KING THRUSH BEARD

A king had a daughter.She was extremely beautiful but proud and overbearing.None of the suitors that came was good enough for her.She not only rejected them but also made fun of them.

Once the king arranged a great dinner and invited all the marriageable young men from far and wide.After the dinner the princess was brought before them so that she could make her choice.

She called one,a tub,another,long and lean and third one ,fat and short.And she had a name for everyone.Then there was a good king who was very tall and had a chin that had grown a little peaked.

‘Oh look’ said the princess,’he has a chin like a thrush’s beak’.

From that day they called him king thrush beard.The king was very angry at the way his daughter behaved.

‘You shall have the first beggar that comes to the door,for a husband’.he declared.

Soon afterwards,there came  a travelling ballad-singer.he sang under the king’s window hoping to receive some alms.He was called in.He entered in his tattered clothes ans sang before the king and the princess.The king was well pleased.

‘Your song has pleased me so much that I will give you my daughter as your wife.’

The princess was horrified.

‘I have taken an oath to give to the first beggar that comes and so it must be done’.

So the marriage was held.

‘Now you are a beggar’s wife’,said the king.’You can no longer stay in my castle.So off you go with your husband.’

The beggar led her away and she was forced to travel on foot.On the way they came to a great wood.

‘Oh,whose is this forest,so thick and so fine?’she asked.

‘It is king Thrush beard’s ,and might have been thine’,he answered.

‘Oh,I was a silly young thing,I’m a feared,would I had taken good king Thrush beard!’

Then they passed through a good meadow,and a great town and the beggar told the princess that they belonged to king thrush beard.

And she cried and wished she had taken the good king thrush beard for her husband.

‘It does not please me to hear you always wishing for another husband’,said the beggar.’Am I not good enough for you?’

At last they came to a very small house.

‘Oh,dear me!What poor little house do I see?And whose,I would know,may the wretched hole be?’

‘That is my house and yours,where we must live together’.replied the beggar.

‘Where are the servants?’asked the king’s daughter.

‘There are no servants’,said the man.’What you want to have done you must do yourself’.

But the king’s daughter knew nothing.The beggar helped her in drawing water,cooking and cleaning.They lived like this for a few days until they finished up what beggar had stored.

‘Wife,this will not do’,said the beggar man.’You have to begin earning something.You must make baskets.’

He went out and cut willows,she tried to make baskets.But the twigs hurt her tender hands.

‘You can’t do this’,said the man,’you had better try spinning’.

So she sat  down and tried to spin.But the rough thread cut her soft fingers and made them bleed.

‘You are not good at any work’,said the man quite disgusted.

Next,he made her sell pots and earthen vessels.On the first day she did well and earned some money.But on the second day a drunken soldier rode straight into the midst of her pots and broke them into a thousand pieces.She could do nothing but weep.

The husband learnt of what had happened.

‘I see you are not fit for any regular work’,he said.’They need a kitchen maid for the king’s castle.They say they don’t mind taking you’.

So the king’s daughter became a kitchen-maid to help the cooks.Every evening she received a little portion of the leftovers as her wages.

It happened one day,that the wedding of the eldest prince was being celebrated.The beggar’s wife went upstairs and stood by the parlour to see what was going on.

She saw people arriving,one more handsome than the other.The feast began.Sweet smelling dishes were being carried to and fro.The servants threw her a few bits which she put into her pockets,to take home.She thought of her own fate with a sad heart.Only if she had not been so proud and haughty!

Then a prince passed clothed in silk and velvet,wearing a gold chain around his neck.And when he saw this beautiful woman standing in  the doorway,he held her to  dance with him.But she refused,for she saw that it was king thrush beard.The king now drew closer and led her into the room.All at once the bits of  food she had put into her pockets fell to the ground.

When the people saw that,there was great laughter and mocking.She was terribly ashamed.She turned round and rushed to the door to run away.A man caught her just on steps.She looked up and saw that it was king thrush beard  again.

‘Do not be afraid’,he said.’I and the beggar-man with whom you lived in the little hut are the same.For love of you,I lived in the little hut.For  love of you,I disguised myself as beggar.It was I who broke your pots in the guise of a soldier.

‘I did all that to bring down your pride and punish your haughtness.’

Then she wept bitterly.

‘I have done great wrong’,she said meekly.’I am not worthy to be your wife’.

‘Take courage’,he said.’The bad days are behind us now.Let us get in for the weeding’.

Then the ladies-in-waiting took her inside and put on splendid weeding clothes on her.Her father too arrived and she was married to king Thrush beard all over again.

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