The Goose Girl
Romanian Fairy Tales.
The Goose Girl.
The Princess and Her Maidservant
Once upon a time, an emperor of a great realm died and left behind the queen and their daughter. There was also a good fairy who liked the princess and helped her mother watch over her.
When she grew up, she was betrothed to a prince who lived in a distant land. And as the time of her marriage approached, she prepared to leave on the journey to his country.
The mother packed all the jewelry and royal garments for her daughter.
— My dear child, take with you these jewels and precious stones and be happy with your prince.
And she gave her a maidservant to go with her and entrusted her to the groom's care. And each had a horse for the journey. Now, the princess's horse was the fairy's gift and was called Falada, and he could speak.
— Oh, wait! I have one more thing for you.
The fairy took a pair of scissors and cut a lock of her hair.
— Take care of it, dear child, because it is a charm that may be of use to you on your journey.
The princess bade farewell to her mother and the fairy and set off with the maidservant and her horse, Falada.
The Journey and the Betrayal
After many hours of travel, the princess was thirsty and said to her maidservant:
— Please, fetch me some water, dear maidservant!
— If you're thirsty, my dear princess, get off your horse and lean down to drink from the water. I am not your servant!
The shocked princess got off her horse, leaned over the stream water, and drank. Suddenly, the magic lock of hair said:
— Poor princess, if your mother knew, her heart would break.
But the king's daughter was modest, said nothing, and climbed back into the saddle. After several more hours of travel, she was thirsty again. And when they reached a stream, she said to her maidservant:
— Please, fetch me some water, dear maidservant!
— As I said, get it yourself!
Again, the princess got off her horse, leaned over the river water, and drank. Then the lock of hair said:
— If your mother knew, her heart would break. The maidservant is not obedient. But be careful, princess, don't lean too far. Oh no, into the river!
The lock of hair fell from her pocket and floated on the water. Then the maidservant said:
— Ha ha ha! Now you are weak and powerless. From now on, I give the orders and you must obey me. Now take off your dress and give it to me, and you shall wear mine. I am now the princess, and if you tell anyone about this, you will regret it!
The maidservant wore the princess's dress and rode her horse Falada, while the true bride rode the bad horse.
Arrival at the Palace
At last they arrived at the royal palace. The prince came to greet them and took the maidservant to be his future bride.
— Welcome to my palace, my dear princess!
— I am so happy to be here!
— Who is this girl?
— She is my maidservant. She is my companion. But I don't like her. I was wondering, prince, if you have some work for her.
— Well, I don't have any work for her, but I have a little boy named Curtken who could tend the geese. She can help him.
— Oh, and prince, I need another favor. Please, get rid of the horse I traveled here on. I nearly fell off on the way.
In fact, the maidservant knew that Falada, the horse, could speak and might tell how she treated the real princess. She pressed her point, and the faithful Falada was killed. But when the real princess heard this, she wept and asked the man to nail Falada's head on a large, dark gate of the city, past which she had to walk every morning and evening, so she might still see him from time to time.
— As you wish, dear!
And he nailed the head beneath the dark gate. The next morning, when she and Curtken went out through the gate, she said sadly:
— Falada, Falada, there you hang!
— Bride, bride, walk on! Alas, alas, if your mother knew, how sorry, how sorry she would be!
Then they went out of the city and took the geese. And when she reached the meadow, she sat on the bank and undid her locks of hair, which were all of pure silver. And when Curtken saw them gleaming in the sun, he ran and would have pulled some out, but she cried:
— Blow, breezes, blow! Take Curtken's hat! Blow, breezes, blow! Let him chase after it, over hills and valleys and over rocks, far let it be carried, until the silver locks are all combed and curled!
Then came a wind so strong it took Curtken's hat and blew it over the hills. And he was forced to turn back and run after it. By the time he returned, she had finished combing and curling her hair and gathered it up safely again. Then he was very angry and sulky and wouldn't speak to her at all. They watched the geese until dark and then drove them home.
The Truth Comes Out
The same thing happened for two days, and one evening Curtken went to the old emperor complaining:
— I cannot have this strange girl help me tend the geese anymore. Instead of doing anything useful, she teases me all day long.
— Curtken, I know you're not telling me the whole story. Tell me what happened or...
Then the emperor made him tell what had happened, and Curtken told the emperor everything.
— Hmm, carry on with your work. I will look into the matter.
When morning came, the emperor sat behind the dark gate and heard how the princess spoke to Falada and how Falada answered. Then he went to the field and hid in a bush near the meadow. And soon he saw with his own eyes how she undid her hair, which shone in the sun. Then he heard her say:
— Blow, breezes, blow! Take Curtken's hat! Blow, breezes, blow! Let him chase after it, over hills and valleys and over rocks, far let it be carried, until the silver locks are all combed and curled!
And soon a gust of wind came and carried Curtken's hat far away, and Curtken quickly went after it. While the girl continued to comb and curl her hair. All this time, the old emperor had seen everything, so he went home without being seen. And when the little goose girl came home that evening, the emperor drew her aside and asked her why she had done it. But she burst into tears.
— I must not tell you or anyone else, or I will lose my life.
But the old emperor begged so much that she had no peace until she told him the whole story, from beginning to end, word for word. And she was very fortunate to have done so.
— No harm shall come to you, dear princess. I will right the wrong that has been done to you. Now I want you to dress as a princess.
When she did, he gazed at her in wonder. She was so beautiful. Then he called his son and told him he had a false bride, that she was merely a maidservant, while the true bride stood beside him.
— She is your true bride, my son.
— Then I must be very lucky, Father!
And the young prince rejoiced when he saw her beauty and heard how gentle and patient she had been. And without saying anything to the false bride, the emperor ordered a great feast to be prepared for all his courtiers.
— This evening, we celebrate truth and punish falsehood.
The groom sat at the head with the false princess on one side and the true one on the other. But no one recognized her, for her beauty was quite dazzling to their eyes, and she looked nothing like the little girl who tended the geese, now that she wore a shining dress.
— How dare she!
After they had eaten and drunk and were very merry, the old emperor rose and asked for attention.
— This evening I shall tell you a tale. Listen to me carefully.
So he began and told the whole story of the princess, as though it were one he had once heard. And he asked the real maidservant what she thought should be done to someone who had behaved thus.
— What would you do with such a liar?
— Nothing good! She should be thrown in prison forever!
— You are that person! And as you have judged yourself, so shall it be done to you!
The maidservant was punished by her own words, and the young king married his true wife, and they ruled over the kingdom in peace and happiness all their lives. And the good fairy came to visit them and brought the faithful Falada back to life.
This story teaches us that truth and kindness always triumph, and lies and cruelty are punished.
