Reading Notes: The Goat's Ears of Emperor Trojan

Once upon a time, there was an emperor, Trojan, who had ears like a goat. Each morning when a barber shaved him, he asked if they noticed anything weird about him. They all replied that his ear's looked liked a goat. Each one was put to death. This occurred for a while and eventually there was hardly anyone left to shave the emperor. The Master of the Company of Barbers was set to go to the palace but suddenly fell ill so he sent one of his apprentices in his place. When the youth was taken to the emperor's room, he was asked why he was there and not the master. He explained the situation the emperor was impressed. The barber began his work. He noticed the emperor's ears but when he was asked about it, he said he didn't notice anything unusual. The emperor asked the barber to come back to shave him everyday.

The apprentice went up to the palace everyday and received twelve ducats as payment. After a while, he itched to tell someone about the emperor's ears. The master knew it was bothering him and asked him what was going on. "I will keep it to myself," the master assured him. He even said he will go dig a hole, say the secret three times, and bury it with the earth. The apprentice thought that was the best plan and went to a meadow outside the town to bury the secret himself.

After a few weeks, a tree sprang up where the hole was and had three straight stems. Some farmer's noticed the tree and cut off its branches to make flutes. When the flutes played, they sang, "The Emperor Trojan has goat ears." It wasn't long before the whole town knew of this secret. The emperor sent for the apprentice and asked him about it. He defended himself saying he never told anyone but the emperor didn't hesitate to bring out his sword. The apprentice got scared and told him about the hole and the tree.

The emperor and the apprentice drove to the tree and cut the last stem down to make a flute. The flute sang, "The Emperor Trojan and goat ears." The emperor knew it was the earth that gave up his secrets and spared the apprentices life but never allowed anyone to shave him again.

To Goat's Ears of Emperor Trojan by Andrew Lang.

Goat. Source: Pxhere