Once upon a time there lived a king, and he had a wise adviser. Whatever that adviser advised, everything always worked out well, and the king would not part with him for any treasure in the world.
One day, after other conversations, a wise adviser turns to the king and says:
“I, Most Serene King, allow myself to offer you something.”
“Spit it out,” the king answers. -What do you have there? And the adviser began:
“Our land,” says the adviser, “is blessed, and our land has been giving birth well for many years now.” Your subjects are happy, they have everything. It would be nice if things didn’t go any worse. But it seems to me that after fruitful years, bad, lean ones will come. It would be necessary to build barns all over the country and fill them with grain.
These clever speeches pleased the king. He praised the adviser and ordered him to do everything that was necessary.
Axes are clattering all over the country, carpenters are building granaries. Barn after barn rises, and the largest barn is placed in the royal capital on the seashore. For several more years, abundant harvests delighted the country, but as soon as the granaries were filled with grain, the earth stopped giving birth!
It became clear to everyone that this adviser had more intelligence in his head than the rest combined. If it weren't for him, everyone would die of hunger.
The king ordered to give grain to the poor for free. In joy they thank the good king, and almost carry the wise adviser in their arms.
But then our king notices that the grain from that barn that stands on the seashore is disappearing the fastest. “Are they really stealing it at night?” thought the king and ordered a guard to be posted. The guard is on guard, but the grain is getting smaller and smaller.
“No matter how hard I try,” the watchman thinks, “not to blow my head off if the king finds out that I didn’t save the grain. They will also say that I am sleeping at my post. What to do?
And that same evening he took with him twelve guys armed to the teeth, placed them throughout the barn, and he himself stood in the middle.
“Now let’s see,” he said, “whose we’ll take!”
So they stood and guarded until midnight. And suddenly the chief guard notices that the rye is falling down. He took a closer look and saw some kind of monster scooping out grain with a large shovel and pouring it into a boat.
- Here, guys! Here it is! - the guard shouted at the top of his lungs. Tall guys came running from all sides, they tied up the robber and locked him in the barn.
The guard is happy. It’s not even dawn yet, and he’s already running to the king with the news. The king richly rewarded him and personally went to look at the robber. He looked and looked, both behind and in front, but he couldn’t figure out what kind of creature it was? It seems to look like a person, but not a person. And it looks like a beast, but is not a beast.
“Well,” said the king, “if you are such a wonderful monster, then your prison will not be like everyone else’s.” Control! I order you to build a prison with three iron doors and one small window!
They locked the robber in prison, and he gritted his teeth with rage and roared in a bad voice.
The rumor about the prisoner spread throughout the country, people rushed to look at him. The king orders to call neighboring kings and rich gentlemen so that they too come to look at the monster. Guests began to arrive from all over the world. Meanwhile, in the royal kitchen, the cooks are hovering and cooking for them, preparing a rich table.
At that time the king's son was playing in the yard. He kicked the ball. Either he will throw him up, then he will throw him onto the roof, or he will hit him against the wall. The prince threw the ball higher, and take it and jump through the window straight into the dungeon. The prince was frightened and did not know what to do. I got to the window, looked inside and jumped back in fear.
“Don’t be afraid,” the robber shouts to him in a rough voice. - I won't hurt you. Your ball is here, but I will give it to you if you release me.
The prince rushed to his mother, caressed her, hugged her. His mother pats him on the head, and he slowly pulls the keys out of her pocket. He grabbed it, squeezed it into his fist and ran out of the room. I ran into the dungeon, came running, unlocked all the locks and released the robber.
“Here, get your ball,” he said. - And I will repay you for your kindness, when the time comes, I will repay you with kindness.
He said and - no, he disappeared.
The prince locked all the locks, returned to his mother, caressed her, and put the keys back in his pocket. At noon the king invited the guests to a magnificent table. They ate and drank to their heart's content. And then they went to look at the robber. The jailer opened the first doors, and the curious rushed after him. He opened the second one - everyone’s eyes popped out of their heads, he opened the third one - and the dungeon was empty! The guests are standing there, hanging their noses, and the king almost fell through the ground from shame.
“Whoever releases the robber will still pay with his life!” There will be no mercy for anyone - even his own son! - exclaimed the angry king.
The guests had to leave with nothing; at least they had a great feast.
Much water has passed under the bridge since then. It seemed that the king had forgotten about his shame and his threat too. It had to happen that the prince himself, in front of his father, remembered how he once released a robber from prison.
The king was sunbathing, he loved his son, but nothing could be done! I gave my word - hold on. He orders the hunter to be called and ordered to go hunting with the prince and execute him there in the forest.
The hunter's soul broke when he heard such an order. What can you do? You can't argue with the king. The hunter threw his gun over his shoulder, picked up a shovel and a basket and called the king's son. He was not himself with joy: his father finally allowed him to go hunting. He grabbed his gun and walked away, rejoicing and looking around to see if people admired him when they looked at him?
They approached the oak grove and began to make their way deeper. Suddenly the prince asks the hunter:
- What do you need a shovel and a basket for?
The hunter doesn’t answer, he just sighs heavily and moves on. They walked far away, then the hunter stopped and told everything to the prince.
The prince asks not to take his life. Yes, it’s so pitiful that even the stone would melt. The hunter was a kind and compassionate man, and he agreed.
“Okay,” he says, “I’ll leave you alive, go wherever you look, but don’t you dare return home!” - And he released the prince.
The young prince, alone as a finger, wandered through the forest without paths without roads. Suddenly a fierce whirlwind came, darkness enveloped the earth, lightning flashed, thunder roared, and rain poured down - the end of the set and that’s all! The poor prince has nowhere to hide except under a spreading oak tree. But water penetrates there too. Then lightning flashed, the sky opened up, and the prince saw a cave in the rock. He's there and on time! As soon as he jumped out from under the oak tree, there was a terrible roar, lightning struck, and the tree shattered into four parts.
But the cave didn’t save him either. Wind and rain penetrated there too. He retreated even further and suddenly fell into a deep abyss without hurting himself, but what was the use? The prince lies wet, cold, hungry at the bottom of the abyss! I was about to die completely. Suddenly he looked to the side and saw: a light could be seen in the distance, and it was as if a candle was burning, and his ball was lying next to it. The prince immediately remembered the wonderful robber whom he had released from prison. The earth trembled, and the same robber approached him.
“Well, hello,” he says. - It's good that you're here! Now I can thank you. Know that I am the king of the underground kingdom. If you begin to behave as you should, you will be fine with me. Just live quietly, because my soldiers cannot stand people like you.
He grabbed the prince by the hand and took him to distant chambers.
– Here you will live, and no one will know about you.
The prince began to live quietly, like a mouse, and the king of the underground kingdom himself brought him everything he needed. In those chambers, in the cabinets, there were many books, the king gave one to the prince.
“Here,” he says, “take it and read it!”
The prince read the book, received a second one, and so on until he read everything. The king taught him to wield weapons and other military wisdom. So two years passed. One day the king gives the prince a pipe and says:
– You have already learned a lot, it’s time to go out to people. There is a city nearby. Go there, ask to serve the king. But don’t even show that you are the king’s son. If you need anything, go out into the forest, blow the trumpet three times, I’ll appear right away. Look, take care of this pipe!
He took the prince by the hand, led him out of the cave, escorted him all the way to the city, once again ordered him to take care of the pipe, and disappeared from sight.
The king's son went to the city, and there - straight to the royal court. I saw the cook and began to ask for a job.
“You came on time,” he replies, “we just need a cook.” If you don't mind this kind of work, you can stay.
“Well, that will suit me,” agreed the king’s son. And he got down to business.
Our prince worked not out of fear, but out of conscience, and the cook could not praise him enough. And besides, the cook was a handsome guy, courteous and cheerful with people. The royal daughter really liked him! She often made her way into the garden and played there with the beautiful little cook. The king himself welcomed him and invited him to the palace more than once so that his daughter would not get bored.
So our little cook lived and did not grieve at the royal court.
But one day misfortune befell the kingdom; the king learned that his neighbor was coming against him with a large army. What to do? The neighbor is stronger. We had to urgently gather an army. The king collected as much as he could and went to war. He took his beloved daughter with him, so he couldn’t leave him at home alone.
Our little cook also wants to go to war. He began to ask the cook to let him go to such and such a city, he supposedly had business there. The cook let him go. Only the cook prince did not go to the city, but hurried to the oak grove. He took the pipe in his hands and blew three times.
Then, out of nowhere, the king of the underground kingdom appeared and asked what he wanted. The cook asks for help. Before he could finish speaking, a whole underground army stood in front of him. The prince put on a new dress, stood at the head of the army and went to war. And the king of the underground kingdom shouts after him to be careful and not get ahead of everyone else.
An unequal battle is about to begin, and the disguised cook with his army is already in a hurry to help.
A fierce fight ensued. How long or how short, but the enemy army trembled, ran, and the enemy king himself barely carried off his legs.
The victorious cook proudly stepped forward, bowed to his king, and without waiting for gratitude, returned to the forest with the soldiers.
There he blew on the trumpet three times. The king of the underground kingdom has appeared. The cook gave him the soldiers and clothes and bowed from the waist. And he gave him a golden apple as a farewell gift.
The cook was late for the kitchen, but gave the cook a gift, and everything worked out.
Soon the king returned with an army and ordered the guests to be called. At the table the king began to praise someone else’s knight, and the princess suddenly said:
“It’s true, it’s true, that handsome knight, but not more handsome than our cook!”
She called the cook and let’s play and have fun with him. The cook shows her the golden apple. The princess liked it very much.
- Give it to me! - she asks the cook.
“Okay, I’ll give it to you,” he replies, “if you run barefoot.” The princess thought and thought and agreed:
- What's wrong with that? But I will have a golden apple! The cook gave her an apple and they continued to play.
Someone else's king cannot forget the defeat, gathers an army larger than before, and again goes to war against our king. The cook again persuades the cook to let him go. He lets go.
The little cook runs into the forest and blows the pipe three times. The king of the underground kingdom stands in front of him and asks him what he wants.
“I came to you again for help,” the cook answers.
Before he could finish speaking, an army twice the size of the previous one stood in front of him.
The king of the underground kingdom orders the kitchen boy to change his dress and lead the soldiers into battle.
- Just watch, be careful, don’t get into trouble! He said - and disappeared, he was no longer there.
The battle was about to begin, and then the cook arrived in time with the army. He asks the king to let him go ahead.
The king readily agreed.
A fight ensued. The soldiers fight to the death, neither side wants to give in. It took a long time, it was short, but the enemy army finally began to retreat, and the enemy king with a handful of soldiers barely escaped the battlefield.
The victorious cook stepped forward with dignity, bowed to the king and, without expecting gratitude, went with the soldiers into the forest. He blew the pipe three times, the king of the underground kingdom appeared, the cook returned his army and dress, and thanked him for his help. At parting, the king gave the cook another chopped apple. Once again the cook was late home, but he put something in the cook’s pocket, and he again remained silent.
And soon the king returned with an army and ordered to invite the guests. After dinner he began to praise the unknown knight, and the princess said:
“You’re right, father, that stranger is a handsome guy, but not more handsome than our cook!”
And she ordered to call the cook. They began to play, then the cook took out the second apple, the princess saw it and asked for an apple.
“I’ll give it to you,” the cook answers her, “if you raise the dress above your ankle.”
The princess hesitated:
- Oh, how can that be? - But then I decided: - Just think, what a deal! But I will have a second apple!
And she agreed. And the cook gave her a golden apple.
The king decided that his country was now safe. But only again did a rumor reach him that a foreign king, having gathered enormous forces, had crossed the border and was going to war against his city. It sweeps away everything in its path. The king was overcome with fear. With difficulty he gathered the remnants of the army. And he himself sighs and sighs:
- What will happen if that knight does not come to our aid? Woe then to our entire country!
And the king went to war, taking with him a handful of soldiers and his beloved daughter. As soon as they left, our little cook again asked the cook for time off. The cook let him go, and he ran straight into the forest. He took the pipe in his hand and blew into it three times. The king of the underground kingdom immediately stood in front of him and asked what he wanted.
“I don’t care myself,” the cook answers, “I ask you to help my king.” Someone else's king is at war again!
Before he could finish speaking, an army three times larger than before was already standing in front of him. The king of the underground kingdom gives him a dress and says:
- Just watch, take care of yourself, don’t poke your nose in front of everyone! He said - and he’s gone.
Our king awaited the start of the battle in great fear.
Suddenly a stranger rushed up and asked the king to allow him to lead his soldiers forward. The king's heart was relieved.
Like a thunderstorm, a cook with an underground army flew at the enemies, and they stood like a wall. His soldiers struck the enemy three times and retreated three times. The cook got angry here. He flew at the enemy himself, hacked, slashed, and without looking back he climbed into the very fire. Suddenly an enemy sword struck him on the leg, and our little cook fell to the ground.
Death would have come to him here if not for the soldiers. They picked him up, carried him to the royal tent, and the beautiful princess bandaged his wound with her own embroidered towel. And at this time his soldiers began to press the enemy, and the enemy king barely escaped captivity.
The cook somehow got up and returned with the army to the forest. He blew on the pipe three times, and returning the dress to the king of the underground kingdom, handed over the army and thanked him for his help. But then the king of the underground kingdom took the pipe from his hands and said:
“You don’t need her anymore, and you won’t need my help either, your happiness is close!” Goodbye! We won't see each other again. Here is the third golden apple for your memory. Always be happy, but know that the king with whom you fought is your own father!
- My father? – the young knight was surprised.
– There’s nothing to be done - what happened, happened!
He wanted to thank the king of the underground kingdom for everything, but he disappeared, as if he had fallen through the ground.
The cook came to the palace, and the cook was angry that he was late again, so I had to appease him with a gift.
The cook began to help in the kitchen, trying with all his might so that no one would notice his wounds.
And soon the king returned with his soldiers and ordered to invite the guests. Well, he gave a feast! At that feast, everyone praises the unknown knight, almost extolling him to the skies. And the princess interrupts everyone and says:
- It’s true, it’s true - that knight is a handsome fellow, but not more handsome than our cook!
He tells him to call the cook and starts funny games with him. Here the cook takes out the third golden apple. The princess is begging for an apple. And the cook says:
“I’ll give it to you if you let me sleep in the same chambers with you.” Let twelve candles be lit and twelve soldiers, together with your maid, stand guard.
The princess began to think and came up with an idea:
- What a disaster! There is nothing bad about that. But I will have a third apple. And she agreed without her father’s knowledge.
In the evening, twelve candles lit up in the princess's room and twelve soldiers, along with a maid, stood guard.
The cook lay down and pretended to be asleep. And then he took it and stuck his leg out so that the towel could be seen.
The maid saw the towel, ran to the king and told everything.
The king appeared in the room - he looked, and this was his daughter’s towel, and the young man was the very knight who rescued him. The king hugged him, began to thank him for his help, and persuaded him to tell him who he was and where he came from.
The young man told him everything from the very beginning to the very end. When our king learned that the enemy king was the knight’s own father, he immediately sent envoys to him. He calls to himself. After all, his son is here! And he was promised a royal daughter as his wife!
The king-father heard it - he couldn’t believe his ears. He called the hunter and began asking questions. The hunter realized that the truth cannot be hidden, and he repented of everything. The king did not scold him, but, glad that his son was alive, richly rewarded him.
And then he ordered the horses to be harnessed, took the queen with him and galloped off to the neighboring king. That was joy! The parents found their son, and the son found his parents. Some parents found a kind son-in-law, others a kind daughter-in-law, and the young people found each other. The kings made peace and became best friends from then on.
And soon the wedding took place. After the wedding, the prince and his young wife went to his father. And then, when the old king died, the prince became king, and soon the second kingdom was given to him. He still rules there now, unless, of course, he died.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru