The Brown Fairy Book, part 22 · page 21 2101And a negro appeared, and inquired what she wanted.102“The head, your master, bids you find forty slaves of unequalled beauty, and of the same height, and place them in the sultan’s palace on the other side of the garden.”103And when, on the morning of the fortieth day, the sultan went to the blue palace, and was received by the forty slaves, he nearly lost his wits from surprise.104“I will assuredly give my daughter to the old woman’s son,” thought he.105“If I were to search all the world through I could never find a more powerful son-in-law.”106And when the old woman entered his presence he informed her that he was ready to fulfil his promise, and she was to bid her son appear at the palace without delay.107This command did not at all please the old woman, though, of course, she made no objections to the sultan.108“All has gone well so far,” she grumbled, when she told her story to the head,” but what do you suppose the sultan will say, when he sees his daughter’s husband?”109“Never mind what he says!110Put me on a silver dish and carry me to the palace.”111So it was done, though the old woman’s heart beat as she laid down the dish with the head upon it.112At the sight before him the king flew into a violent rage.113“I will never marry my daughter to such a monster,” he cried.114But the princess placed her head gently on his arm.115“You have given your word, my father, and you cannot break it,” said she.116“But, my child, it is impossible for you to marry such a being,” exclaimed the sultan.117“Yes, I will marry him.118He had a beautiful head, and I love him already.”119So the marriage was celebrated, and great feasts were held in the palace, though the people wept tears to think of the sad fate of their beloved princess.120But when the merry-making was done, and the young couple were alone, the head suddenly disappeared, or, rather, a body was added to it, and one of the handsomest young men that ever was seen stood before the princess.121“A wicked fairy enchanted me at my birth,” he said, “and for the rest of the world I must always be a head only.122But for you, and you only, I am a man like other men.”123“And that is all I care about,” said the princess.124[Traditions populaires de toutes les nations (Asie Mineure)].125The Sister of the Sun126A long time ago there lived a young prince whose favourite playfellow was the son of the gardener who lived in the grounds of the palace.127The king would have preferred his choosing a friend from the pages who were brought up at court; but the prince would have nothing to say to them, and as he was a spoilt child, and allowed his way in all things, and the gardener’s boy was quiet and well-behaved, he was suffered to be in the palace, morning, noon, and night.128The game the children loved the best was a match at archery, for the king had given them two bows exactly alike, and they would spend whole days in trying to see which could shoot the highest.129This is always very dangerous, and it was a great wonder they did not put their eyes out; but somehow or other they managed to escape.130One morning, when the prince had done his lessons, he ran out to call his friend, and they both hurried off to the lawn which was their usual playground.131They took their bows out of the little hut where their toys were kept, and began to see which could shoot the highest.132At last they happened to let fly their arrows both together, and when they fell to earth again the tail feather of a golden hen was found sticking in one.133Now the question began to arise whose was the lucky arrow, for they were both alike, and look as closely as you would you could see no difference between them.134The prince declared that the arrow was his, and the gardener’s boy was quite sure it was HIS—and on this occasion he was perfectly right; but, as they could not decide the matter, they went straight to the king.135When the king had heard the story, he decided that the feather belonged to his son; but the other boy would not listen to this and claimed the feather for himself.136At length the king’s patience gave way, and he said angrily:137“Very well; if you are so sure that the feather is yours, yours it shall be; only you will have to seek till you find a golden hen with a feather missing from her tail.138And if you fail to find her your head will be the forfeit.”139The boy had need of all his courage to listen silently to the king’s words.140He had no idea where the golden hen might be, or even, if he discovered that, how he was to get to her.141But there was nothing for it but to do the king’s bidding, and he felt that the sooner he left the palace the better.142So he went home and put some food into a bag, and then set forth, hoping that some accident might show him which path to take.143After walking for several hours he met a fox, who seemed inclined to be friendly, and the boy was so glad to have anyone to talk to that he sat down and entered into conversation.144“Where are you going?” asked the fox.145“I have got to find a golden hen who has lost a feather out of her tail,” answered the boy; “but I don’t know where she lives or how I shall catch her!”1 2← previousThe Brown Fairy Book, part 21next →The Brown Fairy Book, part 23↑ back to The Brown Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3282/22/page/2/