Page:Segnius Irritant or Eight Primitive Folk-lore Stories.pdf/62

 The following day the seer, together with the servant, set off on a journey. The journey was long, and led them far, for they had already past the sixth region and had to go yet further, until, in the seventh kingdom, they halted at the royal palace. In this seventh kingdom three own brothers ruled, having three own sjsters as their wives, whose mother was a witch. When they had halted before the palace, the seer says to the servant: Now, listen, stay thou here and I will go in to spy out whether the kings are at home, for with them is the Sun-horse, and the youngest king is wont to ride it.” So saying, he transformed himself into a green bird, and, flying off to the window of the eldest queen, fluttered about it so long and so kept pecking at it, until at last she opened it and let him into her apartment. And when she had let him in, he sat upon her white hand, and the queen was as delighted with him as if she had been a little child. “Ach! little rascal! i’ faith! thou art a darling,” she kept repeating as she sported with him; “if my husband were at home, thou hadst delighted him, too; but he comes not save in the evening, he has gone away to inspect a third part of his district.”

All at once the old witch dashed into the apartment, and glancing at the bird shrieked to the girl: “Seize that accursed bird, or else it will dirty thee.” “Ach! how could it dirty me when it is such a darling, such a harmless little thing?” replied the girl; and the witch: “A harmless darling? piece of nastiness! here with it, that I may wring its neck;” and now she rushed after it. But the bird quickly turned itself into a man, and away out of the door; they did not the least know what had become of him.

After this, he again turned himself into a green bird, and flew off to the window of the second sister, and pecked and pecked at it until at last she opened it for him. And when she had let him in he flew on to her white hand and fluttered backwards and forwards from hand to hand. “Ah! little wretch, what a darling thou art!” exclaimed the queen smilingly; “faith, thou hadst delighted my spouse when he left home; but he cometh not until to-morrow evening, he has gone to inspect two-third parts of his kingdom.”

At this moment the witch dashed wildly into the apartment. “Wring its neck! wring its neck! the accursed bird, or it will dirty thee still!” she shrieked the moment she caught sight of it. “Ach! how should it dirty me? why, it’s such a harmless, such a darling little thing!” replied the girl; and the witch: “A harmless darling piece of nastiness; here with it, let me wring its neck,” and she was