There lived one great and powerful king. He had a daughter, a beautiful girl of unprecedented beauty under the sun. The king decided to give his daughter to the one who would tell the three most incredible tales. Many wanted to marry that beauty, but no one could please the king. And the king immediately beheaded the losers and hung their heads on the towers of his castle.
In that kingdom there lived one shepherd Bichia. One day, having driven the herd to the village in the evening, Bichia said to his mother: “Mother, the king gives his daughter to the one who can tell him three fables.” Let me go, whatever happens, I’ll try, maybe I’ll win and bring that royal daughter to you as my daughter-in-law. “My son, what are you doing?” Who will give you the princess? - What, am I not a man? What, am I not smart enough? - Leave it, son. They won’t give it to you anyway.” “Why?” “You know, son, how many wonderful people the king cut off the heads of because they failed to please him.” Well, where can you invent such a fable that none of these noble and learned people could invent? - Whether I can or not, we’ll see. Aren't those who will ask me people just like me? Do you remember what your father said: a person must experience everything. So I want to try my luck - let's see who wins.
Mother tried to dissuade Bichia for a long time, but he did not listen. He went to the king, came to the palace and stood at the door. He looked at the dried human heads hanging on the towers, but his heart did not tremble. The courtiers came out and asked: “Who are you and what do you want?” “I am a peasant and a shepherd, I want to tell the king a tale.”
The courtiers reported to the king and, on his orders, invited Bichia to the palace, gave him a chair, and seated him. The king came out, called the executioners and said: “Tell your tale.” I returned home from the pasture in the evening. Mother didn't have anything for dinner. I immediately left the house, jumped into our garden to pick the pumpkin I had planned for a long time. I came and looked - there was no pumpkin. I followed the stem, it stretched for some distance - there was no end in sight. I follow him, and he reached the sea. I see it stretches across the sea. I stood on the stalk, walked, and came out to the other side of the sea. I see - here it is, my pumpkin! He tore it off, turned around and followed the stem again to this side of the sea. I brought the pumpkin home and gave it to my mother. She prepared dinner, and we had a delicious dinner.
Both the king and his courtiers liked this fable. “Good.” Go home now, come back tomorrow and tell the second tale. It's morning. Bichia washed himself, put on his hat and went to the palace. They invited him to the king, and there the king, all the courtiers, and executioners had already gathered. They gave the shepherd a chair, sat him down and told him to tell the story. “Yesterday my mother prepared dinner,” Bichia began, “but she didn’t have salt for seasoning.” I ran for salt to Gumbra. He approached the salt rock and remembered that he had not taken either a cleaver or a pick with him. What was to be done? I started banging my head on the rock. He broke off one large piece of salt, put it on his back and carried it home. We seasoned the food and had a delicious dinner.
They also liked this fable, and they said to the shepherd: “Go home now, and you can tell the third fable tomorrow.” Bichia is very pleased, and the king fell into thought - he doesn’t know what trick to resort to, how to send the damned shepherd to the next world? The king summoned all his advisers. Whether they talked a lot or little, they decided that tomorrow, no matter what the shepherd said, everyone would shout with one voice: “The truth, the truth.” Everyone dispersed cheerfully, confident that no force would save the shepherd from death tomorrow. But fate had something else in store.
It's morning. Bichia the shepherd found somewhere a huge vat and rolled it with the help of several comrades to the royal palace. As soon as the courtiers saw this vat, they immediately shouted to the shepherd: “What is this that you brought?” - the courtiers shouted. The king came out to this noise and attacked the advisers: “Why are you ruining me?” When did my father owe his father so much jewelry? And where do I have so much property? - Lies, lies! - the courtiers began to shout. - And it’s a lie - so give the princess back.
The king had to choose: either give the shepherd two vats of jewelry, or marry his daughter to him. Since the kingdom was not very rich, they decided to give the beautiful princess to Bichia. They married them, celebrated the wedding and gave away half the kingdom. The shepherd won and took his wife home to his mother, where they lived cheerfully and happily.
There I left the pestilence, Here I found a feast. There I spilled the ashes, Here I found flour.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru