Sacred Texts Legends & Sagas Index Previous Next
CHIME! CHIME! CHIME! Listen to the Wizard of the Magic Incantations!
Once on a time there was a girl who lived with a bad-tempered woman. The woman treated her meanly. The girl tried to do everything she was told to do, but could never satisfy the woman.
One day she had to go to the well to fetch water without wetting the bucket. The poor girl shed hot tears. Just then a Little White Dog, as if called by magic, came running up out of the ground.
"If you will take me for your bridegroom,", said he, "I will provide water in your dry bucket."
The girl promised.
Then the Little Dog did as he promised, and vanished.
Some time after this, another bridegroom asked for the hand of the girl. She did not want him, but the wicked woman made her take him. There was nothing else to do!
The evening before the wedding, the bridegroom arrived. All hastened out to meet him. The Little White Dog appeared before the house. Every one went inside, but the Little White Dog was left without.
By and by the Little Dog began to sing:
Let me in, you pretty Maiden,
Me, your mannikin so wee!
Don't you know what at the fountain,
You so truly promised me?
Everybody laughed at the pertness of the Little Dog, and for a joke let him in. The Little Dog ran into the room, and saw the bridegroom sitting by the bride, and sang again:
Darling Maiden, seat me by you,
Me, your mannikin so wee!
Don't you know what at the fountain,
You so truly promised me?
The bridegroom said, "That's a funny little dog! He may sit near us because he begs so prettily."
The Little Dog laid himself down at the feet of the bride, and kept mouse-still.
The next morning the betrothal took place. Then the little dog sang again:
Maiden, take me for your bridegroom,
Me, your mannikin so wee!
Don't you know what at the fountain,
You so truly promised me?
The bridegroom looked surprised at this, but said nothing. After the betrothal was over, the breakfast was served and the Little Dog sang once more:
Seat me at your table, Maiden,
Me, your mannikin so wee!
Don't you know what at the fountain,
You so truly promised me?
The bride seated him at the table, and there was quiet. After breakfast they all, every one, got into the carriage to drive to the Church for the wedding. Then the Little Dog began to sing:
Maiden, take me in the carriage,
Me, your mannikin so wee!
Don't you know what at the fountain,
You so truly promised me?
The bridegroom let the girl take the Little Dog into the carriage, and they all drove off. When they reached the Church the priest began the service. Then the Little Dog sang in a loud loud voice:
Maiden, you with me must marry,
Me, your mannikin so wee!
Don't you know what at the fountain,
You so truly promised me?
The priest asked the bride, "What is it you have promised? Tell me everything before I can marry you."
Then the girl confessed everything from A to Z. The wicked woman stamped the ground in rage. But there was nothing to do! The priest would not marry the girl, nor could the wicked woman beat her. In anger and spite the woman ran from the Church, and the Little Dog ran after her. She would have seized him, but at that very minute there drove up a superb coach drawn by eight horses.
A footman descended from the box, and begged the Little Dog to step into the coach. The Little Dog got in, and changed into a magnificent Prince. The girl was married to him, and he took her with him to his Golden Castle.
The Prince raised the first bridegroom to be Lord High Counselor, because he had been so kind to the Little White Dog, had fed him, let him lie at the feet of the bride, and had taken him up into the carriage.