Once upon a time, there was a king who, after having two sons, was blessed with another little boy. When the little prince turned sixteen, he went hunting in the forest and saw a deer nodding at him before swiftly running away. The prince found it very strange and chased after the deer with all his might. Suddenly, the deer disappeared, and the prince saw a palace standing by the river.
The king of the palace came out and said to him, “I have three daughters. Tonight, you can stay in my youngest daughter’s room from nine o’clock tonight until six o’clock tomorrow morning. Every time the clock strikes, I will personally call you. If you do not answer, you will be executed tomorrow. However, if you can respond each time, I will give her to you in marriage.”
The prince entered the princess’s bedroom and saw a statue standing at the head of the bed. The princess, seeing how handsome the prince was, said to the statue, “Tonight, every time my father calls the prince, you answer for him.” The statue nodded.
The next morning, the king said to the prince, “You stayed awake all night, and every time I called, you answered. But I can’t immediately marry my daughter to you. I have a forest; you must cut down all the trees in the forest by sunset today, and then I might consider it.” After speaking, the king handed the prince a glass axe. The prince took the glass axe to the forest to chop down trees, but after just one swing, the axe shattered. He sat on the ground, worried.
At noon, the princess brought him food. Seeing the prince’s gloomy expression, she let him rest in her lap and sleep. Once the prince was asleep, the princess took off her scarf, tied a knot in it, and tapped the ground three times, saying, “Little earthmen, come out!” Immediately, many little earthmen appeared.
The princess ordered them to cut down all the trees in the forest within three hours. The little earthmen hopped away to work. Three hours later, everything was done, and the princess said, “Little earthmen, go back!” and they all disappeared. When the prince woke up and saw that the forest was gone, he was very happy.
As the sun was about to set, the king arrived and said to the prince, “But you still have one more task. Tomorrow, you must clean out my large pond.” The next day, the princess again called upon the little earthmen to help the prince complete the task.
The king, still unsatisfied, ordered the prince to clear all the thorns from a mountain and then build a large palace on the mountain, complete with all the necessary furniture. With the princess’s help, the prince completed the work brilliantly.
Yet the king still refused to let the prince marry the princess, slyly saying, “How can I marry my youngest daughter to you before my two older daughters are married?” The prince and princess felt very sad and decided to flee together that night.
Soon, however, the king caught up with them. The princess turned the prince into a thorn bush and herself into a rose, hiding among the thorns. The king, seeing the thorn bush and the rose, understood what had happened. He reached out to pick the rose, but the thorns pricked his fingers. Helpless, he had to return.
The queen, hearing this, set out to find her daughter. When the princess saw her mother approaching, she turned the prince into a pond and herself into a fish.
The queen knew the fish was her daughter but couldn’t catch her. Seeing her daughter’s determination, the queen sighed and said, “Go with the prince, my daughter. Take these three walnuts. They will save you in times of danger.”
The young couple continued their journey. After traveling for a long time, they reached a village near the prince’s palace. The prince said, “My bride, wait here. I will go inform my parents and then return with servants and a carriage to fetch you.” The princess trusted him and said, “Go ahead, I’ll wait.”
The prince returned to his parents, who were overjoyed. The queen kissed her youngest son, and the prince immediately forgot everything that had happened, including the princess.
The princess waited in the village for the prince, but he never came. She had to find work at a mill. Soon, the queen found another bride for the prince.
On the wedding night, the princess heard the news. She asked the mill owner for leave to see the prince. Before leaving, she opened one of the walnuts, finding a beautiful dress inside. She wore it to the church and stood in a conspicuous place. When the bride and groom arrived and sat before the priest, the bride noticed the princess’s beautiful dress and stood up, demanding a similar dress before she would marry.
The prince asked the princess, “Is your dress for sale?” The princess replied, “Not for sale, but if you let me sleep outside your door tonight, I will give it to the bride.” The prince agreed.
That night, the princess lay outside the prince’s door, crying and saying, “Prince, have you completely forgotten me? Have you forgotten how I helped you cut down the forest?
How I helped you clean the pond? How I helped you build the palace? Do you not remember how I turned you into thorns and myself into a flower; turned you into water and myself into a fish?” But the prince could not hear her because his servants had given him a sleeping potion.
The next day, the princess opened another walnut, which contained an even more beautiful dress. At the church that night, the bride again demanded a similar dress, and the princess made the same arrangement to sleep outside the prince’s door.
That night, the prince did not take the sleeping potion and heard the princess’s cries and recounting of their adventures. Saddened, he remembered everything.
The next morning, the prince found the village and reunited with the princess at the mill. He explained why he had forgotten everything and asked for her forgiveness.
Then the princess opened the third walnut, which contained the most beautiful dress of all. She dressed and went with the prince to the church. Many children offered them flowers, and the priest blessed them, praying for their happiness. Their wedding was a grand celebration.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
