Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/196

188 ing, for instance (p. 149), contains the germs of several features of Grimm's well-known story, "Von dem Fischer un syner Fru."

A certain ascetic was very God-fearing, and walked according to all His commandments. And everything he asked of God, He granted him. As he was walking one day along the bank of a river, he saw a young hawk flying upwards with a mouse hanging from his foot. And the mouse fell from it to the ground. The ascetic took it up and wrapped it in a leaf and took it home, and asked God to change it and make it into a girl. And God heard the voice of his supplication, and changed His creature and made it into a female of beautiful appearance and handsome figure. Then said the ascetic to his wife: This is my daughter and the beloved of my soul; so care for her to the best of your ability, and everything that you do for your own daughter, do for this one." The woman did as her partner bade her. When the girl was grown up and came to years, the ascetic said: "I must deal kindly with this my daughter, according as generous fathers do with their children; so I will seek her a suitable partner, who will supply her deficiencies, protect her purity, and preserve her good character from the pollution of evil suspicions. For it has been said, and well said—'Good fortune has he who does not leave his daughter in the house when the manner of women comes upon her, but gives her to a husband. Then he said to his daughter: "You have reached the age for marrying, for you ought to have a husband. Tell me now, whom do you wish to be your husband?" She replied: "I desire a mighty man, whom defeat shall never overtake, intelligent and unaffected by foolishness, a man who will not succumb to an enemy, a lamp the oil of whose brightness is never lacking." He said to her: "Perhaps you desire the sun?" She answered, "Yes." Whereupon the ascetic drew near to the sun, saying: "This my daughter is of beautiful appearance, and a handsome figure. Let her be your wife." The sun answered: "I will direct you to some one who is mightier than I, namely, one who can hide my light by means of his thunders. (?)" He said to him: "Who is he?" The sun answered: "He is the cloud." So the ascetic drew near to the cloud and said to him according to what he had said to the sun. The cloud answered: "There is one who is mightier than I, namely, he who can carry me whithersoever he pleases." He said