|| A Norse folklore ||
Once upon a time there was a King who had seven sons. When the sons became of age, they set off to find princesses for themselves. The last son, called Boots, stayed back with the king. The rest of the princes were supposed to find and bring back a princess for him too.
The six princes set off with finest clothes and strong horses.
They went to many palaces, and seen many princesses, at last they came to a King who had six daughters. Such lovely were the king’s daughters, and each prince chose a princess among the six daughters. Satisfied, they set off home again, forgetting that they were supposed to bring back a princess for Boots, their brother, who stayed at home.
On their way, unknowingly, they passed a giant’s house nested in a hill. The giant happened to come out at that time and he turned them all into stone with a stare from his eye. He didn’t like trespassers, certainly not humans!
When the sons didn’t come home even after months, the king grew more and more worried. Boots volunteered to go find his brothers. The king was very hesistant to let go of his last son, but finally he had to.
Boots set out on an old horse, the only horse remaining, promising his father that he would bring all his brothers back. So, when he had ridden a while, he saw a raven on the road, flapping its wings. It seemed too weak to move out of the way.
“Oh, dear friend,” said the raven, “give me a little food, and I’ll help you again at your utmost need.”
“I haven’t got much food,” said the Prince, “and I don’t see how you’ll ever be able to help me much; but still I can spare you a little. I see you need it more than me”
So he gave the raven some of the food he had brought with him. The raven gained some strength and flew away.
Now, when he had travelled a bit further, he came to a brook. On the shore, lay a big fish, which had accidently swam to a dry place and could not get back into the water. It was thrashing about desperately.
“Oh, dear friend,” said the fish to the Prince; “shove me out into the water again, and I’ll help you again at your utmost need.” “
Well!” said the Prince, “I am not sure how much you will be of help, but it’s a pity you should lie there and choke;” and with that he shot the fish out into the stream again.
After that he went a long, long way, and there met him a wolf which was so famished that its ribs were visible and it crawled along the road on its belly.
“Dear friend, do let me have your horse,” said the wolf; “I’m so hungry the wind whistles through my ribs; I’ve had nothing to eat since a year”
“No,” said Boots, “I would have nothing to ride on.”
“Nay, dear friend, but you can ride on me, and I promise I will help you in your utmost need” said Graylegs the wolf. So Boots allowed the wolf to eat his old horse. When the Wolf had eaten the horse, the Wolf was so strong, that he set off fast with the prince on his back.
“When we have gone a bit farther,” said Graylegs, “I’ll show you the Giant’s house.”
They reached the giant’s house. There were the statues of his six brothers and their brides outside. Boots carefully checked that the giant was not home.
He went inside. In one of the rooms sat the Princess, the most beautiful princess Boots had never yet set eyes on.
“Goodness! why have you come?” said the Princess, as she saw him; “you will die here. No one can end the giant, for he has no heart in his body.”
“I am here to take my brothers home”, said Boots and he told her the whole story.
“I’ll see what I can help. But hide under the bed and remain still”, she told the prince.
Later the giant came and roared, “I smell a human!”. The princess said, “Oh, yes. Earlier a bird flew inside and dropped a human bone. It got stuck in the stone floor somewhere”. The giant seemed satisfied with the explanation. The princess continued, “May I dare ask you where you leave your heart, for you don’t keep it within you”.
The giant replied, “None of your business. But if you must know, it is in the cupboard in the hall. The next day, Boots and the princess searched the entire cupboard but could not find it. To cover their mess, the princess decorated it with the most beautiful flowers. When the giant came, she explained to him that the flowers were for his heart.
The giant said, “But, i forgot, the heart is actually in the window sill”. The next day Boots and the princess searched around the window and the frame. The heart was not there. The princess decorated the window to cover the mess.
When the giant came and saw the flowers, he was pleased.
He said, “Ah, do you adore me so much, my princess”. “Indeed”, replied she. He then proceeded to tell her the truth, “Far, far away in a green lake lies an island; on that island stands a church; in that church is a well; in that well swims a duck; that duck carries an egg, and in that egg there lies my heart,—you darling!
The next day, bidding farewell to the princess, Boots set off on his wolf, Greylegs. After many days, he reached the church on the island, but the keys were high up on a tower. As he wondered what to do, Boots remembered the raven he saved earlier, and called for his help. The raven flew up and got the keys for him.
Boots and the wolf got into the church but the well was too deep. Boots then called on the fish he rescued earlier to get the duck’s egg for him. The fish did as he was told. Boots slit the egg open and there lay the demon’s beating heart!
Boots squeezed it and miles away, the demon roared in pain.
Having an idea, Boots took the heart with him and went to the giant’s house. He threatened to kill the giant unless he restored life to his six brothers and their brides. The giant turned them all back into humans and pleaded to have his heart back.
Boots then squeezed the heart into pieces, just as the giant exploded into pieces. Boots took the princess who was trapped in the demon’s house, as his own bride. He thanked the loyal wolf and returned home to his kingdom with his six brothers and their brides.
The old king was overjoyed to see all his sons return safely and there were celebrations that lasted days. Everyone praised the brave and clever young prince Boots.
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