The dwarf bowed and answered:
`Your highness shall be obeyed. I will do all in my power to please you and the prince.’
From this time the little cook was hardly seen except in the kitchen, where, surrounded by his helpers, he gave
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orders, baked, stewed, flavoured and dished up all manner of dishes.
The prince had been a fortnight with the grand duke, and enjoyed himself mightily. They ate five times a day, and the duke had every reason to be content with the dwarf’s talents, for he saw how pleased his guest looked. On the fifteenth day the duke sent for the dwarf and presented him to the prince.
`You are a wonderful cook,’ said the prince, `and you certainly know what is good. All the time I have been here you have never repeated a dish, and all were excellent. But tell me why you have never served the queen of all dishes, a Suzeraine Pasty?’
The dwarf felt frightened, for he had never heard of this Queen of Pasties before. But he did not lose his presence of mind, and replied:
`I have waited, hoping that your highness’ visit here would last some time, for I proposed to celebrate the last day of your stay with this truly royal dish.’
`Indeed,’ laughed the grand duke; `then I suppose you would have waited for the day of my death to treat me to it, for you have never sent it up to me yet. However, you will have to invent some other farewell dish, for the pasty must be on my table to-morrow.’
`As your highness pleases,’ said the dwarf, and took leave.
But it did not please him at all. The moment of disgrace seemed at hand, for he had no idea how to make this pasty. He went to his rooms very sad. As he sat there lost in thought the goose Mimi, who was left free to walk about, came up to him and asked what was the matter? When she heard she said:
`Cheer up, my friend. I know the dish quite well: we often had it at home, and I can guess pretty well how it was made.’ Then she told him what to put in, adding: `I think that will be all right, and if some trifle is left out perhaps they won’t find it out.’
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Sure enough, next day a magnificent pasty all wreathed round with flowers was placed on the table. Jem himself put on his best clothes and went into the dining hall. As he entered the head carver was in the act of cutting up the pie and helping the duke and his guests. The grand duke took a large mouthful and threw up his eyes as he swallowed it.
`Oh! oh! this may well be called the Queen of Pasties, and at the same time my dwarf must be called the king of cooks. Don’t you think so, dear friend?’
The prince took several small pieces, tasted and examined carefully, and then said with a mysterious and sarcastic smile:
`The dish is very nicely made, but the Suzeraine is not quite complete — as I expected.’
The grand duke flew into a rage.
`Dog of a cook,’ he shouted; `how dare you serve me so? I’ve a good mind to chop off your great head as a punishment.’
`For mercy’s sake, don’t, your highness! I made the pasty according to the best rules; nothing has been left out. Ask the prince what else I should have put in.’
The prince laughed. `I was sure you could not make this dish as well as my cook, friend Long Nose. Know, then, that a herb is wanting called Relish, which is not known in this country, but which gives the pasty its peculiar flavour, and without which your master will never taste it to perfection.’
The grand duke was more furious than ever.
`But I will taste it to perfection,’ he roared. `Either the pasty must be made properly to-morrow or this rascal’s head shall come off. Go, scoundrel, I give you twenty-four hours respite.’
The poor dwarf hurried back to his room, and poured out his grief to the goose.
`Oh, is that all,’ said she, `then I can help you, for my father taught me to know all plants and herbs.
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Luckily this is a new moon just now, for the herb only springs up at such times. But tell me, are there chestnut trees near the palace?’
`Oh, yes!’ cried Long Nose, much relieved; `near the lake — only a couple of hundred yards from the palace — is a large clump of them. But why do you ask?’
`Because the herb only grows near the roots of chestnut trees,’ replied Mimi; `so let us lose no time in finding it. Take me under your arm and put me down out of doors, and I’ll hunt for it.’
He did as she bade, and as soon as they were in the garden put her on the ground, when she waddled off as fast as she could towards the lake, Jem hurrying after her with an anxious heart, for he knew that his life depended on her success. The goose hunted everywhere, but in vain. She searched under each chestnut tree, turning every blade of grass with her bill — nothing to be seen, and evening was drawing on!
Suddenly the dwarf noticed a big old tree standing alone on the other side of the lake. `Look,’ cried he, `let us try our luck there.’
The goose fluttered and skipped in front, and he ran after as fast as his little legs could carry him. The tree cast a wide shadow, and it was almost dark beneath it, but suddenly the goose stood still, flapped her wings with joy, and plucked something, which she held out to her astonished friend, saying: `There it is, and there is more growing here, so you will have no lack of it.’
The dwarf stood gazing at the plant. It gave out a strong sweet scent, which reminded him of the day of his enchantment. The stems and leaves were a bluish green, and it bore a dark, bright red flower with a yellow edge.
`What a wonder!’ cried Long Nose. `I do believe this is the very herb which changed me from a squirrel into my present miserable form. Shall I try an experiment?’
`Not yet,’ said the goose. `Take a good handful of
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the herb with you, and let us go to your rooms. We will collect all your money and clothes together, and then we will test the powers of the herb.’
THE GOOSE FINDS THE MAGIC HERB
So they went back to Jem’s rooms, and here he gathered together some fifty ducats he had saved, his clothes and shoes, and tied them all up in a bundle. Then he plunged his face into the bunch of herbs, and drew in their perfume.
As he did so, all his limbs began to crack and stretch; he felt his head rising above his shoulders; he glanced
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down at his nose, and saw it grow smaller and smaller; his chest and back grew flat, and his legs grew long.
The goose looked on in amazement. `Oh, how big and how beautiful you are!’ she cried. `Thank heaven, you are quite changed.’
Jem folded his hands in thanks, as his heart swelled with gratitude. But his joy did not make him forget all he owed to his friend Mimi.
`I owe you my life and my release,’ he said, `for without you I should never have regained my natural shape, and, indeed, would soon have been beheaded. I will now take you back to your father, who will certainly know how to disenchant you.’
The goose accepted his offer with joy, and they managed to slip out of the palace unnoticed by anyone.
They got through the journey without accident, and the wizard soon released his daughter, and loaded Jem with thanks and valuable presents. He lost no time in hastening back to his native town, and his parents were very ready to recognise the handsome, well-made young man as their long-lost son. With the money given him by the wizard he opened a shop, which prospered well, and he lived long and happily.
I must not forget to mention that much disturbance was caused in the palace by Jem’s sudden disappearance, for when the grand duke sent orders next day to behead the dwarf, if he had not found the necessary herbs, the dwarf was not to be found. The prince hinted that the duke had allowed his cook to escape, and had therefore broken his word. The matter ended in a great war between the two princes, which was known in history as the `Herb War.’ After many battles and much loss of life, a peace was at last concluded, and this peace became known as the `Pasty Peace,’ because at the banquet given in its honour the prince’s cook dished up t he Queen of Pasties — the Suzeraine — and the grand duke declared it to be quite excellent.