It is almost impossible to find me. I am buried in the yolk of an egg, which is buried in the womb of a bird, which is buried in the belly of a bull. Who will cut through the bull to reach me? I break all spells and delusions. Hold me in the face of the wicked...
I would never have let the strangers in through the door. But my little daughter, Anastasia, begged me to let the three old beggars sleep in the house. I could not refuse her, so we let them in and gave them the loft. During the night, Anastasia crept up to the loft...
Of course, I know where the Bird of Truth can be found. It’s locked up in a castle that is guarded by a fierce giant. You want to know the name of that castle? It’s called Come-and-Never-Go. I will only tell you the way to the castle if you promise to...
I didn’t last a month when I apprenticed with Master Pfriem. My advice is: stay away from that shoemaker! He’s that short, grey-haired fellow you see moving through the crowd with his arms wheeling round as if he were rowing a boat. You know the man. The...
I had a feeling that someone was following me. I could feel his breath on my neck. Then my dress caught on something. “Who’s that?” I cried, turning around. “Who’s holding my dress?” “Don’t be stupid,” hissed my older sister who was going down the steps ahead of me....
I was standing on the porch when I saw the man approaching. What a horror! It looked as if the scare-crow who had been hanging in the fields for ten years had just pulled himself off the stake and stumbled down the road. I called to him. “Where do you you come...
No, no! Whatever you do, don’t let him in! I bolted the doors of hell and ran as quickly as I could to the highest devil. I said, “There’s a fellow outside with a magic knapsack who wants to come in, but don’t let him in, because if you do,...
I found the entrance to the old well, and I went down a flight of stairs that descended into darkness. They were broad, white slabs of alabaster, gleaming in the shadows. Even the sound of my bare feet on the stone echoed in that lonely place, and when one of my water...
Evening was drawing near and the giant would be back soon. The princess had told the young man how to use me to clean the stables.Turn me upside down! Use the handle, not the fork! But when he got to work, he picked me up in the ordinary way. What was he trying to...
I used to enjoy going off on lonely adventures. I would disguise myself as a peddler, traveling around with my wares. By this means, I would find out what the common people were saying about me, and how my governors and judges were fulfilling their duties. My other...
