THE THREE DOGS

Edition and rights: Original English text from Project Gutenberg ebook #7277, marked public domain in the USA. The literary text below is reproduced without AI rewriting.

Browse more fantasy stories.

There was once upon a time a shepherd who had two children, a son and a
daughter. When he was on his death-bed he turned to them and said, ‘I have
nothing to leave you but three sheep and a small house; divide them
between you, as you like, but don’t quarrel over them whatever you do.’

When the shepherd was dead, the brother asked his sister which she would
like best, the sheep or the little house; and when she had chosen the
house he said, ‘Then I’ll take the sheep and go out to seek my fortune in
the wide world. I don’t see why I shouldn’t be as lucky as many another
who has set out on the same search, and it wasn’t for nothing that I was
born on a Sunday.’

And so he started on his travels, driving his three sheep in front of him,
and for a long time it seemed as if fortune didn’t mean to favour him at
all. One day he was sitting disconsolately at a cross road, when a man
suddenly appeared before him with three black dogs, each one bigger than
the other.

‘Hullo, my fine fellow,’ said the man, ‘I see you have three fat sheep.
I’ll tell you what; if you’ll give them to me, I’ll give you my three
dogs.’

In spite of his sadness, the youth smiled and replied, ‘What would I do
with your dogs? My sheep at least feed themselves, but I should have to
find food for the dogs.’

‘My dogs are not like other dogs,’ said the stranger; ‘they will feed you
instead of you them, and will make your fortune. The smallest one is
called “Salt,” and will bring you food whenever you wish; the second is
called “Pepper,” and will tear anyone to pieces who offers to hurt you;
and the great big strong one is called “Mustard,” and is so powerful that
it will break iron or steel with its teeth.’

The shepherd at last let himself be persuaded, and gave the stranger his
sheep. In order to test the truth of his statement about the dogs, he said
at once, ‘Salt, I am hungry,’ and before the words were out of his mouth
the dog had disappeared, and returned in a few minutes with a large basket
full of the most delicious food. Then the youth congratulated himself on
the bargain he had made, and continued his journey in the best of spirits.

One day he met a carriage and pair, all draped in black; even the horses
were covered with black trappings, and the coachman was clothed in crape
from top to toe. Inside the carriage sat a beautiful girl in a black dress
crying bitterly. The horses advanced slowly and mournfully, with their
heads bent on the ground.

‘Coachman, what’s the meaning of all this grief?’ asked the shepherd.

At first the coachman wouldn’t say anything, but when the youth pressed
him he told him that a huge dragon dwelt in the neighbourhood, and
required yearly the sacrifice of a beautiful maiden. This year the lot had
fallen on the King’s daughter, and the whole country was filled with woe
and lamentation in consequence.

The shepherd felt very sorry for the lovely maiden, and determined to
follow the carriage. In a little it halted at the foot of a high mountain.
The girl got out, and walked slowly and sadly to meet her terrible fate.
The coachman perceived that the shepherd wished to follow her, and warned
him not to do so if he valued his life; but the shepherd wouldn’t listen
to his advice. When they had climbed about half-way up the hill they saw a
terrible-looking monster with the body of a snake, and with huge wings and
claws, coming towards them, breathing forth flames of fire, and preparing
to seize its victim. Then the shepherd called, ‘Pepper, come to the
rescue,’ and the second dog set upon the dragon, and after a fierce
struggle bit it so sharply in the neck that the monster rolled over, and
in a few moments breathed its last. Then the dog ate up the body, all
except its two front teeth, which the shepherd picked up and put in his
pocket.

The Princess was quite overcome with terror and joy, and fell fainting at
the feet of her deliverer. When she recovered her consciousness she begged
the shepherd to return with her to her father, who would reward him
richly. But the youth answered that he wanted to see something of the
world, and that he would return again in three years, and nothing would
make him change this resolve. The Princess seated herself once more in her
carriage, and, bidding each other farewell, she and the shepherd
separated, she to return home, and he to see the world.

But while the Princess was driving over a bridge the carriage suddenly
stood still, and the coachman turned round to her and said, ‘Your
deliverer has gone, and doesn’t thank you for your gratitude. It would be
nice of you to make a poor fellow happy; therefore you may tell your
father that it was I who slew the dragon, and if you refuse to, I will
throw you into the river, and no one will be any the wiser, for they will
think the dragon has devoured you.’

The maiden was in a dreadful state when she heard these words; but there
was nothing for her to do but to swear that she would give out the
coachman as her deliverer, and not to divulge the secret to anyone. So
they returned to the capital, and everyone was delighted when they saw the
Princess had returned unharmed; the black flags were taken down from all
the palace towers, and gay-coloured ones put up in their place, and the
King embraced his daughter and her supposed rescuer with tears of joy,
and, turning to the coachman, he said, ‘You have not only saved the life
of my child, but you have also freed the country from a terrible scourge;
therefore, it is only fitting that you should be richly rewarded. Take,
therefore, my daughter for your wife; but as she is still so young, do not
let the marriage be celebrated for another year.’

The coachman thanked the King for his graciousness, and was then led away
to be richly dressed and instructed in all the arts and graces that
befitted his new position. But the poor Princess wept bitterly, though she
did not dare to confide her grief to anyone. When the year was over, she
begged so hard for another year’s respite that it was granted to her. But
this year passed also, and she threw herself at her father’s feet, and
begged so piteously for one more year that the King’s heart was melted,
and he yielded to her request, much to the Princess’s joy, for she knew
that her real deliverer would appear at the end of the third year. And so
the year passed away like the other two, and the wedding-day was fixed,
and all the people were prepared to feast and make merry.

But on the wedding-day it happened that a stranger came to the town with
three black dogs. He asked what the meaning of all the feasting and fuss
was, and they told him that the King’s daughter was just going to be
married to the man who had slain the terrible dragon. The stranger at once
denounced the coachman as a liar; but no one would listen to him, and he
was seized and thrown into a cell with iron doors.

While he was lying on his straw pallet, pondering mournfully on his fate,
he thought he heard the low whining of his dogs outside; then an idea
dawned on him, and he called out as loudly as he could, ‘Mustard, come to
my help,’ and in a second he saw the paws of his biggest dog at the window
of his cell, and before he could count two the creature had bitten through
the iron bars and stood beside him. Then they both let themselves out of
the prison by the window, and the poor youth was free once more, though he
felt very sad when he thought that another was to enjoy the reward that
rightfully belonged to him. He felt hungry too, so he called his dog
‘Salt,’ and asked him to bring home some food. The faithful creature
trotted off, and soon returned with a table-napkin full of the most
delicious food, and the napkin itself was embroidered with a kingly crown.

The King had just seated himself at the wedding-feast with all his Court,
when the dog appeared and licked the Princess’s hand in an appealing
manner. With a joyful start she recognised the beast, and bound her own
table-napkin round his neck. Then she plucked up her courage and told her
father the whole story. The King at once sent a servant to follow the dog,
and in a short time the stranger was led into the Kings presence. The
former coachman grew as white as a sheet when he saw the shepherd, and,
falling on his knees, begged for mercy and pardon. The Princess recognized
her deliverer at once, and did not need the proof of the two dragon’s
teeth which he drew from his pocket. The coachman was thrown into a dark
dungeon, and the shepherd took his place at the Princess’s side, and this
time, you may be sure, she did not beg for the wedding to be put off.

The young couple lived for some time in great peace and happiness, when
suddenly one day the former shepherd bethought himself of his poor sister
and expressed a wish to see her again, and to let her share in his good
fortune. So they sent a carriage to fetch her, and soon she arrived at the
court, and found herself once more in her brother’s arms. Then one of the
dogs spoke and said, ‘Our task is done; you have no more need of us. We
only waited to see that you did not forget your sister in your
prosperity.’ And with these words the three dogs became three birds and
flew away into the heavens.

Grimm.

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREEN FAIRY BOOK ***

Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will
be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright
law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works,
so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United
States without permission and without paying copyright
royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part
of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™
concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark,
and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following
the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use
of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for
copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very
easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation
of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project
Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may
do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected
by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark
license, especially commercial redistribution.

START: FULL LICENSE