answered Dschemila, 'he is a
powerful king!'
'She is right,' said an old man. 'Take away the litter, and let
her go on foot if she is afraid.'
'But it is absurd!' exclaimed the rest; 'how can the ogre get
hold of her?'
'I will not go,' said Dschemila again. 'You do not know that
monster; I do.'
And while they were disputing the bridegroom arrived.
'Let her alone. She shall stay in her father's house. After all,
I can live here, and the wedding feast shall be made ready.'
And so they were married at last, and died without having had a
single quarrel.
(Marehen und Gedichte aus der Stadt Tripolis,)
Janni and the Draken
*
Once there was a man who shunned the world, and lived in the
wilderness. He owned nothing but a flock of sheep, whose milk and
wool he sold, and so procured himself bread to eat; he also
carried wooden spoons, and sold them. He had a wife and one
little girl, and after a long time his wife had another child.
The evening it was born the man went to the nearest village to
fetch a nurse, and on the way he met a monk who begged him for a
night's lodging. This the man willingly granted, and took him
home with him. There being no one far nor near to baptize the
child, the man asked the monk to do him this service, and the
child was given the name of Janni.
In the course of time Janni's parents died, and he and his sister
were left alone in the world; soon affairs went badly with them,
so they determined to wander away to seek their fortune. In
packing up, the sister found a knife which the monk had left for
his godson, and this she gave to her brother.
Then they went on their way, taking with them the three sheep
which were all that remained of their flocks. After wandering for
three days they met a man with three dogs who proposed that they
should exchange animals, he taking the sheep, and they the dogs.
The brother and sister were quite pleased at this arrangement,
and after the exchange was made they separated, and went their
different ways.
Janni and his sister in course of time came to a great castle, in
which dwelt forty Draken, who, when they heard that Janni had
come, fled forty fathoms underground.
So Janni found the castle deserted, and abode there with his
sister, and every day went out to hunt with the weapons the
Draken had left in the castle.
One day, when he was away hunting, one of the Draken came up to
get provisions, not knowing that there was anyone in the castle.
When he saw Janni's sister he was terrified, but she told him not
to be afraid, and by-and-by they fell in love with each other,
for every time that Janni went to hunt the sister called the
Drakos up. Thus they went on making love to each other till at
length, unknown to Janni, they got married. Then, when it was too
late, the sister repented, and was afraid of Janni's wrath when
he found it out.
One day the Drakos came to her, and said: 'You must pretend to be
ill, and when Janni asks what ails you, and what you want, you
must answer: "Cherries," and when he inquires where these are to
be found, you must say: "There are some in a garden a day's
journey from here." Then your brother will go there, and will
never come back, for there dwell three of my brothers who will
look after him well.'
Then the sister did as the Drakos advised, and next day Janni set
out to fetch the cherries, taking his three dogs with him. When
he came to the garden where the cherries grew he jumped off his
horse, drank some water from the spring, which rose there, and
fell directly into a deep sleep. The Draken came round about to
eat him, but the dogs flung themselves on them and tore them in
pieces, and scratched a grave in the ground with their paws, and
buried the Draken so that Janni might not see their dead bodies.
When Janni awoke, and saw his dogs all covered with blood, he
believed that they had caught, somewhere, a wild beast, and was
angry because they had left none of it for him. But he plucked
the cherries, and took them back to his
powerful king!'
'She is right,' said an old man. 'Take away the litter, and let
her go on foot if she is afraid.'
'But it is absurd!' exclaimed the rest; 'how can the ogre get
hold of her?'
'I will not go,' said Dschemila again. 'You do not know that
monster; I do.'
And while they were disputing the bridegroom arrived.
'Let her alone. She shall stay in her father's house. After all,
I can live here, and the wedding feast shall be made ready.'
And so they were married at last, and died without having had a
single quarrel.
(Marehen und Gedichte aus der Stadt Tripolis,)
Janni and the Draken
*
Once there was a man who shunned the world, and lived in the
wilderness. He owned nothing but a flock of sheep, whose milk and
wool he sold, and so procured himself bread to eat; he also
carried wooden spoons, and sold them. He had a wife and one
little girl, and after a long time his wife had another child.
The evening it was born the man went to the nearest village to
fetch a nurse, and on the way he met a monk who begged him for a
night's lodging. This the man willingly granted, and took him
home with him. There being no one far nor near to baptize the
child, the man asked the monk to do him this service, and the
child was given the name of Janni.
In the course of time Janni's parents died, and he and his sister
were left alone in the world; soon affairs went badly with them,
so they determined to wander away to seek their fortune. In
packing up, the sister found a knife which the monk had left for
his godson, and this she gave to her brother.
Then they went on their way, taking with them the three sheep
which were all that remained of their flocks. After wandering for
three days they met a man with three dogs who proposed that they
should exchange animals, he taking the sheep, and they the dogs.
The brother and sister were quite pleased at this arrangement,
and after the exchange was made they separated, and went their
different ways.
Janni and his sister in course of time came to a great castle, in
which dwelt forty Draken, who, when they heard that Janni had
come, fled forty fathoms underground.
So Janni found the castle deserted, and abode there with his
sister, and every day went out to hunt with the weapons the
Draken had left in the castle.
One day, when he was away hunting, one of the Draken came up to
get provisions, not knowing that there was anyone in the castle.
When he saw Janni's sister he was terrified, but she told him not
to be afraid, and by-and-by they fell in love with each other,
for every time that Janni went to hunt the sister called the
Drakos up. Thus they went on making love to each other till at
length, unknown to Janni, they got married. Then, when it was too
late, the sister repented, and was afraid of Janni's wrath when
he found it out.
One day the Drakos came to her, and said: 'You must pretend to be
ill, and when Janni asks what ails you, and what you want, you
must answer: "Cherries," and when he inquires where these are to
be found, you must say: "There are some in a garden a day's
journey from here." Then your brother will go there, and will
never come back, for there dwell three of my brothers who will
look after him well.'
Then the sister did as the Drakos advised, and next day Janni set
out to fetch the cherries, taking his three dogs with him. When
he came to the garden where the cherries grew he jumped off his
horse, drank some water from the spring, which rose there, and
fell directly into a deep sleep. The Draken came round about to
eat him, but the dogs flung themselves on them and tore them in
pieces, and scratched a grave in the ground with their paws, and
buried the Draken so that Janni might not see their dead bodies.
When Janni awoke, and saw his dogs all covered with blood, he
believed that they had caught, somewhere, a wild beast, and was
angry because they had left none of it for him. But he plucked
the cherries, and took them back to his
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