More English Fairy Tales, part 12 · page 21 2101The wise woman nodded her head.102"That's right," says she, "and thou 'st got thy pottle o' brains already."103"Where be they?" says he, looking about and feeling in his pockets.104"In thy wife's head," says she. "105The only cure for a fool is a good wife to look after him, and that thou 'st got, so gode'en to thee!"106And with that she nodded to them, and up and into the house.107So they went home together, and he never wanted to buy a pottle o' brains again, for his wife had enough for both.108The King of England and His Three Sons109Once upon a time there was an old king who had three sons; and the old king fell very sick one time and there was nothing at all could make him well but some golden apples from a far country.110So the three brothers went on horseback to look for some of these apples.111They set off together, and when they came to cross-roads they halted and refreshed themselves a bit; and then they agreed to meet on a certain time, and not one was to go home before the other.112So Valentine took the right, and Oliver went straight on, and poor Jack took the left.113To make my long story short, I shall follow poor Jack, and let the other two take their chance, for I don't think there was much good in them.114Off poor Jack rides over hills, dales, valleys, and mountains, through woolly woods and sheepwalks, where the old chap never sounded his hollow bugle-horn, farther than I can tell you to-night or ever intend to tell you.115At last he came to an old house, near a great forest, and there was an old man sitting out by the door, and his look was enough to frighten you or any one else; and the old man said to him:116"Good morning, my king's son."117"Good morning to you, old gentleman," was the young prince's answer; frightened out of his wits though he was, he didn't like to give in.118The old gentleman told him to dismount and to go in to have some refreshment, and to put his horse in the stable, such as it was.119Jack soon felt much better after having something to eat, and began to ask the old gentleman how he knew he was a king's son.120"Oh dear!" said the old man, "I knew that you were a king's son, and I know what is your business better than what you do yourself.121So you will have to stay here to-night; and when you are in bed you mustn't be frightened whatever you may hear.122There will come all manner of frogs and snakes, and some will try to get into your eyes and your mouth, but mind, don't stir the least bit or you will turn into one of those things yourself."123Poor Jack didn't know what to make of this, but, however, he ventured to go to bed.124Just as he thought to have a bit of sleep, round and over and under him they came, but he never stirred an inch all night.125"Well, my young son, how are you this morning?"126"Oh, I am very well, thank you, but I didn't have much rest."127"Well, never mind that; you have got on very well so far, but you have a great deal to go through before you can have the golden apples to go to your father.128You'd better come and have some breakfast before you start on your way to my other brother's house.129You will have to leave your own horse here with me until you come back again, and tell me everything about how you get on."130After that out came a fresh horse for the young prince, and the old man gave him a ball of yarn, and he flung it between the horse's two ears.131Off he went as fast as the wind, which the wind behind could not catch the wind before, until he came to the second oldest brother's house.132When he rode up to the door he had the same salute as from the first old man, but this one was even uglier than the first one.133He had long grey hair, and his teeth were curling out of his mouth, and his finger- and toe-nails had not been cut for many thousand years.134He put the horse into a much better stable, and called Jack in, and gave him plenty to eat and drink, and they had a bit of a chat before they went to bed.135"Well, my young son," said the old man, "I suppose you are one of the king's children come to look for the golden apples to bring him back to health."136"Yes, I am the youngest of the three brothers, and I should like to get them to go back with."137"Well, don't mind, my young son.138Before you go to bed to-night I will send to my eldest brother, and will tell him what you want, and he won't have much trouble in sending you on to the place where you must get the apples.139But mind not to stir to-night no matter how you get bitten and stung, or else you will work great mischief to yourself."140The young man went to bed and bore all, as he did the first night, and got up the next morning well and hearty.141After a good breakfast out comes a fresh horse, and a ball of yarn to throw between his ears.142The old man told him to jump up quick, and said that he had made it all right with his eldest brother, not to delay for anything whatever, "For," said he, "you have a good deal to go through with in a very short and quick time."143He flung the ball, and off he goes as quick as lightning, and comes to the eldest brother's house.144The old man receives him very kindly and told him he long wished to see him, and that he would go through his work like a man and come back safe and sound. "145To-night," said he, "I will give you rest; there shall nothing come to disturb you, so that you may not feel sleepy for to-morrow.146And you must mind to get up middling early, for you've got to go and come all in the same day; there will be no place for you to rest within thousands of miles of that place; and if there was, you would stand in great danger never to come from there in your own form.147Now, my young prince, mind what I tell you.148To-morrow, when you come in sight of a very large castle, which will be surrounded with black water, the first thing you will do you will tie your horse to a tree, and you will see three beautiful swans in sight, and you will say, 'Swan, swan, carry me over in the name of the Griffin of the Greenwood,' and the swans will swim you over to the earth.149There will be three great entrances, the first guarded by four great giants with drawn swords in their hands, the second by lions, the other by fiery serpents and dragons.150You will have to be there exactly at one o'clock; and mind and leave there precisely at two and not a moment later.151When the swans carry you over to the castle, you will pass all these things, all fast asleep, but you must not notice any of them.1 2← previousMore English Fairy Tales, part 11next →More English Fairy Tales, part 13↑ back to More English Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg14241/26/page/2/