Boots and the Troll

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Boots in the Troll by George Webb Dyson. Once upon
a time there was a poor man who had three sons.
When he died, the two elders set off into the
world to try their luck. But the youngest they wouldn't
have with him at antony price. As for you, they said,
you're fit for nothing but to sit and poke about
in the ashes. So the two went off and got

(00:20):
places at a palace, the one under the coachman and
the other under the gardener. But Boots he set off too,
and took with him a great kneading trough, which was
the only thing his parents left behind them for which
the other two would not bother themselves with. It was
heavy to carry, but he did not like to leave
it behind, and so after he had trudged a bit,
came to the palace and asked for a place. So

(00:41):
they told him they did not want him, but he
begged so prettily that at last he got leave to
be in the kitchen and carry in wood and water
for the kitchen maid. He was quick and ready, and
in a little while everyone liked him, but the two
others were dull, and so they got much more kicks
than halfpence, and grew quite envious of Boots when they
saw him much better. He got on. Just opposite the palace,

(01:03):
across the lake lived a troll who had seven silver
ducks which swam on the lake so that they could
be seen from the palace. These the king had often
longed for, and so the two older brothers told the coachman,
if our brother only chose he has said, he could
easily get the king those seven silver ducks, you may fancy.
It wasn't long before the coachman told this to the King,

(01:24):
and the King called Boots before him and said, your
brothers say you can get me the silver ducks, so
now go and fetch them. I'm sure I never thought
or said anything of the kind, said the lad You
did say so, and you shall fetch them, said the king,
who would hold his own very well, said the lad
needs must, I suppose, but give me a bushel of

(01:45):
rye and a bushel of wheat, and I'll try what
I can do. So he got the rye and the
wheat and put them into the kneading trough he had
brought with him from home, got in and rode across
the lake. When he reached the other side. He began
to walk along the shore and to sprinkle and strew
the grain sow. Last, he coaxed the ducks into his
kneading traw and rode back as fast as he could.

(02:05):
When he got half over, the troll came out of
his house and set eyes on him. Hello, roared out
the troll. Is that you that has gone off with
my seven silver ducks? Aye? Aye, said the lad Shall
you be back soon? Asked the troll. Very likely, said
the lad. So when he got back to the king
with seven silver ducks, he was more like than ever,

(02:26):
and even the King was pleased to say, well done.
But if this his brothers grew more and more spiteful
and envious. And so they went and told the coachman
that their brother had said, if he chose, he was
man enough to get the king the troll's bed quilt,
which had a gold patch and a silver patch, and
a silver patch and a gold patch. And this time
too the coachman was not slow in telling all this
to the king. So the King said to the lad

(02:47):
how his brothers had said he was good to steal
the troll's bed quilt, and with gold and silver patches
so now he must go and get it or lose
his life. Boots answered, he had never thought or said
any such thing, but when he found there was no
help boar it, he begged for three days to think
over the matter. So when the three days were gone,
he rode over in his kneading trough and went spying about.

(03:09):
At last he saw those in the troll's cave come
out and hang the quilt out to air, And as
soon as ever they had gone back into the face
of the rock, Boots pulled the quilt down and rode
away with it as fast as he could, And when
he was half way across out came the troll and
set eyes on him and roared out, Halloa, is it
you that took my seven silver ducks? Ay ay, said
the lad. And now have you taken my bed quilt

(03:32):
with silver patches and gold patches? And gold patches and
silver patches, ay ay, said the lad. Shall you come
back again? Very likely, said the lad. But when he
got back with the gold and silver patchword quilt, every
one was fonder of him than ever, and he was
made the king's body servant. At this the other two
were still more vexed and to be revenged. They went

(03:53):
and told the coachman. Now our brother has said he
is man enough to get the king the gold harp
which the troll has. And that harp is of such
a kind that all who listened when it is played
grow glad, however sad they may be. Yes, the coachman
went and told the king, and he said to the lad,
if you have said this, you shall do it. Yo
shall do it, and you shall have the princess and

(04:13):
half the kingdom. If ye don't, ye shall lose your life.
I am sure I never thought or said anything of
the kind, said the lad. But if there's no help
for it, I may as well try. But I must
have six days to think about it. Yes, he might
have six days, but when they were over he must
set out. Then he took a tenpenny nail, a birch pin,
and waxen taper end in his pocket, and rode across

(04:36):
and walked up and down before the troll's cave, looking
stealthily about him. So when the troll came out and
saw him at once, Ho ho, roared the troll. Is
it you who took my seven silver ducks? Ay? Ay,
said the lad, And is it you who took my
bed quilt with the gold and silver patches, asked the troll. Ay, ay,
said the lad. So the troll caught hold of him

(04:57):
at once and took him off into the cave in
the face of the rock. Now, daughter, dear, said the troll,
I've caught the fellow who stolen silver ducks in my
bedquilt with gold and silver patches. Put him into the
fattening coop, and when he's fat, will kill him and
make a feast for our friends. She was willing enough
and put him at once into the fattening coop. And
there he's stayed eight days, fed on the best both

(05:19):
in meat and drink, and as much as he could cram.
And so when the eight days were over, the troll
said to his daughter to go down and cut him
in his little finger, so that they might see if
he were fat. Down she came to the coop. Out
with your little finger, she said, But boots stuck out
his tinpenny nail, and she cut at it. Nay, nay,
he's as hard as iron, still, said the troll's daughter,

(05:41):
when she got back to her father. We can't take
him yet. After another eight days, the same thing happened,
and this time Boot stuck out his birch and pin.
Well he's a little better, she said when she got
back to the troll. But he's still as hard as
wood to chew. But when another eight days were gone,
the troll told his daughter to go down and see
if he wasn't fat. Now out with your little finger,

(06:02):
said the troll's daughter when she reached the coop, and
this time Boots stuck out the taper end. Now he'll
do nicely, she said, wiled he said the troll. Well,
then I'll just set off and ask the guests. Meantime,
you must kill him roast half and boil half. So,
when the troll had been gone a little while, the
daughter began to sharpen a great long knife. Is that
what you're going to kill me with? Asked the lad.

(06:25):
Yes it is, she said, But it isn't sharp, said
the lad. Just let me sharpen it for you. Then
you'll find it easier work to kill me. So she
let him have the knife, and he began to rub
and sharpen it on the wet stone. Just let me
try it on one of your hair plates. I think
it's about right now, so he got leave to do that.
But at the same time that he grasped the plate

(06:46):
of hair, and he pulled back on her head, and
one gash cut off the troll's daughter's head, and half
of her he roasted, and half of her he boiled
and served it all up. After that, he dressed himself
in her clothes sat away in the corner. So when
the troll came home with his guests, he called out
to his daughter, for he thought all the time it
was his daughter to come and take a snack. No,

(07:07):
thank you, said the lad. I don't care for food.
I'm so sad and downcast. Oh, said the troll. If
that's all you know the cure. Take the harp and
play a tune on it, yes, said the lad, But
where has it got to? I can't find it? Why
you know well enough, said the troll. You used to
last And where should it be? But over the door yonder.

(07:27):
The lad did not wait to be told twice. He
took down the harp and went in and out playing tunes.
But all at once he shoved off the kneading trough,
jumped into it, and rode off, so that the foam
flew around the trough. After a while, the troll thought
his daughter was long while gone, and when he went
out to see what ailed her, then he saw the
lad in the trough, far far out on the lake Hullola,

(07:49):
is it you, you roared? It took my seven silver ducks? Ay, ay,
said the lad. Is it you that took my bed
quilt with the gold and silver patches? Yes, said the lad,
And now you've taken off with my gold harp, screamed
the troll. Yes, said the lad. I've got it sure enough.

(08:10):
And haven't I eaten you up? After all? Then? No, no,
twas your own daughter you ate, answered the lad. But
when the troll heard that, he was so sorry he burst,
and the boots rode back and took a whole heap
of gold and silver with him, as much as the
trough could carry. And so when he came to the
palace with the gold harp, he got the princess and
half the kingdom, as the king had promised him. And

(08:32):
as for his brothers, he treated them well, for he
thought they had only wished his good when they said
what they had said. End of Boots and the troll