In ancient times, there lived in a village a poor old widow. She loved children very much, but she had neither a daughter-helper nor a son-support...
One day a widow went to the river to swim and along the way she found a small beautiful egg. She took that egg, took it home and put it under the shelf on which stood a pot of water.
Not much time passed before a beautiful turtle hatched from the egg. The old lady was very happy: let him think he lives with me instead of his son.
And just at that time, the king who ruled the country decided to have two birds in his palace - gold and silver, which were found only in the Land of Dragons. The king consulted with his ministers and ordered to announce everywhere to the beat of drums: if there is a person who can get two birds - gold and silver, then, if he turns out to be a man, he will receive such gifts as he wishes, and if he is a woman, he will become the queen of the southern palace.
When the widow’s adopted son heard this news, he said:
- Mother, but I can get those birds that the herald shouted about. Go to the palace and report this to the king.
- Son! - the old woman answered the turtle. “After all, the king is good as long as everything is done as he wants.” And if he doesn’t like anything, he won’t lose his mind for a day. This is not for you. And I don’t want to part with you!
But the son answered the widow boldly and confidently:
- Don't worry, mother! Go to the palace and don’t be afraid - everything will be fine. I will do everything right.
The old woman had to overcome her fear and go to the palace, since her adopted son begged her so much. But only when she approached the palace itself did she again become afraid for her son. She did not dare to appear before the king - she stood at the entrance and returned home.
I came home, told how it all turned out, and my son begged again:
- Don’t be afraid of anything, mother! Rely on me! I will do everything well. Go again, bow to the king!
The old woman went to the palace seven times, but still did not dare to appear before the king. Finally, the king was informed that some woman kept coming to the palace, but did not dare to enter, and he ordered his advisers to bring her.
- Tell me boldly what you came with! - the king ordered.
- Your will, sir! - answered the old woman. - If you want, have them executed, if you want, have mercy. I have a son. But he’s not exactly a man, but a small turtle. He undertakes to deliver those birds - gold and silver, which the great king is looking for. He really begged me to tell the king about it, so I appeared before the royal eyes, although I didn’t dare for a long time.
“Okay, woman,” said the king. “If your son can fulfill my wish, I will reward him, as I promised, with such gifts as he himself desires.” But let him hit the road immediately!
The old woman returned from the king and told her son about everything.
“Okay, mother,” he said. - Take the basket and put me in it. Then take the basket to the edge of the forest and leave it in the bushes. And when seven days later you come to these bushes, you will see me with two birds. So you can take it home.
The old woman did everything as her son ordered, grieved that she was leaving her son alone, and with tears in her eyes went home.
As soon as she left, her adopted son immediately threw off his turtle shell and turned into a handsome, slender prince. He immediately went straight to the Land of Dragons. Thanks to the magical power he possessed, the prince reached the Land of Dragons in just one day and one night.
He secretly entered the palace, into the chambers of the dragon queen herself. As soon as the queen saw the handsome prince, she immediately fell in love with him and hid him from the dragons.
And at night the prince heard the beautiful singing of golden and silver birds. He pretended to know nothing about them and asked the dragon queen:
- How wonderfully the birds sing! These must not be simple birds?
“It’s true, prince,” answered the dragon queen. “Some birds lay golden eggs, while others lay silver.”
The next morning the queen took the prince into her garden. There were many amazing trees growing in that garden. The prince asked the queen about everything and learned that the leaves of one tree, if thrown on the ground, make everything around burn with a hot flame, the leaves of another can block the path of water flows, the leaves of the third cause a hurricane, and where you throw the leaves of the fourth tree on the ground, huge mountains grow there. The prince slowly picked a leaf from all four trees and returned to the palace with the dragon queen.
And at midnight, when the queen fell asleep, the prince caught one golden bird, one silver bird and secretly got out of the palace.
He has only walked part of the way when he sees: the dragon queen has mounted a tornado and is rushing after him. Then the prince threw a leaf from the first tree to the ground - and a fire started on the queen’s path. But she walked through the flames without even turning away from the path. The prince threw a leaf from the second tree to the ground - and a mighty stream of water overflowed, blocking the path of the dragon queen. However, even here the queen’s strength did not diminish: she was transported across the stream and flew further in pursuit of the prince. The prince threw a leaf from the third tree to the ground, but the hurricane did not stop the dragon queen. The prince threw the last leaf - from the fourth tree. At that same moment, huge mountains with dense forests rose from the ground.
With great difficulty, the dragon queen passed through those mountains, but only by that time the prince had already reached the border that separates the world of people from the world of dragons.
The queen looked after the prince for a long time, looking out all eyes. She looked until the prince disappeared from sight, only then did she return to her royal palace.
And the turtle prince put on the turtle shell again, which was still lying in the basket, and began to wait for his mother. The old woman arrived exactly on time, as her son told her, and sees: he is sitting not alone, but with two beautiful birds. The old woman was delighted, took the basket and carried them home. The son told her to take the wonderful birds to the royal palace, but not to take any gold, silver or other gifts, but to say that he wanted to marry the royal daughter and wanted the king to give them a magnificent wedding.
The old mother remembered everything well, went to the palace and presented the king with wonderful birds. The king rejoiced and asked what reward her son wanted to receive. And the old woman says, as her son taught her, that he does not want any gifts or rewards, but wants to marry the king’s daughter.
The king felt uneasy here, his face darkened. But they say: a man’s word is a promise, and a king’s word is an oath. The king could not break his oath and said:
- That's why!
After that, the king called his seven daughters to him and began to ask which of them would agree to marry the widow’s son, the tortoise. The eldest looked proudly and said:
“I’d rather die than marry this creature!”
The second daughter also answered: she does not want to marry a turtle. If the king-father orders her to be killed, he will accept death, but will not marry the turtle. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth daughters all gave the same answer; none wanted to marry the turtle.
Then the king turned to his youngest daughter and asked:
- What will my youngest daughter say? Will the king allow him to break his word?
“Who in the world is dearer to us than our parents?” thought the youngest daughter. “Is there anything, even life itself, that cannot be sacrificed for the happiness of father and mother? Even if such a husband is shameful, I still have to agree.” And she said:
- King Father! Has your daughter ever contradicted her parents' words? And this time I'm ready to listen.
The king was delighted and ordered to arrange, as the groom wanted, magnificent festivities and all sorts of amusements both on land and on water.
And the old woman’s son threw off his turtle shell and appeared at the festival in the guise of a prince. He approached the princess, his bride, and sat down next to her.
- King's son! - the princess turned to him. “For me, the ruler of my destiny has already been chosen. He might think something unkind if he sees you next to me, so I ask you to leave.
- No! - answered the prince. - I am your chosen one.
- It can’t be, prince! - she objected. - My future husband is not of the human race, he is of the turtle race. The prince must have heard about it.
Then the prince showed her his turtle shell and told her his whole story.
“And now, my husband, let’s go to the palace and tell the king-father about everything.” Let both the king and the people rejoice! - exclaimed the princess.
They went to the king-father, and there was no end to the joy of everyone. When the king saw his strong and brave son-in-law, and his daughter next to him, his heart rejoiced, and he named the prince his heir.
And the six daughters who did not listen to their father’s words were so sorry and repentant: they all fell in love with the handsome prince as soon as they saw him.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru