THE PRINCE OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN COWS
When the reed saw that the Black Valet raised his hatchet for the first blow, it changed into a great serpent with seven heads.
But the Black Jack was wary. He struck without fear.
When the reed saw that the Black Valet raised his hatchet for the second blow, he changed into a little child who had just been born, and who has not yet been baptized.
But the Black Valet was wary. He struck without fear.
When the reed saw that the Black Jack raised his hatchet for the third blow, he changed into a young girl, like the dead mistress of the Black Jack.
Then the poor man began to tremble like a leaf. But he remembered what the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows had told him, and he struck without fear.
“Prince of the Seven Golden Cows, the reed is down."
"Cut some enough to make a flute, and let's go."
Entering the castle the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows said:
“Black Valet, every night, when the people of the castle are asleep, come to my room, I will teach you the tune that can only be played on the flute that you will make with this reed."
What was said was done. On the morning of Midsummer, the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows said:
“Black Valet, this evening, when all the people in the castle are asleep, take your flute, two large cauldrons, seven bags of good hemp cloth, and do not fail to find yourself, at midnight, on the banks of the Gers, in the meadow which is above my mill."
At the appointed time, both were in the meadow. When the stars marked midnight, the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows said:
“Black Valet, play the flute."
The Black Valet obeys. Immediately, Seven Golden Cows emerged from the ground. They came to greet their Prince and began to graze in the light of the moon.
“Black Valet, take one Golden Cow, me the other, and let’s milk them each in a cauldron. After that, it will be the others' turn."
An hour later, the two cauldrons were full of milk, which immediately changed into double louis d'or and quadruples of Spain. The Prince of the Seven Golden Cows filled two bags of good hemp cloth with them and drowned them in the Gers.
After the first two Golden Cows, it was the turn of the other five. Before sunrise, the Seven Golden Cows had gone underground, and five other bags of double louis d'or and quadruples of Spain were drowned in the Gers.
“Black Valet, you know where the seven bags are. I'll give them to you. Fish for them at your leisure, and ensure no one sees you. Now let's go back to the castle."
A month after Midsummer, the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows was underground. The Black Valet spared nothing for the burial nor for the high and low masses. This done, he left for the country where the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows had gone broke, by showering his friends with dinners and presents, and by giving great alms. An hour after the arrival of the Black Valet, the village drummer shouted everywhere:
“Ran plan plan, ran plan plan, ran plan plan. You are informed that the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows is dead. He was once again richer than ever. The Black Valet is his heir. To obey his master's command, the heir will count a thousand pistoles to each of the dead man's friends, and a hundred crowns to each poor person in the country. Tomorrow morning, everyone will be paid,”
The next morning, there were so many friends and poor people that it seemed like a big fair in the village.
“Poor Prince of the Seven Golden Cows! He has not forgotten us. For him, we would have gone through water and fire."
All this didn't last long. The Black Valet arrived at full gallop on his horse, an oak bar in his hand, with a pack of dogs, as tall and strong as bulls.
“Bold, my dogs! Css! css! Bite them! Here, drunk! Here, pig! Here, thief! Grab that, and put some salt on it. These are the legacies of the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows. Bang! bang!"
And the Black Jack struck with great force on the nobles, on the bourgeois, and on the poor. When all these dirty people were far away, the Black Jack left for the country where his master was buried. There he learned Latin and everything you need to know to be a monk. So he built a convent, where people prayed to God night and day for the soul of the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows.
Source: Le Prince des Sept Vaches d'Or, from the French book Contes populaires de la Gascogne, tome 2, published in 1886
Next Tale: Belle Madeleine
Hello, my name is Vincent Celier.
I am writing translations of folk tales that I found in public domain French books, so that people who do not understand French may enjoy them too.
The Black Valet followed the instructions of the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows, even when the reed looked like his dead mistress.
And he got very rich. But he did not forget the Prince of the Seven Golden Cows after he died. He went to avenge him and he made sure people were praying for the Prince.
In the restaurant where we celebrated the 90th anniversary of Kati's mother yesterday, there is a stuffed deer.
It is obvious that it is a male, right? ... Because of the antlers, of course!
Here is a picture of Ili Mama, Kati's mother, with her three daughters: Kati (Katakin), Ili (Ilona), and Gabi (Gabriells), at the dinner table.
We were twenty-six. Only one grandson and two grandchildren were missing. And I was not the only one who was not Hungarian; one nephew of Kati married a girl from Azerbaijan.
Ili Mama looks delighted looking at the three birthday cakes, including a vegan one.
Kati took this picture. When she sent it to me, she added "Smile!".
We had a great time and everybody was happy to be there. Agi and his two daughters came from Scotland, Gabor, the younger son of Kati, came from Canada, and several nieces and nephews came from Budapest.
-- Vincent Celier