Maid Maleen

Once there was a king who had a son. The prince asked to marry the daughter of a mighty king. Her name was Maid Maleen, and she was very beautiful. But her father wanted to give her to someone else, so he said no to the prince.

Yet Maid Maleen and the prince loved each other with all their hearts and would not give each other up. Maid Maleen said to her father, "I can and will marry no one else." Then the king flew into a rage.

He ordered a dark tower to be built, where no ray of sunlight or moonlight could enter. When it was finished, he said, "You shall be locked in there for seven years. Then I will come and see if your stubborn spirit is broken." Food and drink for seven years were carried into the tower.

Then Maid Maleen and her maid were led inside, and the entrance was walled up. They were cut off from the sky and the earth. There they sat in the darkness and did not know when day or night began.

The prince often walked around the tower and called their names, but no sound could get through the thick walls. All they could do was cry and complain. Time passed, and as the food and drink ran low, they knew the seven years were almost over.

They thought the moment of freedom had come. But no hammer struck, no stone fell from the wall. It seemed to Maid Maleen that her father had forgotten her. They had only a little food left and saw a miserable death ahead. Maid Maleen said, "We must try our last chance.

Let's see if we can break through the wall." She took the bread knife and picked at the mortar around a stone. When she grew tired, the maid took her turn. With great effort they got one stone out, then a second, then a third.

After three days, the first ray of light fell into their darkness. At last the opening was so big they could look out. The sky was blue, and a fresh breeze touched their faces. But how sad everything looked! Her father's castle lay in ruins.

The town and villages were destroyed by fire as far as they could see. The fields were waste, and no person was in sight. When the hole was big enough to slip through, the maid climbed down first, and then Maid Maleen followed. But where could they go?

An enemy had ravaged the whole kingdom, driven away the king, and killed all the people. They wandered into another country but found no shelter and no one to give them a crumb of bread. They were so hungry they had to eat nettles to survive.

After a long journey, they came to a big city and went to the royal palace. There too they were told to go away, but at last the cook said they could stay in the kitchen and help with the dishes.

The prince of that kingdom was the very man who had been engaged to Maid Maleen. His father had chosen another bride for him, a woman whose face was as ugly as her heart was wicked. The wedding was set, and the bride had arrived.

But because of her great ugliness, she hid in her room and let no one see her. Maid Maleen had to bring her meals from the kitchen. On the wedding day, when it was time to go to church, the bride was ashamed of her ugliness.

She was afraid that if she went out into the street, people would mock and laugh at her. So she said to Maid Maleen, "A great piece of luck has come to you. I have sprained my foot and cannot walk through the streets.

You shall put on my wedding clothes and take my place. You could not have a greater honor!" But Maid Maleen refused and said, "I want no honor that is not meant for me." The bride even offered her gold, but it was no use.

Finally the bride said angrily, "If you do not obey me, I will have you killed. I only have to say the word, and your head will be cut off." So Maid Maleen had to obey. She put on the bride's magnificent clothes and all her jewels.

When she entered the royal hall, everyone was amazed at her beauty. The king said to his son, "This is the bride I have chosen for you. You must lead her to church." The bridegroom was astonished and thought, "She looks just like my Maid Maleen.

I would think it was she, but she has been locked in the tower for so long, or she is dead." He took her by the hand and led her to church. On the way they passed a nettle plant. Maid Maleen said,

"Oh, nettle plant, little nettle plant, what are you doing here alone? I remember when I ate you uncooked, when I ate you unroasted."

"What are you saying?" asked the prince. "Nothing," she replied. "I was just thinking of Maid Maleen." He was surprised that she knew about Maid Maleen but said nothing. When they came to the footbridge over the churchyard, she said,

"Footbridge, do not break. I am not the true bride."

"What are you saying there?" asked the prince. "Nothing," she replied. "I was just thinking of Maid Maleen." "Do you know Maid Maleen?" he asked. "No," she answered. "How could I know her? I have only heard of her." When they reached the church door, she said again,

"Church door, do not break. I am not the true bride."

"What are you saying?" he asked. "Ah," she answered, "I was just thinking of Maid Maleen." Then he took out a precious chain, put it around her neck, and fastened the clasp. They entered the church, and the priest joined their hands and married them. He led her home, but she did not speak a single word the whole way. When they returned to the palace, she hurried into the bride's chamber, took off the splendid clothes and jewels, dressed herself in her gray gown, and kept only the chain on her neck that she had received from the bridegroom.

That night, when the bride was to be led into the prince's room, she let her veil fall over her face so he would not notice the trick. As soon as everyone had left, he said to her, "What did you say to the nettle plant that grew by the road?" "Which nettle plant?" she asked.

"I don't talk to nettle plants." "If you did not say that, then you are not the true bride," he said. So she thought and said, "I must go out to my maid, who keeps my thoughts for me." She went out and found Maid Maleen.

"Girl, what did you say to the nettle?" "I said nothing but, 'Oh, nettle plant, little nettle plant, what are you doing here alone? I remember when I ate you uncooked, when I ate you unroasted.'" The bride ran back into the room and said, "Now I know what I said to the nettle." And she repeated the words she had just heard.

"But what did you say to the footbridge when we crossed it?" asked the prince. "The footbridge?" she answered. "I don't talk to footbridges." "Then you are not the true bride." Again she said, "I must go out to my maid, who keeps my thoughts for me," and ran out and found Maid Maleen.

"Girl, what did you say to the footbridge?" "I said nothing but, 'Footbridge, do not break. I am not the true bride.'" "That will cost you your life!" cried the bride. But she hurried into the room and said, "Now I know what I said to the footbridge," and repeated the words.

"But what did you say to the church door?" "The church door?" she replied. "I don't talk to church doors." "Then you are not the true bride." She went out again and found Maid Maleen.

"Girl, what did you say to the church door?" "I said nothing but, 'Church door, do not break. I am not the true bride.'" "That will break your neck!" cried the bride, furious. She rushed back and said, "Now I know what I said to the church door," and repeated the words.

"But where is the jewel I gave you at the church door?" asked the prince. "What jewel?" she answered. "You did not give me any jewel." "I myself put it around your neck and fastened it.

If you do not know that, you are not the true bride." He pulled the veil from her face. When he saw her terrible ugliness, he jumped back in horror and said, "Who are you? How did you get here?" "I am your betrothed bride.

But I was afraid people would mock me if they saw me outside, so I ordered the scullery maid to dress in my clothes and go to church in my place." "Where is the girl?" he said. "I want to see her.

Go and bring her here." She went out and told the servants that the scullery maid was an impostor and that they must take her into the courtyard and cut off her head. The servants grabbed Maid Maleen and tried to drag her away.

But she screamed so loudly for help that the prince heard her voice. He hurried out and ordered them to set her free at once. Lights were brought, and then he saw the gold chain around her neck, the same one he had given her at the church door.

"You are the true bride," he said, "the one who went with me to church. Come with me now to my room." When they were alone, he said, "On the way to church you spoke of Maid Maleen, who was my betrothed.

If I could believe it possible, I would think you are she. You look exactly like her." She answered, "I am Maid Maleen. For your sake I was imprisoned seven years in the dark. I suffered hunger and thirst and lived in want and poverty.

But today the sun shines on me again. I was married to you in church, and I am your lawful wife." Then they kissed and were happy all the days of their lives. The false bride was punished for what she had done: her head was cut off.

The tower where Maid Maleen had been imprisoned stood for a long time. When children passed by, they sang:

"Kling, klang, gloria. Who sits within this tower? A king's daughter sits within. I cannot see her. The wall will not break. The stone cannot be pierced. Little Hans with your coat so gay, follow me, follow me, fast as you may."