THE KING OF THE RAVENS
The queen left.
Three days later, she arrived in the country where it is neither night nor moon, and where the sun always shines. There she walked for a whole year. When she was hungry and thirsty, there was plenty of bread and wine in the satchel and in the gourd. When she wanted to sleep, she lay down on the floor and dozed off. After a year, she found grass blue from head to root, grass blue like flax flower.
Immediately, the queen drew her golden knife.
“Queen,” said the blue grass, “do not cut me with your golden knife. I am blue grass. But I am not the grass that sings night and day, the grass that breaks iron."
The queen closed her golden knife and departed. Three days later, she arrived in the country where it is neither day nor night, and where the moon always shines. There she walked for a whole year. When she was hungry and thirsty, there was plenty of bread and wine in the satchel and in the gourd. When she wanted to sleep, she lay down on the floor and dozed off. After a year, she found grass blue from head to root, grass blue like flax flower.
The blue grass sang:
“I am the blue grass, the grass that sings day and night. I am the blue grass, the grass that sings day and night. »
Immediately, the queen drew her golden knife.
“Queen,” said the blue grass, the grass that sings night and day, "do not cut me with your golden knife. I am the blue grass, the grass that sings day and night. But I am not the grass that breaks iron."
The queen closed her golden knife and departed.
Three days later, she arrived in the country where there is neither sun nor moon, and where it is always night. There she walked for a whole year. When she was hungry and thirsty, there was plenty of bread and wine in the satchel and in the gourd. When she wanted to sleep, she lay down on the floor and dozed off. After a year, she heard singing in the night:
“I am the blue grass, the grass that sings day and night, the grass that breaks iron. I am the blue grass, the grass that sings night and day, the grass that breaks iron."
Immediately the queen drew her golden knife, and walked through the night towards the place whence the song came. Suddenly his iron shoes broke. She had walked on the blue grass, the grass that sings night and day, the grass that breaks iron.
With her golden knife, the queen cut the grass, which was still singing:
“I am the blue grass, the grass that sings day and night, the grass that breaks iron."
The queen closed her golden knife.
She set off again, in the night, walking barefoot among the thorns. She walked for a long, long time. Finally, the night ended, and the sun rose.
The queen was at the edge of the large sea, very close to a small boat.
The queen got into the small boat, and set out on the high seas. For seven days and seven nights, she saw only sky and water. On the morning of the eighth day she came to an island, and saw the King of the Ravens chained to the top of a high mountain.
As soon as he saw the queen, the great white wolf darted forward, its mouth open.
Immediately, the queen drew her golden knife, and brandished the grass which was still singing:
“I am the blue grass, the grass that sings day and night, the grass that breaks iron. I am the blue grass, the grass that sings night and day, the grass that breaks iron."
At this song, the great white wolf lay down and fell asleep.
Then the queen bled, with her golden knife, the great white wolf and the great black wolf. This done, she touched the chain weighing seven hundred kilograms, which attached the King of the Ravens, with the grass which still sang:
“I am the blue grass, the grass that sings day and night, the grass that breaks iron. I am the blue grass, the grass that sings night and day, the grass that breaks iron."
Then the grass withered in a moment, and sang no more. But the King of the Ravens stood up, straight and bold as a Caesar.
— “Quack! quack! quack! Thank you, woman. »
This done, he cried out to the four winds of heaven:
— “Quack! quack! quack! »
And while he cried thus, flocks of Crows came from the four winds of heaven. Immediately, they resumed the form of the man. When all were there, the King said:
“Good people, my troubles and yours are over. Look over there. A king friend of mine is coming for us with seven thousand ships. In a month, we will all be back in our country."
Cric, Cric,
My tale is done.
Cric, Crac,
My tale is finished.
Next Tale: The Return of the Lord