One king had three daughters: one was black-haired, the other was red-haired, and the third was blond.
The eldest was ugly, the middle one was not very beautiful, and the youngest was kind and pretty. That's why her older sisters envied her. The king had three thrones: one was white, the other was red, and the third was black. When the king was cheerful, he sat on a white throne, when he was not very cheerful, on a red one, and when he was angry, on a black one.
One day he got angry with his eldest daughters! and sat down on the black throne. Let them hang around their father and fawn on him. The eldest says:
- Signor Father, did you sleep well? Are you angry with me for sitting on the black throne?
- Yes, I’m angry with you.
- For what, signor father?
- Because you don’t love me at all!
- I? Why, sir father, I love you so dearly!
- How strong?
- Like bread!
The king frowned, but said nothing; he really liked the answer.
The second daughter came up and said:
- Signor Father, did you sleep well? Why are you on the black throne? Are you angry with anyone?
- Yes, he’s angry. On you.
- For what, signor father?
- Because you don’t love me at all!
- I! Yes, I love you so much...
- Well, how?
- Like wine.
The king muttered something through his teeth, but apparently was pleased.
And then the third daughter comes, cheerful and affectionate.
- Signor Father, did you sleep well? Why are you on the black throne? Maybe you're angry with me?
- Yes, on you, because you don’t love me either!
- What are you talking about, I love you very much.
- How do you love me?
- Like salt.
The king heard such an answer and shouted:
- What is it?! How's the salt?! Oh, you wretch! Get out of my sight and don't let me see you again!
He ordered to take his daughter into the forest and kill her there.
The queen loved her youngest daughter very much. She learned about the royal order and began to think about how to save her. There was a silver candlestick in the palace, so large that Zizzola - that was the name of the youngest princess - could hide in it. The queen told her to climb into the candlestick.
“Sell this candlestick,” she said to her faithful servant. “When they start bargaining with you, ask the poor man for more, and the noble gentleman for less, and give the candlestick back.”
The mother hugged her youngest daughter, blessed her and placed dried figs, chocolate and cookies in the candlestick.
The servant carried the candlestick into the square. People began asking prices, but the servant didn’t like anyone, and he asked an unprecedented price. Then a prince from the kingdom of the High Towers approached, examined the candlestick and asked how much it cost. The servant named a trifling price, and the prince ordered the candlestick to be taken to his palace. There he was placed in the dining room, and all the courtiers marveled at his beauty.
In the evening the prince went to visit. He didn’t like people waiting for him in the palace, so the servants prepared dinner for him, left it on the table and went to bed. Cizzola saw that there was no one in the hall, jumped out of the candlestick, ate dinner and hid again.
The prince has returned, but there is not a crumb on the table! He rang all the bells and let's scold the servants. They swear that they left dinner, and it turns out that the cat or dog ate it.
“Next time I’ll kick everyone out,” the prince threatened, ordered another dinner to be brought, ate it and went to bed.
The next evening the hall was locked with all the locks, but the same thing happened. The prince got angry and shouted so loudly that at any moment the house would collapse. And then he quieted down and said:
- Let's see what happens tomorrow.
And the next day he did this. The tablecloth hung all the way to the floor, so he hid under it. The servants came, set out dishes with food, kicked the cat and dog out of the room and locked the door. As soon as they left, the beautiful Zizzola jumped out of the candlestick. She ran up to the table and let's gobble it up by both cheeks. The prince jumped out and grabbed her hand. She began to struggle, but he held tightly. Then Zizzola threw herself on her knees before the prince and told him everything.
The prince fell madly in love with her. He calmed the girl down and said:
- Soon you will be my wife. In the meantime, hide again in the candlestick.
The prince could not close his eyes all night, he fell in love so much. And in the morning he ordered the candlestick to be moved to his room: it was so beautiful that it would be a pity to part with it at night. Then the prince ordered more food to be served in his room, because he had developed an appetite. They brought him coffee, then breakfast, and then lunch, and that’s it – for two. As soon as the servants brought in the dishes, the prince locked the door, released the beautiful Cizzola from the candlestick, and they feasted merrily together.
The Queen Mother, who now had to eat alone, began to complain:
- Why didn’t I please my son, why doesn’t he sit at the table with me? What did I do to him?
The prince kept asking her to be patient; he had important business to attend to. And one fine day he says to his mother:
- I want to get married!
-Who is the bride? - asks the queen, and she herself is very happy.
The prince responded:
– I want to marry a candlestick!
“You’re crazy,” the queen gasped and covered her face with her hands.
But the prince stood his ground. His mother admonished him this way and that, asking him to think about what people would say. But he did not listen and ordered that everything be ready for the wedding in a week.
On the appointed day, a great number of carriages left the gates of the palace. The prince rode in the first, and next to him stood a candlestick. We arrived at the church. The prince ordered the candlestick to be carried to the altar. The candlestick opened and Zizzola jumped out, dressed in silk and velvet, wearing a precious necklace and sparkling earrings.
They got married, returned to the palace and told the queen everything.
The queen was a smart woman, and she says:
“Rely on me, I’ll be able to teach her father a lesson.”
They arranged a wedding feast and sent invitations to all the neighboring kings. Father Zizzola was also called. The queen ordered a special lunch to be prepared for him: all dishes without salt. The queen told the guests that the newlywed was unwell and could not come to the table.
The guests began to eat. And the king, Zizzola’s father, found the soup to be completely bland, and he began to grumble under his breath:
- What a cook, I forgot to add salt to the soup! And he didn't eat a single spoon.
They began to serve him other dishes, also without salt. The king put down his fork.
- Why don’t you eat, Your Majesty? Don't you like it?
- No, no, what are you talking about, everything is very tasty!
- Why don’t you eat?
- Yes, you know, I don’t want something. He tasted the meat, chewed and chewed, but the unsalted piece did not go down his throat. It was then that he remembered his daughter’s words that she loved him as much as salt. He repented, cried and said through his tears:
- Oh, I’m unfortunate, what have I done!
The queen asked what trouble had befallen him, and he told her about Zizzola. The queen stood up and ordered the newlywed to be called. The king rushed to hug his daughter, crying, asking how she got here, by what miracle she was resurrected.
They sent for Zizzola's mother and began to celebrate the wedding again - every day there was a new feast. They are probably still dancing.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru