De Magische Klok (The Magic Clock)

The story of the magic clock has been part of the Fairytale Forest since 1952.

Story

A long, long time ago, there were six princes who lived in a magnificent castle. All six princes were conceited and vain and out of vanity, they decided to order a magic clock from a powerful wizard. They wanted a clock with six knights on horse back so that everyone would think of them when they saw the clock. Then, when they blew their trumpets, the clock would start to work.
When the clock was finally finished, the princes had managed to spend all their money on new clothes. There was only one sack of gold left. “I’ll sell the clock to someone else then,” said the wizard, and off he went in search of a new buyer. “You’ll look after the clock, won’t you Bright Tony?” said the wizard to his apprentice. “But don’t forget! Don’t let anyone near the clock.” But the wizard’s apprentice was a nasty piece of work and as soon as the wizard had gone, he went to see the princes. “I’ll sell the clock to you for that one last sack of gold,” said the apprentice, and the princes were pleased. They went as quickly as they could to the wizard’s tower to pick up all of the pieces of the clock then took them back to the palace. The wizard’s apprentice started putting the pieces of the clock together; and what a magnificent clock is was! However, Bright Tony was not just mean; he was also quite stupid. Wizards on the other hand, are not.
Bright Tony is bound to be punished when the wizard finds out. But what do you think his punishment will be?

To read the full story go to the Efteling souvenir shop and purchase the Efteling Book of Fairy Tales.

Translation

The story of The magic Clock is played on audio. This is in the Dutch language. Please find below a translation for your benefit.

A long time ago six king's sons lived here in a beautiful castle. They were so vain that they commissioned a clock from a powerful wizard, with six knights on horseback on it, so that everyone who saw the clock would think of them.
Furthermore, the clock would only start running and the bell would only sound when the king's sons blew on their trumpets.

They had promised the wizard three bags of gold for it. But when the clock was finished and they came to get it, they had spent so much money on nice clothes and good food, they only had one bag of gold left, and so could not pay him the money that was promised.

The wizard was very angry. "If you do not have enough money, then you should not have ordered such an expensive clock," he said. "Go away. I-I-I-I’ll sell that clock to someone else", and he kicked them out.

Now Clever Tony, the servant of the wizard had been standing by the door listening, and thus had heard everything. To listen at doors is a nasty thing to do, but Clever Tony had other bad qualities. He could lie like the best of them and was also dishonest. He only came into service with the wizard in the hopes of surreptitiously learning all his secrets and using them to earn lots of money.

He therefore thought up a very evil plan. Next day the wizard said to Clever Tony "Tony, Tony, I must travel. I'll have to see if I can find someone, uh, who wants to buy the Magic Clock. Here is the key to my room, see to it that nobody goes inside". “Not while I'm here!" said Clever Tony, and he waved to the wizard until he disappeared behind a hill.

Then Clever Tony ran down the stairs and walked through the dark forest to the castle, where he had himself presented to the king's sons.

"What are you doing here?" asked the king's eldest son. "I-I-I-I am the servant of the magician," said Clever Tony, "and I'll tell you how you can get the Magic Clock for only one bag of gold. If you give me that bag of gold, then I’ll open the wizard's chamber. Then you can well, just take the clock.”

"Hooray" cried the king's six sons, and when they heard that the wizard was travelling, one of them took Clever Tony on his horse, and all together they rode to the tower of the wizard. The princes took the gold hands, the face, the six knights and the bell onto their horses and rode back to the castle.

Clever Tony began to work hard. He plastered the dial into the turret of the castle courtyard. Then came the knights. And at the very top of the tower he placed the bell. The king's sons could not believe their eyes.

Oh, what a beautiful clock that was. And they took great pleasure in knowing they had tricked the good wizard. When the clock was finished, the king's sons went and got their trumpets. "Blow it," said Clever Tony, "then you'll see something worthwhile."

They did, and yes: the hands of the clock began to turn, the knights began to ride and the bell...no. The bell did not begin to ring. No matter how hard they blew, the bell did not ring. The princes were terribly angry with Clever Tony.

Because the bell, yes, the bell they felt was the most beautiful part of the entire clock. But ...
Clever Tony had already realised what was the matter: "Oh, uh, uh, we forgot the clapper," he said, "that must still be lying in the room of the wizard. Uh, I will go get it".

The king's six sons had already been waiting impatiently and they helped Clever Tony to climb the tower. He hung the clapper in the bell, and then he cried down: "Blow again, it will be better now", the six princes raised their trumpets to their lips and blew. The knights started to ride, and the bell began to ring.

But who was that coming through the gate? The wizard. He saw and understood what had happened and turned white with rage.
"Nasty thieves that you are", he shouted at the king's sons, "to steal such a beautiful clock, that took me three years to make. Just wait, I will teach you", and he muttered the strongest spell he knew.

Suddenly the king's sons could not move. They had to stand completely still, with their trumpets to their mouths. "Every fifteen minutes you will have to blow your horns” said the wizard, "and then when the knights ride, then people can see how you used to be free and happy on horseback riding through the fields, and how you are now changed into stone statues as punishment".

Clever Tony tried to hide behind the bell, but the wizard had seen him. "And you, Clever Tony, you must remain atop the roof of the tower forever and ring the bell. Then people can hear where to look for a dishonest knave".

And, it happened just as the wizard said. And so it is now. Every fifteen minutes the king's sons blow their trumpets and every fifteen minutes Clever Tony rings the bell.

Clever he may be though not quite clever enough to escape his fate.

Maybe one day the spell will lose its power and they will all come back to life, the king's sons will be released and can ride through the fields once more, and Clever Tony could become an honest man ... who knows, maybe it will happen. Because yes, in fairy tales, anything is possible.

The translation in a handy PDF