Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar/Vaselesa the Beautiful
VASELESA THE BEAUTIFUL.
In a certain kingdom there lived a very rich nobleman, with his wife and a beautiful daughter, named Vaselesa, whom all her friends called Vaselesa the Beautiful, on account of her loveliness and sweet ways. When she was but a child of eight, her mother became so dangerously ill that all the doctors gave her up, and said that she now lay on her death-bed. One day she called Vaselesa to her bedside, and, giving her a lovely little doll, said,—
"Listen to me, my child, and remember your mother's dying words. I am about to depart this life for another, a brighter and far happier one. With a dying mother's love do I leave you this doll, which is very different from others, for she is enchanted, keep her, my darling, and show her to no one, but when ill-luck befalls you, ask her to help you. Now farewell, Vaselesa; be a good girl; obey your father, love him and cheer him when in trouble. Good-bye, little one." With these words the mother kissed her child and expired.
Some years after the death of his wife, the nobleman thought he had better marry again, on his child's account, for he loved his little daughter dearly, and wanted some one to take care of her, as he had very little time to do so himself.
Many women came in his way, yet he cared for none. At last a very rich widow took his fancy, with two rather pretty daughters, of Vaselesa's own age. He, thinking her a good house-wife, as well as a kind mother, married her; but, alas! she turned out to be a very different sort of woman; and, like a good many step-mothers, disliked her step-daughter immensely. She hated Vaselesa because she was the most beautiful child on the whole face of the earth! and because she was a good, obedient little girl. Her step-sisters, of course, very shortly began to hate her too; they snubbed her, made her do all their work for them and tried to worry her in every possible way; but all in vain, Vaselesa grew more beautiful every day, and did not seem to mind in the least all their snubbing, and all the hard work they made her do. Why was this? Was it because she kept the doll which her mother had given her? or was it the dying woman's blessing that kept her from harm? We shall see by-and-by.
Years passed on, the beautiful Vaselesa was now old enough to be a bride. She was always surrounded by rich and handsome lovers, while the two step-sisters were left out in the cold, for no one looked at them when Vaselesa was near. Naturally, the step-mother became very angry, and told the young men that she would not let Vaselesa marry before her own daughters were comfortably settled. The young men on hearing this, departed in haste, and troubled the nobleman's house no more. The step mother was still more disgusted when she saw that she had turned them off altogether, and began to vent her rage on Vaselesa, calling her a flirt, telling her that she kept all the young men away from her sisters; however, Vaselesa did not mind.
It so happened that the nobleman had to go to a very distant kingdom for some months, on very important business, while his wife moved to another house not quite so large as the first one, near a dark and dreary forest, in the middle of which stood a little hut, and in it lived an old witch, who was said to eat up everybody who came in her way, just as though they were so many chickens! The step-mother had heard of this dreadful old witch, and thought if she kept on sending Vaselesa into the forest every day for something or other, she would soon be got rid of; however, Vaselesa always came home safely, thanks to her friend the doll. But one evening the step-mother gave each of the girls some work to do, telling them to have a certain amount of it finished by the following morning. One had to begin making lace, the other to go on with her knitting, while Vaselesa had to spin. The step-mother, after giving them a small piece of candle to work by, left them, and went to spend the evening with some friends, not forgetting, however, to tell them that if the candle should go out, one of them would have to go to the witch for light, and she looked meaningly at Vaselesa. The girls worked a long time, and then the candle went out, leaving them in darkness.
"What shall we do?" cried one of the step-sisters; "mamma has locked up all the light, and our work is not half done! As for going to Madam Witch, I shan't; I daresay I can manage to go on working by the gleam of my knitting-needles."
"I shan't go either, I shall be able to finish this bit of lace by the light of my pins," said the other.
"Vaselesa must go!"
And they pushed the poor girl out of the room, and locked the door after her. Vaselesa went straight to her own room, and told her doll what her sisters wanted her to do.
"Don't be afraid, my darling," answered the doll, "but go wheresoever you are sent, and fear nothing. As long as you carry me about with you, you are safe."
Vaselesa put the doll in her pocket, and ran out of the house into the forest, singing as she went. Suddenly a white horseman rode past her on a white horse, and as he rode everything around him became white. Vaselesa was greatly astonished at this, and began wondering what he could be, when another horseman rode past, clad in red, sitting on a red horse, and as he rode along everything became red; but he, too, soon disappeared. After she had walked a little farther, she met another horseman, dressed in black, on a black horse, and immediately all became quite dark round about her.
Vaselesa had now not far to go, but very soon arrived at the little hut where Madam Witch lived This hut and its surroundings were most peculiar as well as alarming; in the first place, the hut itself stood on chickens' legs, and round it was a high wall made of human bones, on the top of which was a collection of human skulls, lighted up inside, with rays of light streaming out of the eyes, showing Vaselesa the way. On the gate were human legs instead of bolts, and human hands instead of a lock. Vaselesa became greatly alarmed on seeing all these dreadful things, and would gladly have run away, had she not heard a loud noise in the air, and, on looking up, beheld the old witch riding on a mortar, with a pestle in her hand.
"Fy, fy! I smell the blood of a Russ'an. Who is here?" she cried, descending.
Vaselesa came forward, saying in a low, trembling voice,—
"It is I, madam, my step-sisters have sent me to you for light."
"All right, my child," cried the witch. "I know them well! So they want light, do they? Very well; but you will have to work for me first, and stay here for a little while. If you do everything well, and are a good girl, I shall give you one of those lighted skulls to take back to your sisters."
"But I beg your pardon, madam," said Vaselesa again, "my sisters are waiting for the light; they want to finish some work for their mother."
"No, they are not doing anything of the kind; they only wanted to get rid of you."
"I am sure you must be mistaken, madam. I know that they are waiting."
"Well, let them wait; do them good. As for my being mistaken, not I! Anyhow, I don't let people have my skulls for nothing. You will have to stay with me and work, and if you do everything properly, as I mentioned before, I shall give you a skull; on the other hand, if you do not do what I tell you, your head will be put on that wall with the rest, for there happens to be a vacancy."
Vaselesa did not at all like the prospect of possessing one of the things she had so greatly dreaded, nor did she care very much about the invitation, or the look of things in general; however, she wisely said nothing, but followed the witch into the hut.
"Bring me all that there is in the stove," said the witch, "and put it down on the table before me, for I am as hungry as a wolf"
"Then I hope you will not eat me up!"
"I will, if you don't make haste."
Vaselesa laughed, and, running to the stove, brought out everything there. This was chiefly human flesh! She brought out some honey and wine, which the witch at once consumed, giving Vaselesa now and then something which she herself did not care for. After telling Vaselesa to be up early next morning, she went to bed.
Early next morning Vaselesa woke, and, peeping out of the window, saw the light in the skulls slowly darken. As she stood there looking out, the same white horseman rode past, and immediately everything became quite light. Madam Witch rose, telling Vaselesa to clean the yard, sweep the hut, cook the dinner, and peel a hundred pounds of potatoes; but if this were not done, she told her that she would eat her up, and have no mercy on her. After that she went into the yard, said something that Vaselesa did not understand, and the mortar with the pestle descended from the clouds; up went the witch high into the air, and was out of sight in a moment, leaving Vaselesa alone in her glory. She at once set to work to explore her surroundings, when she suddenly recollected the work she had to do; so she ran to begin, when what was her surprise to see that the doll had done it all for her!
"Oh, my darling little helper!" cried Vaselesa. "You have saved me all the trouble. What on earth should I have done without you?"
"You have still to lay the table for dinner, and be a good girl. Remember that, and try to please Madam Witch in every possible way."
So saying, the doll climbed into Vaselesa's pocket.
All was quite ready when Madam Witch arrived. She found everything beautifully clean and cheerful.
"Have you done all the work I gave you to do?" she asked on entering.
"Look and answer for yourself, good mother," returned Vaselesa, smiling brightly.
The witch gave a quick look round, and, I must say, was not altogether pleased, for there was no fault to find whatever.
"It is very well done, my child," she said, sitting down to her dinner.
After she had eaten enough she went to bed, telling Vaselesa what she had to do next day.
When morning came, Madam Witch rode out in her mortar, with the pestle in her hand; while Vaselesa, or rather the doll, did all the work. The day passed as did the first. When night came the witch returned, and had, as before, no fault to find. As she was eating her dinner Vaselesa stood quite quietly by her side, looking at her, but saying nothing.
"Why do you not speak to me to-day, my child?" the witch asked in surprise.
"Because I was thinking."
"What was it? Out with it."
"Well, to tell the truth, I am rather puzzled about something, and want to ask you some questions, and shall be very glad if you will answer them for me."
"Fire away; but, mind, not too many questions, or you will soon get old."
"I only want to ask you three questions. First, as I was coming to you for light, a white horseman passed me on the way. He sat on a white horse, and all around him became white. Who was he?"
"His name was Day."
"Then came another horseman clad in red. Who was he?"
"He was Sunset."
"Then a third passed me, in black. Who was he?"
"He was Night."
Vaselesa remained silent for some time.
"Well," asked the witch, laughing, "have you no more to ask me about?"
"No. You yourself told me not to ask too much, for fear of my growing old before my time."
"Very well, then. Now that you have asked me all you wish to know, I will return the compliment, and ask you some questions too. Tell me why it is that you are always so good, and so quick and ready to obey me, and never make a mistake by any chance? And also why it is that I am so fond of you, and would not hurt a hair of your head?"
"I suppose it is my dear mother's blessing that helps me in all I do."
"Well, then, look here, my dear. I don't want any blessedness in my hut. I think you have been here quite long enough; so you had better go back to your step-mother and sisters with my compliments, and take one of my skulls with you."
So saying, the witch gave Vaselesa one of the horrid-looking things, and saw her off.
Away ran the girl, thinking the witch quite the most charming old lady she had ever met. It was growing very dark now, and had it not been for the lighted skull she would never have found her way. She ran on until Day broke in upon her, and the skull darkened; but as soon as Night galloped past the skull lighted up again, showing Vaselesa the way.
On the following evening she arrived at the gates of her home. All was in total darkness. She was about to throw away the lighted skull and enter the house, when suddenly, to her great surprise, a voice like thunder came from the skull, saying,—
"Throw me not away, but take me unto thy step-mother!"
She looked up at the window, and seeing that there was no light anywhere, she took the skull in with her. Her people went out of their way to be as nice as possible. They embraced her tenderly, telling her that they had been in utter darkness during the evenings the moment she had left them. Whatever light was brought to them, went out immediately.
"I hope your light will not go out, too!" cried the step-mother, as she set down the skull on a little table in a corner.
"I hardly think that likely," replied Vaselesa.
Meanwhile the fiery eyes pierced the step-mother and step-sisters with the hot flames that now and then darted out from them. The three women were terribly frightened, and tried to hide themselves in corners so as to save themselves from being burnt, but all in vain; they became so fearfully scorched by dreadful flames from the eyes, that towards morning they were nothing but a heap of ashes. All this time the flaming eyes never once so much as looked at Vaselesa, who stood there unable to help her step-mother and sisters.
After burying the skull in the earth she locked up the house, gave the servants a holiday, and went to live with an old woman in town, who was formerly her nurse, where she could wait for her father's return.
One day Vaselesa said to the old woman,—
"I find it very dull, Ivanna, sitting here like a grand lady, without having any work to do; I wish you would let me help you sometimes in the house-work."
"But why, dear angel, should you want to spoil your pretty hands with work?"
"Well, Ivanna, I don't want to live idle. If you won't let me help you, I wish you would buy me some of the very best flax you can get, and I will spin."
The old nurse sighed, but had to obey.
Vaselesa set to work and began to spin. Her work was so fine, that when the time came to weave it nobody would touch it for fear of breaking it,
Vaselesa was very unhappy, and tried to do it herself, but failed. So she went to her doll and asked it to do it for her. Next morning all was done!
Never did human eyes see such beautiful stuff. In fact, it was so much admired that Vaselesa (or rather, her doll) set to work and made some beautiful linen which could almost pass through the eye of the smallest needle! When it was all ready Vaselesa told her nurse to try to sell the stuff, and keep the money for herself.
"Why, my dear child," said the old nurse, looking at the linen in surprise, "this is fit for no one but the king himself! I will take it to him at once. Why it is more like silk than linen!"
Off went the old woman to the palace, and asked to see the king, who ordered her to be brought before him at once. He was delighted with the stuff, and asked the price of it.
"I will let your Majesty have it for nothing."
However, the king would not hear of this, but gave her many rich gifts in return.
Shortly after, the king ordered shirts to be made for him of this beautiful linen, but nobody would touch it. They said it was quite impossible to cut or sew it, as it was much too fine for any human hands to finger. The king then ordered the old woman to come before him.
"You could spin and weave this linen," said the king, "therefore you will also have to make me these shirts, as no one in the kingdom will touch the stuff."
"I did not make the linen, your Majesty, but a beautiful young lady who is staying with me did it by way of amusement."
"Well, then, let her make the shirts. Some one must make them, now that I have got the linen."
Away went the old nurse, and told Vaselesa all that the king had said.
"I knew that would be the case; no one has the patience to touch this stuff. It is too fine, I suppose," laughed Vaselesa, as she locked herself up in her room. Of course she did not think for a moment of making these shirts herself, but told her little doll to do so. (How convenient that doll was to be sure!)
In a very short time three dozen shirts lay by her side, so charmingly worked that it was quite impossible to see the sewing!
Next morning the old nurse took the shirts to the king, who was simply delighted with them, and would not rest until he saw this wonderful girl who did everything that no one else could do.
Meanwhile Vaselesa, after dressing herself in a beautiful satin dress, looking like a rose freshly plucked from the garden, sat by the open window as though waiting for something. Suddenly she heard the sound of wheels; she looked up, and saw one of the king's carriages drive up to the door. Vaselesa flew to answer the bell.
"Does the young lady who made the king's shirts live here?" asked a footman with powdered hair.
Vaselesa told him that she was the one. So off she drove to the palace; but no sooner had she made her appearance at court when all eyes were turned to her, full of surprise at her wonderful beauty. As for the king himself, he fell straightway in love with her, and in a very short time they were married. As the king happened to be young and handsome, Vaselesa did not object.
Vaselesa's father soon returned, and was overjoyed at the news. He lived the rest of his days with his beloved daughter and the king, her husband.
The old woman was properly taken care of, and lived in a nice little house close to the palace, where she could see Vaselesa as often as she pleased.
The beautiful young queen became more lovely every day, and kept the doll carefully locked up to the end of her days, and showed it to no one for fear of its getting broken.