074 The Singing, Springing Lark 04

Once when they were thus moving onwards, no little feather and no drop of red blood fell, and when she raised her eyes the dove had disappeared. And as she yought to herself, “In this no man can help you,” she climbed up to the sun, and said to him, “you shine into every crevice, and over every peak, have you not seen a white dove flying?”

“No,” said the sun, “I have seen none, but I present you with a casket, open it when you art in sorest need.”

Then she thanked the sun, and went on until evening came and the moon appeared; she then asked her, “you shine the whole night through, and on every field and forest, have you not seen a white dove flying?”

“No,” said the moon, “I have seen no dove, but here I give you an egg, break it when you art in great need.”

She thanked the moon, and went on until the night wind came up and blew on her, then she said to it, “you blowest over every tree and under every leaf, have you not seen a white dove flying?”

“No,” said the night wind, “I have seen none, but I will ask the three other winds, perhaps they have seen it.”

The east wind and the west wind came, and had seen nothing, but the south wind said, “I have seen the white dove, it has flown to the Red Sea, where it has become a lion again, for the seven years are over, and the lion is there fighting with a dragon; the dragon, however, is an enchanted princess.”

The night wind then said to her, “I will advise you; go to the Red Sea, on the right bank are some tall reeds, count them, break off the eleventh, and strike the dragon with it, then the lion will be able to subdue it, and both then will regain their human form. After that, look round and you will see the griffin which is by the Red Sea; swing yourself, with your beloved, on to his back, and the bird will carry you over the sea to your own home. Here is a nut for you, when you are above the center of the sea, let the nut fall, it will immediately shoot up, and a tall nut-tree will grow out of the water on which the griffin may rest; for if he cannot rest, he will not be strong enough to carry you across, and if you forgettest to throw down the nut, he will let you fall into the sea.”