By daybreak the drummer arose, buckled on his drum, and went withoutfear straight into the forest. After he had walked for a while withoutseeing any giants, he thought to himself, "I must waken up thesluggards," and he hung his drum before him, and beat such a reveillethat the birds flew out of the trees with loud cries. It was not longbefore a giant who had been lying sleeping among the grass, rose up,and was as tall as a fir-tree. "Wretch!" cried he; "what art thoudrumming here for, and wakening me out of my best sleep?" "I amdrumming," he replied, "because I want to show the way to manythousands who are following me." "What do they want in my forest?"demanded the giant. "They want to put an end to thee, and cleanse theforest of such a monster as thou art!" "Oho!" said the giant, "I willtrample you all to death like so many ants." "Dost thou think thoucanst do anything against us?" said the drummer; "if thou stoopest totake hold of one, he will jump away and hide himself; but when thouart lying down and sleeping, they will come forth from every thicket,and creep up to thee. Every one of them has a hammer of steel in hisbelt, and with that they will beat in thy skull." The giant grew angryand thought, "If I meddle with the crafty folk, it might turn outbadly for me. I can strangle wolves and bears, but I cannot protectmyself from these earth-worms." "Listen, little fellow," said he; "goback again, and I will promise you that for the future I will leaveyou and your comrades in peace, and if there is anything else you wishfor, tell me, for I am quite willing to do something to please you.""Thou hast long legs," said the drummer, "and canst run quicker thanI; carry me to the glass-mountain, and I will give my followers asignal to go back, and they shall leave thee in peace this time.""Come here, worm," said the giant; "seat thyself on my shoulder, Iwill carry thee where thou wishest to be." The giant lifted him up,and the drummer began to beat his drum up aloft to his heart'sdelight. The giant thought, "That is the signal for the other peopleto turn back."
After a while, a second giant was standing in the road, who took thedrummer from the first, and stuck him in his button-hole. The drummerlaid hold of the button, which was as large as a dish, held on by it,and looked merrily around. Then they came to a third giant, who tookhim out of the button-hole, and set him on the rim of his hat. Thenthe drummer walked backwards and forwards up above, and looked overthe trees, and when he perceived a mountain in the blue distance, hethought, "That must be the glass-mountain," and so it was. The giantonly made two steps more, and they reached the foot of the mountain,where the giant put him down. The drummer demanded to be put on thesummit of the glass-mountain, but the giant shook his head, growledsomething in his beard, and went back into the forest.
And now the poor drummer was standing before the mountain, which wasas high as if three mountains were piled on each other, and at thesame time as smooth as a looking-glass, and did not know how to get upit. He began to climb, but that was useless, for he always slippedback again. "If one was a bird now," thought he; but what was the goodof wishing, no wings grew for him.
Whilst he was standing thus, not knowing what to do, he saw, not farfrom him, two men who were struggling fiercely together. He went up tothem and saw that they were disputing about a saddle which was lyingon the ground before them, and which both of them wanted to have."What fools you are," said he, "to quarrel about a saddle, when youhave not a horse for it!" "The saddle is worth fighting about,"answered one of the men; "whosoever sits on it, and wishes himself inany place, even if it should be the very end of the earth, gets therethe instant he has uttered the wish. The saddle belongs to us incommon. It is my turn to ride on it, but that other man will not letme do it." "I will soon decide the quarrel," said the drummer, and hewent to a short distance and stuck a white rod in the ground. Then hecame back and said, "Now run to the goal, and whoever gets therefirst, shall ride first." Both put themselves into a trot; but hardlyhad they gone a couple of steps before the drummer swung himself onthe saddle, wished himself on the glass-mountain, and before any onecould turn round, he was there. On the top of the mountain was aplain; there stood an old stone house, and in front of the house lay agreat fish-pond, but behind it was a dark forest. He saw neither mennor animals, everything was quiet; only the wind rustled amongst thetrees, and the clouds moved by quite close above his head. He went tothe door and knocked. When he had knocked for the third time, an oldwoman with a brown face and red eyes opened the door. She hadspectacles on her long nose, and looked sharply at him; then she askedwhat he wanted. "Entrance, food, and a bed for the night," replied thedrummer. "That thou shalt have," said the old woman, "if thou wiltperform three services in return." "Why not?" he answered, "I am notafraid of any kind of work, however hard it may be." The old woman lethim go in, and gave him some food and a good bed at night. The nextmorning when he had had his sleep out, she took a thimble from herwrinkled finger, reached it to the drummer, and said, "Go to work now,and empty out the pond with this thimble; but thou must have it donebefore night, and must have sought out all the fishes which are in thewater and laid them side by side, according to their kind and size.""That is strange work," said the drummer, but he went to the pond, andbegan to empty it. He baled the whole morning; but what can any one doto a great lake with a thimble, even if he were to bale for a thousandyears?
When it was noon, he thought, "It is all useless, and whether I workor not it will come to the same thing." So he gave it up and sat down.Then came a maiden out of the house who set a little basket with foodbefore him, and said, "What ails thee, that thou sittest so sadlyhere?" He looked at her, and saw that she was wondrously beautiful."Ah," said he, "I cannot finish the first piece of work, how will itbe with the others? I came forth to seek a king's daughter who is saidto dwell here, but I have not found her, and I will go farther." "Stayhere," said the maiden, "I will help thee out of thy difficulty. Thouart tired, lay thy head in my lap, and sleep. When thou awakest again,thy work will be done." The drummer did not need to be told thattwice. As soon as his eyes were shut, she turned a wishing-ring andsaid, "Rise, water. Fishes, come out." Instantly the water rose onhigh like a white mist, and moved away with the other clouds, and thefishes sprang on the shore and laid themselves side by side eachaccording to his size and kind. When the drummer awoke, he saw withamazement that all was done. But the maiden said, "One of the fish isnot lying with those of its own kind, but quite alone; when the oldwoman comes to-night and sees that all she demanded has been done, shewill ask thee, 'What is this fish lying alone for?' Then throw thefish in her face, and say, 'This one shall be for thee, old witch.'"In the evening the witch came, and when she had put this question, hethrew the fish in her face. She behaved as if she did not remark it,and said nothing, but looked at him with malicious eyes. Next morningshe said, "Yesterday it was too easy for thee, I must give thee harderwork. To-day thou must hew down the whole of the forest, split thewood into logs, and pile them up, and everything must be finished bythe evening." She gave him an axe, a mallet, and two wedges. But theaxe was made of lead, and the mallet and wedges were of tin. When hebegan to cut, the edge of the axe turned back, and the mallet andwedges were beaten out of shape. He did not know how to manage, but atmid-day the maiden came once more with his dinner and comforted him."Lay thy head on my lap," said she, "and sleep; when thou awakest, thywork will be done." She turned her wishing-ring, and in an instant thewhole forest fell down with a crash, the wood split, and arrangeditself in heaps, and it seemed just as if unseen giants were finishingthe work. When he awoke, the maiden said, "Dost thou see that the woodis piled up and arranged, one bough alone remains; but when the oldwoman comes this evening and asks thee about that bough, give her ablow with it, and say, 'That is for thee, thou witch.'"
The old woman came, "There thou seest how easy the work was!" saidshe; "but for whom hast thou left that bough which is lying therestill?"
"For thee, thou witch," he replied, and gave her a blow with it. Butshe pretended not to feel it, laughed scornfully, and said, "Earlyto-morrow morning thou shalt arrange all the wood in one heap, setfire to it, and burn it." He rose at break of day, and began to pickup the wood, but how can a single man get a whole forest together? Thework made no progress. The maiden, however, did not desert him in hisneed. She brought him his food at noon, and when he had eaten, he laidhis head on her lap, and went to sleep. When he awoke, the entire pileof wood was burning in one enormous flame, which stretched its tonguesout into the sky. "Listen to me," said the maiden, "when the witchcomes, she will give thee all kinds of orders; do whatever she asksthee without fear, and then she will not be able to get the better ofthee, but if thou art afraid, the fire will lay hold of thee, andconsume thee. At last when thou hast done everything, seize her withboth thy hands, and throw her into the midst of the fire." The maidendeparted, and the old woman came sneaking up to him. "Oh, I am cold,"said she, "but that is a fire that burns; it warms my old bones forme, and does me good! But there is a log lying there which won't burn,bring it out for me. When thou hast done that, thou art free, andmayst go where thou likest, come; go in with a good will."
The drummer did not reflect long; he sprang into the midst of theflames, but they did not hurt him, and could not even singe a hair ofhis head. He carried the log out, and laid it down. Hardly, however,had the wood touched the earth than it was transformed, and thebeautiful maiden who had helped him in his need stood before him, andby the silken and shining golden garments which she wore, he knewright well that she was the King's daughter. But the old woman laughedvenomously, and said, "Thou thinkest thou hast her safe, but thou hastnot got her yet!" Just as she was about to fall on the maiden and takeher away, the youth seized the old woman with both his hands, raisedher up on high, and threw her into the jaws of the fire, which closedover her as if it were delighted that an old witch was to be burnt.
Then the King's daughter looked at the drummer, and when she saw thathe was a handsome youth and remembered how he had risked his life todeliver her, she gave him her hand, and said, "Thou hast venturedeverything for my sake, but I also will do everything for thine.Promise to be true to me, and thou shalt be my husband. We shall notwant for riches, we shall have enough with what the witch has gatheredtogether here." She led him into the house, where there were chestsand coffers crammed with the old woman's treasures. The maiden leftthe gold and silver where it was, and took only the precious stones.She would not stay any longer on the glass-mountain, so the drummersaid to her, "Seat thyself by me on my saddle, and then we will flydown like birds." "I do not like the old saddle," said she, "I needonly turn my wishing-ring and we shall be at home." "Very well, then,"answered the drummer, "then wish us in front of the town-gate." In thetwinkling of an eye they were there, but the drummer said, "I willjust go to my parents and tell them the news, wait for me outsidehere, I shall soon be back." "Ah," said the King's daughter, "I begthee to be careful. On thy arrival do not kiss thy parents on theright cheek, or else thou wilt forget everything, and I shall staybehind here outside, alone and deserted." "How can I forget thee?"said he, and promised her to come back very soon, and gave his handupon it. When he went into his father's house, he had changed so muchthat no one knew who he was, for the three days which he had passed onthe glass-mountain had been three years. Then he made himself known,and his parents fell on his neck with joy, and his heart was so movedthat he forgot what the maiden had said, and kissed them on bothcheeks. But when he had given them the kiss on the right cheek, everythought of the King's daughter vanished from him. He emptied out hispockets, and laid handfuls of the largest jewels on the table. Theparents had not the least idea what to do with the riches. Then thefather built a magnificent castle all surrounded by gardens, woods,and meadows as if a prince were going to live in it, and when it wasready, the mother said, "I have found a maiden for thee, and thewedding shall be in three days. The son was content to do as hisparents desired."
The poor King's daughter had stood for a long time without the townwaiting for the return of the young man. When evening came, she said,"He must certainly have kissed his parents on the right cheek, and hasforgotten me." Her heart was full of sorrow, she wished herself into asolitary little hut in a forest, and would not return to her father'scourt. Every evening she went into the town and passed the young man'shouse; he often saw her, but he no longer knew her. At length sheheard the people saying, "The wedding will take place to-morrow." Thenshe said, "I will try if I can win his heart back."
On the first day of the wedding ceremonies, she turned herwishing-ring, and said, "A dress as bright as the sun." Instantly thedress lay before her, and it was as bright as if it had been woven ofreal sunbeams. When all the guests were assembled, she entered thehall. Every one was amazed at the beautiful dress, and the bride mostof all, and as pretty dresses were the things she had most delight in,she went to the stranger and asked if she would sell it to her. "Notfor money," she answered, "but if I may pass the first night outsidethe door of the room where your betrothed sleeps, I will give it up toyou." The bride could not overcome her desire and consented, but shemixed a sleeping-draught with the wine her betrothed took at night,which made him fall into a deep sleep, When all had become quiet, theKing's daughter crouched down by the door of the bedroom, opened itjust a little, and cried,
"Drummer, drummer, I pray thee hear!
Hast thou forgotten thou heldest me dear?
That on the glass-mountain we sat hour by hour?
That I rescued thy life from the witch's power?
Didst thou not plight thy troth to me?
Drummer, drummer, hearken to me!"
But it was all in vain, the drummer did not awake, and when morningdawned, the King's daughter was forced to go back again as she came.On the second evening she turned her wishing-ring and said, "A dressas silvery as the moon." When she appeared at the feast in the dresswhich was as soft as moonbeams, it again excited the desire of thebride, and the King's daughter gave it to her for permission to passthe second night also, outside the door of the bedroom. Then in thestillness of the night, she cried,
"Drummer, drummer, I pray thee hear!
Hast thou forgotten thy heldest me dear?
That on the glass-mountain we sat hour by hour?
That I rescued thy life from the witch's power?
Didst thou not plight thy troth to me?
Drummer, drummer, hearken to me!"
But the drummer, who was stupefied with the sleeping-draught, couldnot be aroused. Sadly next morning she went back to her hut in theforest. But the people in the house had heard the lamentation of thestranger-maiden, and told the bridegroom about it. They told him alsothat it was impossible that he could hear anything of it, because themaiden he was going to marry had poured a sleeping-draught into hiswine.
On the third evening, the King's daughter turned her wishing-ring, andsaid, "A dress glittering like the stars." When she showed herselftherein at the feast, the bride was quite beside herself with thesplendour of the dress, which far surpassed the others, and she said,"I must, and will have it." The maiden gave it as she had given theothers for permission to spend the night outside the bridegroom'sdoor. The bridegroom, however, did not drink the wine which was handedto him before he went to bed, but poured it behind the bed, and wheneverything was quiet, he heard a sweet voice which called to him,
"Drummer, drummer, I pray thee hear!
Hast thou forgotten thou held me dear?
That on the glass-mountain we sat hour by hour?
That I rescued thy life from the witch's power?
Didst thou not plight thy troth to me?
Drummer, drummer, hearken to me!"
Suddenly, his memory returned to him. "Ah," cried he, "how can I haveacted so unfaithfully; but the kiss which in the joy of my heart Igave my parents, on the right cheek, that is to blame for it all, thatis what stupefied me!" He sprang up, took the King's daughter by thehand, and led her to his parents' bed. "This is my true bride," saidhe; "if I marry the other, I shall do a great wrong." The parents,when they heard how everything had happened, gave their consent. Thenthe lights in the hall were lighted again, drums and trumpets werebrought, friends and relations were invited to come, and the realwedding was solemnized with great rejoicing. The first bride receivedthe beautiful dresses as a compensation, and declared herselfsatisfied.
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