東の太陽と西の月の向こう側

　昔々、貧しい農夫が多くの子供たちを抱え、食べ物や服にも困っていました。彼ら全員がかわいらしかったが、その中でも一番美しかったのは末っ子の娘で、彼女の美しさは限りなく素晴らしかった。

　ある晩、秋の暗くて嵐の吹き荒れる木曜日の夜遅く、家の中ではみんな暖炉のそばに集まっていました。外は非常に暗く、雨が激しく降り、風が強く吹いていて家の壁が揺れているほどでした。そんな時、窓ガラスを三回たたく音が聞こえました。父親が外を見るために出て行くと、そこには大きな白いクマが立っていました。

「こんばんは」と白いクマが言いました。

「こんばんは」と父親が答えました。

「一番幼い娘をくれないか？」と白いクマが尋ねました。「くれるなら、君たちは今よりも豊かになる」

　確かに父親は豊かになることに何の異議もありませんでしたが、心の中で思いました。「まず娘に聞かなければ」と、父親は家に戻り、大きな白いクマが外にいて、一番幼い娘をくれれば皆が豊かになると約束していることを伝えました。

　娘はそれを拒否しました。考える気もありませんでした。父親は再び外に出て、白いクマと約束し、来週の木曜日に再び来て、彼女の答えをもらうことにしました。そして、男性は娘を説得し、彼女自身が幸せになることや、自分たちにとってどれだけ良いことかを話し続けた結果、娘は行く決心をし、着る物を洗って取り繕い、できる限りきれいにして、出発の準備をしました。彼女が持っていくものは少しでした。

　次の木曜日の夕方、白いクマが彼女を迎えにやってきました。彼女はバンドルを持って彼の背に座り、出発しました。彼らがかなり遠くまで行ったところで、白いクマが言いました。「怖いかい？」

「いいえ、そんなことはない」と彼女は言いました。

「私の毛にしっかりつかまっていれば危険はないよ」と彼が言いました。

　そして彼女は遠く遠くまで乗り、大きな山に着きました。そこで白いクマが扉をノックし、金銀で光り輝く多くの素晴らしく明るい部屋がある城に入りました。

　また、大きなホールには豪華なテーブルが広げられており、その華麗さを説明するのは難しいほどでした。

　白いクマは彼女に銀の鈴を渡し、彼女が何かを必要とするときにはこの鈴を鳴らせば、欲しいものが現れるだろうと告げました。

　彼女が食事をして夜が近づくと、旅の疲れで眠くなり、ベッドに入りたいと思いました。彼女は鈴を鳴らし、それを触れるや否や、彼女のために用意された部屋にいたのです。

　その部屋は誰もが寝たいと思うような可愛いベッドでした。シルクの枕と、金でふち取りされたシルクのカーテンがあり、部屋の中のものはすべて金や銀でしたが、彼女が寝転んで光を消すと、男性が現れて彼女のそばに寝そべりました。見たことはありませんでしたが、いつも彼女が光を消した後に現れ、日が昇る前に去っていきました。

　しばらくは順調で幸せでしたが、それから彼女はとても悲しくなりました。一日中一人で行動しなければならず、家族や兄弟姉妹のもとに帰りたくてたまりませんでした。すると白いクマが何を望んでいるのか尋ねました。彼女は山の中で寂しい。一日中一人で動き回らなければならないと述べ、自宅の両親の家には兄弟姉妹がいて、彼らのところに行けないために悲しんでいると語りました。

「何とかできるかもしれない」と白いクマが言いました。「ただし、お母さんと一緒に話すのはやめるように約束してくれないか。他の人がいるときだけ話すようにしてほしい。なぜなら彼女は君の手を握りたがるだろうから」と彼は言いました。「彼女は君を別の部屋に連れて行って一緒に話そうとするだろう。しかし絶対にしてはならない。そうしないと私たちに大きな災厄をもたらすことになる」

　ある日の日曜日、白いクマがやってきて、「今なら君の両親に会いに行ける」と言った。そして彼らは旅に出かけ、彼女は白いクマの背に乗り、長い長い道のりを進んで、長い時間をかけて家に到着しました。そこは大きな白い農家で、兄弟姉妹が外で遊んでいて、見るだけで楽しいほど美しかった。

「君の両親はここに住んでいる」と白いクマが言った。「しかし、私が言ったことを忘れないように。そうしないと、君も私も多大な災いを招くことになる」

「ええ、絶対に忘れません」と彼女は言いました。そして家に着いた途端、白いクマは引き返して行きました。

　彼女が両親の元に入ると、喜びが広がり、終わりが来ないような歓喜でした。みんなが彼女に感謝し切れないほど感謝していました。彼らは今まで望んでいたすべてのものを手に入れ、すべてが良い状態でした。

　彼らは彼女がいる場所でどうしているのか尋ねました。彼女も元気だと言い、必要なものは何でも手に入れていると答えました。他にどんな答えをしたかはわかりませんが、彼らは彼女から多くを学べなかったでしょう。

　しかし、昼食後、午後になると、すべてが白いクマが言ったとおりに起こりました。母親は彼女に、自分の部屋で2人きりで話したいと言いました。しかし、彼女は白いクマが言ったことを思い出し、絶対に行かないと言い張りました。「話そうと思えばいつでも話せるわ」と彼女は答えました。

　しかし、どういうわけか、母親は最終的に彼女を説得し、彼女はついに全ての話をしなければならなくなりました。そして彼女は毎晩、夜が訪れると灯りが消える前に男性がやってきて横になり、朝が明ける前にいつも去っていくこと、そして彼女が彼を見たことがないことを語りました。その結果、彼女は悲しみに満ちたまま一日中一人で行動しなければならなく、それが非常に退屈で寂しいと感じていました。

「おや？」と母親は恐れて言いました。「おそらくあなたはトロールと一緒に寝ているのよ！でも私はあなたに彼を見る方法を教えるわ。私のキャンドルの一部をあげるわ。それを胸に隠して持って行きなさい。彼が寝ているときにそれを使って彼を見なさい。ただし、ろうを落とさないように気をつけて」

　そこで彼女はキャンドルを受け取り、胸に隠し、夕方になると白いクマが彼女を迎えにやってきました。彼らがある程度進んだところで、白いクマが尋ねました。「すべて私が予想した通りになったんじゃないかい？」と。彼女は否定できなかった。

「君の母親の望み通りにしたのかい？」と彼は言いました。「それならば、君は私たち二人に大きな災いをもたらしたことになるよ」

　彼女は言いました。「いいえ、私は何も話していないわ」

　そして彼女が家に着き、ベッドに入ると、以前と同じようになりました。男性が彼女の隣に寝転んで、夜遅くに彼が寝ているのを聞いた時、彼女は起き上がって明かりを灯し、自分のキャンドルを点け、その明かりを彼に当て、彼を見ました。

　彼は娘が今まで見た中で、で最も美しい王子でした。彼女は彼をとても愛していて、その瞬間に彼にキスしなければ死んでしまいそうでした。だから彼女はキスしました。しかしキスをしている最中、彼女は熱いろうが3滴彼のシャツに落ちてしまい、彼が目を覚ました。

「君はいったい何をしたんだい？」と彼が言いました。「君は私たち二人に災いをもたらしたんだ。さらに1年だけ我慢していれば、私は自由になった。私には継母がいて、彼女が私に魔法をかけて昼間は白いクマで夜は男性になっているのだ。しかし、今、すべてが終わった。私は君のもとを去り、彼女のもとに行かなければならない。彼女は日の出の東、月の出の西にある城に住んでいる。そして、そこには鼻の長さが3エルの王女がいて、今、私は彼女と結婚しなければならなくなった」

　彼女は泣き叫びましたが、どれだけ悲しみを訴えても無駄でした。彼は行かなければなりませんでした。それから彼女は彼と一緒に行くことはできないかと尋ねました。しかし、それはできませんでした。

「それなら、行き方を教えてちょうだい？　それなら探しに行けるわ！」

「そう、それは可能だ。しかし、そこに行く方法はない。日の出の東、月の出の西にあり、君は決してそこに辿り着くことはないだろう」と彼は言いました。

　彼女が朝目を覚ますと、王子と城は消え、彼女は暗く厚い森の中にある小さな緑の小さな芝生に横たわっていました。彼女が持ち込んだ同じぼろきれの束が彼女の横にありました。　　　　目をこすり、疲れ果てるまで泣いた後、彼女は旅に出発し、そしてこうして長く長い日々を歩きました。

　ついに大きな山に辿り着きました。外には年老いた女性が座っていて、黄金のリンゴで遊んでいました。少女は彼女に、王子が住む城の行き方を知っているか尋ねました。

　その城は日の出の東、月の出の西にあり、3エルの長さの鼻の王女と結婚すると言われている王子です。老婆は尋ねました。「お前は王子について知っているようだね。もしかして、彼の本当に婚約者だったのはお前だったんじゃないかい」

「はい、本当は私です」と彼女は言いました。

「なるほど、それならばお前なんだね？」と老婆は言いました。

「私は王子について何も知らないが、彼が日の出の東、月の出の西にある城に住んでいるということと、お前がそこに辿り着くのにかなり時間がかかるだろうということは分かる。それも、もし辿り着けることがあれば、だがね。しかし、私の馬を貸してやろう。そうすれば、私の近所に住む年老いた女性のところまで乗っていけるだろう。もしかしたら、彼女がその城の場所を知っているかもしれないよ。彼女の元に着いたら、馬の左耳の下を叩いて帰るように指示しておくれ。さあ、この黄金のリンゴを持っていくといい」

　少女は馬に跨り、長い長い道のりをまたまた進みました。そして、非常に長い時間をかけて、やっと大きな山に辿り着いたところで、年老いた女性が座って、黄金の櫛で遊んでいました。少女は彼女に尋ねました。「日の出の東、月の出の西にある城の行き方を知っていますか？」

　しかし、彼女は最初の老婆と同じことを言いました。「生き方については何も知らないけど、日の出の東、月の出の西にあることは知っているわ。そして、辿り着くにはかなり時間がかかるでしょうね、もし辿り着けることがあればだけど。私の馬を借りてもいいわ。私に一番近いところに住んでいる年老いた女性のところまで乗っていけるだろう。もしかしたら、彼女がその城の場所を知っているかもしれない。そして、彼女の元に着いたら、馬の左耳の下を叩いて帰るように指示して。この黄金の櫛を持っていくといいわ」と彼女は言いました。

　少女は再び長くて退屈な道のりを馬に乗って進みました。非常に長い時間が経った後、彼女は大きな山に辿り着き、年老いた女性が黄金の紡輪で紡いでいるのを見つけました。この女性にも同じように尋ねました。彼女は王子の行き方と日の出の東、月の出の西にある城の場所について知っているかどうかを尋ねました。

　しかし、これもまた他の人たちと同じことを言いました。「多分、あなたが本当は王子と結婚するべきだったのかもしれないわ」と老婆は言いました。

「そうです、私がそうでした」と少女は言いました。

　しかし、この老婆も他の人たちと同じく、その城の場所をよく知りませんでした。「日の出の東、月の出の西にあるということは知っている。そして、君はそこに辿り着くのにかなり時間がかかるだろうと思う。もし辿り着けることがあればだけれど。でも、私の馬を借りてもいい。おそらく君は南風に乗るべきだと思う。南風は私たちよりもずっと強いし、広範囲に渡って旅をしているから、君が知りたいことを教えてくれるかもしれない。馬の背に座って、そうすれば君を連れて行ってあげるわ」と彼女は言いました。

　彼女は馬の背に乗り、南風のところに向かいました。途中であまり時間をかけませんでした。南風のところに着くと、彼所は彼に、日の出の東、月の出の西にある城の行き方を知っているか尋ねました。なぜなら、自分がそこにいる王子と結婚するべき相手なのだから。

「本当に？」と南風は言いました。「あなたが王子の婚約者なのですか？それでは」と彼は言いました。「私はかつてかなり広範囲に渡って旅をしたことがありますが、それほど遠くまで吹いたことはありません。でも、もしそれがあなたの望みなら、私の兄弟である北風のところに一緒に行ってみましょう。彼は私たち全員の中で最も古くて強い。もし彼がわからないのなら、世界中の誰も教えることはできないでしょう。私の背に座って、そうすれば君を連れて行きますよ」

　彼女は南風の背に座り、彼の元から急いで出発しました。道中はあまり時間をかけませんでした。北風の住処の近くに来ると、彼は非常に荒々しく狂暴で、彼らは到着するずっと前から冷たい突風を感じました。「何の用だ？」と彼は遠くから叫び、少女はその声を聞いて凍りつきました。

　南風が言いました。「私ですよ。そして彼女は日の出の東、月の出の西にある城に住む王子の婚約者だ。彼女はあなたに尋ねたい事があるそうです。そこに行ったことがあるかどうか、行ったことがあるのなら、その行き方を知っているか、とね」

「ああ、分かるとも。かつてはそこまで行ったことがあるが、俺はその後、何日も吹くことができなかったほど疲れた。だが、本当にそこに行きたいと思うなら、一緒に行ってもいい。俺が吹いてお前をそこまで連れて行けるかどうかやってみよう」

「そこに行かなければならないの」と彼女は言いました。「どのようにしてでも行かなければならない。どんなに速くても怖くないわ」

「いいだろう」と北風は言いました。「だが、今夜ここで眠れ。俺たちがそこに行くための準備をするなら、明日まで時間がかかる」

　北風は翌朝早く彼女を起こし、自分を膨らませ、自分をとても大きくて強くしたので、それを見るのが恐ろしかった。そして、彼らは空高く飛び、まるで世界の果てまで止まるつもりはないかのように飛びました。下には大嵐が吹き荒れていました！森や家屋が倒れ、海の上では船が何百隻も難破していました。そして彼らはどんどん飛び続け、長い時間が経ち、さらに長い時間が経ちました。まだ海の上にいて、北風は疲れ、ますます疲れ、最後には完全に疲れ果てて、ほとんど吹くことができなくなりました。そして、沈み、沈み、ますます低くなり、ついには波が運んでいる彼女のかかとに触れるほど低くなりました。

「怖いか？」と北風は尋ねました。

「怖くはないわ」と彼女は言いました。

　それは本当でした。彼らが陸地にある程度、近づくと、北風は彼女をすぐに岸辺に投げ出しました。ちょうど日の出の東、月の出の西にある城の窓の真下でした。しかし、彼は疲れ果ててしまったので、自分の家に帰ることができるまで、何日も休むしかありませんでした。

　翌朝、彼女は城の壁の下に座って、黄金のリンゴで遊び始めました。最初に彼女が見たのは、王子と結婚する予定だった長い鼻の女性でした。「お前の黄金のリンゴ、いくらで売ってくれる？」と彼女は窓を開けて尋ねました。

「黄金でもお金でも買えないわよ」と彼女は答えました。「それが黄金でもお金でも買えないなら、何で買えるの？　お前が望む物を言いなさい」と王女は言いました。

「さて、もし私がここにいる王子の元に行って、今夜一緒にいることが許されるなら、それをあげるわ」と、北風と一緒に来た少女は言いました。

「いいでしょう」と王女は言いました。

　彼女は決めていました。そこで王女は黄金のリンゴを手に入れましたが、その夜 少女が王子の部屋に行くと、王子は寝ていました。なぜなら、王女がそう仕組んでいたからです。可哀そうな少女は彼に呼びかけ、彼を揺すりました。その間に彼女は泣いていましたが、彼を起こすことはできませんでした。

朝になり、夜明けとともに、長い鼻の王女がやってきて、彼女を再び追い出しました。日中、少女は再び城の窓の下に座り、金のカーディングコームでカードを作り始めました。そして、また前と同じような事が起こりました。王女は彼女にそれを売って欲しいと尋ねました。しかし、彼女は以前に言ったことを言いました 。それは黄金でもお金でも売られないが、もしそこに住む王子に会い、夜間一緒にいることを許されるなら、それをあげると。

「いいわ」と王女は言いました。「喜んで」

　しかし、彼女が王子の部屋に行くと、王子は再び眠っていて、呼びかけても、体を揺さぶっても、いくら泣いても、王子はまだ眠っていて、彼女は王子を目覚めさせることができませんでした。朝になって日が暮れると、長い鼻を持った王女もやって来て、また彼女を追い払ってしまいました。

　すっかり夜が明けると、少女は城の窓の下に座って金の糸車を回しました。長い鼻を持つ王女もそれを欲しがりました。そこで彼女は窓を開け、何を買うか尋ねました。少女の望むものは決まっています。

「ええ、喜んで」と王女は言いました。

　しかし、実はその場所にはキリスト教徒が何人か拉致されており、彼らは王子の部屋の隣にいた部屋に座っていて、二晩連続で彼を泣きながら呼んでいる女性がいたことを聞いていました。そして、彼らは王子にその事を伝えたのです。

　その夜、王女が再び眠り薬を持って来ると、彼は飲むふりをしたが、眠り薬だと疑ってそれを投げ捨てました。だから、今回少女が王子の部屋に入ったとき、彼は目を覚ましていて、彼女にどうやってここに来たかを尋ねなければなりませんでした。

「危ないところだった」と王子は言いました。「明日結婚する予定だったんだ。だけど長鼻の王女を選ぶ気はないし、私を救えるのは君だけだ。いいかい？　彼女に、妻に相応しい働きができるか見てみたいと言って、ろうそくに付いた３つの滴を落としたシャツを洗ってみるように命じる。彼女はその提案を受けるだろう。だって、普通なら簡単な話だからね。君がろうそくの雫を滴らせたのだと彼女は知らないんだから。でも、それはキリスト教徒の子供しか洗い落とすことはできないんだ。トロールの一味じゃ無理だからね」

　彼ら全員の間に大きな喜びと幸福がありました。

　結婚式の当日、王子は「私は花嫁が何ができるか見なければならない」と言いました。「あなたの気持ちは分かります」と継母は言いました。

「私は結婚式に着るための素晴らしいシャツがある。しかし、３つのろうの滴がついてしまったので、それを洗い落としたい。誰にでもできるだろう。それすら洗い落とせないなら、結婚に値する女性ではない」

　それはとても小さな問題だと彼らは思いました。王女はできるだけ洗ってみましたが、洗いながらこすればこするほど、汚れが大きくなりました。

「ああ、全然ダメね」と彼女の母である老いたトロール婆さんは言いました。「私に任せてごらんなさい」しかし、彼女もそれを手にして間もなく、それはますます悪く見えました。洗ったりこすったりするほど、シャツはますます黒く、大きくなりました。

　他のトロールたちも洗濯を試みましたが、彼らがやっても、シャツはますます黒く、汚くなりました。最後には煙突の中にあったかのように黒くなりました。

「ああ」と王子は言いました。「君たち、一人残らず何もできないじゃないか！窓の外に乞食の少女が座っている。きっと君たちよりも上手に洗えるだろう！おい、そこの少女、中に入ってこい！」と彼は叫びました。

　そこで彼女が中に入ってきました。「このシャツをきれいに洗えるか？」と彼は叫びました。「ええと、わかりません」と彼女は言いました。「でも試してみます」。彼女がシャツを手に取り、水に浸すと、それは雪のように白くなり、それ以上に白くなりました。「君と結婚しよう」と王子は言いました。

　その時、老いたトロール婆さんは怒りで破裂し、長い鼻の王女と全ての小さなトロールも破裂したのでしょう。なぜなら、それ以来彼らの消息は聞かれていません。王子と彼の花嫁は、そこに監禁されていたすべてのキリスト教徒を解放し、持ち運べるだけの金銀を持って去り、日の出の東、月の出の西にある城から遠く離れた場所へと引っ越しました。

英文

Once upon a time there was a poor husbandman who had many children and little to give them in the way either of food or clothing. They were all pretty, but the prettiest of all was the youngest daughter, who was so beautiful that there were no bounds to her beauty.

So once—it was late on a Thursday evening in autumn, and wild weather outside, terribly dark, and raining so heavily and blowing so hard that the walls of the cottage shook again—they were all sitting together by the fireside, each of them busy with something or other, when suddenly some one rapped three times against the window-pane. The man went out to see what could be the matter, and when he got out there stood a great big white bear.

“Good-evening to you,” said the White Bear.

“Good-evening,” said the man.

“Will you give me your youngest daughter?” said the White Bear; “if you will, you shall be as rich as you are now poor.”

Truly the man would have had no objection to be rich, but he thought to himself: “I must first ask my daughter about this,” so he went in and told them that there was a great white bear outside who had faithfully promised to make them all rich if he might but have the youngest daughter.

She said no, and would not hear of it; so the man went out again, and settled with the White Bear that he should come again next Thursday evening, and get her answer. Then the man persuaded her, and talked so much to her about the wealth that they would have, and what a good thing it would be for herself, that at last she made up her mind to go, and washed and mended all her rags, made herself as smart as she could, and held herself in readiness to set out. Little enough had she to take away with her.

Next Thursday evening the White Bear came to fetch her. She seated herself on his back with her bundle, and thus they departed. When they had gone a great part of the way, the White Bear said: “Are you afraid?”

“No, that I am not,” said she.

“Keep tight hold of my fur, and then there is no danger,” said he.

And thus she rode far, far away, until they came to a great mountain. Then the White Bear knocked on it, and a door opened, and they went into a castle where there were many brilliantly lighted rooms which shone with gold and silver, likewise a large hall in which there was a well-spread table, and it was so magnificent that it would be hard to make anyone understand how splendid it was. The White Bear gave her a silver bell, and told her that when she needed anything she had but to ring this bell, and what she wanted would appear. So after she had eaten, and night was drawing near, she grew sleepy after her journey, and thought she would like to go to bed. She rang the bell, and scarcely had she touched it before she found herself in a chamber where a bed stood ready made for her, which was as pretty as anyone could wish to sleep in. It had pillows of silk, and curtains of silk fringed with gold, and everything that was in the room was of gold or silver, but when she had lain down and put out the light a man came and lay down beside her, and behold it was the White Bear, who cast off the form of a beast during the night. She never saw him, however, for he always came after she had put out her light, and went away before daylight appeared.

So all went well and happily for a time, but then she began to be very sad and sorrowful, for all day long she had to go about alone; and she did so wish to go home to her father and mother and brothers and sisters. Then the White Bear asked what it was that she wanted, and she told him that it was so dull there in the mountain, and that she had to go about all alone, and that in her parents’ house at home there were all her brothers and sisters, and it was because she could not go to them that she was so sorrowful.

“There might be a cure for that,” said the White Bear, “if you would but promise me never to talk with your mother alone, but only when the others are there too; for she will take hold of your hand,” he said, “and will want to lead you into a room to talk with you alone; but that you must by no means do, or you will bring great misery on both of us.”

So one Sunday the White Bear came and said that they could now set out to see her father and mother, and they journeyed thither, she sitting on his back, and they went a long, long way, and it took a long, long time; but at last they came to a large white farmhouse, and her brothers and sisters were running about outside it, playing, and it was so pretty that it was a pleasure to look at it.

“Your parents dwell here now,” said the White Bear; “but do not forget what I said to you, or you will do much harm both to yourself and me.”

“No, indeed,” said she, “I shall never forget;” and as soon as she was at home the White Bear turned round and went back again.

There were such rejoicings when she went in to her parents that it seemed as if they would never come to an end. Everyone thought that he could never be sufficiently grateful to her for all she had done for them all. Now they had everything that they wanted, and everything was as good as it could be. They all asked her how she was getting on where she was. All was well with her too, she said; and she had everything that she could want. What other answers she gave I cannot say, but I am pretty sure that they did not learn much from her. But in the afternoon, after they had dined at midday, all happened just as the White Bear had said. Her mother wanted to talk with her alone in her own chamber. But she remembered what the White Bear had said, and would on no account go. “What we have to say can be said at any time,” she answered. But somehow or other her mother at last persuaded her, and she was forced to tell the whole story. So she told how every night a man came and lay down beside her when the lights were all put out, and how she never saw him, because he always went away before it grew light in the morning, and how she continually went about in sadness, thinking how happy she would be if she could but see him, and how all day long she had to go about alone, and it was so dull and solitary. “Oh!” cried the mother, in horror, “you are very likely sleeping with a troll! But I will teach you a way to see him. You shall have a bit of one of my candles, which you can take away with you hidden in your breast. Look at him with that when he is asleep, but take care not to let any tallow drop upon him.”

So she took the candle, and hid it in her breast, and when evening drew near the White Bear came to fetch her away. When they had gone some distance on their way, the White Bear asked her if everything had not happened just as he had foretold, and she could not but own that it had. “Then, if you have done what your mother wished,” said he, “you have brought great misery on both of us.” “No,” she said, “I have not done anything at all.” So when she had reached home and had gone to bed it was just the same as it had been before, and a man came and lay down beside her, and late at night, when she could hear that he was sleeping, she got up and kindled a light, lit her candle, let her light shine on him, and saw him, and he was the handsomest prince that eyes had ever beheld, and she loved him so much that it seemed to her that she must die if she did not kiss him that very moment. So she did kiss him; but while she was doing it she let three drops of hot tallow fall upon his shirt, and he awoke. “What have you done now?” said he; “you have brought misery on both of us. If you had but held out for the space of one year I should have been free. I have a step-mother who has bewitched me so that I am a white bear by day and a man by night; but now all is at an end between you and me, and I must leave you, and go to her. She lives in a castle which lies east of the sun and west of the moon, and there too is a princess with a nose which is three ells long, and she now is the one whom I must marry.”

She wept and lamented, but all in vain, for go he must. Then she asked him if she could not go with him. But no, that could not be. “Can you tell me the way then, and I will seek you—that I may surely be allowed to do!”

“Yes, you may do that,” said he; “but there is no way thither. It lies east of the sun and west of the moon, and never would you find your way there.”

When she awoke in the morning both the Prince and the castle were gone, and she was lying on a small green patch in the midst of a dark, thick wood. By her side lay the self-same bundle of rags which she had brought with her from her own home. So when she had rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, and wept till she was weary, she set out on her way, and thus she walked for many and many a long day, until at last she came to a great mountain. Outside it an aged woman was sitting, playing with a golden apple. The girl asked her if she knew the way to the Prince who lived with his stepmother in the castle which lay east of the sun and west of the moon, and who was to marry a princess with a nose which was three ells long. “How do you happen to know about him?” inquired the old woman; “maybe you are she who ought to have had him.” “Yes, indeed, I am,” she said. “So it is you, then?” said the old woman; “I know nothing about him but that he dwells in a castle which is east of the sun and west of the moon. You will be a long time in getting to it, if ever you get to it at all; but you shall have the loan of my horse, and then you can ride on it to an old woman who is a neighbor of mine: perhaps she can tell you about him. When you have got there you must just strike the horse beneath the left ear and bid it go home again; but you may take the golden apple with you.”

So the girl seated herself on the horse, and rode for a long, long way, and at last she came to the mountain, where an aged woman was sitting outside with a gold carding-comb. The girl asked her if she knew the way to the castle which lay east of the sun and west of the moon; but she said what the first old woman had said: “I know nothing about it, but that it is east of the sun and west of the moon, and that you will be a long time in getting to it, if ever you get there at all; but you shall have the loan of my horse to an old woman who lives the nearest to me: perhaps she may know where the castle is, and when you have got to her you may just strike the horse beneath the left ear and bid it go home again.” Then she gave her the gold carding-comb, for it might, perhaps, be of use to her, she said.

So the girl seated herself on the horse, and rode a wearisome long way onward again, and after a very long time she came to a great mountain, where an aged woman was sitting, spinning at a golden spinning-wheel. Of this woman, too, she inquired if she knew the way to the Prince, and where to find the castle which lay east of the sun and west of the moon. But it was only the same thing once again. “Maybe it was you who should have had the Prince,” said the old woman. “Yes, indeed, I should have been the one,” said the girl. But this old crone knew the way no better than the others—it was east of the sun and west of the moon, she knew that, “and you will be a long time in getting to it, if ever you get to it at all,” she said; “but you may have the loan of my horse, and I think you had better ride to the East Wind, and ask him: perhaps he may know where the castle is, and will blow you thither. But when you have got to him you must just strike the horse beneath the left ear, and he will come home again.” And then she gave her the golden spinning-wheel, saying: “Perhaps you may find that you have a use for it.”

The girl had to ride for a great many days, and for a long and wearisome time, before she got there; but at last she did arrive, and then she asked the East Wind if he could tell her the way to the Prince who dwelt east of the sun and west of the moon. “Well,” said the East Wind, “I have heard tell of the Prince, and of his castle, but I do not know the way to it, for I have never blown so far; but, if you like, I will go with you to my brother the West Wind: he may know that, for he is much stronger than I am. You may sit on my back, and then I can carry you there.” So she seated herself on his back, and they did go so swiftly! When they got there, the East Wind went in and said that the girl whom he had brought was the one who ought to have had the Prince up at the castle which lay east of the sun and west of the moon, and that now she was traveling about to find him again, so he had come there with her, and would like to hear if the West Wind knew whereabout the castle was. “No,” said the West Wind; “so far as that have I never blown; but if you like I will go with you to the South Wind, for he is much stronger than either of us, and he has roamed far and wide, and perhaps he can tell you what you want to know. You may seat yourself on my back, and then I will carry you to him.”.

So she did this, and journeyed to the South Wind, neither was she very long on the way. When they had got there, the West Wind asked him if he could tell her the way to the castle that lay east of the sun and west of the moon, for she was the girl who ought to marry the Prince who lived there. “Oh, indeed!” said the South Wind, “is that she? Well,” said he, “I have wandered about a great deal in my time, and in all kinds of places, but I have never blown so far as that. If you like, however, I will go with you to my brother, the North Wind; he is the oldest and strongest of all of us, and if he does not know where it is no one in the whole world will be able to tell you. You may sit upon my back, and then I will carry you there.” So she seated herself on his back, and off he went from his house in great haste, and they were not long on the way. When they came near the North Wind’s dwelling, he was so wild and frantic that they felt cold gusts a long while before they got there. “What do you want?” he roared out from afar, and they froze as they heard. Said the South Wind: “It is I, and this is she who should have had the Prince who lives in the castle which lies east of the sun and west of the moon. And now she wishes to ask you if you have ever been there, and can tell her the way, for she would gladly find him again.”

“Yes,” said the North Wind, “I know where it is. I once blew an aspen leaf there, but I was so tired that for many days afterward I was not able to blow at all. However, if you really are anxious to go there, and are not afraid to go with me, I will take you on my back, and try if I can blow you there.”

“Get there I must,” said she; “and if there is any way of going I will; and I have no fear, no matter how fast you go.”

“Very well then,” said the North Wind; “but you must sleep here to-night, for if we are ever to get there we must have the day before us.”

The North Wind woke her betimes next morning, and puffed himself up, and made himself so big and so strong that it was frightful to see him, and away they went, high up through the air, as if they would not stop until they had reached the very end of the world. Down below there was such a storm! It blew down woods and houses, and when they were above the sea the ships were wrecked by hundreds. And thus they tore on and on, and a long time went by, and then yet more time passed, and still they were above the sea, and the North Wind grew tired, and more tired, and at last so utterly weary that he was scarcely able to blow any longer, and he sank and sank, lower and lower, until at last he went so low that the waves dashed against the heels of the poor girl he was carrying. “Art thou afraid?” said the North Wind. “I have no fear,” said she; and it was true. But they were not very, very far from land, and there was just enough strength left in the North Wind to enable him to throw her on to the shore, immediately under the windows of a castle which lay east of the sun and west of the moon; but then he was so weary and worn out that he was forced to rest for several days before he could go to his own home again.

Next morning she sat down beneath the walls of the castle to play with the golden apple, and the first person she saw was the maiden with the long nose, who was to have the Prince. “How much do you want for that gold apple of yours, girl?” said she, opening the window. “It can’t be bought either for gold or money,” answered the girl. “If it cannot be bought either for gold or money, what will buy it? You may say what you please,” said the Princess.

“Well, if I may go to the Prince who is here, and be with him to-night, you shall have it,” said the girl who had come with the North Wind. “You may do that,” said the Princess, for she had made up her mind what she would do. So the Princess got the golden apple, but when the girl went up to the Prince’s apartment that night he was asleep, for the Princess had so contrived it. The poor girl called to him, and shook him, and between whiles she wept; but she could not wake him. In the morning, as soon as day dawned, in came the Princess with the long nose, and drove her out again. In the daytime she sat down once more beneath the windows of the castle, and began to card with her golden carding-comb; and then all happened as it had happened before. The Princess asked her what she wanted for it, and she replied that it was not for sale, either for gold or money, but that if she could get leave to go to the Prince, and be with him during the night, she should have it. But when she went up to the Prince’s room he was again asleep, and, let her call him, or shake him, or weep as she would, he still slept on, and she could not put any life in him. When daylight came in the morning, the Princess with the long nose came too, and once more drove her away. When day had quite come, the girl seated herself under the castle windows, to spin with her golden spinning-wheel, and the Princess with the long nose wanted to have that also. So she opened the window, and asked what she would take for it. The girl said what she had said on each of the former occasions—that it was not for sale either for gold or for money, but if she could get leave to go to the Prince who lived there, and be with him during the night, she should have it.

“Yes,” said the Princess, “I will gladly consent to that.”

But in that place there were some Christian folk who had been carried off, and they had been sitting in the chamber which was next to that of the Prince, and had heard how a woman had been in there who had wept and called on him two nights running, and they told the Prince of this. So that evening, when the Princess came once more with her sleeping-drink, he pretended to drink, but threw it away behind him, for he suspected that it was a sleeping-drink. So, when the girl went into the Prince’s room this time he was awake, and she had to tell him how she had come there. “You have come just in time,” said the Prince, “for I should have been married to-morrow; but I will not have the long-nosed Princess, and you alone can save me. I will say that I want to see what my bride can do, and bid her wash the shirt which has the three drops of tallow on it. This she will consent to do, for she does not know that it is you who let them fall on it; but no one can wash them out but one born of Christian folk: it cannot be done by one of a pack of trolls; and then I will say that no one shall ever be my bride but the woman who can do this, and I know that you can.” There was great joy and gladness between them all that night, but the next day, when the wedding was to take place, the Prince said, “I must see what my bride can do.” “That you may do,” said the stepmother.

“I have a fine shirt which I want to wear as my wedding shirt, but three drops of tallow have got upon it which I want to have washed off, and I have vowed to marry no one but the woman who is able to do it. If she cannot do that, she is not worth having.”

Well, that was a very small matter, they thought, and agreed to do it. The Princess with the long nose began to wash as well as she could, but, the more she washed and rubbed, the larger the spots grew. “Ah! you can’t wash at all,” said the old troll-hag, who was her mother. “Give it to me.” But she too had not had the shirt very long in her hands before it looked worse still, and, the more she washed it and rubbed it, the larger and blacker grew the spots.

So the other trolls had to come and wash, but, the more they did, the blacker and uglier grew the shirt, until at length it was as black as if it had been up the chimney. “Oh,” cried the Prince, “not one of you is good for anything at all! There is a beggar-girl sitting outside the window, and I’ll be bound that she can wash better than any of you! Come in, you girl there!” he cried. So she came in. “Can you wash this shirt clean?” he cried. “Oh! I don’t know,” she said; “but I will try.” And no sooner had she taken the shirt and dipped it in the water than it was white as driven snow, and even whiter than that. “I will marry you,” said the Prince.

Then the old troll-hag flew into such a rage that she burst, and the Princess with the long nose and all the little trolls must have burst too, for they have never been heard of since. The Prince and his bride set free all the Christian folk who were imprisoned there, and took away with them all the gold and silver that they could carry, and moved far away from the castle which lay east of the sun and west of the moon.