“The Swineherd.” The Yellow Fairy Book, edited by Andrew Lang, London, New York, Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1906, pp. 249-253.
![The Swineherd](/projects/fairy-tales/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/article-image/yellowfairybook00lang02_0303.jpg?itok=OdSjLmPX)
Tale Summary
There was once a poor Prince with a small Kingdom who wished to be married. He audaciously asked the emperor's daughter to marry him, knowing that many princesses would have gladly said yes to him. A rose tree grew on the grave of the prince's father which bloomed once every five years bearing a single beautiful rose. He also had a nightingale who could sing wonderfully, and each was placed into their own silver casket. They were brought to the Great Hall of the emperor where the princess was playing with her ladies and waiting. She clapped her hands for joy and wished for a cat, but found the rose and all complained that it was not artificial but real. Out of the other casket came the nightingale which sang beautifully, and all who heard it said so, but the princess said she hoped that at least this one was not real. She ordered the bird to fly away and refused to see the prince. He painted his face brown and black and knocked at the door asking for a place as a servant in the castle, and was given a job looking after swine. the whole day he worked to make a pretty little pot with bells so that when the pot boiled they jingled and played the tune:
“ Where is Augustus dear?
Alas! He's not here here here!”
If one held one's finger into the steam they could smell what dinner was being prepared in any fireplace in the town. The princess walked past with her ladies in waiting and heard the tune and was delighted by it. One of the ladies in waiting went on behalf of the princess to ask the price for the instrument and the prince replied that he would have ten kisses from the princess and nothing less. She gave in and gave him his ten kisses, with the ladies in waiting hiding them so no one would see. She took her pot and amused herself by knowing all the meals throughout the town. Everyday the prince worked making new instruments, and the princess again wanted to buy them from him. His price rose to a hundred kisses, and she reluctantly obliged. The emperor saw the commotion and the kissing, and exiled the two. The girl wept for her misfortune and wished for a beautiful prince. The swineherd hid behind a tree and washed his face, and changed his clothes into something splendid, then presented himself to her. The princess was amazed by him, but the prince taught her a lesson and said that he despised her because she would have nothing to do with a noble prince, and did not understand the rose or the nightingale, but she would kiss a swineherd for the sake of a toy. He went into his kingdom and shut the door in her face.
Fairy Tale Title
The Swineherd
Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)
Andrew Lang
Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)
Henry Justice Ford
Common Tale Type
Tale Classification
Page Range of Tale
pp. 249-253
Full Citation of Tale
“The Swineherd.” The Yellow Fairy Book, edited by Andrew Lang, London, New York, Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1906, pp. 249-253.
Original Source of the Tale
Tale Notes
There are racist undertones to this tale, creating an opposition between men with dark skin and desireable men.
Research and Curation
Kaeli Waggener, 2023
Book Title
The Yellow Fairy Book
Book Author/Editor(s)
Andrew Lang
Illustrator(s)
Henry Justice Ford
Publisher
Longmans, Green, and Co.
Date Published
1906
Decade Published
1900-1909
Publisher City
London
New York
Bombay
Publisher Country
United Kingdom
United States
India
Language
English
Rights
Public Domain
Digital Copy
Book Notes
Though this book is written in prose with more difficult language than other books of fairy tales in the collection, the Preface says this book is written for children.