--- title: The Prince and the Ogre’s Castle. — Folk tales from Tibet · full text with trees description: The Prince and the Ogre’s Castle., «Folk tales from Tibet» by William Frederick Travers, Sir O'Connor: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Once upon a time there lived an old King and Queen, who, although they had been married for many years, had no --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/17/) [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/) / [Folk tales from Tibet](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/) / The Prince and the Ogre’s Castle. # The Prince and the Ogre’s Castle. The Prince and the Ogre’s Castle. of «Folk tales from Tibet» by William Frederick Travers, Sir O'Connor: the whole text, 124 sentences and 3737 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/17/page/2/) Once upon a time there lived an old King and Queen, who, although they had been married for many years, had no children to brighten their old age or to inherit their kingdom; and in the King’s possession, as it happened, were a favourite mare and dog, who also had no offspring.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") Now both the King and the Queen were very anxious to have children of their own, and also to perpetuate the fine breed represented by the mare and the dog; so the King posted a notice all over his kingdom, offering a very large reward to any Lama or other holy personage who could secure to him and to his horse and dog the birth of children.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") In response to this notice many Lamas and recluses presented themselves at the palace, and by means of prayers and religious ceremonies they endeavoured to obtain from the gods what the King and Queen desired; but all their efforts were in vain, and the years passed by without any offspring being born.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") Now it chanced that in a neighbouring country there lived a terrible Ogre, who was an expert in magic and all the black arts; and it came to his ears that this King had offered a large reward if anyone could secure to him the birth of children for himself, his horse and his dog.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") So he disguised himself as a holy Lama, and coming up to the palace one day on foot, he asked for an interview with the King.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") The King, who had almost lost faith in Lamas of any kind, received him courteously, and asked him what he could do to help in the matter.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") “Oh, King!” replied the supposed Lama, “I, you must know, am a great recluse, and as the result of many years of solitary meditation, I have become proficient in all the magic arts.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") I will undertake to secure for you and your horse and dog the birth of offspring as you desire.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") But I can only do so on one condition, which is as follows: three children will be born to you, three to the horse and three to the dog.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") They will all be of a miraculous nature, and will grow to their full powers in the course of three years.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") At the end of three years I will return here, and will claim from you one of each to follow me and serve me and to obey my orders in all matters.”[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") The King gladly agreed to this condition, and asked the Lama how he should proceed in order to secure the desired result.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") The Lama replied:[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") “Here, oh King, are nine pills; three of these must be administered to the Queen, three to the horse and three to the dog.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") In three months’ time a child will be born to each, to be followed by two others at intervals of one month.”[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") So saying, he handed the pills to the King and forthwith took his departure.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") The King accordingly administered the pills as directed, and after three months the Queen gave birth to a boy, the mare to a foal, and the dog to a pup, and these were followed by two others at intervals of one month as the Lama had predicted.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") All the young ones grew apace, and at the end of the three years they had all attained to their full growth and powers, and punctually at the conclusion of the third year the Ogre, still disguised as a Lama, returned to the palace to demand his due.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") The King and Queen, though reluctant to part with any of their children, resolved to abide by their bargain, and they consulted together as to which of the young Princes should be handed over to the Lama.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") After some consideration they decided that it would not be advisable to part with the eldest son, as he was heir to the throne, nor with the second, who would have to succeed to the kingdom should any accident or mischance befall his elder brother; so they resolved to send the youngest son, and with him the youngest horse and the youngest dog.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") These three accordingly were handed over to the Lama, who ordered the Prince to follow him, and started off at once to his own country.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") After travelling for some considerable distance they arrived at the top of a high pass, whence the Ogre, pointing down to a great castle standing in the valley below, said to the young Prince:[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") “That is my house below there; I shall leave you here and you must go on down to the house.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") When you arrive there you will find a goat tied up near the door of the courtyard, and a bundle of straw lying near by.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") You must pick up the bundle of straw and place it within reach of the goat.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Then you must go into the farmyard, where you will find many fowls, and in one corner you will see an earthenware jar full of soaked grain, and you must sprinkle this grain for the fowls to eat.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") These two tasks I give you to-day, and you are on no account to enter my castle until I rejoin you in the evening.”[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") So saying the Ogre went off in another direction, whilst the young Prince, riding on his horse and followed by his dog, went down to the Ogre’s castle.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") When he reached the gateway he found, as the Ogre had predicted, a goat tied up and a bundle of straw lying in a corner of the courtyard.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") So he dismounted from his horse, and, picking up the bundle, he carried it near the goat and placed it on the ground.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Scarcely had the bundle touched the ground when it became transformed into three great wolves, who, leaping upon the goat, devoured it in an instant, and then fled away to the hills.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") The young Prince was very much astonished at seeing this, but being of a courageous spirit he did not allow the incident to frighten him, and proceeded to finish the remainder of his task.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") So he entered the yard where the poultry were kept, and proceeding to the corner where stood the jar of soaked barley, he took out a handful and scattered it amongst the fowls.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") As the grain touched the ground it was transformed instantly into three wild cats, who leapt fiercely upon the cocks and hens, and in a few moments, having destroyed them all, fled away into the hills.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") The Prince’s curiosity was now thoroughly aroused, and he determined, in spite of the Ogre’s warning, to enter the house itself, and to discover what sort of place he had come to, so he pushed open the door of the castle and began wandering about all over the house.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") For some time he found nothing to interest him.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") The rooms were all well furnished and in good order, but he could find no trace and hear no sound of any living creature.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") At last, after having explored the greater part of the building, he suddenly turned a corner in a passage, and saw in front of him a room whose walls were composed entirely of glass.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") Entering this room he saw in one corner a beautiful lady lying asleep on a couch with a flower behind her ear.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") The Prince was pleased at finding a human being in this desolate and mysterious castle, and, approaching the lady, he endeavoured to arouse her from her slumber.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") But all his efforts were in vain; she appeared to be in a sort of trance, and all he could do did not succeed in waking her.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") At last in despair he took away the flower which was placed behind her ear, and as he did so she woke and sat up upon her couch, rubbing her eyes.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") As soon as she perceived the young Prince she was much astonished, and asked him what he was doing in the Ogre’s castle.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") The Prince told her the whole story of his miraculous birth through the magic of the holy Lama, and how he was condemned to serve the Lama as his servant through the agreement which the King his father had made, and how he had carried out the two tasks which the Lama had given him that day.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") On hearing this story the lady was very indignant, and spoke to him as follows:[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") “You must know, oh Prince,” said she, “that the person whom you suppose to be a Lama is in reality a fearful and wicked Ogre.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") The only food of which he partakes is men’s hearts, and this house is full of the lifeless bodies of his numerous victims.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") He, however, is unable to obtain any power over the body of a human being unless that being directly disobeys his orders.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus it is his practice upon obtaining a fresh servant to set him strange tasks which terrify and repel him.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") These tasks grow daily more difficult and more odious, until at last one day the servant disobeys his orders, and forthwith his body is at the mercy of the Ogre, who devours the heart and places the lifeless body in a large chamber at the back of this house.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") The process has evidently begun with you to-day.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") You have fulfilled all of his tasks without allowing yourself to be terrified by the strange portents which you have observed, but on his return he will no doubt set you further and more disagreeable duties to perform.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") I, you should know, am a Princess in my own country, and I was handed over to the Ogre by my parents about a year ago in circumstances very similar to your own.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") But when he had brought me to his castle, instead of destroying me as he does his other victims, he fell in love with me, and I have remained here as his wife ever since.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") But he is of a very jealous disposition, and never allows me to leave his castle; and for fear I should make my escape during his absence, he invariably, before going out, places an enchanted flower behind my ear which makes me fall into a trance, and I cannot awake until the flower is removed.”[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") The young Prince was very much interested on hearing this story, and he begged the Princess to give him some further information about the Ogre’s habits, in order that he might not unawares fall into his power, and might eventually be able to bring about the destruction of the monster.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") “It is very difficult,” replied the Princess, “for any human being to kill the Ogre, for he is of a supernatural nature, and even if you were to cut off his head he would come to life again at once, unless you could also destroy his ‘mascot’ \[6\]—that is to say, the object upon the preservation of which his life in this world depends.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") Now the Ogre’s mascot is very carefully concealed, and its existence and whereabouts are known to no person except myself.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") I, however, have discovered where it is, and I will reveal the secret to you later, but first I will tell you the method by which you may destroy the Ogre’s body.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") You must know, then, that it is only possible for a human being to strike a mortal blow at the Ogre when his face is turned away.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") He knows this very well, and will never in any circumstances turn his back upon a man.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") Similarly, if he can make you turn your back to him he may be able to do you a mischief.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") When he comes in this evening and finds that you have fulfilled both the tasks he has set you, the first thing he will order you to do will be to walk three times round a great stove which stands in the centre of the kitchen; and if you obey his orders he will follow you from behind and will possibly do you some harm while your back is turned towards him.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") When he gives you these orders, then, you must not disobey, but you must tell the Ogre that it is so dark in the kitchen that you cannot see your way clearly, and you must ask him to precede you.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") This he is bound to do, and while he is going round the stove you may perhaps find an opportunity for stabbing him.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") If, however, you cannot succeed in doing so, and you both pass through this ordeal successfully, he will set you no further task to-night, and I will ascertain from him during the evening what trial he has in store for you to-morrow.”[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/17/page/2/) - ← previous: [The Story of the Boy With the Deformed Head.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/16/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/17/page/2/) - ↑ back to [Folk tales from Tibet](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg75000/)