LONG, BROAD, AND SHARPSIGHT

There was a king, who was already old, and had but one son.  Once upon a time he called this son to him and said to him:  “My dear son! you know that old fruit falls to make room for other fruit.  My head is already ripening, and maybe the sun will soon no longer shine upon it; but before you bury me, I should like to see your wife, my future daughter.  My son, marry!” The prince said:  “I would gladly, father, do as you wish; but I have no bride, and don’t know any.”  The old king put his hand into his pocket, took out a golden key and showed it to his son, with the words, “go up into the tower, to the top story, look round there, and then tell me which you fancy.”  The prince went without delay.  Nobody within the memory of man had been up there or had ever heard what was up there.

When he got up to the last story, he saw in the ceiling a little iron door like a trap-door.  It was closed.  He opened it with the golden key, lifted it, and went up above it.  There was a large circular room.  The ceiling was blue like the sky on a clear night, and silver stars glittered on it, the floor was a carpet of green silk, and around in the wall were twelve high windows in golden frames, and in each window on crystal glass was a damsel painted with the colours of the rainbow, with a royal crown on her head, in each window a different one in a different dress, each handsomer than the other, and it was a wonder that the prince did not let his eyes dwell upon them.  When he had gazed at them with astonishment, the damsels began to move as if they were alive, looked down upon him, smiled, and did everything but speak.

Now the prince observed that one of the twelve windows was covered with a white curtain; he drew the curtain to see what was behind it.  There there was a damsel in a white dress, girt with a silver girdle, with a crown of pearls on her head; she was the most beautiful of all, but was sad and pale, as if she had risen from the grave.  The prince stood long before the picture, as if he had made a discovery, and as he thus gazed, his heart pained him, and he cried, “This one will I have, and no other.”  As he said the words the damsel bowed her head, blushed like a rose, and that instant all the pictures disappeared.

When he went down and related to his father what he had seen and which damsel he had selected, the old king became sad, bethought himself, and said:  “You have done ill, my son, in uncovering what was curtained over, and have placed yourself in great danger on account of those words.  That damsel is in the power of a wicked wizard, and kept captive in an iron castle; of all who have attempted to set her free, not one has hitherto returned.  But what’s done cannot be undone; the plighted word is a law.  Go! try your luck, and return home safe and sound!”