Once upon a time old King Tancred fell ill and thought to himself:

“I am lying on what must be my deathbed.”

Then he said:

“Tell True Turlough to come to me.”

True Turlough was his favorite servant. All his life long, True Turlough had been faithful to King Tancred. When True Turlough came up to stand beside the bed, the king said to him:

“Most True Turlough, I feel my end approaching. I have no anxiety except about my son, Talbot. He is still of tender age, and cannot always know how to guide himself. If you do not promise me to teach him everything that he ought to know, and to be his foster-father, I cannot close my eyes in peace.”

Then True Turlough answered:

“I will not forsake him. I will serve him with true faithfulness, even at the cost of my life.”

At this, old King Tancred said:

“Now I die in comfort and peace! After my death, you shall show him the whole castle - all the chambers, halls, and vaults, and all the treasures that lie there. Show Talbot everything except for the last chamber in the long gallery. In that gallery is the picture of Thora, the Princess of the Golden Dwelling. Whatever you do, Turlough, don't show it to him. If Talbot sees that picture, he will fall passionately in love with her, he will drop down in a swoon, and when he wakes he will go through great danger for her sake, therefore you must protect him from that.”

When True Turlough had once more given his promise to old King Tancred about this, the king said no more, but laid his head on his pillow, and died.

When the old king had been carried to his grave, True Turlough told young King Talbot all that he had promised his father on his deathbed (omitting the part about the portrait and the secret room), and said:

“This I will assuredly keep, and I will be faithful to you just as I have been faithful to your father, even if it should cost me my life.”

When the mourning period was over, True Turlough said to young King Talbot:

“It is now time that you should see your inheritance. I will show you the full extent of your father's halls.”

Then Turlough took him about everywhere, up and down, and let him see all the riches, and the magnificent apartments. There was only one room that he did not open, the room in which hung the dangerous picture. The picture, however, was so placed that when the door was opened anyone entering looked straight on it, and it was so admirably painted that it seemed to breathe and live, and there was nothing more charming or more beautiful in the whole world.

Young King Talbot noticed that True Turlough always walked past this one door, and said:

“Turlough, why is it that you never open this door for me?”

“There is something within it,” Turlough replied, “which would terrify you.”

Young King Talbot answered: “I have seen all the rest of the halls, and I want to know what is in this room also!”

He tried to break open the door by force.

True Turlough held him back and said: “I promised your father before his death that you should not see the inside of this chamber. It will only bring the greatest misfortune on you and on me.”

“Oh, no,” replied the young king, “if I do not go in, it will be my certain destruction. I will have no rest day or night until I have seen it with my own eyes. I shall not leave the place now until you have unlocked the door!”

True Turlough saw that there was no help for it now. With a heavy heart and many sighs, True Turlough brought out the key from the great bunch.

When he opened the door, he went in first, and thought by standing before him he could hide the portrait so that young King Talbot should not see it in front of him. But what good was this?

The king stood on tip-toe and saw the painting over True Turlough's shoulder.

When he saw the magnificent portrait of the Princess Thora, he saw that the frame was filled with gleaming gold and glittering precious stones. The light and beauty was so intense, he fell fainting to the ground.

True Turlough lifted him up, carried him to his bed, and sorrowfully thought:

“Misfortune has befallen us. By Thor, where will it end?”

Then True Turlough strengthened the young king with wine, until he came to himself again.

The first words young King Talbot said were:

“Ah, the beautiful portrait! Whose face is it?”

“That is Thora, the Princess of the Golden Dwelling,” answered True Turlough.

The king continued: “My love for her is so great, that if all the leaves on all the trees were tongues, they would not be enough to declare it. I am prepared to give up my life to win her. You are my most True Turlough, you must help me!”

The faithful servant considered within himself for a long time how to set about the matter, for it was difficult even to obtain a sight of Thora. At length he thought of a way, and said to the king:

“Everything which she has about her is of gold – tables, chairs, dishes, glasses, bowls, and household furniture. Among your treasures are five tons of gold. Let all the goldsmiths of the kingdom fashion these into all manner of vessels and utensils, into all kinds of birds, wild beasts and strange animals, such as may please her, and we will go there with them and try our luck.”

The king ordered all the goldsmiths to be brought to him, and they had to work night and day until at last the most splendid things were prepared. When everything was stowed on board a ship, True Turlough put on the dress of a merchant, and young King Talbot was forced to do the same in order to make himself quite unrecognizable.

They set off across the sea, and sailed on until they came to the coastal town wherein dwelt Thora, the Princess of the Golden Dwelling.

True Turlough suggested that the king should stay behind on the ship, and wait for him.

“Perhaps I shall bring the princess with me,” said he, “therefore see that everything is in order. Have the golden vessels set out and the whole ship decorated.”

Then he gathered together in his apron all kinds of small, portable golden items. He went ashore and walked straight to the royal palace.

When True Turlough entered the courtyard of the palace, a beautiful girl was standing by the well, drawing water with two golden buckets. Just as she was turning round to carry away the sparkling water she saw the stranger, and asked his business.

True Turlough answered: “I am a merchant.”

He opened his apron, and let her look at the beautiful golden items.

She cried, “Oh, what beautiful golden things!”

She put her pails down and looked at the golden wares one after the other. Then she said:

“Princess Thora must see these! She has such a great pleasure in golden things, that she will buy all you have.”

She took him by the hand and led him upstairs, for she was the waiting-maid.

When Thora saw the wares, she was quite delighted and said:

“They are so beautifully worked! I will buy them all from you.”

True Turlough said: “I am only the servant of a rich merchant. The things I have here are nothing compared to those my master has in his ship. They are the most beautiful and valuable things that have ever been made in gold.”

Princess Thora exclaimed: “What are you waiting for! Bring them all to me! I must see them all – every last beautiful, golden item!”

True Turlough replied:

“There are so many of them that it would take a great many days to do that, and so many rooms would be required to exhibit them, that your house is not big enough.”

This excited the curiosity and longing of Princess Thora even further.

“Take me to the ship. I will go and see the treasures of your master.”

True Turlough was delighted, and led Princess Thora to the ship. When young King Talbot saw her, he realised that her beauty was even greater than the picture had shown. Her beauty struck him with such desire that he thought his heart would burst in two.

Princess Thora boarded the ship, and the king led her within. True Turlough, however, remained on deck with the helmsman. As soon as they went below, he ordered the ship to be pushed off, saying:

“Set all sail – let it fly like a bird in the air!”

Below deck, young King Talbot showed Princess Thora the golden vessels, every one of them, also the wild beasts and strange animals.

Many hours went by while Princess Thora looked at everything, fingering it and enjoying its weight and craftsmanship. In her delight she hadn't noticed the ship sailing away. After she had looked at the last item, she thanked the merchant and wanted to go home.

When she came up on deck, she saw that it was on the high seas far from land, and hurrying onwards with all sail set.

“Ah!” she cried in alarm. “I am betrayed! I am carried away and have fallen into the power of a merchant – I would rather die.”

Young King Talbot, however, seized her hand, and said:

“I am not a merchant. I am a king, and if I have carried you away with a subtle plan, that is because of my great love for you. The first time I saw your portrait, I fell fainting to the ground.”

When Thora, the Princess of the Golden Dwelling, heard this, she was comforted, and her heart was drawn to him, so that she decided to be his wife.

While they were sailing over the deep sea, True Turlough sat on the bow of the vessel, making music. He looked up and saw two ravens flying overhead.

As he stopped playing he recognised them to be the two ravens of Odin. Turlough listened to what they were saying to each other, for he understood the language of birds.

The first raven, Huginn, cried:

“Oh, there is the sailing vessel of young King Talbot! Have you heard the news? He's carrying home his bride – Thora, the Princess of the Golden Dwelling!”

“Yes,” replied Muninn, the second raven, “but he has not married her yet!”

Huginn said: “You're wrong, you're wrong! He has got her! There she is sitting beside him in the ship – they look like man and wife.”

Muninn cried: “What good will that do him? When they reach land a chestnut horse will leap forward to meet him, and King Talbot will want to mount it. If he does that, it will run away with him, and rise up into the air, and he will never see the love of his life again!”

Huginn gloated: “Heh, heh, there is no escape!”

“Oh, yes, there is,” replied Muninn. “If someone else mounts the chestnut horse swiftly, and takes out the dagger which he will find in its scabbard, and stabs the horse dead, young King Talbot is saved. But who in all the world knows that? Besides, whoever does know it, and tells it to the young king, that person is cursed to be turned to stone from his toes right up to his knees.”

Not to be outdone, Huginn said: “I know more than that! Even if the chestnut horse is killed, young King Talbot will still not keep his bride. When they go into the castle together, a wrought bridal garment will be lying there in a dish. It looks woven of gold and silver, but it is nothing but sulphur and pitch. When young King Talbot puts it on, it will burn him to the very bone and marrow.”

Muninn said: “So there is no escape at all!”

“Oh, I wouldn't go that far,” replied Huginn. “If anyone wearing gloves seizes the garment and throws it into the fire and burns it, the young king will be saved. But knowing that will do no good. Whoever knows it and tells it to him, half his body will become stone from the knees right on up to his heart.”

Muninn said: “I know still more – even if the bridal garment is burnt, the young king will still not have his bride. After the wedding ceremony, when the festive dancing begins and the young queen is dancing, she will suddenly turn pale and fall down as if dead. If someone does not lift her up and draw three drops of blood from her right breast and spit them out again, she will die. But if anyone who knows that should happen to declare it, he would become stone from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.”

When the two ravens of Odin had spoken of this together, they flew onwards, and True Turlough had understood everything. From that time forth he became quiet and sad, for if he concealed what he had heard from young King Talbot, the latter would be unfortunate, and if he disclosed it to him, he himself must sacrifice his life.

At length, however, Turlough said to himself: “I will save my master, even if it brings destruction down on me.”

When their ship bore them to their home port, events unfolded just as foretold by the ravens: a magnificent chestnut horse sprang forward.

“Good,” said King Talbot, “he shall carry me to my palace!”

He was about to mount it when True Turlough got before him, jumped quickly on it, drew the dagger out of the scabbard, and stabbed the horse.

Then other attendants of the king, who were not very fond of True Turlough, cried:

“How shameful to kill such a beautiful animal! Besides, the king wished to ride it all the way to his palace.”

King Talbot said:

“Say nothing. Leave him alone, he is my most True Turlough. Who knows what good may come of this?”

They went into the palace, and in the hall there stood a dish, and therein lay a gold and silver bridal garment.

The young king went towards it and was about to take hold of it, but True Turlough pushed him away, seized it with gloves on, carried it quickly to the fire and burnt it.

The other attendants again began to murmur, and said: “Behold, now he is even burning the king's bridal garment!”

Still young King Talbot said:

“Who knows what good he may have done? Leave him alone, he is my most True Turlough.”

Soon the wedding ceremony was over and the festivities began – the musicians played dance tunes and the bride took part in the dance.

True Turlough, meanwhile, was watchful and kept an eye on her face. Suddenly, without any warning, Queen Thora turned pale and fell to the ground as if dead.

True Turlough ran swiftly to her, lifted her up and bore her into a chamber – then he laid her down, and knelt and sucked the three drops of blood from her right breast, and spat them out.

Immediately she breathed again and sat up, completely recovered.

The young king saw this, and not knowing why True Turlough had done it, he was angry.

He cried: “Throw him into a dungeon!”

Next morning True Turlough was condemned, and led to the gallows, and when he stood on high, and was about to be executed, he said:

“Everyone who has to die is permitted before his end to make one last speech. May I claim this right?”

“Yes, you may,” answered the king. “It shall be granted unto you.”

Then True Turlough said:

“I am unjustly condemned, and have always been true to you.”

He then related how he had listened to the conversation of Odin's ravens when on the sea, and how he had been obliged to do all these things in order to save his master.

When True Turlough explained about the chestnut horse, the first curse fell upon him and he turned to stone from his toes to his knees.

When the young king and his bride saw this, then they knew they had been terribly wrong to doubt the faithfulness of True Turlough.

Then True Turlough explained about the deadly marriage garment. The second curse fell upon him and half his body became stone from his knees to his heart.

At this, even the attendants who had not liked Turlough began to wonder about their charges of unfaithfulness.

When True Turlough explained about the deadly swoon of Princess Thora and how to save her life, the third curse fell upon him and his body became stone from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.

Then the king cried:

“Oh, my most True Turlough. Pardon, pardon – bring him down.”

As True Turlough spoke the last word he fell down lifeless and become a stone statue.

The king and the queen suffered great anguish, and the king said:

“Ah, how badly I have requited great faithfulness!”

He ordered the stone figure to be taken up and placed in his bedroom beside his bed.

Every time the king looked at the stone he wept and said:

“Ah, if I could bring you to life again, my most True Turlough!”

Some time passed and the queen bore twins, two sons who grew up fast and were the delight of her eyes.

One day it happened that the queen was at blòt in the hof and the young father was sitting with his two children playing beside him. He looked at the stone figure again, and sighed. Full of grief he said:

“Ah, if I could but bring you to life again, my most True Turlough.”

Then the stone said:

“You can bring me to life again. But, in order to do so, you must destroy for that purpose what is dearest to you.”

The king cried:

“I will give everything I have in the world for you!”

The stone continued: “If you will cut off the heads of your two children with your own hand, and sprinkle me with their blood, I shall be restored to life.”

The king was terrified when he heard that he must kill his dearest children, but he thought of True Turlough's great faithfulness, and how he had died for him. Reluctantly, he drew his sword, and with his own hand cut off the children's heads.

When he had smeared the stone with their blood, life returned to it, and True Turlough stood once more safe and healthy before him.

He said to the king: “Your faithfulness shall not go unrewarded.”

True Turlough took the heads of the children, put them on their neck stumps, and rubbed the wounds with their blood, at which they became whole again immediately. Both boys jumped about, and went on playing as if nothing had happened.

The king was full of joy, and when he saw Queen Thora coming he hid True Turlough and the two children in a great cupboard.

When Queen Thora entered, King Talbot said to her:

“Have you been blòtting in the hof?”

“Yes,” she answered, “but I have constantly been thinking of True Turlough and what misfortune has befallen him through us.”

Then the king said:

“Dear Thora, we can give him his life again, but it will cost us our two little sons, whom we must sacrifice.”

The queen turned pale, and her heart filled up of terror. Mastering herself, she said:

“We owe it to Turlough, for his great faithfulness.”

Then the king rejoiced that Queen Thora thought the same way he had thought. He went and opened the cupboard, and brought forth True Turlough and the children, and said:

“Thor be praised, for True Turlough is delivered! As well as that, we have our little sons.”

Then he went on to tell her how everything had occurred.

After that they dwelt together in much happiness until the fullness of their days.

Notes

In the Grimms' original, this is tale entitled Faithful John. Since 'faithful' goes back to the Latin, I chose instead the term 'true' since that has its roots in Old English, Old Norse, and Old German. Searching for a suitable name, I encountered Turlough, which is described as meaning 'like Thor'. Even though it's an Irish name, since it is so closely linked to a Norse god, I thought it fitted the story – after all Irish slaves were often taken by Norse raiders, which could be an apt origin for True Turlough's presence at the hall of a Norse king. The name is pronounced with a silent terminal 'gh'.

With an alliteration in the title, I decided to restrict all the other names in the story to the letter 'T' – just for fun, and also as a homage to the many alliterative heroes from American comics (viz. Peter Parker, Matt Murdock, Clark Kent, etc.) My own father deliberately chose an alliterative name for my brother, John, and I – so maybe it also runs in the family.

Since Turlough connects us already to the god of thunder, I decided to name the Princess of the Golden Dwelling with the feminine form of Thor.

Tancred comes from an old German name derived from the words for 'think' and 'counsel'.

Talbot is believed to come from a medieval first name of Germanic derivation.

Another change introduced is the presence of Huginn and Muninn, the ravens of Odin. The original tale has three nameless ravens, possibly one raven for each curse and threat to young King Talbot and his bride, but I couldn't resist the notion of 'big name' stars to enrich the narrative a little.

Like many of the tales, there must be an intriguing 'back story' to this narrative. From whom or from where did Turlough learn to play his musical instrument? The instrument is unnamed. Could it be a shamanic drum, by which he summons the ravens in order to divine the future? If not, then how did he learn the language of the birds?

Again, from where did the threats arise? They are specific and aimed at the king and his new bride. Is there an enemy in the background who has been chopped from the story? Is this character an enemy of the old king, the young king or True Turlough? If the third threat wasn't aimed at the princess, it might well have been a 'court magician' from her father's court, but if she suffers in death, then this is unlikely. Unlikely, that is… unless the plot is that her body is buried and then reclaimed by her father secretly and revived away from the influence of her abductor. Who knows? This is a fairy tale, after all. No magic may be ruled out.

I'm intrigued by the fact that a horse is slain in connection with a king. Is this an allusion to some ancient coronation custom? We know that ancient Irish kings and kings of ancient India had horses slain in connection with their coronation rites

Based on Faithful John