--- title: The Crimson Fairy Book, part 20 — The Crimson Fairy Book · full text with trees description: The Crimson Fairy Book, part 20, «The Crimson Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: And a voice answered him: “Your wish is heard; a rich man you shall be!” --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The Crimson Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/) / The Crimson Fairy Book, part 20 # The Crimson Fairy Book, part 20 The Crimson Fairy Book, part 20 of «The Crimson Fairy Book» by Andrew Lang: the whole text, 112 sentences and 2532 words. Every sentence has its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/page/2/) - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/1/) — And a voice answered him: “Your wish is heard; a rich man you shall be!” - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/2/) — At the sound of the voice the stone-cutter looked round, but could see nobody. - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/3/) — He thought it was all his fancy, and picked up his tools and went home, for he did not feel inclined to do any more work that day. - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/4/) — But when he reached the little house where he lived, he stood still with amazement, for instead of his wooden hut was a stately palace filled with splendid furniture, and most splendid of all was the bed, in every respect like the one he had envied. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/5/) — He was nearly beside himself with joy, and in his new life the old one was soon forgotten. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/6/) — It was now the beginning of summer, and each day the sun blazed more fiercely. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/7/) — One morning the heat was so great that the stone-cutter could scarcely breathe, and he determined he would stay at home till the evening. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/8/) — He was rather dull, for he had never learned how to amuse himself, and was peeping through the closed blinds to see what was going on in the street, when a little carriage passed by, drawn by servants dressed in blue and silver. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/9/) — In the carriage sat a prince, and over his head a golden umbrella was held, to protect him from the sun’s rays. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/10/) — “Oh, if I were only a prince!” said the stone-cutter to himself, as the carriage vanished round the corner. - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/11/) — “Oh, if I were only a prince, and could go in such a carriage and have a golden umbrella held over me, how happy I should be!” - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/12/) — And the voice of the mountain spirit answered: “Your wish is heard; a prince you shall be.” - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/13/) — And a prince he was. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/14/) — Before his carriage rode one company of men and another behind it; servants dressed in scarlet and gold bore him along, the coveted umbrella was held over his head, everything heart could desire was his. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/15/) — But yet it was not enough. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/16/) — He looked round still for something to wish for, and when he saw that in spite of the water he poured on his grass the rays of the sun scorched it, and that in spite of the umbrella held over his head each day his face grew browner and browner, he cried in his anger: “The sun is mightier than I; oh, if I were only the sun!” - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/17/) — And the mountain spirit answered: “Your wish is heard; the sun you shall be.” - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/18/) — And the sun he was, and felt himself proud in his power. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/19/) — He shot his beams above and below, on earth and in heaven; he burnt up the grass in the fields and scorched the faces of princes as well as of poorer folk. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/20/) — But in a short time he began to grow tired of his might, for there seemed nothing left for him to do. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/21/) — Discontent once more filled his soul, and when a cloud covered his face, and hid the earth from him, he cried in his anger: “Does the cloud hold captive my rays, and is it mightier than I? - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/22/) — Oh, that I were a cloud, and mightier than any!” - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/23/) — And the mountain spirit answered: “Your wish is heard; a cloud you shall be!” - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/24/) — And a cloud he was, and lay between the sun and the earth. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/25/) — He caught the sun’s beams and held them, and to his joy the earth grew green again and flowers blossomed. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/26/) — But that was not enough for him, and for days and weeks he poured forth rain till the rivers overflowed their banks, and the crops of rice stood in water. - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/27/) — Towns and villages were destroyed by the power of the rain, only the great rock on the mountain side remained unmoved. - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/28/) — The cloud was amazed at the sight, and cried in wonder: “Is the rock, then, mightier than I? - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/29/) — Oh, if I were only the rock!” - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/30/) — And the mountain spirit answered: “Your wish is heard; the rock you shall be! - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/31/) — And the rock he was, and gloried in his power. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/32/) — Proudly he stood, and neither the heat of the sun nor the force of the rain could move him. - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/33/) — “This is better than all!” he said to himself. - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/34/) — But one day he heard a strange noise at his feet, and when he looked down to see what it could be, he saw a stone-cutter driving tools into his surface. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/35/) — Even while he looked a trembling feeling ran all through him, and a great block broke off and fell upon the ground. - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/36/) — Then he cried in his wrath: “Is a mere child of earth mightier than a rock? - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/37/) — Oh, if I were only a man!” - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/38/) — And the mountain spirit answered: “Your wish is heard. - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/39/) — A man once more you shall be!” - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/40/) — And a man he was, and in the sweat of his brow he toiled again at his trade of stone-cutting. - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/41/) — His bed was hard and his food scanty, but he had learned to be satisfied with it, and did not long to be something or somebody else. - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/42/) — And as he never asked for things he had not got, or desired to be greater and mightier than other people, he was happy at last, and heard the voice of the mountain spirit no longer. - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/43/) — \[From Japanische Mährchen.\] - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/44/) — The Gold-Bearded Man - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/45/) — Once upon a time there lived a great king who had a wife and one son whom he loved very much. - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/46/) — The boy was still young when, one day, the king said to his wife: “I feel that the hour of my death draws near, and I want you to promise that you will never take another husband but will give up your life to the care of our son.” - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/47/) — The queen burst into tears at these words, and sobbed out that she would never, never marry again, and that her son’s welfare should be her first thought as long as she lived. - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/48/) — Her promise comforted the troubled heart of the king, and a few days after he died, at peace with himself and with the world. - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/49/) — But no sooner was the breath out of his body, than the queen said to herself, “To promise is one thing, and to keep is quite another.” - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/50/) — And hardly was the last spadeful of earth flung over the coffin than she married a noble from a neighbouring country, and got him made king instead of the young prince. - [51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/51/) — Her new husband was a cruel, wicked man, who treated his stepson very badly, and gave him scarcely anything to eat, and only rags to wear; and he would certainly have killed the boy but for fear of the people. - [52](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/52/) — Now by the palace grounds there ran a brook, but instead of being a water-brook it was a milk-brook, and both rich and poor flocked to it daily and drew as much milk as they chose. - [53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/53/) — The first thing the new king did when he was seated on the throne, was to forbid anyone to go near the brook, on pain of being seized by the watchmen. - [54](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/54/) — And this was purely spite, for there was plenty of milk for everybody. - [55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/55/) — For some days no one dared venture near the banks of the stream, but at length some of the watchmen noticed that early in the mornings, just at dawn, a man with a gold beard came down to the brook with a pail, which he filled up to the brim with milk, and then vanished like smoke before they could get near enough to see who he was. - [56](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/56/) — So they went and told the king what they had seen. - [57](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/57/) — At first the king would not believe their story, but as they persisted it was quite true, he said that he would go and watch the stream that night himself. - [58](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/58/) — With the earliest streaks of dawn the gold-bearded man appeared, and filled his pail as before. - [59](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/59/) — Then in an instant he had vanished, as if the earth had swallowed him up. - [60](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/60/) — The king stood staring with eyes and mouth open at the place where the man had disappeared. - [61](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/61/) — He had never seen him before, that was certain; but what mattered much more was how to catch him, and what should be done with him when he was caught? - [62](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/62/) — He would have a cage built as a prison for him, and everyone would talk of it, for in other countries thieves were put in prison, and it was long indeed since any king had used a cage. - [63](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/63/) — It was all very well to plan, and even to station a watchman behind every bush, but it was of no use, for the man was never caught. - [64](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/64/) — They would creep up to him softly on the grass, as he was stooping to fill his pail, and just as they stretched out their hands to seize him, he vanished before their eyes. - [65](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/65/) — Time after time this happened, till the king grew mad with rage, and offered a large reward to anyone who could tell him how to capture his enemy. - [66](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/66/) — The first person that came with a scheme was an old soldier who promised the king that if he would only put some bread and bacon and a flask of wine on the bank of the stream, the gold-bearded man would be sure to eat and drink, and they could shake some powder into the wine, which would send him to sleep at once. - [67](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/67/) — After that there was nothing to do but to shut him in the cage. - [68](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/68/) — This idea pleased the king, and he ordered bread and bacon and a flask of drugged wine to be placed on the bank of the stream, and the watchers to be redoubled. - [69](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/69/) — Then, full of hope, he awaited the result. - [70](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/70/) — Everything turned out just as the soldier had said. - [71](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/71/) — Early next morning the gold-bearded man came down to the brook, ate, drank, and fell sound asleep, so that the watchers easily bound him, and carried him off to the palace. - [72](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/72/) — In a moment the king had him fast in the golden cage, and showed him, with ferocious joy, to the strangers who were visiting his court. - [73](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/73/) — The poor captive, when he awoke from his drunken sleep, tried to talk to them, but no one would listen to him, so he shut himself up altogether, and the people who came to stare took him for a dumb man of the woods. - [74](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/74/) — He wept and moaned to himself all day, and would hardly touch food, though, in dread that he should die and escape his tormentors, the king ordered his head cook to send him dishes from the royal table. - [75](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/75/) — The gold-bearded man had been in captivity about a month, when the king was forced to make war upon a neighbouring country, and left the palace, to take command of his army. - [76](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/76/) — But before he went he called his stepson to him and said: - [77](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/77/) — “Listen, boy, to what I tell you. - [78](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/78/) — While I am away I trust the care of my prisoner to you. - [79](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/79/) — See that he has plenty to eat and drink, but be careful that he does not escape, or even walk about the room. - [80](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/80/) — If I return and find him gone, you will pay for it by a terrible death.” - [81](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/81/) — The young prince was thankful that his stepfather was going to the war, and secretly hoped he might never come back. - [82](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/82/) — Directly he had ridden off the boy went to the room where the cage was kept, and never left it night and day. - [83](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/83/) — He even played his games beside it. - [84](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/84/) — One day he was shooting at a mark with a silver bow; one of his arrows fell into the golden cage. - [85](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/85/) — “Please give me my arrow,” said the prince, running up to him; but the gold-bearded man answered: - [86](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/86/) — “No, I shall not give it to you unless you let me out of my cage.” - [87](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/87/) — “I may not let you out,” replied the boy, “for if I do my stepfather says that I shall have to die a horrible death when he returns from the war. - [88](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/88/) — My arrow can be of no use to you, so give it to me.” - [89](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/89/) — The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he begged harder than ever that the prince would open the door and set him free. - [90](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/90/) — Indeed, he prayed so earnestly that the prince’s heart was touched, for he was a tender-hearted boy who pitied the sorrows of other people. - [91](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/91/) — So he shot back the bolt, and the gold-bearded man stepped out into the world. - [92](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/92/) — “I will repay you a thousand fold for that good deed.” said the man, and then he vanished. - [93](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/93/) — The prince began to think what he should say to the king when he came back; then he wondered whether it would be wise to wait for his stepfather’s return and run the risk of the dreadful death which had been promised him. - [94](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/94/) — “No,” he said to himself, “I am afraid to stay. - [95](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/95/) — Perhaps the world will be kinder to me than he has been.” - [96](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/96/) — Unseen he stole out when twilight fell, and for many days he wandered over mountains and through forests and valleys without knowing where he was going or what he should do. - [97](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/97/) — He had only the berries for food, when, one morning, he saw a wood-pigeon sitting on a bough. - [98](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/98/) — In an instant he had fitted an arrow to his bow, and was taking aim at the bird, thinking what a good meal he would make off him, when his weapon fell to the ground at the sound of the pigeon’s voice: - [99](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/99/) — “Do not shoot, I implore you, noble prince! - [100](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/100/) — I have two little sons at home, and they will die of hunger if I am not there to bring them food.” **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/20/page/2/) - ← previous: [The Crimson Fairy Book, part 19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/19/) - next →: [The Crimson Fairy Book, part 21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/21/) - ↑ back to [The Crimson Fairy Book](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/)