<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</SPAN></span></p>
<h2>XIX<br/> <br/> <span class="f8">KARI WOODENCOAT</span></h2>
<p class="cap"><span class="upper">Once</span> upon a time there was a king whose wife
had died, but he had a daughter who was so
good and so beautiful that no one could have been
kinder or lovelier than she. The king mourned a
long time for the queen, because he had loved her
greatly; but in the course of time he grew weary of
his lonely life, and married again with the widow
of another king, who also had a daughter; but one
who was just as ugly and evil as the other was
handsome and kind. The step-mother and daughter
were jealous of the king’s daughter, because she
was so handsome; yet so long as the king was at
home, they did not dare harm her, for he was very
fond of her. But after a time, the king began to
war against another king, and went out to battle.
Then the queen thought she now could do as she
wished, and she let the king’s daughter starve, and
beat and pushed her about everywhere. At last
everything else was too good for her, and she had
to herd the cows. So she went out with the cows,
and pastured them in the forest or on the hill.
Food she had little or none, and she grew pale and
thin, and was sad most of the time, and wept. In
the herd there was also a great blue bull, who always
kept himself neat and clean, and often came to the<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</SPAN></span>
queen’s daughter and let her scratch him. Once, as
she sat there and cried and was sad, he came to her
again, and asked why she was so unhappy. She did
not answer him but kept on weeping. “Well, I
know what your trouble is,” said the bull, “even
though you will not tell me. You are weeping because
the queen is so unkind to you, and would
gladly starve you to death. But you need not worry
about food, for in my left ear is a cloth and, if you
will take it out and spread it, you can have as much
as you want to eat.” She did so, took out the cloth,
laid it on the grass, and it was at once covered with
the finest dishes one might desire: bread and mead
and honey-cake. Then she soon regained her
strength, and grew so plump, and so rose and white
complexioned that the queen and her daughter, who
was as thin as a rail, turned green and yellow with
envy. The queen could not understand how it was
that her step-daughter came to look so well in spite
of such poor fare. So she told a maid to follow her
to the forest, and watch and see how it came about;
for she thought some of the servants secretly gave
her food. The maid followed her into the forest, and
watched carefully, and saw how the step-daughter
drew the cloth out of the blue bull’s left ear, and
spread it out, and how it covered itself with the
finest dishes, and also how the king’s daughter ate
heartily. And the maid told the queen at home
about it.</p>
<p>Now the king came home, and he had defeated the
other king, against whom he had warred; and the<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</SPAN></span>
whole castle was overjoyed, and none was more joyful
than the king’s daughter. But the queen pretended
to be ill, and gave the physician a great deal
of money so that he should say that she could not
recover unless she had some of the blue bull’s flesh
to eat. The king’s daughter and others as well
asked the physician whether nothing else would do,
and pleaded for the bull; for all liked him, and said
that there was not such another in the whole kingdom.
But no, he must be slaughtered, and he should
be slaughtered, and there was no help for it. When
the king’s daughter heard this, she felt sad, and went
into the stable to the bull. He stood and hung his
head, and looked so mournful that she could not keep
from weeping. “Why do you weep?” asked the bull.
Then she told him that the king had come home, and
that the queen had pretended to be ill, and had forced
the physician to say that she could not recover unless
she had some of the blue bull’s flesh to eat, and
that now he was to be slaughtered. “Once she has
done away with me, it will not be long before she
does away with you,” said the bull. “But if it suits
you, we will run away from here to-night.” The
king’s daughter did say that it would be bad enough
to leave her father, but that at the same time it
would be worse to remain under the same roof with
the queen, and so she promised the bull to go with
him.</p>
<p>In the evening, while the rest were asleep, the
king’s daughter crept down to the bull in the stable.
He took her on his back, and ran off as quickly as<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</SPAN></span>
ever he could. And when the people rose the following
morning, and wanted to slaughter the bull, he
was gone; and when the king rose and asked for his
daughter, she was gone as well. The king sent out
messengers on all sides, and had the church-bells
rung for her, but no one had seen anything of her.</p>
<p>In the meantime the bull trotted through many
lands with the king’s daughter, and they came to a
great copper forest, whose trees, leaves and flowers
were all of copper. But before they entered it, the
bull said to the king’s daughter: “Now when we get
into the forest you must be very careful not to touch
so much as a single leaf, or else it is all up with you
and with me; for a troll with three heads lives here,
and the forest belongs to him.” Yes, indeed, she
would be careful, and not touch anything. And she
was very careful, and leaned to one side, and thrust
aside the branches; but the forest was so thick that
it was almost impossible to win through, and for
all that she was so careful, she did tear off a leaf,
and it remained in her hand.</p>
<p>“Alas, alas!” cried the bull. “What have you
done! Now I must fight for my very life. But see
that you keep the leaf carefully!” Straightway they
reached the end of the forest, and at once a troll
with three heads came rushing up. “Who has
touched my forest?” cried he. “The forest is as
much mine as yours!” was the bull’s reply. “We’ll
see if it is!” shouted the troll. “That suits me!”
cried the bull. Then they rushed at each other, and
the bull gored and butted with might and main. But<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</SPAN></span>
the troll was just as strong, and it took all day before
the bull gained the upper hand. And then he had
so many wounds, and was so weak that he could
scarcely walk. So they had to halt for a whole day;
but the bull told the queen’s daughter to take the
horn of ointment that hung at the troll’s girdle, and
anoint him with the salve. Thereupon he grew
strong and well again, and they went on the next
day. Now they wandered for many, many days, and
at last came to a silver forest, whose trees, branches,
leaves, buds and all were of silver.</p>
<p>Before the bull entered the forest he said to the
king’s daughter: “Now when we get into this forest,
in heaven’s name be careful! You must touch nothing,
and not even tear off so much as a single leaf,
or else it is all up with you and me. A troll with
six heads lives here, and the forest belongs to him,
and I will hardly be able to hold my own against
him!”</p>
<p>“Yes,” said the king’s daughter, “indeed I will
be careful, and not touch the least thing, just as you
have told me.” But when they entered the forest,
it was so thick that it was almost impossible to win
through. She was as careful as she could be, and
avoided the branches, and thrust them aside with
her hands; but the branches struck her in the face
each moment, and in spite of all her care a leaf did
remain in her hand.</p>
<p>“Alas, alas!” cried the bull. “What have you
done! Now I must fight for my very life, for the
troll with six heads is twice as strong as the first<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</SPAN></span>
one; but see that you take care of the leaf and keep
it carefully!”</p>
<p>At once the troll came rushing up. “Who has
touched my forest?” cried he. “The forest is as
much mine as yours!” cried the bull. “Oho, we’ll
see if it is!” cried the troll. “That suits me!” said
the bull, and rushed on the troll, gored him, and
thrust his horns right through him. But the troll
was just as strong, and it took three whole days
before the bull got the better of him. After that he
was so weak and feeble that he could scarcely move,
and so full of wounds that his blood ran in streams.
Then he told the king’s daughter to take the horn
of ointment that hung at the troll’s girdle, and
anoint him with the salve. She did so, and he recovered
again: yet they had to remain a time on
the spot, until he was once more able to go on.</p>
<p>At last they set out again; but the bull was still
weak, and at first they went slowly. The king’s
daughter wanted to spare him, and said she was
young and quick on her feet, and could walk very
well; but this he would not allow, and she had to sit
on his back. Thus they wandered for a long time,
and through many lands, and the king’s daughter
had no idea where they might be going; but at length
they came to a golden forest. It was very beautiful,
and the gold dripped down from it, for the trees,
and branches and leaves and buds were all of purest
gold. And here all went as it had in the copper
and silver forests. The bull told the king’s daughter
that in no case was she to touch anything, since a<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</SPAN></span>
troll with nine heads lived here, to whom the forest
belonged. And he was much larger and stronger
than the two others together, and he did not believe
he could hold his own against him. Yes, said she,
she would be sure to pay attention and positively
would not touch a thing. But when they entered
the forest, it was even thicker than the silver forest,
and the further they went the worse it became. The
forest grew thicker and denser, and at last it seemed
as though it would be impossible to push on at all.
She was much afraid of tearing off anything, and
wound and twisted and bent herself in every direction,
in order to avoid the branches, and thrust them
aside with her hands. But each moment they struck
her in the face, so that she could not see where she
was reaching, and before she had a chance to think,
she held a golden apple in her hand. Then she was
terribly frightened, and began to cry, and wanted
to throw it away. But the bull told her to keep it,
and hide it carefully, and consoled her as best he
could. Yet he thought that the battle would be a
hard one, and was in doubt as to whether it would
end well.</p>
<p>But now the troll with the nine heads came rushing
up, and he was so frightful that the king’s daughter
could scarcely bear to look at him. “Who has
touched my forest?” he shouted. “The forest is as
much mine as yours!” cried the bull. “We’ll see
if it is!” cried the troll. “That suits me!” said the
bull, and with this they rushed on each other, so
that it was a fearsome sight, and the king’s daughter<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</SPAN></span>
nearly fainted. The bull gored the troll through and
through with his horns; but the troll was as strong
as he, and as soon as the bull killed one of his heads,
the others breathed fresh life into it, and it took a
full week before the bull got the better of him. But
then he was so wretched and so weak that he could
not move a bit. His whole body was covered with
wounds; and he could not even tell the king’s daughter
to take the horn of ointment from the troll’s
girdle and anoint him with the salve. But she did
so of her own accord, and then he recovered again.
Yet they had to stay where they were for three whole
weeks, until he was able to go on again.</p>
<p>At last they once more went slowly on their way;
for the bull said they still had a little further to go,
and they went over many great hills and through
thick forests. After a time they came to a rock.
“Do you see anything?” asked the bull. “No, I see
only the sky and the rock,” said the king’s daughter.
But when they went on up the hills were more level,
so that they had a broader outlook. “Do you see
something now?” asked the bull. “Yes, I see a
small castle, far, far in the distance,” said the princess.
“And yet it is not so small,” said the bull.
At length they came to a great mountain with a
steep, rocky face. “Do you see something now?”
asked the bull. “Yes, now I see the castle close by,
and it is much, much larger,” said the king’s daughter.
“That is where you must go!” said the bull.
“Just below the castle is a pig-sty, and if you go
into it you will find a wooden coat. You must put<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</SPAN></span>
it on, and go with it into the castle, and say your
name is Kari Woodencoat, and ask for a place. But
now take your little knife and cut off my head; then
draw off my skin, roll it up and lay it at the foot
of the rock. But in it you must place the copper
leaf, and the silver leaf, and the golden apple. Outside,
against the hill, is a stick, and if you want
anything of me, all you need do is to knock at the
mountain-side.” At first the princess could not at
all make up her mind to do this; but when the bull
told her that this was the only reward he wanted
for all the good he had done her, she could not refuse.
It made her heart ache, yet in spite of it, she
took her knife and cut until she had cut off the head
of the great beast, and had drawn off his skin, and
then she laid the latter at the foot of the rock, and
in it she placed the copper leaf, and the silver leaf,
and the golden apple.</p>
<p>When she had done this she went to the pig-sty,
but she wept a great deal and felt sad. Then she
put on the wooden coat, and went to the king’s
castle in it. She asked for a place in the kitchen,
and said her name was Kari Woodencoat. Yes,
said the cook, she might have a place if she cared to
wash up, for the girl who had formerly attended to
it had run away. “And after you have been here
a while, no doubt you will have enough of it, and run
away from us, too,” said he. No, indeed, she would
not do so.</p>
<p>She was most industrious at her washing up. On
Sunday they expected company at the king’s castle;<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</SPAN></span>
and Kari asked permission to take up water to wash
in to the prince. But the others laughed at her and
cried; “What do you want to do there? Do you
think the prince will have anything to do with you,
homely as you are?” But she kept on asking, and
at length received permission.</p>
<p>And then, as she ran up the stairs, her wooden
coat clattered so loudly that the prince came out
and asked: “And who are you?” “I came to bring
you water to wash in,” said Kari. “Do you think
I want the water you are bringing me?” cried the
prince, and poured the water out over her head.
So she had to go off; but she asked permission to
go to church. And she received permission, for the
church was close by. But first she went to the rock
and knocked at it with a stick, as the bull had told
her. And a man came out at once and asked what
she wanted. The king’s daughter said that she had
permission to go to church and hear the sermon, but
that she had no dress to wear. Then the man gave
her a dress that shone like the copper forest, and a
horse and a saddle as well. When she came to
church she looked so beautiful that all the people
wondered who she might be, and none of them listened
to the sermon, because they were all looking
at her. She even pleased the prince so much that
he could not keep from looking at her.</p>
<p>When she left the church, the prince came after
her, and closed the church door behind her, and kept
one of the gloves she wore in his hand. And then
when she wanted to mount her horse, the prince came<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</SPAN></span>
again, and asked her where she came from. “From
Washwaterland!” said Kari, and while the prince
pulled out the glove and wanted to give it to her,
she said:</p>
<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0a">“Be there light before me, and darkness behind,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">That the place I ride to the prince may not find!”<br/></span></div>
</div></div>
<p>The prince had never yet seen such a handsome
glove, and he traveled far, looking for the native
land of the noble lady who had abandoned her glove,
but no one could tell him where it might be.</p>
<p>The following Sunday some one had to go up to
the prince, and bring him a towel. “Cannot I go
up?” begged Kari. “Is that all you want?” said the
rest in the kitchen. “You saw yourself what happened
to you the last time!” But Kari kept on
asking, and finally she received permission, after
all, and ran up the stairs so that her wooden coat
fairly clattered. The prince at once thrust his head
out of the door, and when he saw that it was Kari,
he tore the towel out of her hand and flung it at her
head. “Off with you, you horrid creature!” cried
he. “Do you think I want a towel that you have
touched with your dirty fingers?”</p>
<p>After that the prince went to church, and Kari
also begged permission to go. The people asked her
why she wanted to go to church, since she had nothing
to wear but her ugly, black wooden coat. But
Kari said the pastor preached so beautifully that
she loved to listen to him, and finally they allowed<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</SPAN></span>
her to go. She went to the wall of rock and knocked,
and the man came out and gave her a dress that was
far handsomer than the first; it was embroidered
all over with silver, and gleamed like the silver forest;
and she also received a splendid horse, with
housings embroidered with silver, and a silver bridle.
When the king’s daughter came to the church, the
people were still standing before the church door.
In their astonishment they all asked each other who
she might be, and the prince came running up at
once, and wanted to hold her horse while she dismounted.
But she jumped right down, and said it
would not be necessary, since the horse was so tame
that it would stand still when she commanded, and
come to her if she wished. Then every one went
into the church. But hardly any one paid any attention
to the sermon; for they were all looking at
Kari, and the prince fell deeper in love with her
than he had the first time. When the sermon was
over, and she left the church and was about to mount
her horse, the prince again came, and asked where
she came from. “From Towelland!” said she, and
let fall her riding-whip. And when the prince
stooped to pick it up, she said:</p>
<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0a">“Be there light before me, and darkness behind,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">That the place I ride to the prince may not find!”<br/></span></div>
</div></div>
<p>Off she was, and the prince did not know what had
become of her. He wandered about in the world,
far and wide, looking for her native land. But no<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</SPAN></span>
one could tell him where it might be, and with that
the prince finally had to content himself.</p>
<p>The following Sunday some one was to go up to
the prince, and bring him a comb. Kari begged that
they would let her go, but the others reminded her
of what had happened the last time, and scolded her
for showing herself to the prince, ugly and black
as she was, and in her wooden coat. But she kept
on asking, and finally they let her go with the comb.
When she once more came clattering up the stairs,
the prince thrust his head out of the door, tore the
comb from her hand, and shouted at her to be off.
Then the prince went to church, and Kari wanted to
go as well. The rest again asked her why she wanted
to go to church, black and ugly as she was, since she
did not even have clothes fit to appear in before
other people. The prince, or some one else might
happen to see her, and that would mean unhappiness
for herself and others. But Kari said that the
people would have other things to look at besides
herself, and finally they let her go.</p>
<p>Then everything happened exactly as on the other
two occasions. She went to the wall of rock, and
knocked with the stick, and then the man came out,
and gave her a dress that was far more beautiful
than both of the others. It was all pure gold and diamonds,
and she also received a beautiful horse, with
housings embroidered with gold, and a golden bridle.</p>
<p>When the king’s daughter came to the church, the
pastor and all the congregation were still standing
before the church door, waiting for her. The prince<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</SPAN></span>
came running up at once, and wanted to hold her
horse, but she jumped down and said: “No, thanks,
it is not necessary, for my horse is so tame that he
will remain standing when I tell him to do so.” So
they all went into the church, and the pastor mounted
the pulpit. But not a soul listened to the sermon,
because all the people were looking at the princess,
and wondering where she came from, and the prince
fell still more deeply in love than he had on the two
other occasions. He paid no attention to anything,
and looked only at her.</p>
<p>When the sermon was over, and the king’s daughter
left the church, the prince had poured tar on the
floor of the vestibule, so that he might have a chance
to help the king’s daughter across. But she paid
no attention to it, stepped right into the middle of
the tar, and leaped over. But one of her golden
shoes stuck fast, and when she had mounted her
horse, the prince came running out of the church
and asked her whence she came. “From Combland!”
she answered. But when the prince wanted
to hand her the golden shoe, she said:</p>
<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0a">“Be there light before me, and darkness behind,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">That the place I ride to the prince may not find!”<br/></span></div>
</div></div>
<p>And again the prince did not know where she had
gone, and he wandered about the world a long time,
looking for Combland; but since no one could tell
him where it might be, he let it be known that he
would marry the girl whose foot the golden shoe<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</SPAN></span>
fitted. Then the handsome and the homely came
scurrying up from the ends of the earth; but none
of them had a foot so small that they could put on
the golden shoe. At last Kari’s evil stepmother
and her daughter also came, and the shoe fitted the
latter. But she was very homely, and looked so unsatisfactory
that the prince kept his promise most
unwillingly. Notwithstanding, preparations were
made for the wedding, and she was adorned with
her bridal finery, but when they rode to church, a
little bird sat in a tree and sang:</p>
<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0a">“A bit of the heel,<br/></span>
<span class="i2">And a bit of the toe,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Kari Woodencoat’s shoe<br/></span>
<span class="i2">Is filled with blood, I know!”<br/></span></div>
</div></div>
<p>And when they looked, the bird had told the truth,
for blood was dripping from the shoe. Then all the
maids and all the women who were at the castle had
to try on the shoe, but it would fit none of them.
“But where is Kari Woodencoat?” asked the prince,
for he had understood the song of the bird, and
remembered it well. “O she!” said the others. “It
is not worth while having her come, for she has feet
like a horse.” “Be that as it may,” said the prince.
“But all the rest have tried it on, so she shall try
it on as well. Kari!” he called out through the
door, and Kari came clattering up the stairs so that
everything shook, just as though a whole regiment
of dragoons had arrived. “Now you shall try on<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</SPAN></span>
the golden shoe, and be a princess!” said the others,
and made fun of her. But Kari took the shoe, put
her foot into it without a bit of trouble, cast off her
wooden coat, and stood there in her golden dress, so
that she was all a-sparkle, and on her other foot she
had the golden shoe’s mate. The prince recognized
her at once, put his arm around her, and kissed her.
And she told him that she was a king’s daughter,
which made him still more happy, and then they celebrated
their wedding.</p>
<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0a">“Spin, span, spun,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Now our tale is done!”<br/></span></div>
</div></div>
<div class="blockquot">
<p class="center">NOTE</p>
<p>“Kari Woodencoat” (Asbjörnsen and Moe, N.F.E., p. 79, No. 19)
proves how arbitrarily the motives of a fairy-tale are sometimes
handled. The blue bull helps the maiden out of her difficulties, and
we expect that he will turn out to be a handsome prince, or a
guardian spirit sent by the deceased mother. Instead of which he
disappears from the story with hardly a trace, and Kari marries
a foreign prince. The last part of the tale has an independent
existence in a Russian fairy-story, “The Czar’s Daughter in the Underground
Kingdom.”</p>
</div>
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