The Fisherman's Son

A fairy story written for a friend.

It was the first day of autumn, on the fourth day of the eighth month of the year twelve, when a boy was born to a fisherman and his wife. Now it was known that although his father was an ordinary fisher, his mother's line had mixed with the fairies, who were wont to reveal prophecy on rare occassions. So it was that day the Nightkeeper came to visit the fishing hut beside the lake.

The Nightkeeper wore a night black cloak, a crown of dogfangs, a sceptre of bone, and round his neck were strung the twinkling stars entwined. He said, "Son and daughter of Earth, I have come from the clouds in either direction, bringing word from the gods that your son is destined to be a hero whom all who are dwelling around here shall be in debt to." Then he took of the father fourty gold Talerns and from the mother three strands of yellow hair, and he forged and wound in the hearth a beautiful golden key. He gave it to them, saying, "keep it from him until he comes of age, then you must give it to him before he is sent off to his destiny."

As the fisherman's son grew, he was taught his father's trade. The two went out into the lake, and his father would sing over the water to tame the serpents that lived there, and when the waters were still, they did thir work. One night the boy went out onto the water without his father's permission, and because he knew not the lake-song of his father, he was carried under at once by a fierce Grelug, a four-legged fork-tongued serpent. Barely did the boy escape, that he returned home. But he hadn't had his fun, for the next night he went out, got pulled under again, and faught with the serpent, only to narrowly escape with his life. But he was restless until he had his game, therefore on the third night he went out and was brought under; they went rolling and plunging into the very depths. At last, the fisherman's son defeated the Grelug, and in its lair at the bottom of the lake were three fair maidens. And they, despite his entreaties to stay, bade him to depart with a parting gift and a token of their thanks, for they gave him out of the beast's treasury a golden fishing line.

Meanwhile, the Raven, who dwelt by the lake, spied the son's mischief and reported it to the old fisherman, who then became furious, that when the boy returned to the hut, he was banished at once, and forbidden to return, without a word or hint about the Nightkeeper's prophecy or inheritance. The mother, once she knew what had happened, went to the place where the key was hid, and took it to the boy in secret, telling him all about the visit and his birth. He took the key and fled into the woods.

The fisherman's son lost himself therein. He hid at any sound of birdsong, for he feared they were spies of his father. Whensoever he came upon stream or creek, down went his golden line, and out he drew a fish at once. He learned that if he didn't eat a fish he caught, it would whisper to him, saying, "do not eat me, but go west following the sun. We will lead you toward Mother's House." The fisherman's son went west, and when he thought he was losing his path, he would find a stream, catch a fish, which would whisper to him whichever was the right direction.

At last, he came to a cabin with a wooded gate, a garden, and a smoking chimney. The fisherman's son entered the gate and walked up the path. The door opened wide, and before him stood a beautiful woman, smelling of ashes and lilacs. She welcomed him inside and they sat down together to a splendid table of shrimp stew and buttered bread. When each had their fill, Mother's face grew solemn, and she said, "if you are going to make it any further in this wood, Fisherman's Son, you must know it is ruled by an Enchanter who has every tree, bush and stone under his power. The only way to free the plants and animals is to break the enchanter's spell. Fret not, for I will teach you to play the fiddle, and once you have mastered it shall you play before all the lesser animals. When they are freed, they will show you the path up the mountain. When you go up it, you will find at the top a green falcon. Catch her and she will drop the Enchanter's crystal ball. This will reveal the way to the Enchanter's castle. Now quickly, your lessons must begin at once.

Mother taught the fisherman's son music, and when he finished his lessons, she took for him from the fireplace a fiddle made of a large fishbone. She bade him farewell, and he went, playing for the animals in every glen, meadow, field or grove, and gradually thereby, they awoke from their enchantment, the squirrel, the fox, the badger, the snake and crow, all listening to his swaying song. And when he stopped, they kindly revealed to him the path up the gray mountain. He bid the animals farewell and entered on the path, where he felt terribly alone. But knowing the way, he followed it close on, and when he reached the top, he saw the green falcon on her nest. As soon as he neared her she started to fly upward, but he struck a note on the fiddle and the falcon faltered; as quickly as a fox he grabbed her tail, and she gave a cry, dropping the ball at once.

The fisherman's son picked up the crystal ball and looked in it in the clear daylight. Before him was the stormy top of the enchanter's castle. The longer he looked, the greyer the sky became, and when he looked away from the ball, the sky was just as black as in the crystal. When he looked back, he saw the clear sky of the mountain before him, and when he finally looked away again, he was surely standing beneath the dark clouds of the enchanter's castle.

As he approached the castle, he saw there were three giants building fortifications on the outer wall. "Ho," said the fisherman's son, "that looks to be mighty work you are doing---you must be truly tired. Care to rest a while and hear a tune?" He showed them his fiddle. The giants didn't see the harm in it, but as soon as the fiddle began turning and twining, their limbs disobeyed them, and a jolly roundel they set to, as they danced and redoubled, they dashed the wall to pieces (of no fault of their own). The fisherman's son nodded and hopped through, all the while playing as quaintly and quickly as he could util he was out of earshot.

When he entered the enchanter's courtyard, he saw an old man fishing in a pond there.

"Hullo Old Father, what are you fishing for in that little pond?" asked the fisherman's son, peering in.

The fisherman's son said, "Suppose I catch one: will you show me where the enchanter is?"

The old man agreed. Then, out came the golden fishing line, down it went into the pond, and after only a moment he drew up the Sisyphiophagia. As soon as it touched the old man's hand, he transformed into the enchanter, and the rare fish into his staff.

"It is I that you seek!" He said, and the fisherman's son threw up the crystal ball into the air. The enchanter saw his own hideousness in that ball and let out a frightful shriek, that so shattered all the magic bonds in the land, that he shrank into a pitiful normal size. And when he heard the fisherman's music, he turned to stone at once.

Now all the trees and plants and living things were freed from their enchantment, and they were gleaning eagerly to hear the happy music, and when they knew it was the Fisherman's son who set them free, they all elected him to be their king. So it was the fisherman's son was King, the key unlocked his royal treasury, and he ruled for a million years and a day, or so I'm told.