The seven-headed serpent

LIKE many others in the world, there was a mother with her three sons. The eldest told her that he wanted to go from country to country, until he found a job as a servant, and she gave him a cake.

He sets off. As he crosses a forest, he meets an old woman who asks him for a piece of her cake. He said to her, “No! that he would rather throw it in the muddy clay. And the boy asks her if she knows of a servant's house. She says “No”. He goes from forest to forest, until night catches up with him. A bear comes to him. He tells him,

“Earth ant! who gave you permission to come here?

“Who is to give it to me? I took it myself.

And the bear devours him.

The second son asks his mother to give him a cake, because he wishes to leave as a servant, like his brother. She gives him one, and he leaves like his brother. He meets an old woman who says to him:

“Give me some of your cake. »

"I'd rather throw it in this muddy clay than give it to you." »

He asks her if she knows the place of a servant. She answers “No”. And it goes on, on, on, on, on, deeper into the forest. He meets a huge bear. He tells him,

“Earth ant! Who gave you permission to come here?

“Who is to give it to me? I took it myself.

And the bear devours him.

The third son asks his mother to give him a cake, because he wants to leave like his brothers. It sets off and walks again and again. And he finds an old woman. She asks him,

" Where are you going? »

“I want a domestic position. »

“Give me some of your cake. »

" Here ! Take it too, if you want.

" No no ! A little is enough for me.

And he asks her if she knows of a servant's house. She tells him,

" Yes; you will find it far beyond the forest. But you will meet an enemy here; but I will give you a stick, with the touch of which you can kill him. » 1

It continues over and over again. A bear comes up to him and says:

“Earth ant! Who gave you permission to come here?

"Who gave it to me?" I took it myself.

The boy nudges it with his stick, and the bear screeches…

“Oh, oh, oh! – spare my life! Oh, oh, oh! – spare my life! »

But he told her,

“Tell me how many you are where you live?

" Seven. "

He gives him another blow and he falls completely dead.

He keeps going, going, until he finds a palace. He enters and asks:

“Do you want a servant? »

They tell him,

" Yes yes; our shepherd is gone, and we want one. »

They send him to bed; and the next day they gave him a fine flock of sheep, and told him not to go to the mountain, for it is full of large and wild animals, and to be very careful, for the sheep always want to go there. The next day he went away with his sheep, and they all fled to this mountain, because the grass there was very good. Our shepherd had fortunately not forgotten his staff, because at that moment a terrible bear appeared before him.

Who gave you permission to come here? »

“I took it myself. »

“I have to eat you. »

He approaches, but our shepherd gives him a little blow with his stick, and he begins to shout:

“Oh, oh, oh! – spare my life! »

“Tell me how many you are where you live?

“We were seven yesterday, but today we are only six, with me. »

He gives him another blow and he falls completely dead. And the shepherd hides him as best he can in a hedge, then he goes home with his sheep, well satisfied. That evening, the sheep gave him plenty of milk and he made fine cheeses from it. The master and mistress were delighted to have such a servant. The next day he leaves. 

As soon as he opened the barn door, the sheep begin to run towards the good pasture and the beautiful grass, and the same things (recur). After a while a bear appears and asks him why he comes here. Our shepherd, with his staff, gives him a little blow on the neck, and the bear begins to cry,

“Ay, ay, ay! , spare my life!

He asked him,

“How many are you where you live? »

“We were seven, but currently we are five with me. »

And he kicks him, and he drops stiff and dead. And in five days he kills all the bears in the same way; and when he saw the last coming, he was afraid to see such an immense and frightful beast, which came dragging itself along, so old was he. He tells him,

“Why did you come here? »

And at the same time the shepherd gives him a little nudge. He begins to shout at her to spare her life, and that he would give her great wealth and beautiful apartments, and that they should live together. He spares his life and sends the herd home. They cross hedges and hedges, and "through the fairy holes," and finally arrive at a beautiful palace. 

There they find the table laid with all kinds of food and drink. There were also servants to look after them, and there were also horses ready saddled, and with harnesses of gold and silver. There were only riches there. After having spent a few days there like this, our shepherd said to himself that it was better to be master and owner of all this fortune. So he kicks the bear and kills it completely.

After dressing up beautifully, he mounts a horse, and goes from country to country, and comes to a town, and hears the bells ringing, dilin-don, dilin-don, and everyone is in a commotion. He asks, “What is the problem? They tell him that there is a seven-headed serpent in the mountain, and that he must be given one person each day. This serpent has seven heads. 

They draw lots to find out who should be given to the snake. The lot had fallen on the king's daughter, and everyone was in pain and distress, and all were going, with the king at their head, to accompany her to the mountain. They left her at the foot of the mountain, and she continued to climb alone to the top. This young man pursues her and says to her:

" I will accompany you. »

The king's daughter said to him:

“Go back, I beg you. I don't want you to risk your life because of me. »

He tells him,

“Don't be afraid for me. I have a power charm. »

At the same time, they hear an extraordinary noise and hiss, and he sees the snake coming like lightning. As our man has his staff with him, he gives it a little tap on one of his heads, and one by one the seven heads fall, and our princess is saved.

To go to the mountains, she was dressed in her most beautiful dresses. She wore seven. He took a little piece of each of the seven robes, and he also took the tongue from each of the heads, and put them in these little pieces of silk. He then takes the king's daughter on his horse, and descends the mountain. The girl returns to her father, and our gentleman to the bear. 

News that the Seven-Headed Serpent is slain spreads quickly. The king had promised his daughter and half his kingdom to the man who should have killed him. The snake was killed, as we said. Three charcoal burners, passing over the mountain, see the serpent, and take the seven heads, and go to the king, asking for a reward. But, as there were three of them, they were in difficulty; and they were sent away until the council was assembled, and to see if anyone else would come. 

As no one showed up, they were going to draw lots who was to be the husband of the king's daughter. There was great commotion that day, and there was also great commotion when this young man came to town. He asks what is it. They tell him what it is. He was beautifully dressed and had a magnificent horse. He asks to see the king, and, as he was elegantly dressed, he is immediately received.

He asks if the seven heads of the serpent had seven tongues in them; and they can't find them. Then he shows the seven languages. He also sends for the seven dresses of the princess, and he shows the seven missing pieces, as well as the seven languages. When they see this, everyone exclaims...

"He is the true savior of the king's daughter!" »

And they are married.

The three charcoal burners, after being covered with a mantle of sulphur, were burned alive in the middle of the public square.

Our gentleman and our lady lived very happily, sometimes with her father, sometimes with their own bear; and, as they had lived well, they died happy. So I was there, and now I'm here.