In ancient times, there lived a rich, very rich king, but he had no children, and he really wanted to have a son so that the royal family would not fade away. And now the long-awaited time has come for the baby to be born. The king has a dream that he and the queen will have a boy, and he must take as his godfather the one who meets him first on the road in the morning.
In the morning the king looked out of the window and saw an old beggar coming. And then the servants came running to the king and said that his son was born that night. The king didn’t really want to call the beggar his godfather, but he had to. He ordered the old man to be invited into the house, ordered him to wash, dress and prepare for the feast.
Both lords and nobles were invited to the holiday. The guests generously presented the boy with gold and silver. Only the old beggar had nothing. He says:
“Everyone gave something and I won’t be left behind.” I wish for the prince, when he grows up, Worldly beauty as a wife!
His words were written down and the letter was hidden.
The handsome boy grew up and studied diligently. And then one day he was rummaging through his father’s papers and he came across that letter where it was said about Worldly Beauty. The prince read it and ran to his father:
“Is this,” he says, “worldly beauty promised to me as a wife?”
- What worldly beauty! Where does it come from? Empty chatter! - the king began to dissuade his son. He doesn’t want his only son to wander around the world, looking for an unknown Beauty.
But our prince only dreams of worldly beauty, he does not believe that the old man wrote about her in vain. Until then, he kept begging and begging his parents until they finally let him go. They gave them gold and silver and a fast horse.
The prince jumped on his horse and rushed over the mountains, along the valleys, along the steep banks. I drove and drove and reached the mother of the Sun.
- How did you get here, son? she asks the prince. “After all, even a small bird can’t get to us!”
“Ah, madam mother, I came to ask your son the Sun if he knows where Worldly Beauty lives?”
- That's it! I'm afraid that you and my son won't get along! My son returns home hungry and angry, it’s better not to catch his eye. Well, okay, come in, I'll hide you somewhere.
She hid it under a trough so that the Sun would not see it.
And in the evening the Sun returned home. As soon as he entered, he was already shouting:
- Mom, it smells like a man, give it here, I’ll eat it!
“Oh, son,” the mother answers. – Where does a person come from here? It seemed to you that you shone brightly for people all day long.
She persuaded and calmed down, but the Sun suddenly said:
- Okay, mother, bring him here, no matter who he is, I won’t touch him. The prince heard, crawled out from under the trough, and the Sun asked him:
- Why did you come, brother?
“I want to know,” the prince answers, “have you heard about Worldly Beauty here?”
– About Worldly Beauty? - No, I don’t know anything about her. You’d better go to the Wind, he’s rushing after me, maybe that’s where he spotted her.
The prince went further and reached Veterok. His mother comes out to meet the prince:
- How did you get here, son? After all, not even a small bird can reach us!
- Well, madam mother, I came to ask your son if he knows where Worldly Beauty lives?
- This is a different matter. I just don’t know what to do, because my son will come home hungry, at such a moment it’s better not to mess with him! Well, so be it, come in, I’ll hide you.
And she put him under a trough so that the Wind would not immediately notice.
In the evening the Wind returned home. As soon as he crossed the threshold, he was already shouting:
“Mom, it smells like a man, give it here, I’ll eat it.”
- Oh, where does a person come from here? You fly around the world, and you see the human spirit everywhere!
She persuaded and convinced, but the Wind suddenly said:
- Okay, let him come out, whoever he is, I won’t touch him. The prince heard, crawled out from under the trough, and the Wind asked him:
- Why did you come, brother?
– I want to know if you have heard about Worldly Beauty?
– About Worldly Beauty? - the Wind thought. - No, I don’t know anything, although I get into every corner. Go to the Moon, he’s walking high, he sees everything in the world, maybe he’ll say something!
The prince went further and reached the Month. He is already resting at home.
- What do you need, brother, who are you looking for? - Month asks the prince.
- Who else but Worldly Beauty - haven’t you heard about her?
- Hear, brother, hear! I saw her last night. Oh so good! Oh, what a pure soul! If you see it, you will immediately lose your head. Yes, she does not live in our world. Do you want to get to her?
- Very. Just tell me how.
- How? Let's figure it out! I'll take you to her myself.
They set off on their way. They walked and walked until they reached a deep cave, and from there there was a direct path to another world. month and says:
- Then go on alone. I'll lower you there on a rope. When you're done, come back, pull the rope, and I'll pull you out.
The prince went downstairs, untied the rope and continued on his way. He walks and walks and finally comes to the castle, and in front of the castle the old woman grazes turkeys:
- Good afternoon, grandma! – the prince bowed to her. -Will you take me into your service?
- I? – the old woman was surprised. - How to pay? After all, I can barely make ends meet myself. Go to the castle. They've hired a worker there today, maybe they'll hire you if you manage to get there.
- Why can’t I get there?
- Yes, because no one can get there if I don’t show him the way.
“Then, kind soul, show me.” I’ll pay - I won’t be stingy,” and he thrust the ducat into her hands.
The old woman was delighted and led the prince into the castle. At the castle they didn’t think twice, they took him and ordered him to serve at the table.
The owner of that castle always invited his sister to dinner. And there was his sister, whom everyone called Worldly Beauty, for in the whole world there was no one equal to her in beauty. Everyone who saw Worldly Beauty for the first time had darkness in their eyes and their breath caught in their throats. And the same thing happened to our prince; he saw Krasus - his eyes darkened, and if they hadn’t caught him, he would have fallen down dead. From then on, our prince only thought about her.
But just looking at Beauty is like licking honey through glass. The prince returned to the old woman and brought the ducat.
“Madam Mother,” he says, “don’t be angry that I’m disturbing you, but I came to you for good advice.”
- For what, son?
- Advise what to do in order to take Worldly Beauty as a wife?
“Oh, son, I can give you some advice, but I don’t know how it will end.” If you are not a sharp shooter, it’s better not to try it, and if you don’t follow my advice exactly, the whole world will laugh at you. Know that Worldly Beauty goes swimming in the garden on the lake with twelve girlfriends, herself the thirteenth. You hide and wait for them to come and get into the water. Then take aim and shoot at her most beautiful girl - her friend. If you are noticed earlier or, even worse, miss, then the end will come for you. If you find a friend, the worldly beauty will rush to her and forget about her crown, which she put in the grass, and without that crown she cannot live. Grab the crown, put it on your head and run, run, away as fast as you can! Don’t look back, and don’t give her the crown back for anything, otherwise everything will be lost.
Soon the fairy tale is told, but not soon the deed is done. The time has come, and the prince is already sitting in the bushes, sitting quietly - not breathing. The worldly beauty took off the crown from her head, put it in the grass and, together with her friends, climbed into the water. Then our fellow took aim and shot at the most beautiful girl. She screamed and fell into the water. Everyone rushed to her. The prince went to the crown, put it on his head and rushed away as fast as he could. The worldly beauty laid the girl on the grass, rose up and, together with her eleven girlfriends, flew after the prince. She began to catch up with him and shouted:
- Oh, my lord, dear, look around, see what a beautiful face I have!
But the prince did not turn around, no matter how she begged. He got to the rope and the Month pulled him up.
Worldly beauty flew up after him. He hasn't taken his eyes off her for a month. He looked and looked and exclaimed:
- Oh, how beautiful! How lovely! Such a beauty would like a crown on her head!
The prince thinks: “Why not return Beauty to her crown, after all, we have already reached the earth, now Worldly Beauty is in my hands and she will not get away from me!
He put a crown on her, he wants to admire her beauty, and that’s all Worldly Beauty wants: before the prince had time to come to his senses, she had already disappeared, flown away with her friends.
The month died on the spot from grief and rolled into the Black Valley. The inconsolable prince was left without Worldly beauty and without the Moon - his faithful friend and assistant. What to do? He went through the mountains, through the valleys to look for his friend, he walked and walked, but could not find him. How long, how short, but I got to the bees.
- Bees, bees, tell me, haven’t you heard anything about the Month?
“How can you not hear,” the bees answer. He lies in a vale of sadness, and a tulip blooms on his grave. If someone picks that tulip, the Moon will wake up and become even more beautiful.
The prince went to the grave, picked a tulip and the Moon - the thin young man jumped to his feet as if nothing had happened:
- Oh, brother prince, how sweetly I slept!
“You would have slept forever if I had not freed you,” answered the prince.
“May good luck accompany you in everything,” said the Month.
They became friends again and, after consulting, decided that they would again go looking for Worldly Beauty. The moon led the prince to the entrance to another world and lowered him down on a rope. He goes straight to the old woman. An old woman saw him and shouted:
- Oh, you so-and-so, you have appeared again! I told you not to give the crown to worldly beauty! You failed to save what fell into your hands! You won't be of any use!
– Don’t be angry, grandma, everything will be okay! - the prince answers her, and he thrusts the ducat.
The old woman did not immediately calm down, she grumbled for a long time, and then she said:
“The last piece of advice I give you, son: how to come to the lake for Worldly Beauty, turn into a beetle and hide in the horse’s skull that is lying on the shore.” Worldly beauty will put the crown on the ground, you get out, turn into a person, grab the crown - and run! Look! If she notices that the beetle is moving, she will immediately send for a hoe. This is where the end will come for you.
The prince thanked the old woman for her advice and hurried to the lake. He didn’t have to wait long, the Worldly Beauty appeared, got ready to swim, and put her crown in the grass. The prince stirred to get out, she noticed him, and ordered him to carry the hoe and chop the skull. But the king beetle doesn’t give in, it hides deeper and deeper.
- Oh, you’re such an ugly thing, I won’t bother with you! I know you’re hiding, but I won’t let you anywhere near the crown,” Worldly Beauty finally got angry and threw the hoe aside. But as soon as she turned her back to the prince to enter the water, he jumped out, grabbed the crown - and began to run - on horseback you can’t catch up, Worldly beauty flies after him, is about to overtake him.
“Turn around, turn around, my lord,” he shouts, “look at what a beautiful neck I have!”
But in vain the worldly beauty seduced the prince, in vain she begged. He grabbed the rope and the Moon pulled him to the ground.
Worldly Beauty and her friends had to get out after him, because she couldn’t live without a crown. Now the prince has begun to protect his crown more than his eyes, and worldly beauty is not a step away from him.
The prince and the beauty gathered to visit his old parents, and the Moon went with them.
They reached the inn by nightfall. The young people went into the room, and the Moon settled down at the threshold, the girls-girlfriends turned like doves and sat down on the roof. There is silence all around. Only the doves on the roof coo:
“Our prince’s father keeps an adviser in his castle, and he has a daughter, and he wants to marry this daughter to our prince.” Our prince's father ordered the carriage to be gilded, and the adviser ordered it to be doused with poison; our prince and Worldly Beauty would get into the carriage and be poisoned to death. And whoever warns him will turn into a stone pillar!
I listened to all this for a month, but remained silent.
On the second night they came to another inn. The prince and Worldly Beauty went to the rooms. The month has settled under the threshold, and the doves have settled on the roof. At midnight the doves started talking to each other again:
“Our prince’s father keeps an adviser, that adviser has a daughter, he wants to marry his daughter to our prince.” The adviser raised a dragon, that dragon, together with the Worldly Beauty, will devour him when they go to bed! But whoever tells them about this will immediately turn into a stone pillar.
He listened for a month, but is silent again.
They began to approach their native castle, and carriages were rushing towards them. The first carriage shines, all covered in gold. The bride and groom want to get into the carriage, but the Moon jumped up to them and said to the prince:
- Listen to me, brother! Don't get into the golden carriage, but get into the very last one with your bride!
“I don’t understand,” the prince replies, “why I can’t get into the first carriage, because my father sends it to me!” But I will listen to your advice, I believe you, you are my faithful friend.
And he sat down with Worldly Beauty in an old, shabby carriage.
The golden carriage rushed into the castle empty. Everyone was scared that trouble had already befallen the king’s son and his bride! The castle, houses, churches and houses were dressed in mourning and a great cry arose.
Suddenly they see the last carriage dragging along - old and beaten, the prince is sitting in it, and with him is Worldly Beauty. Immediately the mourning was broken, everyone began to jump for joy, shout, and have fun. Everyone looks at the worldly beauty and is surprised. The king gives a feast, everyone eats, drinks, and has fun.
One month does not eat, does not drink, knows what will happen next. While others were feasting, he sharpened his sword. In the evening, the young people were put to bed, and the Moon slowly crept up and stood in the doorway.
Midnight struck and suddenly a dragon crawls out from under the threshold and wants to devour the young ones. But the Month destroyed him with his sword.
The royal adviser came running and raised a cry, as if the Moon wanted to kill the bride and groom. The young king is ready to fall into the ground, he is ashamed to hear such things about his brother the Month, he doesn’t believe these speeches, but the adviser does not calm down, and everyone around them is saying that the Month threatened his prince with a sharp sword. The king sentenced Brother Moon to death.
They took him to execution, and he stood in the middle of the road, asking the young king to listen to him for the last time.
“I’m going to die anyway,” said the Month. “I’d better tell you the whole truth.” Do you know what happened when we stood at the first inn? Everyone was sleeping, only I was awake and could clearly hear what the doves on the roof were cooing about: “Our prince’s father keeps an adviser in his castle, that adviser has a daughter, he wants to marry her to our prince. Our prince’s father ordered the carriage to be covered with gold, and the adviser to douse it with poison. As soon as the prince gets into the carriage, he will immediately die from this poison along with Worldly beauty. That’s why I didn’t let you into the golden carriage. And when we spent the night at the second inn, you were all asleep and I was on guard at the threshold and heard the doves on the roof cooing: “Our prince’s father keeps an adviser in his castle, that adviser has a daughter, he wants to give that daughter to our prince. The advisor raised a dragon, that dragon will devour our prince along with Worldly Beauty as soon as they go to bed. Now do you understand what I was doing with the sword outside your bedroom? After all, it was I who killed the dragon! But the doves still said: “Whoever tells about this will immediately turn into a stone pillar!
Before the Moon had time to finish speaking, he actually turned into a stone pillar.
Everyone froze in place with fear, and the young king rushed to that pillar and began to sob bitterly that he had lost his faithful friend. The adviser was deservedly punished.
From then on, every morning the king's son watered the pillar with tears. But the Moon did not come to life and did not come to life.
A lot of time has passed. Worldly beauty is already waiting for a baby. And the young prince has a dream that when the baby is born, he needs to touch a stone pillar with his little finger. Then the spell will disappear, the Moon will come to life, become even more beautiful and live a long life with its friends.
The king woke up, and they told him that he had a son. The king fulfilled everything as was said in the dream, and the Moon came to life! So the friends lived together, for a long, long time and even longer.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru