Master and Pupil facts for kids
Master and Pupil is a classic Danish fairy tale about a clever boy and a powerful wizard. It was collected by Andrew Lang and can be found in his famous book, The Pink Fairy Book. This story is a great example of how quick thinking can help you overcome challenges, even against a strong opponent!
The Boy and the Wizard
The story begins with a young boy looking for a job. He meets a man who asks if he can read. The boy honestly says yes, but the man rejects him! The man's job was just to dust books, but he didn't want someone who could read them.
The boy was smart. He ran ahead of the man and waited. When the man appeared again, the boy asked for a job once more. This time, he pretended he couldn't read. The man hired him!
While dusting the books, the boy secretly read them all. He soon discovered his master was a powerful wizard! By reading the wizard's books, the boy learned many magic spells. He even learned how to change into any animal he wished.
A Daring Escape
One day, the boy decided to run away from the wizard. He went back to his parents' home. He wanted to help his family, so he used his new magic.
He would turn himself into a beautiful horse. His father would then sell the horse at the market. After being sold, the boy would quickly change back into his human form and escape. He would then return home to his parents, ready to help them again.
The Wizard's Chase
News of the amazing horse reached the wizard. He suspected it was his former pupil. The wizard went to the boy's father, pretending to be a buyer. He bought the horse.
The wizard planned a cruel trick to stop the boy's magic. He intended to use a special object to prevent the horse from changing back. But the boy was too quick! Just as the wizard was about to act, the boy transformed into a small dove and flew away.
The wizard immediately changed into a hawk and chased the dove through the sky. The boy, still thinking fast, transformed again. He became a shiny gold ring and dropped into a young girl's lap.
The Final Transformation
The wizard, now a man again, tried to buy the ring from the girl. She refused, saying it was a gift from heaven. The wizard offered more and more money, but the girl still said no.
Frightened, the boy changed one last time. He became a tiny grain of barley. The wizard, determined to catch him, turned into a hen, ready to eat the grain.
But the boy had one more trick! The grain of barley quickly changed into a polecat. The polecat then defeated the hen.
After this final battle, the polecat changed back into the boy. He married the kind girl who had protected him. From that day on, the boy decided not to use magic anymore. He lived a happy life with his new wife.
