Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar/Count Daniel Nathaniel
COUNT DANIEL NATHANIEL.
Once upon a time there lived a rich countess, who had two beautiful children, a boy and a little girl. The boy was called Daniel Nathaniel, and the girl was named Tania.
Well, one day there came to the noble mansion an old fairy, who asked to see the countess. The countess, being very fond of fairies, received the old witch warmly, and asked her what she wanted.
"Dear countess," began the fairy, "I have come from a distance on purpose to bring you a diamond ring, which I want you, before you die, to give to your son; as long as he wears this ring on his finger he will be wealthy and happy all the days of his life. But this is not all. I have something of greater importance to say about the ring, which is that he must on no account marry any one unless he can find a girl whose finger the ring will fit; if he should disobey me, then, bad luck attend him!"
So saying, the fairy disappeared without leaving the room.
The countess was so delighted that she became ill and soon died of joy, not forgetting, however, to give her son the ring and to tell him all the fairy had told her.
Years passed on, and the son grew up to be a wonderfully handsome, rich young count, and began to look round for a wife. One took his fancy, but the ring was too big for her finger; another took his fancy but in this case the ring was too small. At last he determined to go in search of some other fair damsel in another kingdom. He rode, and rode through many kingdoms, towns, and countries, but all in vain; nowhere could he find a wife whose finger would fit the ring, so he returned home sad and low-spirited.
"What is the matter, brother?" asked his beautiful sister Tania. "Why are you so sad?"
He told her his troubles.
"What a strange thing," laughed Tania, looking at the ring on her brother's finger.
"I wonder whether it will fit you, Tania?"
And the young count took the ring off his own finger and tried it on his sister's. What was their surprise to find that the ring fitted Tania to perfection.
"Tania! Tania;" exclaimed the brother, "I shall marry you, and none but you, so go and get ready."
Tania at first lauglied at her brother, thinking that he was only joking; but when she saw he was in earnest, she was very angry. She was a sweet, gentle girl as a rule, but this sudden outbreak on her brother's part was rather too much for her.
"Who ever heard of a brother marrying his sister?" she exclaimed. "No, that shall never be!"
And throwing the ring on to the floor she left the room, and was about to leave the house also, but on reaching the street-door her strength gave way, and she sank down on the door-step and began to cry. At that moment two old women passed by; but on seeing so fair a maiden in tears, they stopped and asked her what was the matter.
The young countess, after a great deal of hesitation, told them her story.
"Do not cry, dear child," said they, "but go into your own room and put these four dolls in it, one in each corner. The count, your brother, will then knock at your door and call you. Now, you must put yourself right in the middle of the room; and when he comes, you must answer, 'I shall come in a moment!' but do not move while you speak, or woe betide you!"
So saying, the old women went away, and the countess went up to her own room and did what she was told. Meanwhile, the brother dressed himself up in his wedding garments and called for his sister, who stood in the middle of her room and answered,—
"I shall come in a moment."
While the dolls in the corners sang,—
- Is anxious to wed.
- But takes her instead."
Tania felt the earth beneath her soften, and she sank lower and lower; but she was not afraid, nor did she cry for help, her only wish being to get away from her brother.
Count Daniel still called her, and louder than ever, but he always received the same answer, while the dolls sang as before,—
- Is anxious to wed.
- But takes her instead."
Again the count called, and again received the same answer, while the dolls sang their song. By this time nothing but the young countess's head was visible.
Count Daniel grew very impatient, and called louder to his sister. But this time, getting no answer, he flew into a rage, and breaking open the door, rushed into the room; but no sister could he find! He looked round, but saw nothing except the dolls, who kept on singing their wonderful song, until the count, in a still greater rage, took an axe, cut off their heads, and threw them into the fire.
But to return to the Countess Tania. She sank and sank, until she reached an underground kingdom. She walked on and on along a pretty country road, when she suddenly beheld a funny little wooden hut, at the door of which sat a beautiful girl reading. She was so exactly like Tania, that the young countess might easily have thought that it was a reflection of herself in a looking-glass. When this lovely girl saw Tania coming she jumped up, and running up to her, embraced her warmly, just as if she had known her all her life.
"My darling Countess Tania!" she cried, "whatever made you come here? You are in great danger, for this hut does not belong to me, but to a wicked old witch, who, however, is not at home just now; but when she does come, oh! beware, dear countess!"
Tania was rather startled at this, especially when she heard the word witch, for she had no very great love for the creatures, and certainly not for wicked ones. However, as she was very sleepy and hungry, she said that if she could only have something to eat and drink, and get a nice hiding-place, she would not mind. This was soon granted her.
When she was safely hidden the old witch came in.
"I smell the blood of a Russian!" was her first greeting.
"Nonsense, little mother!" laughed the young girl, whose name was Varia. "It was only an old man who came to have a drink."
"Why did you not keep him?"
"Because he was too old for your teeth."
"I don't believe you! But, at any rate, in future mind you keep all who dare come to my hut, and don't let them out again!"
When morning came the witch went out, while Tania and Varia sat down and talked to each other; but when evening came Tania had to hide herself again.
"I smell the blood of a Russian!" cried the witch, when she returned.
"Nay, mother, it was only an old woman who came, but she was so very tough that she would have made your teeth quite blunt."
"That matters not. I told you that you should always keep any one who ventured into my hut, be they tough or tender!"
"Very well, mother; the next time any one comes I shall be sure to keep them."
Early on the following morning the witch flew away, while the two girls sat laughing and talking with each other, quite forgetting all about the old witch this time. They did not notice the hours go by, but talked on, when suddenly, to their great horror, the witch stood before them.
Tania nearly fainted at the sight of the old hag, with a skeleton leg, and goodness knows what kind of a nose, it was such a very long one! But Varia was not in the least frightened; she recovered from the sudden shock which she received when she first beheld her in a moment. She rose, and taking Tania by the hand introduced her to the witch, saying,—
"You told me that if any person should come while you were out I was to keep them. I have done as you wished; this is Countess Tania, sister of Count Daniel Nathaniel."
"Very well," replied the witch. "I am glad to know you, countess. But why are you two girls sitting here with your hands folded? Get some wood and light the fire, and look alive."
They obeyed; and when all was done, the witch turned to Tania and said,—
"Get into the stove and sit on this iron tray, so that I can push you in without any trouble."
"I think," said Varia, "that you had better get on to the tray yourself, little mother, and show the countess how to do it; for she is very stupid, and will never be able to get into the stove unless you show her the way."
The witch jumped up into the stove and lay down in the middle of the tray. No sooner had she done this than Varia shut the stove-door, while Tania poked the fire up. After that they ran out of the hut, taking with them a red silk handkerchief, which belonged to the witch.
They ran on and on, for a very long time, when Tania, suddenly looking back, beheld the dreadful old witch coming after them. When Varia heard this, she threw down the handkerchief, and in another moment there appeared a sea of fire.
This was too much for the old witch. She tried hard two or three times to fly over, but in vain; the flames caught her, and she fell into the sea and died.
As to the girls, they went on and on, until they came to a garden, where they sat down to rest. There was a very pretty house in it, which seemed rather familiar to Tania, but she was much too tired to look at it properly. The servants of the house, on seeing them, ran to their master, saying,—
"There are two very beautiful girls in your garden, sir, and we think that one of them must be your sister, the Countess Tania; but which is she it is impossible to say, as they are so exactly alike."
Count Daniel Nathaniel—for it was he—ordered them to be brought before him. When they came, he was certain that one of them was his sister; but which one? As Tania would make no sign, the count tried the diamond ring; but it fitted both girls.
"Let us do this," said he, at last, in a low voice, to one of his servants. "Let us take a pair of sheep's bladders, put them on my arm, while you thrust a knife into them. The blood will flow, and my sister, who will think I am being killed, is sure to make herself known."
This was done. The blood flowed, and the brother fell as though dead into the arms of his servants, who stood round in readiness to receive him; while Tania, thinking her brother was really dead, threw her arms round his neck, exclaiming,—
"Oh, my dear, dear brother!"
The count jumped up, embraced her, and welcomed her new friend.
Next day the count gave his sister in marriage to a very handsome young prince, while he himself married her friend Varia, who, it turned out, was the daughter of a king, but had been stolen when quite a child by the wicked old witch who had died in the fiery sea.
Count Daniel Nathaniel made his sister wear a red ribbon round her neck with her name on it, and his wife, the Princess Varia, a blue one with her name, so that he and his friends might know which was which.