Once upon a time there lived an old khan. He had only one son, and he was stupid.
The old khan was very sad. “What will happen when I die,” he thought, “after all, my son will not be able to rule the Khanate. If only I could find him an intelligent wife! With an intelligent wife, he would probably be able to rule...”
One day the khan said to his son:
“My dear son, if you want to take my place, walk the earth, find a ten-year-old kid, a twenty-year-old wolf, a thirty-year-old fox, a forty-year-old leopard, a fifty-year-old dog and a sixty-year-old camel.” Bring them all to me. Don't come back without them!
The stupid king's son went in search. He goes and shouts everywhere:
“Whoever has a ten-year-old kid, I’ll buy it!” Whoever has a twenty-year-old wolf, I’ll buy it! I’ll buy a thirty-year-old fox! I’ll buy a forty-year-old leopard! I’ll buy a fifty-year-old dog! I’ll buy a sixty-year-old camel!
And the people laugh at the khan’s son: “What is this fool asking? How can a kid be ten years old - after all, it’s already an old goat! Who can have a twenty-year-old wolf? And how can one find out how old a wolf is? But a thirty-year-old fox, a forty-year-old leopard, a fifty-year-old dog, a sixty-year-old camel! Do these animals live that long? And if they did, how can you find out how old they are?”
And the khan’s son walks down the street and shouts at the top of his lungs:
- I’ll buy a twenty-year-old wolf! I’ll buy a thirty-year-old fox!..
A girl was sitting near one house. She asked:
- Why are you shouting, young man? What do you need?
The Khan's son spoke about his father's order.
-Father tested your ingenuity. A ten year old kid is a ten year old child. He frolics and jumps like a kid. A twenty-year-old wolf is a young man of twenty years old. He is full of desires and hungry like a wolf. A thirty-year-old fox is a thirty-year-old man. His mind reaches perfection, he is like a cunning fox. A forty-year-old leopard is a forty-year-old man. He is in the prime of his life, he is like a mighty leopard. A fifty-year-old dog is a fifty-year-old man. By this time, he manages to accumulate goods and guards them day and night, like a dog. And a sixty-year-old camel is a sixty-year-old man, he doesn’t see well, he has to be led like a camel.
The Khan's son returned home.
-Well? - the khan asked him. – Have you found those whom I ordered to be found?
-Yes, father, I found it. – And he told the girl’s words to his father.
-Did you figure this out on your own or did someone help you?
-No, father, I didn’t guess it myself, one girl explained everything to me.
-This is a smart girl. Let her become your wife!
That's what the old khan said.
The smart girl became the khan's bride. And after his death, when her stupid husband became khan, she helped govern the country.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru