Chapter V - Princess of the Glass Mountain

There was once a king, who was so devoted to the chase that he knew of no greater pleasure than hunting the beasts of the forest. Early and late he would stay out in the field with hawk and hound, and always had good success. It nevertheless one day happened that he could start no game, though he sought on all sides from early morn. When evening was drawing on, and he was about to return home with his attendants, he suddenly perceived a dwarf, or “wild man,” running before him in the forest. Putting spurs to his horse, the king instantly went in pursuit of him, and caught him. His extraordinary appearance caused no little surprise, for he was little and ugly as a Troll, and his hair resembled shaggy moss. To whatever the king said to him he would return no answer, good or bad. At this the king was angry, and the more so as he was already out of humour, in consequence of his bad luck at the chase. He therefore commanded his followers to keep a strict watch over the wild man, so that he might not escape, and then returned to his palace.

In those times it was an old-established custom for the king and his men to hold drinking meetings till a late hour in the night, at which much was said, and still more drunk. As they were sitting at one of these meetings, and making themselves merry, the king, taking up a large horn, said: “What think ye of our sport to-day? When could it before have been said of us, that we returned home without some game?” The men answered: “It is certainly true as you say, and yet, perhaps, there is not so good a sportsman as you to be found in the whole world. You must not, however, complain of our day’s luck; for you have caught an animal, whose like was never before seen or heard of.” This discourse pleased the king exceedingly, and he asked what they thought he had best to do with the dwarf. One of the courtiers answered: “You should keep him confined here in the palace, that it may be known far and near what a great hunter you are; provided that you can guard him so that he does not escape; for he is crafty and perverse withal.” On hearing this, the king for some time sat silent; then raising the horn, said: “I will do as thou sayest, and it shall be through no fault of mine, if the wild man escapes. But this I vow, that if any one lets him loose, he shall die, even if it be my own son.” Having said this, he emptied the horn, so that it was an inviolable oath. But the courtiers cast looks of doubt on each other; for they had never before heard the king so speak, and could plainly see that the mead had mounted to his head.

On the following morning, when the king awoke, he recollected the vow he had made at the drinking party; and accordingly sent for timber and other materials, and caused a small house or cage to be constructed close by the royal palace. The cage was formed of large beams, and secured by strong locks and bars, so that no one could break through. In the middle of the wall there was a little opening or window, for the purpose of conveying the food to the prisoner. When all was ready, the king had the wild man brought forth, placed him in the cage, and took the keys himself. There must the dwarf now sit day and night, both goers and comers stopping to gaze on him; but no one ever heard him complain, or even utter a single word.

Thus did a considerable time pass, when war broke out, and the king was obliged to take the field. When on the eve of departure, he said to his queen: “Thou shalt rule over my realm, and I will leave both land and people in thy care. But thou shalt promise me one thing, that thou wilt keep the wild man, so that he escape not while I am absent.” The queen promised to do her best both in that and all things besides; and the king gave her the keys of the cage. He then pushed his barks from the shore, hoisted sail on the gilded yards, and went far, far away to distant countries; and to whatever place he came, he was there victorious. But the queen stood on the shore, looking after him as long as she could see his pendants waving over the ocean, and then, with her attendants, returned to the palace, there to sit sewing silk on her knee, awaiting her consort’s return.

The king and queen had an only child, a prince, still of tender age, but who gave good promise of himself. After the king’s departure, it one day happened that the boy, in his wanderings about the palace, came to the wild man’s cage, and sat down close by it playing with his gold apple. While he was thus amusing himself, his apple chanced to pass through the window of the cage. The wild man instantly came forwards and threw it out. This the boy thought a pleasant pastime, and threw his apple in again, and the wild man cast it back, and thus they continued for some time. But at length pleasure was turned to sorrow, for the wild man kept the apple and would not throw it back. When neither threats nor prayers were of any avail, the little one burst into tears. Seeing this, the wild man said: “Thy father has acted wickedly towards me, in making me a prisoner, and thou shalt never get thy apple again, unless thou procurest my liberty.” The boy answered: “How shall I procure thy liberty? Only give me my gold apple! my gold apple!” “Thou shalt do as I now tell thee,” replied the wild man. “Go to the queen, thy mother, and desire her to comb thee. Be on the watch, and steal the keys from her girdle, then come and open the door. Thou canst afterwards restore the keys in the same manner, and no one will be the wiser.” In short, the wild man succeeded in persuading the boy, who stole the keys from his mother, ran down to the cage, and let the wild man come out. At parting, the dwarf said: “Here is thy gold apple, as I promised, and thou hast my thanks for allowing me to escape. Another time, when thou art in trouble, I will help thee in return.” He then ran off.

When it was known in the royal palace that the wild man had fled, there was a great commotion; the queen sent people on the roads and ways to trace him; but he was away and continued away. Thus some time passed, and the queen was more and more troubled, for she was in daily expectation of her consort’s return. At last she descried his ships come dancing on the waves, and a multitude of people were assembled on the shore to bid him welcome. On landing, his first inquiry was, whether they had taken good care of the wild man; when the queen was obliged to confess what had taken place. At this intelligence the king was highly incensed, and declared he would punish the perpetrator, be he whoever he might. He then caused an investigation to be made throughout the palace and every man’s child was called forth to bear witness; but no one knew anything. At last the little prince came forward. On appearing before his father he said: “I know that I have incurred my father’s anger; nevertheless I cannot conceal the truth; for it was I who let the wild man escape.” On hearing this the queen grew deadly pale, and every other with her; for the little prince was the favourite of all. At length the king spoke: “Never shall it be said of me that I broke my vow, even for my own flesh and blood; and thou shalt surely die as thou deservest.” Thereupon he gave orders to his men to convey the young prince to the forest, and there slay him; but to bring his heart back, as a proof that his order had been fulfilled.

Now there was sorrow among the people such as the like had never before been experienced; every one interceded for the young prince, but the king’s word was irrevocable. The young men had, therefore, no alternative; so taking the prince with them, they set out on their way. When they had penetrated very far into the forest, they met a man driving swine; whereupon one of the men said to his companion: “It seems to me not good to lay violent hands on a king’s son: let us rather purchase a hog, and take its heart; for no one will know it not to be the prince’s heart.” This to the other seemed wisely said; so they bought a hog of the man, slaughtered it, and took out its heart. They then bade the prince go his way and never return.

The king’s son did as they had directed him; he wandered on as far as he was able, and had no other sustenance than the nuts and wild berries, which grew in the forest. When he had thus travelled a long distance, he came to a mountain, on the summit of which stood a lofty fir. He then thought to himself: “I may as well climb up into this fir, and see whether there is any path.” No sooner said than done. When he reached the top of the tree, and looked on all sides, he discerned a spacious palace lying at a great distance, and glittering in the sun. At this sight he was overjoyed, and instantly bent his steps thither. On his way he met with a boy following a plough, with whom he exchanged clothes. Thus equipped he at length reached the palace, entered it, and asked for employment; so was taken as a herd-boy, to watch the king’s cattle. Now he ranged about the forest both late and early; and as time went on he forgot his sorrow, and grew, and became tall and vigorous, so that nowhere was to be found his like.

Our story now turns to the king, to whom the palace belonged. He had been married, and by his queen had an only daughter. She was much fairer than other damsels, and was both kind and courteous; so that he might be regarded as fortunate, who should one day possess her. When she had completed her fifteenth winter, she had an innumerable host of suitors, whose number, although she gave each a denial, was constantly increasing; so that the king at length knew not what answer to give them. He one day, therefore, went up to his daughter in her bower, and desired her to make a choice, but she would not. In his anger at her refusal he said: “As thou wilt not thyself make a choice, I will make one for thee, although it may happen not to be altogether to thy liking.” He was then going away, but his daughter held him back, and said: “I am well convinced that it must be as you have resolved; nevertheless, you must not imagine that I will accept the first that is offered, as he alone shall possess me, who is able to ride to the top of the high glass mountain fully armed.” This the king thought a good idea, and, yielding to his daughter’s resolution, he sent a proclamation over the whole kingdom, that whosoever should ride fully armed to the top of the glass mountain, should have the princess to wife.

When the day appointed by the king had arrived, the princess was conducted to the glass mountain with great pomp and splendour. There she sat, the highest of all, on the summit of the mountain, with a golden crown on her head and a golden apple in her hand, and appeared so exquisitely beautiful, that there was no one present who would not joyfully have risked his life for her sake. Close at the mountain’s foot were assembled all the suitors on noble horses and with splendid arms, which shone like fire in the sunshine; and from every quarter the people flocked in countless multitudes to witness the spectacle. When all was ready, a signal was given with horns and trumpets, and in the same instant the suitors galloped up the hill one after another. But the mountain was high, and slippery as ice, and was, moreover, exceedingly steep; so that there was no one, who, when he had ascended only a small portion, did not fall headlong to the bottom. It may, therefore, well be imagined there was no lack of broken legs and arms. Hence arose a noise of the neighing of horses, the outcry of people and the crash of armour that was to be heard at a considerable distance.

While all this was passing, the young prince was occupied in tending his cattle. On hearing the tumult and the rattling of arms, he sat on a stone, rested his head on his hand, and wept; for he thought of the beautiful princess, and it passed in his mind how gladly he would have been one of the riders. In the same moment he heard the sound of a footstep, and, on looking up, saw the wild man standing before him. “Thanks for the past,” said he. “Why sittest thou here lonely and sad?” “I may well be sad,” answered the prince. “For thy sake I am a fugitive from my native land, and have now not even a horse and arms, that I might ride to the glass mountain, and contend for the princess.” “Oh,” said the wild man, “if that’s all, a remedy may easily be found. Thou hast helped me, I will now help thee in return.” Thereupon taking the prince by the hand, he led him to his cave deep down in the earth, and showed a suit of armour hanging on the wall, forged of the hardest steel, and so bright that it shed a bluish light all around. Close by it stood a splendid steed, ready saddled and bridled, scraping the ground with his steel-shod hoofs, and champing his bit. The wild man then said to him: “Arm thyself quickly, and ride away, and try thy fortune. I will, in the mean time, tend thy cattle.” The prince did not require a second bidding, but instantly armed himself with helm and harness, buckled spurs on his heels, and a sword by his side, and felt as light in his steel panoply as a bird in the air. Then vaulting into the saddle, he gave his horse the rein, and rode at full speed to the mountain.

The princess’s suitors had just ceased from their arduous enterprise, in which none had won the prize, though each had well played his part, and were now standing and thinking that another time fortune might be more favourable, when on a sudden they see a young knight come riding forth from the verge of the forest directly towards the mountain. He was clad in steel from head to foot, with shield on arm and sword in belt, and bore himself so nobly in the saddle that it was a pleasure to behold him. All eyes were instantly directed towards the stranger knight, each asking another who he might be, for no one had seen him before. But they had no long time for asking; for scarcely had he emerged from the forest, when, raising himself in the stirrups, and setting spurs to his horse, he darted like an arrow straight up the glass mountain. Nevertheless, he did not reach the summit, but when about half way on the declivity, he suddenly turned his charger and rode down the hill, so that the sparks flew from his horse’s hoofs. He then disappeared in the forest as a bird flies. Now, it is easy to imagine, there was a commotion among the assembled multitude, of whom there was not one that was not stricken with wonder at the stranger, who, I hardly need say it, was no other than the prince. At the same time all were unanimous that they had never seen a nobler steed or a more gallant rider. It was, moreover, whispered abroad that such was also the opinion of the princess herself, and that every night she dreamed of nothing but the venturous stranger.

The time had now arrived when the suitors of the princess should make a second trial. As on the first occasion, she was conducted to the glass mountain, the attempt to ascend which by the several competitors was attended with a result similar in every respect to what has been already related.

The prince in the meanwhile was watching his cattle, and silently bewailing his inability to join in the enterprise, when the wild man again appeared before him, who, after listening to his complaints, again conducted him to his subterranean abode, where there hung a suit of armour formed of the brightest silver, close by which stood a snow-white steed ready saddled and fully equipped, pawing the ground with his silver-shod hoofs and champing his bit. The prince, following the directions of the wild man, having put on the armour and mounted the horse, galloped away to the glass mountain.

As on the former occasion, the youth drew on him the gaze of every one present; he was instantly recognised as the knight who had already so distinguished himself; but he allowed them little time for observation, for setting spurs to his horse, he rode with an arrow’s speed up the glassy mountain, when, having nearly reached the summit, he made an obeisance to the princess, turned his horse, rapidly rode down again, and again disappeared in the forest.

The same series of events took place a third time, excepting that on this occasion the prince received from the wild man a suit of golden armour, cased in which he, on the third day of trial, rode to the mountain’s summit, bowed his knee before the princess, and from her hand received the golden apple. Then casting himself on his horse, he rode at full speed down the mountain, and again disappeared in the forest. Now arose an outcry on the mountain! The whole assemblage raised a shout of joy; horns and trumpets were sounded, weapons crashed, and the king caused it to be proclaimed aloud that the stranger knight, in the golden armour, had won the prize. What the princess herself thought on the occasion, we will leave unsaid; though we are told that she turned both pale and red, when she presented the young prince with the golden apple.

All that now remained was to discover the gold-clad knight, for no one knew him. For some time hopes were cherished that he would appear at court, but he came not. His absence excited the astonishment of all, the princess looked pale and was evidently pining away, the king became impatient, and the suitors murmured every day. When no alternative appeared, the king commanded a great assemblage to be held at his palace, at which every man’s son, high or low, should be present, that the princess might choose among them. At this meeting there was not one who did not readily attend, both for the sake of the princess, and in obedience to the king’s command, so that there was assembled an innumerable body of people. When all were gathered together, the princess issued from the royal palace in great state, and with her maidens passed among the whole throng; but although she sought in all directions, she found not what she sought. She was already surveying the outermost circle, when suddenly she caught sight of a man who was standing concealed amid the crowd. He wore a broad-brimmed hat, and was wrapped in a large gray cloak, like those worn by herdsmen, the hood of which was drawn up over his head, so that no one could discern his countenance. But the princess instantly ran towards him, pulled down his hood, clasped him in her arms and cried: “Here he is! here he is!” At this all the people laughed, for they saw that it was the king’s herd-boy, and the king himself exclaimed: “Gracious heaven support me! What a son-in-law am I likely to have!” But the young man, with a perfectly unembarrassed air, said: “Let not that trouble you! You will get as good a king’s son, as you yourself are a king.” At the same moment he threw aside his cloak, and where were now the laughers, when, in place of the grey herdsman, they saw before them a comely young prince clad in gold from head to foot, and holding in his hand the princess’s golden apple! All now recognized in him the youth who had ridden up the glass mountain.

Now, it is easy to imagine, there was joy, the like of which was never known. The prince clasped his beloved in his arms with the most ardent affection, and told her of his family and all he had undergone. The king allowed himself to rest, but instantly made preparations for the marriage, to which he invited all the suitors and all the people. A banquet was then given such as has never been heard of before or after. Thus did the prince gain the king’s daughter and half the kingdom; and when the feastings had lasted about seven days, the prince took his fair young bride in great state to his father’s kingdom, where he was received as may easily be conceived, both the king and the queen weeping for joy at seeing him again. They afterwards lived happily, each in his kingdom. But nothing more was heard of the wild man.

 

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1. In “Runa, En skrift for Faderneslandets Fornvanner” utgifven af Richard Dybeck, Stockh. 1842, Haft i, p. 7, there is a similar tradition from Westmanland, which tells of a knight who captured an animal, the like of which had never been seen, it being overgrown with moss. It w^ras kept in a tower, and released by the knight’s young son, who was playing at ball close by. For this the boy was taken to the forest to be slain; but the servants, touched by his lamentations, killed a kid in his stead, the heart of which they showed for the boy’s.

While wandering in the forest he meets with the animal he had liberated, and goes with him into the mountain, where he stays for some years. A proclamation is then sent through the country that the princess will accept for a husband him who shall be able to ride up a mountain, on which she w^rill one day show herself. The knight’s son now gets horse and clothing, and rides away to contend for the princess; but on reaching the middle of the mountain he is struck by a javelin cast from below. He, nevertheless, continues his course, and at length stands before the princess, who gives him a silk handkerchief to bind up his wound, and a day is fixed for the wedding.

When the day arrived, the wonderful animal, ugly as he is, desires to accompany the bridegroom, but contents himself with a place under the table. He there gives him a rusty sword, desiring him to touch him with it, when the old king’s memory is drunk. The youth complies with his desire, when, to the astonishment of all, the old king, who, it was thought, had been carried off to the mount¹, rises up. There was afterwards great rejoicing and tumult, and the king himself wishes the young couple joy.

2. According to an Upland version, a king one day lost his way in a forest, where he met with an old man who received him hospitably. The old man was immensely rich in gold and silver, which excited the king’s avarice. The old man refuses to tell his name, and the king has him cast into a tower, telling him he should never be released unless he disclosed who he was.

Some time after, as the king’s son was running about the court, he found a key, with which he opened the tower, and set the old man at liberty. At this the king was bitterly enraged, drove the prince from the country, and forbade him ever to return. On entering the forest, the boy met the old man, who desired him to follow him, which he did. They then took the old man’s little gray horse, loaded it with gold and silver, and went to another kingdom. There the prince grew up, and became very tall and powerful; and his greatest pleasure was to ride on the gray horse over hill and dale.

It happened that the king who ruled the land had a daughter, who had a vast number of suitors. Her father, therefore, issued a proclamation, that whoever could ride up the glass mountain and take down a golden crown that was fixed on its summit, should possess the princess. When the prince received this intelligence. he went to the king’s court and offered his services as a scullion; but when the suitors were to begin their competition, he ran home, got arms from his foster-father, together with the little gray horse, and rode at full speed up to the mountain’s peak. Yet he did not take the golden crown, but rode down on the other side and away. On the second day he did the like; on the third day he took the crown, but rode away, so that no one knew who he was.

Some time after, as the princess was sitting in her maiden-bower, the door was opened, and in stepped the scullion. He had the golden crown in his hand, and told her that he had taken it; but that he was willing to give it back, that the princess might exercise her own free will. This pleased the princess exceedingly, and she prayed her father to assemble all the men of his kingdom together at his court. The king did so.

When they were all assembled, the princess went forward to the scullion, gave him the golden crown, and chose him for her husband. At this there was a great wondering; but the prince, casting off his coarse grey cloak, stood there no longer a scullion, but a powerful king’s son. He obtained the princess, and with her half the kingdom.

3. A variation from Gothland omits the introductory part about the wild man, and in its place tells of a poor peasant, whose youngest son was accustomed to sit in the chimney-corner, exposed to the insults of his brothers.

The king who ruled over the country had an only daughter, who had made a vow to marry no one who could not ride up a glass mountain. Whereupon the king issued a proclamation to that effect throughout his kingdom. When the day of trial came, the two elder sons of the peasant mounted their father’s old jade and rode off to the glass mount; but the youngest boy might not accompany them, and therefore ran along the road weeping. Here he was met by a little old man, who asked him why he was so sorrowful. The boy told him the cause, when the old man replied: “Wait, I will help thee. Here is a pipe; take it, and place thyself under that tall pine yonder. When thou blowest in one end of the pipe, there shall come forth a charger with a suit of armour hanging on the pommel of his saddle; and when thou blowest in the other end, the whole shall disappear.’ Hereupon the boy instantly ran to the tree, blew in the pipe, armed himself, and went his way. In passing his brothers, their old nag was so frightened that it ran with its two riders into a ditch, where we will for the present leave them.

The boy then rode on to the glass mountain, where he found an innumerable multitude of people, some with broken legs, others with broken arms, from their attempt to ascend the mountain. He did not, however, allow himself to be frightened, but galloped away, and reached the summit of the mountain, where the princess was sitting. She then threw to him her golden apple, which fastened itself to his knee, and he instantly rode back down the mountain, hastened home to the chimney-corner, and found great pleasure in hearing his two brothers relate about a strange prince who had frightened their horse into a ditch.

When the princess had long been waiting in vain for the successful rider, the king sent messengers over his whole kingdom, to ascertain whether any one had a golden apple on his knee. The messengers also came to the peasant’s hut. When it was discovered that the youngest son had the apple, there was, it may easily be imagined, no small astonishment among them.

The messengers desired the boy to accompany them to the king; but he would not, stole out of the hut, blew in his pipe, clad himself in complete armour, and rode alone to the royal palace, where he was instantly recognized, and obtained the princess. But the old peasant and his two elder sons have not recovered from their astonishment to this day.

4. In a version of the story from West Gothland, it is related how a poor peasant boy, as he was digging in a sand-pit, came to a hall, in which he found three horses and three suits of armour, one of silver, another of gold, and the third of precious stones.

The boy afterwards set out to wander about the world, and came at length to a royal palace, where he got employment as a scullion. The king, whose palace it was, had an only daughter, who had been carried away by a Troll, and could appear only on three successive Thursday evenings, on the summit of a high glass mountain; but if any one could ride up the mountain, and take the golden apple from her hand, she would be released. Hereupon the king, who was in great affliction, sent forth a proclamation, that whosoever would deliver the princess should have her to wife, together with half his kingdom.

When the first Thursday evening arrived, the boy ran to the sand-pit, clad himself in the silver armour, and rode half-way up the mountain. On the second Thursday evening he took the golden armour, and rode so high that his horse had one forefoot on the mountain’s summit. On the third evening he took the armour of precious stones, rode up to the princess and got the golden apple. He then rode back to the sand-pit.

The king then issued an order that every male throughout the kingdom should appear at his court. The princess goes forth and recognizes her deliverer. The scullion casts off his rags, and stands in the armour of precious stones. The king gives him his daughter, and half the kingdom.

* Berg-tagen (mount-taken) means carried off into a mountain by Trolls, concerning which see Thorpe, “Northern Mythology and Traditions,” vol. ii. p. 67.