Once upon a time, across seven countries, across the Peruvian Sea, beyond a lame arras, where the flea was beaten into a brass horseshoe to keep it from stumbling into every crease, there was a servant girl. When he had served three years or so, he went home to his father, and said:
- I no longer serve, father, I have eaten enough of another man's bread. I have a hundred pence, I'll do something with it.
- All right, son, get started, but make sure you finish well.
The poor man said no more, and said it slowly. Neither did the lad, but hung his pack around his neck and went into town. He thought he would buy something for that hundred pence. He went down the street, peeped into every shop, looked at everything from front to back, but nothing appealed to him. Everything they put in front of him, he said: this is not worth a hundred pence, this is not worth a hundred pence, this is not worth a hundred pence.
- Well, who needs a hundred-penny port? - Here, here, this silver cup is worth two hundred pence between brothers, but I'll give it to Kend for a hundred pence.
- "Well, if you'll give it to me, I'll buy it," said the lad, and counted out the hundred pence to a penny. He put the glass in his bag and didn't stop till he got home.
- Well, son, are you buying anything?
- I did, and I bought a silver cup. Look at it, it's got a slab!
- "Oh, you colontos (foolish, half-witted - editor), you!" cried the poor man, "how can you give me a hundred pence for this! If I had the money, I'd cut it out! Well, that's why you must have toiled for three bitter years.
- "Well, my lord, don't be at peace," said the lad. "Who knows what use I may be to you?
He took the glass, put it down in the middle of the table, then opened the lid to see if there was anything in it. Where it was, another silver cup popped out. It was coloured silver, like the first. They could hardly even look at it, the third glass popped out, then the third, then the fourth, then the fifth, the sixth, the seventh!
- See, thou snake, that this glass is worth a hundred pence forints.
As he said it, a nasty little frog escaped from the seventh glass and sat down in the middle of the table in a big, bouncy way. But their eyes were stopped when the frog suddenly made a sound:
- Brekekeke, give me something to eat, because I am hungry and thirsty!
They were so frightened of him that they gave him food and drink all at once.
And as he ate and drank, the frog grew and grew. In the blink of an eye, it had grown so big that it could barely fit on the table.
- Brekeke, give me more food, or I'll eat you! - said the frog again.
- Well, well, well, well, well, you've done a good trade fair! - said the poor man, and went out into the chamber to fold up what food there was.
There was also a little grease, a pimp* bread, and brought it in, and laid it before the frog.
- 'What we have is here,' said the poor man, 'we have nothing else in the world, you wondering frog.
He ate the grease, the bread with the mould in the blink of an eye. It didn't even touch its devilish toad.
Then he just flopped down on the floor of the room, climbed out the door, back into the barn, lay down and fell asleep. But even then it was as big as an oven. When he woke up, he came and called out of the window:
- God bless you all, I'm leaving, because I see that you are poorer than the church mouse!
Well, he's gone. There was a big round lake at the end of the village, and he slid into it, but so much water spilled out that the village was swept away by the flood.
The poor man was sad, and even his son, because the frog had eaten everything.
- 'Now you can go back to your silver cup and go back to your duties,' the poor man said.
Not even waiting for the sun to set, he set off into the slave-poor world. He put his seven silver cups in a taris bag and went against seven and seven countries. For seven days and seven nights he did not stop, and on the eighth day at dawn he arrived in the king's city. He thought he would go into the king's court and see if he would be received. He went into the court, and the king was standing on the porch, smoking a pipe. The lad greeted him in a polite manner, and the king received him. And he asks him:
- What good are you up to, son?
- I would certainly seek service, my majesty.
- Well, you've come to the right place, because I've just caught my first car driver.
At once they made a bargain, shook hands, and drank the drink.
Time has passed. A year has passed, two, three. The king grew to love the poor lad as if he were his own sweet son. But let it be said, the king had no wife, no son, no one. He had travelled the world, but had found no wife to his liking. And the king was sad, and sorrowed much for this, and could not sleep at night, when he thought of whom his fair kingdom should be left. The poor lad saw this, and once he took courage and asked:
- My sovereign king, if I do not offend his great person, he must have great sorrow, for he is always sighing.
- "Well, if you dare to speak to me, my son," said the king, "comfort me, or I'll have your head on a stake! Open your ears, lad! I have been through the world and through the country, but I have not found a wife for myself. I have heard of one, but I have never seen her. This is the daughter of the fairy king, Ilona. Thou shalt go forth to-day, and bring me that daughter, and without her thou shalt not return.
Alas, the poor lad was sad, and then great sorrow and grief arose. How could such a fool of the world address the king!
But he could say goodbye, he had to go, whether he wanted to or not. He mounted his best steed, and was well fed with bread, cabbage, silver and gold, and, hello, world! he set off after his nose.
The poor lad went, he went, through hills and valleys, through woods and fields, sometimes in front, sometimes behind, sometimes straight, sometimes curved. As he would pass through a dense thicket, he hears a dog howling bitterly, cooing (barking furiously - ed.). He walks towards the pull, and there, loitering, tormented, is a yellow hound, clutching at his hind legs. He looks at the poor animal and wonders what is wrong with it. Well, it has a thorn in its leg as big as a cephalopod's knife. All at once the hound starts to speak:
- Thou lad, pull the thorn out of my foot, and I'll serve thee.
- "I'll pull it out, poor animal, if you don't serve it," said the lad, and suddenly he pulled out the thorn.
- Well, lad, expect good instead of bad. Pull three hairs out of my back, put them away well, and if you get into trouble, just shake him, I'll be there for you, even if you're at the end of the world.
The lad thought, "Tadpole hair, dog hair, if it doesn't do any good, it can't hurt" - he pulled out three strands and put them in his pouch.
The poor lad went on, up hill and down hill, seven days and seven nights he went, going north, south, east, west, and asked whom he met, where Fairyland was, but no one could tell him.
He walked, he walked with great sadness, and at length he came to the bank of a great river. He thought he would go along it, and see if he could get to Fairyland. As he went along, he saw a great pike in a thorn bush, but he could not get out of the boughs.
He addresses the poor lad:
- Help me, and I'll serve you!
- "I don't expect anything from you," said the lad, "but I'll get you out.
He took the fish out of the thorn bush and released it into the water. But the fish jumped back to shore and gave the lad three fish coins.
- Take these three fish coins, and if you get in trouble somewhere, just give me a shout and I'll be there to help you.
- "All right," said the lad, "if it won't do any good, it won't do any harm," and he put away the fish money. Then he went on, mournfully, east, west, south, north, up hill and down slope, but no soul could tell him where Fairyland was.
- 'Well,' he said to himself, 'I won't find it for another two days.
But he kept going, encouraging his horse:
- Forward, forward, my sweet horse!
Well, as they were passing through a dense thicket, he saw two wild pigeons perched heavily on a beech tree, humming and cooing so bitterly that his heart sank. He looked to see what was the matter with the pigeons, and their feet and wings were stuck in cat's honey.
All at once he stopped his horse, climbed up the tree, and freed the pigeons.
- 'Well, lad,' said one of the pigeons, 'you're saving our lives, so expect good instead of bad.
They both gave me three or three feathers from their wings and said:
- Then put that away, and if you get in trouble, just shake it, and we'll be there in a minute.
- 'Very well,' said the lad, 'I'll put your pens away, but what can you do for me? I am in great trouble, and you cannot help me.
- If you're in trouble, let us know and we'll help you.
The lad was sad, but he couldn't help laughing at the pigeons' talk.
- All right, tell me, where is Fairyland?
But now the pigeons were laughing.
- "We're just over there," said the pigeons, "Get on your horse and follow us everywhere!
Oh, was he glad, how glad he was! He mounted his horse and galloped after the pigeons faster than the wind.
All at once the pigeons settled down, fluttered about the lad, and all said:
- Fairyland is here, here, here, here!
But the lad was speechless. This was a different country from any he had ever seen. There were golden blossoms in the meadows, golden-haired horses grazing wherever he could see, golden apples and pears and plums and all kinds of precious fruit on the trees, and all around him, every mountain he saw was a diamond mountain, but so bright that his eyes were dazzled to look at it.
- "Well, this is indeed fairyland," said the lad.
- So where do we go now? - asked the pigeons.
- Now to the palace of Fairy Ilona," said the lad. The pigeons flew, the lad galloped after them faster than the wind, and suddenly his horse stopped, and he was so cold that he almost turned over. I believe it: they stood before the palace of the Fairy Ilona, and the bright glow of it made the horse shiver.
It was like the king's palace at home, but then it was like no other in the whole world. It had only seven storeys, and on each floor a thousand windows of gold-gilt glass. The palace was as big as a city, and yet (I saw it as I do today) it turned on its heel. But how it turned, O Lord God, without a mind!
- 'Well, here they will come,' said the lad, 'but never, while the world lasts, shall I enter the palace.
- "Don't be sad," said one of the pigeons, "just take a feather and tell the rooster to stop, the palace will stop, you'll see.
He didn't need to be told twice, he pulled out a feather, walked on all fours to the palace, winked at the cock's heel, and - well, well, well! - the palace gave a great shove, and the palace gave a great shake, and stood still as a commandment.
As soon as the palace stopped, a beautiful fairy lady ran out with great enthusiasm, turned around, looked everywhere, and suddenly saw the poor lad.
He runs up to him and asks:
- Who and what are you, how did you get here?
The lad says, appropriately:
- I am indeed, serene fairy-royal lady, the White King's bachelor, and I have come to take you away.
- "I have heard the news of the White King," said Fairy Ilona, "and I know that he will marry no one but me. But you come here in vain, poor lad, for I have lost my ring of mate while bathing, and until I have it, I cannot marry.
Hey, the lad was sad, his ears and moustache drooping. Where should he look for that ring!
Fairy Ilona explained to him that there was a lake not far from the palace, where he had lost the ring, and that he could look for it there if he wished.
The lad went straight to the shore of the lake. He wonders, he says goodbye, he gets ready, he gets ready, but as he gets ready, he remembers the pike, to see if he can help him. He shakes the three fish coins and, lo and behold, there was the pike. He asks the lad:
- Well, my sweet master, what's wrong?
Says the lad, what's wrong.
- It is a great pity, but do not grieve, for I like to think I have heard that a frog has got that ring in his belly. I'll fetch that frog from the bottom of the Peruvian Sea.
Then suddenly the pike disappeared, and the lad waited, waited on the shore of the lake, wondering what would happen.
But believe it or not, it didn't take half an hour for the pike to come, and with it a frog as big as a house.
- "No, you, no!" the lad cried, "it is my form of frog!
But it was. But even the frog knew the lad, and he said:
- No, you, no, this is my former master!
- 'Oh, my sweet toad,' said the lad, 'if you have the ring of the Fairy Ilona, give it back! If I can, I will repay you!
- 'I would, my son,' said the frog, 'that it were in my belly; but, God, Jesus Christ help me, I know not whether it be there or not. Well, we'll soon find out.
Then he landed on the shore of the lake and started to vomit. Suddenly, a shiny diamond ring popped out of his mouth. The lad runs to pick it up, but the minute he does, a rabbit jumps out, grabs the ring, and - "Go on, get lost! - He runs with it through the ditch and through the bush.
The lad is frightened, and wants to run after the rabbit, but he remembers that it's no use running after the rabbit, he'd better call the hound. He shakes the three strands of hair, and suddenly the hound comes running.
- What can I do for you, sweet master?
- I order you to catch that rabbit. Where he runs, there, with a diamond ring.
Before he had said a word, the hound ran like the wind, and in a moment caught the rabbit, and brought him to the ground, so that the diamond ring fell from his mouth. Then he picked it up and carried it to the lad.
So the poor lad went to the palace rejoicing, and from afar he showed the ring to Fairy Ilona. That was his first word:
- But you're coming with me now, fairy princess!
Ilona Fairy said:
- Even now I cannot go, poor lad, until you bring me a pint or two of the water of life and death.
The lad mourned, then raised a great sadness and sorrow.
- "I don't even know where the source is," said the lad.
- You'll find out if you look for it. Here, I'll give you two pots of gold, go where your eyes can see.
The lad went out of the palace, walked, paced, and staggered to and fro, but found no soul to ask where the fountain of life and death was. He thinks to himself, he'll call the pigeons to see if they know. He took the feathers out of his bag, shook them, and suddenly the pigeons flew out in front of him.
- What is the matter with you, sweet master? - asked one of the pigeons. - I see you are very sad.
- How can I not be sad when Ilona the Fairy wishes me to bring her a pint each of the waters of life and death.
- Well, if you wish, just give us the two pints, we'll bring you one! But be careful, we'll tell you beforehand, for if even one drop (the last drop - ed.) of the water of death falls on you, you are the son of death.
Then the doves flew far, far away, to the top of a diamond mountain. There the fountain of life and death bubbled side by side. They dipped both jars, stuck them in the well, and flew back to the lad.
The lad ran up to the palace, carrying the water of life and death. But the fairy Ilona was amazed! No, she never thought she'd get her wish.
- Well, if you didn't think so, you're coming with me now, Fairy Ilona!
- "I'll go with you," said Ilona the Fairy, "I just want to tidy up my palace. Come out into the middle of the courtyard!
As they went out into the courtyard, Fairy Ilona took her golden brush, and whisked the palace from here and there, from all sides, and the palace just kept moving closer and closer, and all at once it rolled on the ground like a ball.
- Here, poor lad, put it in your bag!
He put it in the bag, and then they picked out two golden-haired steeds from the herd, the best, mounted them, and - chop-chop! I'll be where I want to be - they flew like the wind, faster than the wind, faster even than the thought of the wind. They started in the morning, and by noon they were in the White King's court.
The king rejoiced, he could not find his place in his great joy. He summoned a priest to marry him to Ilona the Fairy. But while the priest was away, they sat at table, ate and drank and talked. The two golden pitchers were placed on the table, and Ilona the Fairy found a way to take them in her hand, so that a drop of it fell on the poor lad.
In that minute the poor lad died a horrible death.
Now, there was fright, sadness. The king was tearing his hair in sorrow. He was sorry from the bottom of his heart for his dear, dear servant.
Says Ilona Fairy:
- Well, if he is so sorry for you, let him not be sorry, for I am about to raise him up.
He took the other jug, the one with the water of life in it, and splashed it on him, and suddenly the lad woke up, and was much more beautiful and younger than before.
The king sees this, and thinks, "It would be good for me to be a little younger," and he takes the pitcher and pours over himself every drop of water in it. And if he poured it on himself, he died a horrible death, for he spilled the water of death. And in the other pitcher, not a drop was too much, for Fairy Ilona poured it all out on the poor lad.
- Well, it's dying!" said Ilona the Fairy.
- "That's what it is," said the poor lad.
What should they do? If he's dead, they bury him. They buried him with a big parade. And the poor lad was elected king right after the funeral. There was no other man in the whole country fit to be king. And Fairy Ilona said:
- Do you hear, I left my country for your sake anyway, you are mine, I am yours, shovel, hoe and big bell shall separate us.
The lad said he didn't mind. The golden ball was rolled out into the middle of the courtyard, and there Fairy Ilona whipped it with the golden rod, and for a minute or two, a palace was built there that the whole world came to marvel at.
Well, those who came here didn't regret it, because the wedding lasted seven weeks. Plates and plates were enough, food and drink were scarce, those who brought could eat, those who didn't could leave, and suddenly the young couple also started to move, settled in a nutshell, descended the Tisza...
Tomorrow they will be your guests!
(Elek Benedek: Hungarian tale- and mythology Volume 1)
