“Come up,” said she. She made meat for her, she set on water, she washed her feet, and she let her sleep. In the morning she gave her some thread. The thread would go into the needle by itself and as the shears would cut, and the needle sew.

“You will be in the town tonight,” said the housewife.

She reached the town in the evening. She went into the house of the king’s hen wife, she was warming herself at the fire. She asked the old woman to give her work. The woman said:

“The king’s daughter is marrying the next day and no one is working.”

She gave her shirts to make; she took the shears from her pocket, and she set it to work; she set the needle to work after it; as the shears would cut, the needle would sew, and the thread would go into the needle by itself.

A royal serving-maid saw and told the king’s daughter.

“Well,” said the king’s daughter, “ask her, what she will take for the shears.”

In the morning she went over, and she said to her that the king’s daughter was asking what would she take for the shears. “Nothing I asked,” said she, “but to sleep in your bedroom.”

“Go,” said the king’s daughter, “and say to her that she will get that.”

She gave the shears to the king’s daughter. When they were going to sleep, the king’s daughter gave him a sleep drink. He did not wake for the whole night. The king’s daughter came in the morning to throw her out.

Later the woman was working with the needle, and cutting with other shears. The king’s daughter sent her maid servant over, and she asked “what would she take for the needle?”

She said she would sleep in her bedroom again. The maid servant told this to the king’s daughter.

“She will get that,” said the king’s daughter. The maid servant told that she would get that, and she got the needle. When they were going to sleep, the king’s daughter gave him a sleep drink, and he did not wake that night. The eldest son he had was lying in a bed beside them. He heard how she said to him that she was the mother of his three children.

Later his son told everything to his father. This day the king’s daughter sent the servant maid to ask what she would take for the clue of thread. And she said she would sleep in her bedroom.

“She will get that,” said the king’s daughter.

This night when the man got the sleep drink, he did not drink it at all. The woman said to him that he was the father of her three sons. In the morning, they went away to go home. They came home; the spells went off him, they planted together and I left them, and they left me.

Princess Finola and the Dwarf

E. Leamy

A long, long time ago there lived in a little house an old woman and a young girl. The house was in the lonely moor. The old woman was ugly and dumb. The young girl was pretty and sweet.

In the centre of the house, there was a fire. There were two beds. A wooden bed was for the old woman, the other was Finola’s. It was of oak, very beautiful with flowers and birds. This bed was for a princess, and a princess Finola was. But she did not know it herself.

The only other person beside the old woman Finola ever saw was a dumb dwarf. He came once a month to the house, bringing with him corn for the old woman and Finola. He couldn’t speak to her, but Finola was always happy to see the dwarf and his old horse. The dwarf was in love with her.

One day he came and she did not come out to greet him. He made signs to the old woman, but she took up a stick and hit him, and drove him away. But then he saw Finola at the door of the house, and saw that she was crying. He was very sad about it and couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Suddenly he heard a voice: “It is time for you to come.”

The dwarf looked, and right before him was a little man in a green jacket and a red cap.

“It is time for you to come,” he said the second time, “Get off your horse and come in with me, we should have a talk together.”

The dwarf got off his horse and followed the little man through a hole. Soon they were in a wonderful room, as bright as a day. It was rich in diamonds and gold. The little man took a little black wand with a red berry at the top of it. He touched the dwarf’s shoulder and said: “Speak!”

The dwarf spoke, and he was so happy to hear the sound of his own voice that he danced about the room.

“Who are you?” said he to the fairyman.

“And you? Who are you? Let us have something to eat,” said the fairy. “I am sure you are hungry.”

Then they sat down to table, and they ate and drank and even sang songs!

“You asked me who I am?” said the fairy.

“I did,” said the dwarf.

“And I asked you who you are?”

“You did,” said the dwarf.

“And who are you, then?”

“Well, I don’t know,” said the dwarf, and he blushed like a rose.

“Well, tell me what you know about yourself.”

“I remember nothing at all,” said the dwarf, “I only remember the day when I came to the king. There were a lot of people and we showed tricks before him. The king asked me who I was and where I came from. I was dumb then, and couldn’t answer. The king said he wanted to give me a job. I had to go once a month with a bag of corn to the house in the lonely moor.”

“And there you fell in love with the little princess,” said the fairy.

The poor dwarf blushed again.

“And now tell me, do you love the princess?” said the fairy; “What would you give to free her from the spell?”

“I would give my life,” said the dwarf.

“Well, then, listen to me,” said the fairy. “The Princess Finola was sent to the lonely moor by the king, your master. He killed her father, who was the rightful king. He also wanted to kill Finola, only he was told by an old witch that if he killed her he would die himself on the same day. She put a spell on her, the king sent her to the lonely moor, and Finola could not leave the moor.”

“Can you tell me who I am,” asked the dwarf, “and where I came from?”

“You will know that soon,” said the fairy. “Are you ready to try and break the spell and free the princess?”

“I am,” said the dwarf.

“You can break the spell if you have the weapons,” said the fairy.

“And what are they, and where are they?” said the dwarf.

“The spear and the blade and the silver shield,” said the fairy. “They are on the bank of the Mystic Lake in the Island of the Western Seas. They are for the man who is good and brave. If you bring them back to the lonely moor, you will only have to strike the shield three times with the spear, and three times with the blade. The silence of the moor will be broken for ever, and the princess will be free.”

“I’m ready!” cried the dwarf.

“Well, take your horse and go. Cross to the island on his back, but be sure to pay the price. Or you will be killed.”

“What is the price?” said the dwarf.

“You will know that soon,” said the fairy; “but now go, and good luck.”

The dwarf thanked the fairy, said good-bye and started his journey. After travelling all day, he reached the top of the mountain. The dwarf and his horse were very tired, and they fell asleep.

The dwarf woke up very close to the sea, he heard the terrible noise and then he saw the horses swimming in the water. They were big and strong.

The dwarf and his horse were very frightened. He thought they were going to die, when he heard a golden harp. Right before him he saw the little man of the hills. He had a harp in his hand.

“Are you ready to pay the price?” said he.

As he asked the question, the water-horses snorted angrily.

“Are you ready to pay the price?” said the little man a second time.

The dwarf was cold and very frightened.

“For the third and last time, are you ready to pay the price?” asked the fairy.

The dwarf thought of the little princess in the lonely moor, and he answered bravely:

“Yes, I am ready!”

The water-horses heard his answer, and snorted angrily again.

“Back to your waves!” cried the little man; and as he played his harp, the frightened horses went back into the waters.

“What is the price?” asked the dwarf.

“Your right eye,” said the fairy.

He took his eye with his finger, and put it into his pocket.

The dwarf was in pain, but he thought of the little princess. Then the fairy sat down on a rock at the edge of the sea, and he began to play his harp. The water-horses became perfectly still.

“Go now,” said the fairy.

The dwarf went into the water with his horse. The water-horses didn’t touch them. In a short time they reached the island safely.

The dwarf rode on and on, until he came to the Mystic Lake. It was very beautiful, but the dwarf wanted to sleep. In the early morning he woke up and looked at the lake, but its waters were as bright as they had been the day before. Suddenly he saw a huge bird. As it flew slowly, he saw that it held in one of its claws a tree. It was larger than a big oak with red berries on it. The bird landed and began to eat the berries and to throw the stones into the lake. When a stone fell, a bright red stain appeared in the water. The dwarf looked closer at the bird, it was very old.

Later in the day, two other large birds came up from the west. They were younger and also ate the berries, and threw the stones into the lake. It was soon as red as wine.

When they had eaten all the berries, the young birds began to pick the feathers off the old bird. When they finished, the old bird dived into the lake. Then he flew off to the west all young and strong. The other birds followed him.

The dwarf took his horse and came down to the lake, when suddenly heard the birds again.

The dwarf was frightened to death. He didn’t know what to do, when he heard once more the golden harp. The little fairy of the hills stood before him.

“Are you ready to pay the price?” said the little harper. “The spear and shield are on the opposite bank, and the Princess Finola is crying this moment in the lonely moor.”

The dwarf heard Finola’s name and he became braver.

“Yes,” he said; “I am ready. What is the price?”

“Your left eye,” said the fairy. He took out the eye, and put it in his pocket.

The poor blind dwarf was in such a pain that he fell down.

“Do what I tell you,” said the fairy, “take your horse’s mane round your right hand, and I will lead him to the water. Don’t be afraid. When you reach the opposite bank, you will get back your memory, and you will know who and what you are.”

Then the fairy led the horse to the lake.

“Good luck,” said the fairy.

The dwarf ran into the lake on his horse. He went down and down. When he came near the surface of the water the dwarf thought he saw a light. When he was above the water he saw the bright sun shining and the green hills before him. He shouted with joy because he could see again!

But he saw more. His old horse was not old anymore! He had a noble and strong horse. On the top of the hill there was a silver shield, bright as the sun. Next to the shield the dwarf saw a spear.

The dwarf ran to the shield, and he saw himself as if in a mirror. He was no longer a dwarf, but a handsome man. At that moment his memory came back to him, and he knew he was Conal, one of the Knights of the Red Branch. He remembered now how the witch put a spell on him too.

He saddled his horse, and it was not long until he reached the moor. Three times he struck the shield with the blade and three times with his spear. At the last blow the house disappeared, and standing before him was the little princess.

The man took her in his arms and kissed her. Then he lifted her on to the horse, and he turned towards the north, to the palace of the Red Branch Knights. From every tree the birds sang out, because the spell of silence over the lonely moor was broken for ever.