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The Black Sheep |
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ONCE upon a time, in the good old times of faraway and long ago, there were a King and a Queen of Donegal who had one beautiful daughter, named Ethna. But the Queen died, and the King married another Queen, who had three daughters of her own, as ugly as they were bold. And she and her daughters were bad and cruel to Ethna even while her father lived. And when he died, they treated her still worse.
Ethna was so beautiful that every young man who came to the house fell in love with her; whilst no one could love or like her stepmother's ugly daughters. And this it was that made them so very, very hard upon Ethna.
To make Ethna ugly, her mother half-starved her. But instead of getting ugly, it was still lovelier she grew every day.
Then her mother and stepsisters consulted, and said they would send her to herd the sheep on the hills, with nothing to eat from the time she left in the morning till she got home at night; and then the hunger and the harsh winds would soon take the beauty off her.
On the first day poor Ethna was on the hills herding, she grew very, very hungry in the middle of the day; and thinking of how she'd get nothing to eat till late at night, and maybe very little then, she sat down on a rock and cried.
From a flock that were grazing near, one little black sheep raised its head and looked at her; and then came walking up and rubbed its cheek against her cheek.
"Little Black Sheep," said Ethna, "what do you want with me?"
"Look in my left ear," said the little Black Sheep. "See what you'll see-and then help yourself."
Ethna looked into the Black Sheep's left ear, and there she got a wee napkin, which she took out and spread on the grass at her feet. And, behold you, it was a big tablecloth, and was instantly covered with all sorts to eat and drinkhams, jams, and clams, meats, sweets and Billy Boleros-a finer spread than ever she had seen in her father's castle. Poor Ethna fell to, and made a right hearty meal.
When she had finished, the Black Sheep told her to roll up the napkin again, and put it where she got it. She rolled it up into a very small bulk again, and put it into the Sheep's left ear-and the Sheep took its place in the flock again, and began to graze, leaving Ethna very, very happy indeed.
When she came home, her mother and stepsisters asked her how she liked to be herding on the hill, and Ethna said she liked it very well indeed. And they were sorely disappointed.
The next day at noon, as she sat herding on the hill, and was beginning to feel very hungry entirely, the Black Sheep came up and told her to look in its left ear again, and see what she would see, and take it out and help herself. There she saw the napkin, which she took out and spread upon the grass. And it was, that minute, a big tablecloth, covered with all sorts of good things to eat and drink-hams, jams, and clams, meats, sweets and Billy Boleros-a finer spread than she had seen in her father's castle. Poor Ethna fell to, and made a right hearty meal indeed, that day also.
And after she had eaten and drunk to her hearty content, she rolled up the napkin and put it in the Sheep's ear again-and the Black Sheep went back to graze among the flock.
She had a very happy time on the hill; and when she came home, her mother and sisters asked her how she liked to be herding on the hill. And she said she never was so happy in her life. And they were sorely disappointed.
Every night they were looking to see her growing coarser and uglier; but instead, every night she came home looking finer and rosier and more beautiful than before. Right angry they grew, and wondered what was happening on the hill that made Ethna so happy. Among themselves they consulted and called in an old hen-wife, who advised that the eldest daughter should go to the hill next day to spy upon Ethna. And for that purpose the hen-wife turned the eldest into a pigeon.
When Ethna was taking the napkin out of the Black Sheep's ear this day, the Sheep said: "Look into my right ear, also, and take out what you will get there."
Out of its right ear Ethna took a chip, which turned into a rod in her hand.
"Now," said the Black Sheep, "when you are eating your dinner a pigeon will come hopping up beside you. You must strike it with that white rod."
And when Ethna was eating her dinner, as the Black Sheep had told, a pigeon alighted and came hopping up beside her. She struck it with the white rod, and it turned into a stone.
When she went home that night, she found only two stepsisters there-and they turned very black looks on her.
Among themselves they consulted again, and called in the hen-wife, who advised sending the second sister to the hill next day, in the shape of a magpie, to spy upon Ethna, and also to find out what had happened to their eldest sister.
On the next day, when Ethna was taking the napkin from the Black Sheep's ear, the little Sheep asked her to look into his right ear, and take out what she would find. And from his right ear, she took out a white chip, which turned into a rod in her hand.
The Black Sheep said, "When you are eating your dinner, a magpie will alight and hop up beside you. You must strike it with that rod."
And, sure enough, when Ethna was eating her dinner, near her there lit a magpie, which came hopping up beside her. She raised the rod and struck it, and it turned into a stone.
And that night, when she reached home, she found only one stepsister there with her mother -and both of them were in red wrath with her.
They called in the hen-wife, and it was agreed that the youngest sister should go to the hill next day in the shape of a crow. But the hen-wife warned her to fly over Ethna's head and watch all that would happen, but on no account to alight.
When at midday Ethna was taking from the little Sheep's ear the napkin, it told her to take the white rod from its right ear, and strike the crow that should alight beside her.
Ethna took the white rod. And when she was eating her dinner, she saw a crow flying around and around above her, but never alighting. She folded up the napkin after she had finished, and put it into the Sheep's left ear, and put the little white rod into its right ear, and the Sheep went away.
The crow was home before she came that night, and dark indeed were the looks her stepmother and stepsister greeted Ethna with when she arrived.
They consulted once more with the hen-wife as to what was best to do. They would have liked to kill Ethna, but were afraid; and the hen-wife advised them, since they would not kill her, to kill her friend, the Black Sheep, and to be sure to burn its bones.
On the next day, when the Black Sheep had come to her, and she had eaten a hearty meal and put back the napkin, the Black Sheep told Ethna what had happened, and that it was going to be killed, and that the hen-wife had ordered its bones to be burned.
"But I want you," it said to Ethna, "to gather up every one of my bones, before they get a chance of burning them, and throw them down the deep well in your garden."
As well you map suppose, poor Ethna was very, very sorry when she heard the Black Sheep was going to be killed. She promised faithfully that she would do what the Black Sheep wanted. And then she sat upon the hill crying bitterly all the remainder of the evening.
That night, by her stepmother's orders, she herself had to drive the Black Sheep home from the hill. The mother had it killed, and ordered every bone to be burned.
Now, the man that brought the bones to the fire was one whom Ethna had often fed from the kitchen. From him she begged the bones; and he gave them to her. She was carrying them to the well in the garden, when lo! didn't a dog run up and snatch a shin-bone from her, and run off with it. And poor Ethna cried sorely; but there was nothing for her to do but throw the rest of the bones down the well-which she did.
But behold! now the Sheep was killed, didn't the two stepsisters return home from the hills, their enchantment gone!
Then her stepmother put her into the kitchen again, to work with dirty pats and pans, and kept her there a long time, letting her see no one. Until at length the Princes who frequented the house forgot all about her.
Now the King of Ireland had a son who soon came of age to marry. His father announced three great balls to be given at his castle; and to these balls were invited all the eligible young women of the Kingdom, that the Prince might choose a wife for himself, from amongst them.
As well you may suppose, the hearts began fluttering of all the lovely girls between the four seas of Ireland. And for these balls wonderful preparations were made by all the young ladies of the Kingdom who thought they were handsome. For months and months before the balls came off, nothing was done but making and fitting dresses, and sewing on to them gold and silver braids, and jeweled ornaments, to make their owners look dazzling to the young Prince.
Ethna's stepsisters and stepmother weren't idle now. For all these months their house was turned upside down by the preparations they were making for captivating the young Prince. And each one of the sisters thought that she would surely win him. For every one of them thought herself the most beautiful girl, instead of one of the ugliest, in Erin.
They had to call in Ethna to help them; for, much as they hated her, they knew well that her good taste in dress far surpassed theirs.
And when Ethna was helping them with their lovely dresses, they would pity her, saying, "Poor Ethna, pity that you can have no chance for the lovely young Prince."
And Ethna sighed and said nothing.
The night of the first big ball at length arrived. And when Ethna saw her stepmother and her three stepsisters depart in all their grandeur, she went back to the kitchen, sat down among the pots with her head in her hands, and began to cry bitterly.
Then she heard a voice in her ear saying, "What's the matter with you, little Ethna?"
And looking up she saw the Black Sheep, on three legs, standing by her side. And it was Ethna was the happy girl to see her old friend again, especially now in her distress. Only, she was grieved to see the Black Sheep limping on three legs, and asked where was its other leg. The Black Sheep said that was the bone the dog had taken away, but told her not to mind that. "But tell me why you are crying," said the Black Sheep.
Poor Ethna took in her arms the little Black Sheep's head, and said how very, very sorry she was about losing the bone. And she then told the Sheep her own grief.
Said the Black Sheep : "Put your hand into my left ear and take out what you will find there."
And Ethna drew from the Sheep's left ear a white chip that instantly became a rod in her hands.
Said the Black Sheep: "At the foot of your garden there are three white rocks. Go to them, and strike them with that rod, when three doors will open in them. Go inside them, and fit yourself in the finest, for the Prince's ball. Enjoy yourself there, but be sure to leave before the company breaks up, and be back in your place in the kitchen again before your mother and sisters come home."
Then the Black Sheep disappeared, and Ethna went down the garden, struck the three white rocks, and three doors opened in them.
She went into the first, and there found a great, beautiful bright room, all hung round with the most dazzling dresses she had ever beheld in her life. In a short time she had one of the loveliest dresses there upon her.
Then she went into the next rock, and found it filled with jewels and pearls, and gold and silver ornaments, beyond wonder and count. She helped herself to all of these that she wanted.
Into the third rock then she went, and found there a stable filled with the handsomest horses that ever champed a bit. She saddled the most dashing of these steeds, took it out, mounted it, and rode off to the ball.
And this was the appearance of Ethna arriving at the ball: On her neat sweet feet she had a slipper of gold and a slipper of silver, with jeweled buckles and pearled bows; a stocking of gold and a stocking of silver, all glistening with diamonds beyond value; and she wore a snow-white silk gown. Her ten fingers dripped honey, and the nine birds of love were caroling above her handsome head. Her hair fell in bonny brown braids to her trim, slim waist; like lilies and roses were her lovely cheeks; her eyes more beautiful than the skies, and her voice like the tinkling of a silver bell. And she was mounted on a sleek, slender brown steed that was swifter than the wind.
There was great sensation when she arrived, and every one at the ball thronged out to see the wonderful beauty who had come, from no one knew where.
Six Princes struggled to see which would help her to alight, but the young Prince of Ireland, coming out, insisted upon his right to do so. He lifted her to the ground, and gave the slender brown steed that was swift as the wind into the charge of one of his men-in-waiting.
The sensation grew still greater when, in the ballroom, they beheld, this lovely unknown damsel open the ball with Ireland's beautiful young Prince-for so elegant a dancer or so beautiful a damsel no one there had ever seen before.
But lo! before the ball was ended, Ethna slipped away; and with her ten fingers dripping honey, and the nine birds singing over her handsome head, her slipper of gold and her slipper of silver, with their jeweled buckles and pearled bows, her stocking of gold and stocking of silver, glistening with diamonds, and her snow-white silk gown, she rode home on her sleek, slender brown steed, which was faster than the wind.
When she reached home, she laid away her dress and her ornaments and her steed where she got them; and the rocks closed behind her. Then, in her old tattered torn dress, she was sitting in the kitchen among the pots when her stepmother and stepsisters came bursting into the house, returned from the ball.
They were talking and talking at a great rate, and Ethna asked them what was the news from the ball, and whom had the young Prince fancied.
"What need you care about the young Prince, or whom he fancied!" they answered her. But still they couldn't help telling her of the dazzling damsel, who had come from no one knew where, whose gorgeous beauty had bewitched the Prince and every one there, but who had slipped away and disappeared before the ball was over.
The second ball was to come off a week later, and for this there were greater preparations than before. Ethna helped to dress her stepsisters, and they pitied poor Ethna who couldn't see the beautiful ball, and the beautiful Prince, and stand a chance of the Prince's hand.
But when they had gone to the ball, as Ethna sat in the kitchen, her friend, the Black Sheep, came hopping in on three legs.
She welcomed it, and kissed it. The Black Sheep asked Ethna to put her hand into its left ear, and take out what she would find. She took out a chip which turned into a white rod. Then he told her to go to the three rocks at the garden's foot, strike them with the white rod, and help herself-and go to the ball-but to be sure to come away before the bail was over.
To the foot of the garden Ethna went, struck the three rocks, went in and dressed. and decorated herself, mounted the steed and rode off to the ball.
And Ethna, arriving at the King of Ireland's castle, had on her neat, sweet feet a slipper of gold and a slipper of silver, with buckles of jewels, and bows of pearls; a stocking of gold and a stocking of silver, all glistening with diamonds; and she wore a snow-white silk gown. Her ten fingers dripped honey, and the nine birds of love were paroling above her handsome head. Her hair fell in bonny brown braids to her trim slim waist; like lilies and roses were her lovely cheeks; her eyes more beautiful than the skies, and her voice like the tinkling of a silver bell. And she was mounted ON a sleek, slender brown steed that was swifter than the wind.
There was a great sensation this night again, when it was told that the beautiful damsel was arriving, and all who were at the ball rushed out to see her. Twelve Princes struggled to help her to alight, but the young Prince of Ireland, coming out, insisted on his right to help her off-which he did-and gave the slender brown steed in charge of a man-in-waiting.
He led her in, and with her opened the ball. And all the people there were in a state of the greatest wonder and admiration at the loveliness of this strange, beautiful damsel, whom nobody knew, and who, if she looked lovely the first night, looked twice as lovely now.
All that night, the young Prince paid to the other lovely young women there only as much attention as good manners demanded, but he was by Ethna's side every moment he could be.
Suddenly, however, they all missed her. For she had slipped away, mounted her slender brown steed, and with her ten fingers dripping honey, and the nine birds singing over her handsome head, rode for home as swift as the wind. She stabled the slender brown steed in his rock again, changed her clothes, and was sitting in the kitchen among the pots, when her mother and sisters came home, full of wonder and loud chatter.
Ethna asked them for news of the ball and the Prince. And they said, "What need you care about balls and Princes!" But they couldn't help telling her all about the dazzling damsel who had appeared and fascinated the young Prince, as well as every one else there, and who had as suddenly disappeared again.
Well and good. The third ball was to come off a week later: Ethna helped to dress and deck her sisters for this one also, and they pitied her very much because she wouldn't get a chance of seeing the ball, and seeing the beautiful Prince, and having a chance for his hand.
After they and their mother had gone off to the ball the Black Sheep appeared to Ethna, hopping in upon three legs. Ethna hugged and kissed the poor Black Sheep. -And out of his ear she again got the white rod, with all directions. To the garden she went, and struck the rocks and opened the chambers and entered, and dressed and fitted herself out, and mounted her steed.
And this was the appearance of Ethna, riding to the Prince of Ireland's ball. She had on her neat sweet feet a slipper of gold and a slipper of silver, with buckles of jewels and bows of pearls; a stocking of gold and a stocking of silver, glistening with diamonds, and she wore a snow-white silk gown. Her ten fingers dripped honey, and the nine birds of love were caroling above her handsome head. Her hair fell in bonny brown braids to her trim slim waist; like lilies and roses were her lovely cheeks; her eyes more beautiful than the skies, and her voice like the tinkling of a silver bell. And she was mounted on a sleek, slender brown steed that was swifter than the wind.
As she rode up to the castle, all the crowds of people who had come to the ball turned out to see, and twenty Princes struggled to help her to alight. But the Prince of Ireland himself came out, and insisted on his right to do so. He helped her off, gave her steed in charge of the men-in- led her in, and opened the ball with ther.
If Ethna looked beautiful on the other two nights, she looked ten times more beautiful this time. Anything to equal her beauty no one there had ever seen, heard, or thought of. And every one was lost in wonder and amazement.
The young Prince, it was plain, was very, very much in love with this lovely maiden. And he watched her, and waited on her, and walked after her wherever she went through the room-resolved not to let her out of his sight. Before the ball broke up, however, she slipped away, and mounted her steed.
But the Prince, watching her more closely this night, dashed after her from the hall, and discovered her mounting. She put spurs to her horse when she saw him coming, and her horse leaped off. The Prince gave a quick bound after, and tried to get hold of her, but only got hold of her golden slipper. It came away in his hand. And on her slender brown steed she rode off, her ten fingers dripping honey, and nine birds singing over her handsome head, and she went home as SWIFT as the wind.
She was in the kitchen, dressed in her old torn dress, among the pots and pans, when her mother and sisters returned from the ball. They were full of excitement, talking all together at the top of their voices, and Ethna asked them what was the news of the Prince and the ball.
"Ah," they said, "what need you care!"
But they couldn't help telling her of the wonderful happenings of the night, and of how the Prince had watched the strange damsel when she tried to steal off on her steed; how he had grabbed at her, but only got hold of her golden slipper. And he had given out, they said, that he would travel all his kingdom to find the maiden whom the slipper fitted. And that girl he was to marry. Each thought there was hope for her, for, by hook or by crook, she would make the slipper fit her.
On the very next day, the young Prince of Ireland, with half a dozen other Princes, set out to try the slipper on all the maidens in Ireland.
He traveled before him far, far and far, trying the slipper on every girl whom he met. The slipper was very, very dainty indeed, and few girls had a foot small enough to fit it. But, everywhere he went, the girls nipped and clipped their feet, and pressed and bound them up, to make them fit the slipper. Still, no one of them would it fit.
At length, the Prince and his retinue were due to reach the house of Ethna's stepmother and try it upon the maidens there.
They had made mighty preparations for his coming, and had their feet in bonds for a fortnight, hoping to make the slipper fit. They said it would be a shame to let him see dirty, tattered young Ethna, so they hid her under a cateran hide in the corner.
When the Prince at last arrived, every one of the girls had on her sweetest way; every one offered to try on the slipper, and every one of them nipped and clipped and pressed and bound her foot trying to get it in.
In a thorn-tree that grew by the window a robin all at once began to sing
"Nippet foot and clippet foot
Behind the Prince would ride,
But bonny foot and handsome foot
Under the cateran hide."
"What is the robin saying?" asked the Prince. "Oh, some nonsensical rhyme," the mother said, throwing a stone at the robin and driving it away.
After they had all tried, and tried again, not one of them could fit her foot to the slipper. And the Prince asked was there no other girl in the house.
The girls and their mother said there was no other.
But the robin had returned to the thorn-tree, and was singing
"Nippet foot and clippet foot
Behind the Prince would ride,
But bonny foot and handsome foot
Under the cateran hide."
"What is that robin singing?" asked the Prince.
"Oh, some nonsensical rubbish," they said, throwing a stone at the robin, and driving it away again.
"Well," said the Prince, "I must be going."
And off he started.
As he went down the avenue, he saw the robin perched on a bush before him; and as he was curious, he asked of the robin, "What was it that you were singing at the window?"
And then the robin sang
"Nippet foot and clippet foot
Behind the Prince would ride,
But bonny foot and handsome foot
Under the cateran hide."
The Prince at once turned back, went to the room again, searched it, and found poor ragged Ethna hidden under a cateran hide in the corner. He ordered her to come out and try on the slipper. And when Ethna tried, it slipped on her at once and fitted her like a glove.
The Prince, rejoiced, ordered her to prepare to go with him.
Ethna begged for time to dress. She ran down the garden, where the little Black Sheep was now waiting for her. Out of his ear she took the white rod, struck the rocks, and went in, dressed, mounted the steed, and came to the Prince.
And this was how Ethna appeared, when the King, overjoyed, beheld her.
She had on her neat sweet feet a slipper of gold and a slipper of silver, with buckles of jewels, and bows of pearls; a stocking of gold, and a stocking of silver, glistening with diamonds, and she wore a snow-white silk gown. Her ten fingers dripping honey, and the nine birds of love were caroling above her handsome head. Her hair fell in bonny brown braids to her trim slim waist; like lilies and roses were her lovely cheeks; her eyes more beautiful than the skies, and her voice like the tinkling of a silver bell. And she was mounted on a sleek, slender brown steed, that was swifter than the wind.
And anything half so fair or beautiful, the young Prince, or any other of the young Princes with him, had never seen or dreamed of in all their lives before.
Off with them she rode, to the King's castle, where they were wedded. The wedding lasted seven days and seven nights, each day and night better than the one before, and the last day and night better and greater than all the others put together.
The King of Donegal gave his son half his kingdom, and, a happy King and Queen, the Prince and Ethna ruled during all their long, bright lives after.
(from The Donegal Wonder Book , by Seumas MacManus)
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