Dreamful Bedtime Stories
Dreamful Bedtime Stories
The King of the Waterfalls
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What if you could outwit a cunning fairy and win magical treasures? This episode invites you to journey alongside a young, audacious king who defies a wise man's caution and challenges the fairy Gruega. Ignoring sagely advice, he triumphs in enchanting games, winning extraordinary prizes like a magically transformed bride and a one-of-a-kind horse. But the stakes escalate when he’s tasked with retrieving the sword of light from the house of the king of the oak windows, leading him into a perilous adventure filled with bravery and wit.
The music in this episode is The Green by Ruiqi Zhao
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Dreamful is produced and hosted by Jordan Blair. Edited by Katie Sokolovska. Theme song by Joshua Snodgrass. Cover art by Jordan Blair. ©️ Dreamful LLC
Welcome to Dreamful Podcast bedtime stories for slumber. In this bonus episode I will be reading the King of the Waterfalls. So snuggle up in your blankets and have sweet dreams.
Speaker 1:The End, when the young king came into his kingdom, the first thing he thought of was how he could amuse himself best. The sports that all his life had pleased him best suddenly seemed to have grown dull, and he wanted to do something he had never done before. At last his face brightened, I know. He said I will go and play a game with the gruega. Now, the gruega was a kind of wicked fairy with long, curly brown hair, and his house was not very far from the king's house. But though the king was young and eager, he was also prudent, and his father had told him on his deathbed to be very careful in his dealings with the good people, as the fairies recalled. Therefore, before going to the Gruega, the king sought out a wise man of the countryside. I am wanting to play a game with the curly-haired Gruaga, said he. Are you indeed, replied the wizard. If you will take my counsel, you will play with someone else. No, I will play with the gruega, persisted the king. Well, if you must, you must, I suppose, answered the wizard. But if you win that game, ask a prize. The ugly crop-headed girl that stands behind the door. I will, said the king. So, before the sun rose, he got up and went to the house of the gruega who was sitting outside. And went to the house of the gruega who was sitting outside, oh, king, what has brought you here today? Asked the gruega. But right, welcome you are, and more welcome will you be still if you will play a game with me. That is just what I want, said the king. And they played, and sometimes it seemed as if one would win, and sometimes the other, but in the end it was the king who was the winner. And what is the prize that you will choose, inquired the Guru, the ugly crop-headed girl that stands behind the door, replied the king. Why, there are twenty others in the house, and each fairer than she, exclaimed the Guru. The Guru said to the Guru Fair, each fairer than she, exclaimed the Gruega. Fairer may they be, but it is she whom I wish for, my wife and none other.
Speaker 1:And the Gruega saw that the king's mind was set upon her. So he entered his house and bade all the maidens in it come out one by one and pass before the king. One by one. They came, tall and short, dark and fair, plump and thin, and each said I am she whom you want. You will be foolish indeed if you do not take me. But he took none of them, neither short nor tall, dark nor fair, plump nor thin. Till at the last, the crop-headed girl came out. This is mine, said the king, though she was so ugly that most men would have turned from her. We will be married at once and I will carry you home. And married they were, and they set forth across a meadow to the king's house. As they went, the bride stooped and picked a sprig of shamrock which grew among the grass, which grew among the grass. And when she stood upright her ugliness had all gone and the most beautiful woman that was ever seen stood by the king's side.
Speaker 1:The next day, before the sun rose, the king sprang from his bed and told his wife he must have another game with a gruga. If my father loses that game and you win, it said she, accept nothing for your prize but the shaggy young horse with the stick saddle. I will do that, answered the king, and he went. Does your bride please? You asked the Guru, gaur, who was standing at his own door. Ah, she does not, answered the king quickly. Otherwise I should be hard indeed to please. But will you play a game today? I will replied. The Guru Gautama and they played, and sometimes it seemed as if one would win and sometimes the other, but in the end the king was a winner. What is the prize that you will choose, asked the Gruega. The shaggy young horse with the stick saddle', asked the king. But he noticed that the gruegal held his peace and his brow was dark as he led out the horse from the stable. Rough was its mane and dull was its skin. But the king cared nothing for that and, throwing his leg over the stick saddle, rode away like the wind.
Speaker 1:On the third morning the king got up as usual before dawn, and as soon as he had eaten food dawn, and as soon as he had eaten food, he prepared to go out. When his wife stopped him, I would rather she said that you did not go to play with the Gruegaw, for, though twice, you have won yet some day he will win, and then he will put trouble upon you. Oh, I must have one more game, cried the king, just this one. And he went off to the house of the Gruega. Joy felt the heart of the Gruega when he saw him coming and, without waiting to talk, they played their game Somehow or other. The king's strength and skill had departed from him and soon the Gruega was a victor.
Speaker 1:Choose your prize, said the king when the game was ended. But do not be too hard on me or ask what I cannot give. The prize I choose, answered the Grogo, is that crop-headed creature should take thy head and thy neck. If thou dost not get for me the sword of light that hangs in the house of the king of the oak windows, I will get it, replied the young man bravely.
Speaker 1:But as soon as he was out of sight of the Gruega, he pretended no more and his face grew dark and his steps lagging. You have brought nothing with you tonight, said the queen, who was standing on the steps awaiting him. She was so beautiful that the king was fain to smile when he looked at her, but then he remembered what had happened and his heart grew heavy again. What is it? What is the matter? Tell me thy sorrow that I may bear it with thee or it may be, help thee. Then the king told her everything that had befallen him, and she stroked his hair the while. That is nothing to grieve about, she said when the tale was finished. You have the best wife in Arryn and the best horse in Arryn. Only do as I bid you, and all will go well. And the king suffered himself to be comforted.
Speaker 1:He was still sleeping when the queen rose and dressed herself to make everything ready for her husband's journey, and the first place she went to was the stable where she fed and watered the shaggy brown horse and put the saddle on it. Most people thought the saddle was of wood and did not see the little sparkles of gold and silver that were hidden in it. She strapped it lightly on the horse's back and then led it down before the house where the king waited. Good luck to you and victories in all your battles, she said as she kissed him before he mounted. I need not be telling you anything. Take the advice of the horse and see you obey it. So he waved his hand and set out on his journey, and the wind was not swifter than the brown horse, no, not even the march wind, which raced it and could not catch it. But the horse never stopped nor looked behind, till, in the dark of the night, he reached the castle of the king of the oak windows. We are at the end of the journey, said the horse, and you will find the sword of light in the king's own chamber. If it comes to you without scrape or sound, the token is a good one. At this hour the king is eating his supper and the room is empty, so none will see you. The sword has a knob at the end, and take heed that when you grasp it you draw it softly out of its sheath. Now go, I will be under the window.
Speaker 1:Stealthily, the young man crept along the passage, pausing now and then to make sure that no man was following him, and entered the king's chamber. A strange white line of light told him where the sword was and, crossing the room on tiptoe, he seized the knob and drew it slowly out of the sheath. The king could hardly breathe with excitement, lest it should make some noise and bring all the people in the castle running to see what was the matter. But the sword slid swiftly and silently along the case till only the point was left touching it. Then a low sound was heard as of the edge of a knife touching a silver plate, and the king was so startled that he nearly dropped the knob.
Speaker 1:Quick, quick, cried the horse, and the king scrambled hastily through the small window and leapt to the saddle. He has heard and he will follow, said the horse. But we have a good start. And on, they sped on and on, leaving the winds behind them At length. The horse slackened its pace. Look and see who is behind you, it said, and the young man looked. I see a swarm of brown horses racing madly after us. He answered we are swifter than those, said the horse, and flew on again.
Speaker 1:Look again, o king, is anyone coming now? A swarm of black horses and one has a white face, and on that horse a man is seated. He is the king of the oak windows. That is my brother, and swifter still than I, said the horse, and he will fly past me with a rush. Then you must have your sword ready and take off the head of the man who sits on him. I will do it, replied the king, and he listened with all his might till he judged that the white-faced horse was close to him. Then he sat up very straight and made ready.
Speaker 1:The next moment there was a rushing noise as of a mighty tempest and the young man caught a glimpse of a face turned towards him. Almost blindly, he struck, not knowing whether he had killed or only wounded the rider, but the head rolled off and was caught in the brown horse's mouth. Jump on my brother, the black horse, and go home as fast as you can and I will follow as quickly as I may, cried the brown horse. And, leaping forward, the king alighted on the back of the black horse, but so near the tail that he almost fell off again. But he stretched out his arm and clutched wildly at the mane and pulled himself into the saddle before the sky was streaked with red. He was at home again and the queen was still waiting till he arrived, for sleep was far from her eyes. Glad was she to see him enter, but she said little, only, took her harp and sang softly the songs which he loved till he went to bed soothed and happy. Took her harp and sang softly the songs which he loved till he went to bed, soothed and happy. It was broad day when he woke and he sprang up saying Now I must go to the Gruega to find out if the spells he laid on me are loose.
Speaker 1:Have a care, answered the queen, for it is not worth a smile, as on the other days, that he will greet you Furiously, he will meet you and will ask you, in his wrath. If you have got the sword and you will reply that you have got it, next he will want to know how you got it, and to this you must say that but for the knob you had not got it at all. Then he will raise his head to look at the knob and you must stab him in the maul which is on the right side of his neck. But take heed, for if you miss the maul with the point of the sword, then my death and your death are certain. He is brother to the king of the oak windows, and sure will he be that the king must be dead or the sword will not be in your hands. After that she kissed him and bade him go speed.
Speaker 1:Didst thou get the sword? Asked the gruega when they met in the usual place. I got the sword. And how didst thou get it? If it had not been a knob on the top, then I had not got it, answered the king. But I had not got it, answered the king. Give me the sword to look at, said the gruega, peering forward. But like a flash the king had drawn it from under his nose and pierced the mole, so that the gruega rolled over on the ground. Now I shall be at peace, thought the king.
Speaker 1:But he was wrong, for when he reached home he found his servants tied together back to back with claws bound round their mouths so that they could not speak. He hastened to set them free and he asked who had treated them in so evil a manner. No sooner had you gone than a great giant came and dealt with us as you see, and carried off your wife and your two horses, said the man. Two horses, said the man. Then my eyes will not close, nor will my head lay itself down till I fetch my wife and horses home again, answered he. And he stopped and noted the tracks of the horses on the grass and followed after them till he arrived at the wood when the darkness fell. I will sleep here, he said to himself, but first I will make a fire. And he gathered together some twigs that were lying about and then took two dry sticks and rubbed them together till the fire came and he sat by it. The twigs cracked and the flame blazed up, and a slim yellow dog pushed through the bushes and laid his head on the king's knee, and the king stroked his head. Woof, woof, said the dog.
Speaker 1:Sore was the plight of thy wife and thy horses when the giant drove them last night through the forest. That is why I have come, answered the king. I cannot fight that giant, he cried. Looking at the dog with a white face, I am afraid Let me turn homewards. No, don't do that, replied the dog. Eat and sleep, I will watch over you. So the king ate and lay down and slept till the sun waked him. It is time for you to start on your way, said the dog, and if danger presses, call on me and I will help you. Farewell, then, answered the king. I will not forget that promise. And on he went till he reached a tall cliff with many sticks lying about. It is almost night. He thought I will make a fire and rest, and thus he did. And when the flames blazed up, the hoary hock of the grey rock flew on to a bow above him.
Speaker 1:Sore was the plight of thy wife and thy horses when they passed here with the giant, said the hawk. Never shall I find them, answered the king. And nothing shall I get for all my trouble. The king, and nothing shall I get for all my trouble. Oh, take heart, replied the hawk. Things are never so bad, but what they might be worse. Eat and sleep, and I will watch thee. And the king did as he was bidden by the hawk, and by the morning he felt brave again. Farewell, said the bird, and if danger presses, call to me, I will help you. On. He walked till his dusk was falling. He came to a great river and on the bank there were sticks lying about. I will make myself a fire, he thought, and thus he did. And by and by a smooth brown head peered at him from the water and a long body followed it. Sore was the plight of thy wife and thy horses when they passed the river last night, said the otter. I have sought them and not found them, answered the king. And naught, shall I get for my trouble? Be not so downcast, replied the otter. Before noon tomorrow thou shalt behold thy wife, but eat and sleep and I will watch over thee. So the king did as the otter bid him, and when the sun rose he woke and saw the otter lying on the bank. Farewell, cried the otter as he jumped into the water. And if danger presses, call to me and I will help you.
Speaker 1:For many hours the king walked, and at length he reached a high rock which was rent in Tutu by a great earthquake, throwing himself on the ground. He looked over the side and right, at the very bottom, he saw his wife and his horses. He saw his wife and his horses. His heart gave a great bound and all his fears left him. But he was forced to be patient, for the sides of the rock were smooth and not even a goat could find foothold. So he got up again and made his way around through the wood, pushing by trees, scrambling over rocks, wading through streams, till at last he was on flat ground again, close to the mouth of the cavern.
Speaker 1:His wife gave a shriek of joy when he came in, and then burst into tears, for she was tired and very frightened. I smell a stranger, cried the giant as he entered, but it was dark inside the chasm and he did not see the king who was crouching down between the feet of the horses. A stranger, my lord. No stranger ever comes here, not even the sun. And the king's wife laughed gaily as she went up to the giant and stroked the huge hand which hung down by his side. Well, I perceive nothing, certainly answered he, but it is very odd. However, it is time that the horses were fed, and he lifted down an armful of hay from a shelf of rock and held out a handful to each animal who moved forward to meet him, leaving the king behind. As soon as the giant's hands were near their mouths, they each made a snap and began to bite them, so that his groans and shrieks might have been heard in my laugh. Then they wheeled round and kicked him till they could kick no more At length.
Speaker 1:The giant crawled away and lay quivering in a corner, and the queen went up to him. Poor thing, she said. They seem to have gone mad. It was awful to behold. If I had my soul in my body, they, queen, but tell me where is thy soul that I may take care of it. Under the threshold is a stone, and under the stone is a sheep, and in the sheep's body is a duck, and in the duck is an egg, and in the egg is my soul. But now leave me that I may sleep.
Speaker 1:It was still dark when the giant got up and went his way, and then the king and queen ran forward to take up the threshold, while the horses looked on. But sure enough, just as the giant had said, underneath the threshold was the flagstone, and they pulled and tugged till the stone gave way. Then something jumped out so suddenly that it nearly knocked them down and as it fled past they saw it was a sheep. If the slim yellow dog of the greenwood were only here, he would soon have the sheep, cried the king. And as he spoke the slim yellow dog appeared from the forest with the sheep in its mouth. With a blow from the king, the sheep fell dead and they opened his body, only to be blinded by a rush of wings as the duck flew past. If the hoary hawk of the rock were only here, he would soon have that duck, cried the king. And as he spoke the hoary hawk was seen hovering above them with the duck in his mouth.
Speaker 1:They cut off the duck's head with the swing of the king's sword and took the egg out of its body. But in his triumph the king held it carelessly and it slipped from his hand and rolled swiftly down the hill right to the river. If the brown otter of the stream were only here, he would soon have that egg, cried the king. In the next minute there was the brown otter dripping with water, holding the egg in his mouth. But beside the brown otter, a huge shadow came, stealing along the shadow of the giant. The king stood staring at it as if he were turned into stone as if he were turned into stone. But the queen snatched the egg from the otter and crushed it between her two hands, and after that the shadow suddenly shrank and was still, and they knew that the giant was dead because they had found his soul no-transcript.
