The fairy in the mill pond. Fairy tales

Once upon a time there was a miller who lived happily with his wife. They had money and land, and their prosperity increased year by year. But bad luck comes, and just as his wealth had increased before, it suddenly began to diminish and he felt very distressed. One morning he got up before dawn and

Once upon a time there was a miller who lived happily with his wife. They had money and land, and their prosperity increased year by year. But bad luck comes, and just as his wealth had increased before, it suddenly began to diminish and he felt very distressed. One morning he got up before dawn and went outdoors. As he passed the banks of the mill pond he heard a sound like waves in the pond. Se He turned around and perceived a beautiful woman, rising slowly from the water. Her long hair, which she pushed away from his shoulders with her soft hands, fell on both sides, and covered her entire white body.

Tale of the pond fairy

Soon she understood that she was

the Fairy of the mill pond , and in her fear she did not know if she should escape or stay where she was. But the fairy made his sweet voice heard, and calling him by his name asked him why he was so sad. He told her how before he had lived in wealth and happiness, but that now he was so poor that he did not know what to do anymore. "Be quiet," replied the fairy, "I will make you richer and happier than I have ever been before, you should only promise to give me what was born in your house.The fairy plunged into the water again, and he hurried back to his mill, comforted and in good spirits. He had not reached his house yet, when the maid came out to meet him, screaming at him to rejoice, since his wife had given birth to a little boy.

-Why are you not happy to see the little one?

-What wealth and prosperity would I use, -said, -if I have to lose my child?

In a very short time his wealth became greater than it had ever been before. But he could not be happy about it nonchalantly.

He never let the boy go near the pond.

But as the years went by and the fairy did not appear, he left feeling more at ease. The boy grew up and reached his youth, became a hunter and the lord of the people took him into his service. In the village lived a beautiful and sincere maiden, with whom she married and lived peacefully and happily, and they loved each other with all their hearts.One day the hunter was chasing a deer; and when the animal came out of the forest into the open field, he pursued it and overtook it. After he had prepared the deer, he went to the mill pond, in order to wash his hands.

However he had barely touched the water with his fingers,

when the fairy ascended, and smiling put his wet arms around him and dipped him quickly into the pond, las and the waters closed again. His wife was alarmed. She went looking for him but everything was in vain. Then a dream took possession of her: she dreamed that she climbed eagerly upwards among great masses of rock, thorns and heathers. At the top there was a pretty little country house and there sat an old woman with white hair, who called her kindly. At that very moment, the poor woman woke up and immediately resolved to act in accordance with her dream.

Laboriously he climbed the mountain; everything was exactly as I had seen it in his dream . The old woman received her kindly, and indicated a chair in which she could sit. "You must have had a misfortune," she said, "since you've searched for my lonely cottage." With great tears, the woman told what had happened to her. - Here is this gold comb. Stay until the full moon has gone, then go to the mill dam, sit on the shore, and comb your long black hair with this comb. When you have done it, put it on the ground, and observe what will happen.-

He left for the mill dam, sat down and combed his long black hair with the gold comb, and when he had finished, he put it on the edge of the water. It was not long when there was a movement in the depths, a wave rose and rolled to the shore, and dragged the comb into the waters. In no more time than the one needed for the comb to sink to the bottom, the surface of the water opened in two, and the hunter's head emerged. He did not speak, but he looked at his wife with very sad looks. A second wave came hastily, and covered the man's head. Everything disappeared and the dam of the mill was as peaceful as before, and only the face of the full moon shone around. The next morning she went out again and complained about her misfortunes to the wise woman.

The old woman gave him a golden flute,

and said,

-Behold before the full moon comes out again, then take this flute; touch a beautiful air with it, and when you have finished, put it in the sand; then observe what will happen.-

The wife did what the old woman told her. As soon as the flute was left in the sand there was a poignant noise in the depths, and a wave rushed and snatched the flute with it. Immediately afterwards the water separated, and not only the man's head, but half of his body also rose over the water. He stretched his arms anxiously towards her, but a second wave came up, covered him, and dragged him down again. Despair filled her heart again, but the dream took her a third time to the old woman's house. He went there, and the wise woman gave him a golden spinning wheel, comforted her and said,-Everything is not ready yet, stay until the time of the full moon, then take the spinning wheel, sit on the shore, and spin the reel until you fill it, and when you have done it, place the spinning wheel near the water, and observe what will happen.- The woman obeyed everything that she said exactly; and as soon as the full moon showed itself, he carried the golden spinning wheel to the shore

. As soon as the spinning wheel was on the shore, a strong wave rushed, taking the spinning wheel with it. Immediately the head and the whole body of the man rose in the air, on a stream of water. He quickly jumped to the shore, grabbed his wife's hand and fled. But they had scarcely traveled a very small distance, when the whole pond shook with a dreadful roar, and spilled over, flooding the whole field around.

The fugitives already believed they saw death before their eyes, when the woman in her terror implored the help of the old woman, and in an instant they were transformed: he into a toad, she into a frog. The flood that had reached them could not destroy them, but this separated them and took them away from each other.When the water had dispersed and both touched firm ground again, they regained their human form, but neither knew where the other was; they found themselves among strange people, who did not know of their native land. High mountains and deep valleys stood between them. In order to stay alive, both felt compelled to work caring for sheep.

For a long time they led their flocks through fields and forests and felt full of grief and loneliness. One night, when the full moon shone in the sky, and the sheep were already at rest, the shepherd took the flute out of his pocket, and played with it a beautiful but sad melody. When he had finished playing, he saw a shepherdess who was crying bitterly.

-Why are you crying? - he asked. "Oh," she answered, "so the full moon was shining when I played that melody on the flute for the last time, and my beloved husband's head rose over the waters of the pond." He looked at her, and it seemed as if a veil fell from his eyes, and then he recognized his dear wife, and when she looked at him, and the moon shone on her face she recognized him as well. They embraced and kissed each other, and there was no need to ask if they were very happy in the future.

Moraleja : be careful with the deals you make, do not commit until you are clear about what suits you what you agree.Author

: The Brothers Grimm

FIN