The Three Little Birds

About a thousand or more years ago, there were only small kings in this country. One of them lived on the Keuterberg and loved hunting very much. One day, when he rode out from his castle with his huntsmen, three girls were watching their cows on the mountain.

When they saw the king with all his followers, the eldest girl pointed at him and called to the other two: “If I don’t get that one, I won’t take anyone.” Then the second girl answered from the other side of the hill, pointing at the man on the king’s right side: “Hilloa!

If I don’t get him, I’ll take no one.” Those two men were the ministers. The king heard everything. When he came back from the hunt, he had the three girls brought to him and asked them what they had said on the mountain.

They didn’t want to tell him, so the king asked the eldest if she really would take him as her husband. She said yes, and the two ministers married the other sisters. All three were beautiful, especially the queen, who had hair like flax.

But the two sisters had no children. One day, when the king had to leave home, he invited them to keep the queen company, for she was about to have a child. She gave birth to a little boy who had a bright red star on his body. The two wicked sisters said to each other that they would throw the beautiful boy into the water. They threw him into the Weser River. Then a little bird flew up into the air and sang:

“To your death you are sped, Until God’s word is said. In the white lily bloom, Brave boy, is your tomb.”

When the sisters heard that, they were terrified and ran away. When the king came home, they told him the queen had given birth to a dog. The king said, “What God does is well done.” But a fisherman who lived near the water had fished the little boy out alive. Since his wife had no children, they raised him.

A year later, the king went away again, and the queen had another little boy. The false sisters took him and threw him into the water. Again a little bird flew up and sang:

“To your death you are sped, Until God’s word is said. In the white lily bloom, Brave boy, is your tomb.”

When the king returned, they said the queen had given birth to another dog. Again he said, “What God does is well done.” The fisherman fished this boy out too and raised him.

Then the king traveled again, and the queen had a little girl. The false sisters threw her into the water as well. Again a little bird flew up and sang:

“To your death you are sped, Until God’s word is said. In the white lily bloom, Bonny girl, is your tomb.”

When the king came home, they told him the queen had given birth to a cat. Then the king grew angry and ordered his wife to be thrown into prison. She was locked up there for many long years.

Meanwhile, the children grew up. One day the eldest boy went fishing with some other boys, but they wouldn’t let him stay, saying, “Go away, foundling!”

He was very sad and asked the old fisherman if that was true. The fisherman said that yes, he had once drawn him out of the water while fishing. So the boy said he would go and find his father. The fisherman begged him to stay, but the boy insisted, and at last the fisherman agreed.

The boy walked for many days. Finally he came to a large body of water. An old woman was fishing on the shore. “Good day, mother,” said the boy.

“Thank you,” she said.

“You’ll fish a long time before you catch anything.”

“And you’ll search a long time before you find your father. How will you get across the water?” asked the woman.

“God knows.”

Then the old woman lifted him onto her back and carried him across. He searched for a long time but couldn’t find his father.

After a year, the second boy set out to find his brother. He came to the water, and the same thing happened to him. Now only the girl was left at home. She mourned for her brothers so much that she finally begged the fisherman to let her go. So she also came to the great water and said to the old woman, “Good day, mother.”

“Thank you,” said the woman.

“May God help you with your fishing,” said the maiden. When the old woman heard that, she became friendly. She carried the girl across the water, gave her a wand, and said: “Go, my daughter, straight along this road.

When you come to a great black dog, pass it silently and boldly, without laughing or looking at it. Then you will come to a great high castle. Let the wand fall on the threshold, go straight through the castle and out the other side.

There you will see an old fountain with a large tree growing from it. Hanging on the tree is a bird in a cage. Take the cage down. Also take a glass of water from the fountain. Then go back the same way.

Pick up the wand from the threshold and take it with you. When you pass the dog, strike him in the face with it. Hit him for sure. Then come back here to me.”

The maiden found everything just as the old woman had said. On her way back, she found her two brothers, who had been searching for each other across half the world. Together they went to where the black dog lay on the road.

She struck it in the face, and it turned into a handsome prince, who went with them to the river. There the old woman was still standing. She was happy to see them, carried them all across the water, and then she too went away, for now she was freed.

The others went to the old fisherman. Everyone was glad they had found each other again. They hung the birdcage on the wall.

But the second son couldn’t stay home. He took his crossbow and went hunting. When he got tired, he played his flute. The king was also hunting and heard the music. He went over and saw the youth. “Who gave you permission to hunt here?” asked the king.

“Oh, no one.”

“Who do you belong to?”

“I am the fisherman’s son.”

“But he has no children.”

“If you don’t believe me, come with me.”

The king did. He asked the fisherman, who told him everything. Then the little bird on the wall began to sing:

“The mother sits alone There in the prison small, O king of royal blood, These are your children all. The sisters two so false, They wrought the children woe, There in the waters deep Where the fishermen come and go.”

Everyone was terrified. The king took the bird, the fisherman, and the three children back to the castle. He ordered the prison opened and brought his wife out. She had grown quite ill and weak. Then the daughter gave her some of the water from the fountain to drink, and she became strong and healthy. The two false sisters were burned to death, and the daughter married the prince.