There was once on a time an old king who was ill, and thought to himself,“I am lying on what must be my death-bed.”Then said he,“Tell Faithful John to come to me.”Faithful John was his favourite servant, and was so called, because he had for his whole life long been so true to him. When therefore he came beside the bed, the King said to him,“Most faithful John, I feel my end approaching, and have no anxiety except about my son. He is still of tender age, and cannot always know how to guide himself. If you do not promise me to teach him everything that he ought to know, and to be his foster-father, I cannot close my eyes in peace.”Then answered Faithful John,“I will not forsake him, and will serve him with fidelity, even if it should cost me my life.”At this, the old King said,“Now I die in comfort and peace.”Then he added,“After my death, you shall show him the whole castle: all the chambers, halls, and vaults, and all the treasures which lie therein, but the last chamber in the long gallery, in which is the picture of the princess of the Golden Dwelling, shall you not show. If he sees that picture, he will fall violently in love with her, and will drop down in a swoon, and go through great danger for her sake, therefore you must protect him from that.”And when Faithful John had once more given his promise to the old King about this, the King said no more, but laid his head on his pillow, and died.
When the old King had been carried to his grave, Faithful John told the young King all that he had promised his father on his deathbed, and said,“This will I assuredly keep, and will be faithful to you as I have been faithful to him, even if it should cost me my life.”When the mourning was over, Faithful John said to him,“It is now time that you shouldst see your inheritance. I will show you your father's palace.”Then he took him about everywhere, up and down, and let him see all the riches, and the magnificent apartments, only there was one room which he did not open, that in which hung the dangerous picture. The picture, however, was so placed that when the door was opened you looked straight on it, and it was so admirably painted that it seemed to breathe and live, and there was nothing more charming or more beautiful in the whole world. The young King noticed, however, that Faithful John always walked past this one door, and said,“Why do you never open this one for me?”
“There is something within it,”he replied,“which would terrify you.”
But the King answered,“I have seen all the palace, and I want to know what is in this room also,”and he went and tried to break open the door by force.
Then Faithful John held him back and said,“I promised your father before his death that you should not see that which is in this chamber, it might bring the greatest misfortune on you and on me.”
“Ah, no,”replied the young King,“if I do not go in, it will be my certain destruction. I should have no rest day or night until I had seen it with my own eyes. I shall not leave the place now until you have unlocked the door.”
Then Faithful John saw that there was no help for it now, and with a heavy heart and many sighs, sought out the key from the great bunch. When he had opened the door, he went in first, and thought by standing before him he could hide the portrait so that the King should not see it in front of him, but what good was this? The King stood on tip-toe and saw it over his shoulder. And when he saw the portrait of the maiden, which was so magnificent and shone with gold and precious stones, he fell fainting to the ground. Faithful John took him up, carried him to his bed, and sorrowfully thought,“The misfortune has befallen us, Lord God, what will be the end of it?”Then he strengthened him with wine, until he came to himself again. The first words the King said were,“Ah, the beautiful portrait! whose it it?”
“That is the princess of the Golden Dwelling,”answered Faithful John.
Then the King continued,“My love for her is so great, that if all the leaves on all the trees were tongues, they could not declare it. I will give my life to win her. You are my most Faithful John, you must help me.”
The faithful servant considered within himself for a long time how to set about the matter, for it was difficult even to obtain a sight of the King's daughter. At length he thought of a way, and said to the King,“Everything which she has about her is of gold—-tables, chairs, dishes, glasses, bowls, and household furniture. Among your treasures are five tons of gold;let one of the goldsmiths of the kingdom fashion these into all manner of vessels and utensils, into all kinds of birds, wild beasts and strange animals, such as may please her, and we will go there with them and try our luck.”
The King ordered all the goldsmiths to be brought to him, and they had to work night and day until at last the most splendid things were prepared. When everything was stowed on board a ship, Faithful John put on the dress of a merchant, and the King was forced to do the same in order to make himself quite unrecognizable. Then they sailed across the sea, and sailed on until they came to the town wherein dwelt the princess of the Golden Dwelling.
Faithful John bade the King stay behind on the ship, and wait for him.“Perhaps I shall bring the princess with me,”said he,“therefore see that everything is in order; have the golden vessels set out and the whole ship decorated.”Then he gathered together in his apron all kinds of gold things, went on shore and walked straight to the royal palace. When he entered the courtyard of the palace, a beautiful girl was standing there by the well with two golden buckets in her hand, drawing water with them. And when she was just turning round to carry away the sparkling water she saw the stranger, and asked who he was. So he answered,“I am a merchant,”and opened his apron, and let her look in. Then she cried,“Oh, what beautiful gold things!”and put her pails down and looked at the golden wares one after the other. Then said the girl,“The princess must see these, she has such great pleasure in golden things, that she will buy all you have.”She took him by the hand and led him upstairs, for she was the waiting-maid. When the King's daughter saw the wares, she was quite delighted and said,“They are so beautifully worked, that I will buy them all from you.”But Faithful John said,“I am only the servant of a rich merchant. The things I have here are not to be compared with those my master has in his ship. They are the most beautiful and valuable things that have ever been made in gold.”When she wanted to have everything brought up to her there, he said,“There are so many of them that it would take a great many days to do that, and so many rooms would be required to exhibit them, that your house is not big enough.”Then her curiosity and longing were still more excited, until at last she said,“Conduct me to the ship, I will go there myself, and behold the treasures of your master.”
At this Faithful John was quite delighted, and led her to the ship, and when the King saw her, he perceived that her beauty was even greater than the picture had represented it to be, and thought no other than that his heart would burst in twain. Then she boarded the ship, and the King led her within. Faithful John, however, remained with the helmsman, and ordered the ship to be pushed off, saying,“Set all sail, till it fly like a bird in the air.”Within, however, the King showed her the golden vessels, every one of them, also the wild beasts and strange animals. Many hours went by whilst she was seeing everything, and in her delight she did not observe that the ship was sailing away. After she had looked at the last,she thanked the merchant and wanted to go home, but when she came to the side of the ship, she saw that it was on the high seas far from land, and hurrying onwards with all sail set.“Ah,”cried she in her alarm,“I am betrayed! I am carried away and have fallen into the power of a merchant—-I would rather die!”The King, however, seized her hand, and said,“I am not a merchant. I am a king, and of no meaner origin than you are, and if I have carried you away with subtlety, that has come to pass because of my exceeding great love for you. The first time that I looked on your portrait, I fell fainting to the ground.”When the princess of the Golden Dwelling heard this, she was comforted, and her heart was drawn to him, so that she willingly consented to be his wife.
It so happened, while they were sailing onwards over the deep sea, that Faithful John, who was sitting on the fore part of the vessel, making music, saw three ravens in the air, which came flying towards them. On this he stopped playing and listened to what they were saying to each other, for that he well understood. One cried,“Oh, there he is carrying home the princess of the Golden Dwelling.”
“Yes,”replied the second,“but he has not got her yet.”
Said the third,“But he has got her, she is sitting beside him in the ship.”
Then the first began again, and cried,“What good will that do him? When they reach land a chestnut horse will leap forward to meet him, and the prince will want to mount it, but if he does that, it will run away with him, and rise up into the air with him, and he will never see his maiden more.”
Spoke the second,“But is there no escape?”
“Oh, yes, if someone else mounts it swiftly, and takes out the pistol which he will find in its holster, and shoots the horse dead, the young King is saved. But who knows that? And whosoever does know it, and tells it to him, will be turned to stone from the toe to the knee.”
Then said the second,“I know more than that; even if the horse be killed, the young King will still not keep his bride. When they go into the castle together, a wrought bridal garment will be lying there in a dish, and looking as if it were woven of gold and silver; it is, however, nothing but sulphur and pitch, and if he put it on, it will burn him to the very bone and marrow.”
Said the third,“Is there no escape at all?”
“Oh, yes,”replied the second,“if any one with gloves on seizes the garment and throws it into the fire and burns it, the young King will be saved.“But what good will that do? Whosoever knows it and tells it to him, half his body will become stone from the knee to the heart.”
Then said the third,“I know still more; even if the bridal garment be burnt, the young King will still not have his bride. After the wedding, when the dancing begins and the young Queen is dancing, she will suddenly turn pale and fall down as if dead, and if some one does not lift her up and draw three drops of blood from her right breast and spit them out again, she will die. But if any one who knows that were to declare it, he would become stone from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot.”
When the ravens had spoken of this together, they flew onwards, and Faithful John had well understood everything, but from that time forth he became quiet and sad, for if he concealed what he had heard from his master, the latter would be unfortunate, and if he disclosed it to him, he himself must sacrifice his life. At length, however, he said to himself,“I will save my master, even if it bring destruction on myself.”
When therefore they came to shore, all happened as had been foretold by the ravens, and a magnificent chestnut horse sprang forward.“Good,”said the King,“he shall carry me to my palace,”and was about to mount it when Faithful John got before him, jumped quickly on it, drew the pistol out of the holster, and shot the horse. Then the other attendants of the King, who were not very fond of Faithful John, cried,“How shameful to kill the beautiful animal, that was to have carried the King to his palace.”But the King said,“Hold your peace and leave him alone, he is my most faithful John, who knows what good may come of this!”
They went into the palace, and in the hall there stood a dish, and therein lay the bridal garment looking no otherwise than as if it were made of gold and silver. The young King went towards it and was about to take hold of it, but Faithful John pushed him away, seized it with gloves on, carried it quickly to the fire and burnt it. The other attendants again began to murmur, and said,“Behold, now he is even burning the King's bridal garment!”But the young King said,“Who knows what good he may have done, leave him alone, he is my most faithful John.”
And now the wedding was solemnized: the dance began, and the bride also took part in it; then Faithful John was watchful and looked into her face, and suddenly she turned pale and fell to the ground, as if she were dead. On this he ran hastily to her, lifted her up and bore her into a chamber—-then he laid her down, and knelt and sucked the three drops of blood from her right breast, and spat them out. Immediately she breathed again and recovered herself, but the young King had seen this, and being ignorant why Faithful John had done it, was angry and cried,“Throw him into a dungeon.”
Next morning Faithful John was condemned, and led to the gallows, and when he stood on high, and was about to be executed, he said,“Every one who has to die is permitted before his end to make one last speech;may I too claim the right?”
“Yes,”answered the King,“it shall be granted unto you.”
Then said Faithful John,“I am unjustly condemned, and have always been true to you,”and he related how he had hearkened to the conversation of the ravens when on the sea, and how he had been obliged to do all these things in order to save his master. Then cried the King,“Oh, my most Faithful John. Pardon, pardon—-bring him down.”But as Faithful John spoke the last word he had fallen down lifeless and become a stone.
Thereupon the King and the Queen suffered great anguish, and the King said,“Ah, how ill I have requited great fidelity!”and ordered the stone figure to be taken up and placed in his bedroom beside his bed. And as often as he looked on it he wept and said,“Ah, if I could bring you to life again, my most faithful John.”
Some time passed and the Queen bore twins, two sons who grew fast and were her delight. Once when the Queen was at church and the the father was sitting with his two shildren playing beside him, he looked at the stone figure, sighed, and full of grief again he said,“Ah, if I could but bring you to life again, my most faithful John.”
Then the stone began to speak and said,“You can bring me to life again if you will use for that purpose what is dearest to you.”
Then cried the King,“I will give everything I have in the world for you.”
The stone continued,“If you will cut off the heads of your two children with your own hand, and sprinkle me with their blood, I shall be restored to life.”
The King was terrified when he heard that he himself must kill his dearest children, but he thought of faithful John's great fidelity, and how he had died for him, drew his sword, and with his own hand cut off the children's heads. And when he had smeared the stone with their blood, life returned to it, and Faithful John stood once more safe and healthy before him. He said to the King,“Your truth shall not go unrewarded,”and took the heads of the children, put them on again, and rubbed the wounds with their blood, on which they became whole again immediately, and jumped about, and went on playing as if nothing had happened. Then the King was full of joy, and when he saw the Queen coming he hid Faithful John and the two children in a great cupboard. When she entered, he said to her,“Have you been praying in the church?”
“Yes,”answered she,“but I have constantly been thinking of Faithful John and what misfortune has befallen him through us.”
Then said he,“Dear wife, we can give him his life again, but it will cost us our two little sons, whom we must sacrifice.”
The Queen turned pale, and her heart was full of terror, but she said,“We owe it to him, for his great fidelity.”
Then the King was rejoiced that she thought as he had thought, and went and opened the cupboard, and brought forth Faithful John and the children, and said,“God be praised, he is delivered, and we have our little sons again also,”and told her how everything had occurred. Then they dwelt together in much happiness until their death.
從前有一個老國王,得了重病,他想:“我看來好不了了?!北阏f:“叫忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯進來?!敝艺\的約翰內(nèi)斯是他最心愛的侍從,因為他一生對國王忠貞不渝,所以大家都這么叫他。約翰來到床前,國王對他說:“忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯,我覺得我快要死了,唯一不放心的是我的兒子,他還年輕,有時遇事缺乏主見。你要答應(yīng)我,教給他必須知道的一切,當(dāng)他的養(yǎng)父,否則我死不瞑目?!敝艺\的約翰內(nèi)斯回答說:“我決不離開他,一定忠誠地為他效勞,即使?fàn)奚约旱纳苍谒晦o?!崩蠂跽f:“那我死也放心了?!苯又终f:“我死后你要帶他看看這整座宮殿,看宮中所有房間、大廳、金庫和金庫里的全部珍寶,但是不要讓他看長廊盡頭的那個房間,因為房間里面藏有金屋公主的塑像,他要是看見她的塑像,會對她產(chǎn)生熱烈的愛情,會暈過去,會因她而陷入極大的危險。你要保護他,不要讓這種事情發(fā)生?!敝艺\的約翰內(nèi)斯聽了國王的話,再次把手伸給他,國王不再說話,頭往枕頭上一靠就去世了。
將老國王安葬之后,忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯對年輕的國王講了他向臨終的老國王許下的諾言,他說:“我一定信守諾言,像對老國王一樣對你忠誠,即使?fàn)奚约旱纳??!狈势诮Y(jié)束了,忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯對年輕的國王說:“現(xiàn)在是你看一看你的遺產(chǎn)的時候了:我要領(lǐng)你看一看你父王的宮殿?!庇谑撬I(lǐng)著年輕的國王上上下下轉(zhuǎn)遍各處,讓他看了所有的珍寶財富、豪華宮室,唯獨沒打開那間收藏著危險的塑像的房間。那塑像安放在一開門就能見到的地方,制作精美絕倫,令人感到那是真人、活人,世上再沒有比她更美麗、更可愛的女子了。年輕的國王發(fā)現(xiàn)忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯總是從一扇門前徑直走過,便說:“你為什么從不打開這扇門讓我看?”
約翰內(nèi)斯回答說:“這里面有些東西會嚇著你?!?/p>
國王答道:“這座宮殿我都看完了,我很想知道里面有什么東西?!闭f著走過去用力推門。
忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯勸阻他說:“你父王臨終前我答應(yīng)過他,不讓你看這房間里的東西,因為它會給你和我?guī)頌?zāi)難?!?/p>
“啊,不!”年輕的國王回答,“我不進去,必遭毀滅,不親眼見到它,我會日夜不得安寧。你不把門打開,我就不走。”
忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯見勸阻無效,便唉聲嘆氣、心情沉重地從一大串鑰匙里找出那把鑰匙。他一打開門,就搶先跨進房間,想用自己的身體擋住國王的視線,讓他看不見那尊塑像??墒怯惺裁从媚??國王踮起腳尖,從他肩膀上方望去。當(dāng)他瞥見那美艷絕倫、珠光寶氣的少女塑像,一下子就暈倒在地上。忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯把他抱起來放在床上,滿腹憂愁,他想:“大禍臨頭了,上帝啊,這該怎么辦?。俊彼o他灌葡萄酒,直至他恢復(fù)知覺。國王開口第一句話就是:“??!那美麗的塑像是誰?”
“是金屋公主。”忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯回答說。
國王又說:“即便樹上所有的樹葉都是舌頭,也說不盡我對她的摯愛,為了得到她,我愿付出我的生命。你是我最忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯,你必須幫助我。”
忠誠的臣仆想了很久,不知如何是好,因為僅僅要見公主一面,就很不容易。最后,他終于想出個辦法,便對國王說:“公主身邊的一切,桌子、椅子、盤碗酒杯,所有家用器皿,都是金子做的。你的寶物中有五噸黃金,可以拿出一噸來,讓國中的金匠制作成各式各樣的器皿用具,各式各樣的飛禽走獸、珍稀動物,她一定會喜歡這些物件,我們就帶著這些東西去碰一碰運氣。”
于是國王召集全國金匠,命令他們?nèi)找冠s工,終于制成華美無比的精品。一切裝船完畢,忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯換上商人的服裝,國王同樣喬裝打扮,讓人完全認不出他們。然后他們漂洋過海,航行了很久很久,終于來到金屋公主居住的城市。
忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯讓國王在船上等他。他說:“說不定我會把金屋公主帶來,因此你要把一切收拾得整整齊齊,把黃金器皿陳列起來,把整條船裝飾得漂漂亮亮的。”說著,他把各種金器揀一些放在衣兜里,上岸直奔王宮。到了宮中庭院,只見一個美麗的姑娘站在井邊,手提兩只金桶打水。她提著晶亮晶亮的水要走的時候,一轉(zhuǎn)身,看見一個陌生人,就問他是誰。他回答:“我是商人。”便打開衣兜讓她看。她不禁叫起來:“啊,多美的金器?。 彼畔滤?,一件一件地仔細觀賞。姑娘說:“我要讓公主看看,她非常喜愛金器,會把您的金器全部都買下來的?!彼氖?,把他領(lǐng)進宮里,因為她是個侍女。公主見了這些金貨,非常高興,她說:“這些金器做得這么好,我要全都買下來?!钡侵艺\的約翰內(nèi)斯說:“我只是一個富商的仆人,我?guī)У竭@兒來的珍寶,跟我主人的船上的比起來,算不了什么,他那些都是古往今來最考究、最貴重的金器?!彼阉械慕鹌鞫寄贸鰜?,他說:“都搬出來要花好幾天時間,東西太多了,要好幾個大廳才能陳列得開,您宮里地方不夠?!边@番話更加激起了公主的好奇心和欲望,她終于說:“帶我到船上去吧,我要親自看看你家主人的珍寶?!?/p>
于是忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯領(lǐng)著公主向他們那條船走去,心里非常高興。國王見她本人比那塑像還要美麗得多,樂得一顆心都快蹦出來了。她上了船,國王把她接進艙中;忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯留在舵手身邊,下令開船離岸,他說:“把所有船帆都升起來,船要疾駛?cè)顼w,就像空中的鳥兒一樣?!贝摾?,國王向公主一件一件展示金器:金碗、金杯、金盆、金缽、黃金制作的飛禽走獸、珍稀動物。看完最后一件金器,她向商人道謝,準(zhǔn)備回家,走到船舷,只見船已遠離陸地,在大海上揚帆疾駛?!鞍。彼曮@呼,“我上當(dāng)了,被人誘拐,落入商人手里,不如死了好!”國王握住她的手說:“我不是商人,我是個國王,出身高貴,不亞于你。我之所以設(shè)計誘騙你,是因為我太愛你了。當(dāng)我初次見到你的塑像,我就暈倒在地。”金屋公主聽了這話,感到寬慰,對國王漸漸起了愛慕之心,終于欣然同意做他的妻子。
他們在大海上航行,有一天,忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯坐在船頭奏樂,看見空中飛來三只烏鴉。他便不再彈奏,聚精會神聽烏鴉談話,因為他精通鳥語。一只烏鴉叫道:“哎,他帶金屋公主回家了?!?/p>
“是的,”第二只烏鴉說,“他還沒得到她?!?/p>
第三只說:“他得到她了,她在船上,坐在他身邊?!?/p>
第一只烏鴉又叫起來:“那有什么用!他們上岸時,會有一匹棗紅馬向他迎面奔來,說不定他要躍上馬背,他一騎上馬背,這匹馬就馱著他奔上天空,他就永遠見不到自己的未婚妻了?!?/p>
第三只烏鴉說:“那就沒辦法解救了?”
“啊,有辦法,如果有另外一個人迅速騎上去,拔出馬鞍上槍套里的火槍,射殺那匹馬,年輕的國王就得救了??墒沁@法子誰知道!如果誰知道這法子,又告訴給國王,誰就會從腳趾頭到膝蓋變成石頭?!?/p>
第二只烏鴉說:“我知道的還要多。殺了那匹馬,并不等于年輕的國王就得到他的未婚妻了!他們一同走進王宮的時候,那里有一個大盆,里面放著一件做好了的結(jié)婚禮服,看上去像是金絲銀線織成的,其實只不過是硫黃和瀝青做成的,國王一穿上它,就會被燒成灰燼?!?/p>
第三只烏鴉說:“那就沒辦法解救了?”
“啊,辦法是有,”第二只烏鴉回答說,“如果有人戴上手套,抓起禮服,把它扔進火里燒掉,年輕的國王就得救了。沒用!沒用!這法子誰知道!如果誰知道這法子,又告訴給國王,誰就會從膝蓋到心臟半個身子都變成石頭?!?/p>
第三只烏鴉說:“我知道的還要多。燒了結(jié)婚禮服,也還不等于年輕的國王就得到他的未婚妻了?;槎Y之后,舞會開始,年輕的王后突然倒下,面色煞白,像死了一般,這時得有個男子把她抱起來,從她的右胸脯吸三滴血,再噴出來,否則她就會死掉。但是,如果有人知道這法子又泄漏出去,他從頭頂?shù)侥_趾頭全身就都會變成石頭。”
三只烏鴉交談完就飛走了。忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯什么都聽明白了,他從此變得沉默寡言,暗自憂傷,因為,如果他不把聽到的話告訴給主人,主人將遭到不幸;如果告訴他,自己必將喪命。終于,他還是對自己說:“我要救我的主人,即使為此毀了我自己?!?/p>
他們上岸的時候,果然真像烏鴉所說的那樣,迎面奔來一匹棗紅馬?!疤昧耍 眹跽f,“就騎它回宮?!闭f罷就要上馬,但忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯搶在他前面飛身上馬,拔出槍套里的槍,打死了那匹馬。那些不滿忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯的侍從一起大叫起來:“這么漂亮的馬竟然給殺了,真可惡!國王還想騎它回宮呢!”但國王說:“安靜!讓他去吧,他是我最忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯,他這么做一定有他的道理,誰知道呢!”
他們進宮,殿堂上有一個大盆,里面放著一件做好了的結(jié)婚禮服,外表看上去是金絲銀線織成的。年輕的國王徑直朝它走去,正要伸手去取,忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯推開國王的手,戴上手套,一把抓起禮服扔進火里燒掉了。那些侍從又叫嚷開了:“你們看,他居然把國王的結(jié)婚禮服給燒了!”但年輕的國王說:“誰知道這有什么好處!讓他去吧,他是我最忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯?!?/p>
婚禮之后開始跳舞。忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯注視著王后的面龐,忽然,她面容蒼白,倒在地上,像死人一樣。約翰內(nèi)斯一躍而起,奔上前去,把她抱起來,抱進一間房間,讓她躺下。他跪下,從她的右乳房吮吸了三滴血,又噴了出來。她隨即又能呼吸,恢復(fù)了過來。國王目睹這一幕,他不明白忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯為什么這樣做,勃然大怒,高聲說:“把他關(guān)進監(jiān)牢?!?/p>
第二天早晨,忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯被判處絞刑,押赴刑場。當(dāng)他站在絞刑臺上將被處決的時候,他說:“要被處死的人都被允許講一次話,我也有這個權(quán)利嗎?”
“是的,”國王回答,“也給你這個權(quán)利?!?/p>
忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯說:“判我有罪是不公正的,我一貫對你忠心耿耿?!庇谑撬v了在海上聽到的烏鴉的談話,以及為了拯救主人,他必須做這一切。國王聽了以后,大聲喊道:“啊,我最忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯,赦免!赦免!快把他帶下來。”可是忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯說完最后一句話,已經(jīng)毫無生氣,從臺上摔下來,變成了石頭人。
國王和王后為這件事非常難過。國王說:“啊,他這樣忠心耿耿,我竟然恩將仇報!”他派人扶起石像,把它豎立在自己臥室的床邊。每當(dāng)望著這尊石像,他就哭泣說:“啊,我最忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯,要是能讓你起死回生那該多好??!”
過了一段時間,王后生了雙胞胎,兩個小男孩。小王子漸漸長大,他們是王后的開心果。有一次,王后上教堂去了,兩個孩子坐在父親身邊玩兒,國王又滿懷傷痛地望著石像嘆息道:“啊,我最忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯,要是能讓你起死回生那該多好啊!”
這時石像開口了,它說:“能,你能讓我起死回生,只要你肯為此舍棄你最心愛的東西?!?/p>
國王大聲說:“為了你,我愿舍棄我在世上擁有的一切。”
石像又說:“如果你親手砍下你的兩個孩子的頭,把他們的血抹在我的身上,我就能重新獲得生命?!?/p>
國王一聽要他親手殺死自己最心愛的孩子,驚駭異常,但他想到約翰內(nèi)斯是為他而死的,便拔劍親手砍下了兩個孩子的頭。當(dāng)他用孩子的血涂抹了石像,石像立刻重獲生機,忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯變成精神奕奕的活人,健康地站在他面前。他對國王說:“你的真誠應(yīng)當(dāng)獲得報答?!彼由虾⒆觽兊念^,用他們的血涂抹傷口,只一剎那,孩子就痊愈了,又活蹦亂跳,繼續(xù)玩耍,好像什么事情都沒有發(fā)生似的。國王心里非常高興,他看見王后回來,讓忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯和兩個孩子躲在一個大柜櫥里面。她一進門,國王就對她說:“你在教堂祈禱了嗎?”
“祈禱了,”她回答,“可我心里總想著忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯,他為了我們,遭遇了這么大的不幸?!?/p>
國王說:“親愛的妻子,我們可以使他重新獲得生命,但要以我們的兩個幼子為代價,我們必須犧牲他們?!?/p>
王后面色慘白,心中驚駭,但是她說:“我們應(yīng)該這樣做,為了報答他偉大的忠誠?!?/p>
國王很高興她的想法和自己一樣,他跑去打開柜櫥,叫孩子們和忠誠的約翰內(nèi)斯出來,國王說:“贊美上帝,他得救了,我們也沒有失去我們的兩個孩子!”并對她講了事情的經(jīng)過。從此他們一起過著幸福美滿的生活,一直到老。
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