Niels and the Giants
Encyclopedia
Niels and the Giants is a Danish fairy tale
. Andrew Lang
included by The Crimson Fairy Book.
, Niels, wanted to be a hunter. He got a gun, practiced with it, and became a good shot. The mother decided she wanted to go on a pilgrimage
to Rome. The family sold everything they own and set out; Niels brought the gun. One night, they did not stay at an inn because the heat had made them go slowly that day, and the moon was up. They came to a crossroads in the forest and did not know which way to go. They decided to stay there. In the first watch, the older son shot a stag; in the second, the younger climbed a tree and saw three giants
. They were eating, and by careful shots, he had them quarrel about knocking each others' hands and making them prick themselves with the forks. The third giant realized he was about and caught him.
They demanded a service of him. They wished to carry off the king's daughter, and had put everyone to sleep in the castle except a little black dog. If he shot the dog so it did not bark and wake everyone, they would spare his life. They threw him in and he landed on grass. He shot the dog and went to the gate, but on the way, he saw an enormous sword, a drinking horn, and an inscription saying that whoever drank from the horn could wield the sword. He looked through the castle and found the princess. He took half her handkerchief and one of her slippers. Then he drained the horn and could wield the sword. He went to the gate, where there was a small door and a large door. He opened the small door, claimed he was too weak for the large one, and cut off their heads as they came through. Then he ran to rejoin his family, with his sword. He shut the door with such a bang that the castle woke. They were astounded by the bodies. The princess said they must find the giant-slayer, because she was honor-bound to marry him. She had a house built, and put over its door that whoever told the story of his life could stay there for nothing.
Meanwhile, Niels and his family went on toward Rome, but they met a man who showed them the holes in his shoes, and told them the shoes had been new when he left Rome. Discouraged, they turned back. They came upon the house and decided to stay there. The steward questioned the father and the older son, and told the princess that nothing had happened to them, but admitted he had not asked them all. The princess went herself. The older brother put in that he had forgotten to tell that his brother had found a sword. Niels, who had guessed this was a way to discover him, wanted to escape, but they found the sword, and searched him, finding the handkerchief and slipper. Niels was afraid that they would punish him, but the princess said only they must wait until her father returned. When he did, the princess married Niels, who was king after the king died.
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
. Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang was a Scots poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at the University of St Andrews are named after him.- Biography :Lang was born in Selkirk...
included by The Crimson Fairy Book.
Synopsis
A couple had two sons. The older was content to be a shepherd like his father, but the youngerYoungest son
The youngest son is a stock character in fairy tales, where he features as the hero. He is usually the third son, but sometimes there are more brothers, and sometimes he has only one; usually, they have no sisters....
, Niels, wanted to be a hunter. He got a gun, practiced with it, and became a good shot. The mother decided she wanted to go on a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to Rome. The family sold everything they own and set out; Niels brought the gun. One night, they did not stay at an inn because the heat had made them go slowly that day, and the moon was up. They came to a crossroads in the forest and did not know which way to go. They decided to stay there. In the first watch, the older son shot a stag; in the second, the younger climbed a tree and saw three giants
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
. They were eating, and by careful shots, he had them quarrel about knocking each others' hands and making them prick themselves with the forks. The third giant realized he was about and caught him.
They demanded a service of him. They wished to carry off the king's daughter, and had put everyone to sleep in the castle except a little black dog. If he shot the dog so it did not bark and wake everyone, they would spare his life. They threw him in and he landed on grass. He shot the dog and went to the gate, but on the way, he saw an enormous sword, a drinking horn, and an inscription saying that whoever drank from the horn could wield the sword. He looked through the castle and found the princess. He took half her handkerchief and one of her slippers. Then he drained the horn and could wield the sword. He went to the gate, where there was a small door and a large door. He opened the small door, claimed he was too weak for the large one, and cut off their heads as they came through. Then he ran to rejoin his family, with his sword. He shut the door with such a bang that the castle woke. They were astounded by the bodies. The princess said they must find the giant-slayer, because she was honor-bound to marry him. She had a house built, and put over its door that whoever told the story of his life could stay there for nothing.
Meanwhile, Niels and his family went on toward Rome, but they met a man who showed them the holes in his shoes, and told them the shoes had been new when he left Rome. Discouraged, they turned back. They came upon the house and decided to stay there. The steward questioned the father and the older son, and told the princess that nothing had happened to them, but admitted he had not asked them all. The princess went herself. The older brother put in that he had forgotten to tell that his brother had found a sword. Niels, who had guessed this was a way to discover him, wanted to escape, but they found the sword, and searched him, finding the handkerchief and slipper. Niels was afraid that they would punish him, but the princess said only they must wait until her father returned. When he did, the princess married Niels, who was king after the king died.
See also
- The King of England and his Three SonsThe King of England and his Three SonsThe King of England and his Three Sons is a Gypsy fairy tale collected by Joseph Jacobs in More English Fairy Tales. He listed as his source Francis Hindes Groome's In Gypsy Tents, where the informant was John Roberts, a Welsh gypsy....
- The Brown Bear of the Green GlenThe Brown Bear of the Green GlenThe Brown Bear of the Green Glen is a Scottish fairy tale collected by John Francis Campbell in Popular Tales of the West Highlands, listing his informant as John MacDonald, a "Traveling Tinker." He also noted the parallels with The Water of Life....
- The Water of LifeThe Water of Life (German fairy tale)The Water of Life is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 97.It is Aarne-Thompson type 551.John Francis Campbell noted it as a parallel of the Scottish fairy tale, The Brown Bear of the Green Glen.-Synopsis:...