Once upon a time, there were two siblings, a brother named Hansel and a sister named Gretel. They lived with their father and stepmother in a small house near a vast forest. The family was very poor, and they often had nothing to eat. One year, famine struck, and they couldn't even find a piece of bread to eat.
One evening, Hansel overheard a conversation between his father and stepmother:
– What are we going to do? If we don't do this, we'll all starve to death.
– You’re right, but I feel so sorry for the children. I just don’t know what to do anymore.
– I have a plan. We’ll take them deep into the forest and leave them there. Then, we’ll go back to our work.
– No, I can’t do that. How could I abandon my own children in the forest?
– If we don’t, all four of us will starve. At least two of us will survive if we follow my plan.
– But...
Eventually, the father was persuaded by the stepmother and agreed to leave the children in the forest. Hansel, having overheard their plan, quietly collected pebbles during the night and stuffed them into his pockets. As they walked the next day, he dropped the pebbles along the way to mark the path home.
When they reached the heart of the forest, the father and stepmother stopped and said:
– Wait here, children. We’ll go gather some firewood.
They left Hansel and Gretel alone in the forest and walked away.
Hansel and Gretel waited for hours, but their parents did not return. As night fell, the forest grew dark, and the wild animals began to stir.
Gretel, frightened, began to cry:
– Brother, how will we ever get out of this forest? Our parents have abandoned us. How can we find our way home?
Hansel comforted her:
– Don’t worry, Gretel. We’ll wait until the moon rises, and then we’ll follow the trail home.
When the moonlight illuminated the path, Hansel took Gretel’s hand and led her along the trail of pebbles he had dropped earlier. They made it safely back home.
The father and stepmother were shocked when the children arrived back, having found their way through the forest.
– How did they manage to find their way back? Tomorrow, we’ll take them even deeper into the forest where they’ll never be able to find their way home.
The next morning, they took the children deep into the forest once more. This time, because the stepmother locked the door too tightly the night before, Hansel couldn’t gather pebbles. Instead, he broke his bread into crumbs and scattered them along the path.
As the parents led them further into the forest, they left Hansel and Gretel behind again.
That night, Gretel was once again terrified:
– Hansel, how can we find our way home?
– Don’t worry, Gretel, I’ve marked the path with breadcrumbs!
However, when the moon rose, they couldn’t find any breadcrumbs left because the birds had eaten them all. They were now lost in the forest with no way to find their way home.
As they wandered deeper into the woods, they stumbled upon a strange house. To their astonishment, the house was made entirely of bread, with a roof of cakes and windows of candy.
Gretel excitedly exclaimed:
– Hansel, look! The windows are made of cookies, and the door is made of chocolate!
– Oh my, there’s even candy stuck to the walls!
Hungry from their journey, Hansel and Gretel eagerly began eating the walls of the house. Suddenly, the door opened, and an old woman with a terrifying face appeared. She yelled:
– Who are you? Why are you eating my house?
– We’re so sorry, we were starving!
– You’re lost in the forest, aren’t you? Well, don’t be shy. Eat as much as you want, and when you’re finished, come inside and rest.
After filling their stomachs, the children followed the old woman inside and fell asleep. The old woman appeared kind, offering them more delicious food to eat. They ate until they couldn’t eat anymore, then slept soundly.
However, the old woman was not as kind as she seemed. She was a wicked witch who trapped children to eat them. She locked Hansel in a cage and forced Gretel to do chores for her.
Day after day, the witch fed Hansel more food, hoping to fatten him up for a feast. Every morning, she would check his finger to see if he had gained weight.
– Hansel, show me your finger so I can see if you’re getting fat.
But Hansel was clever and showed her a chicken bone instead of his finger. The witch, who was near-sighted, thought it was his finger, and wondered why he wasn’t getting fatter.
– I’ll have to feed you more, it seems.
After some time, the witch grew impatient and decided to cook Hansel, whether he was fat or not.
– Gretel, come here and light the oven! I’m going to cook Hansel!
Gretel, heartbroken for her brother, began to cry. But then she remembered the witch’s poor eyesight and devised a plan to trick her and save Hansel.
She pretended to try lighting the oven but couldn’t get it to start. The witch, impatient, came close to the oven to see for herself. As soon as the witch leaned in, Gretel shoved her into the oven and closed the door, burning her alive.
Afterward, Gretel freed Hansel from the cage. The two children searched the witch’s house and found treasure chests filled with gold and jewels. They filled a bag with riches and set off to find their way home.
After a long and difficult journey, they finally reached their home and shouted:
– Father, mother, we’re back!
Since abandoning the children, the father and stepmother had become even poorer. They regretted their actions but had no way of finding the children. Now, they sat at home, lamenting their mistake, praying that Hansel and Gretel would find their way back.
Suddenly, Hansel and Gretel burst into the house, shouting:
– Father, mother, we missed you so much!
They handed over the gold and jewels they had taken from the witch’s house, and from that day on, the family never had to worry about hunger again. They lived happily together forever.
Hansel and Gretel1. The King and the Witch's Conditions
Once, while the king was hunting in a vast forest, he became lost while chasing a wild animal. As night fell, he realized he was unable to find his way out. Suddenly, an old woman appeared; she was a witch. The king asked her:
"Old woman, can you please show me the way out of this forest?"
The witch replied:
"Your Majesty, I can do that, but only if you fulfill my conditions. If not, you will die here in the forest from starvation."
The king, anxious and desperate, inquired, "What are the conditions?"
The witch answered, "I have a daughter who is so beautiful, no one on earth is her equal. She is worthy of being a queen. If you choose her to be your wife, I will show you the way out."
In his panic, the king agreed without hesitation. The witch led him to her small home, where her daughter sat by the fire. She greeted the king warmly, as though expecting him. Despite her beauty, the king felt uneasy. After placing her on a horse, the witch pointed out the way, and the king returned to his palace to prepare for the wedding.
The king already had a wife, and they had seven children, six sons and one daughter. The king loved his children dearly. Fearing that his new wife might mistreat them, he sent them to live in a secluded castle deep in the forest, so remote that even he could not find his way there. An old woman gave the king a magical spool of thread, which would guide him when thrown ahead of him.
The king frequently visited his beloved children, but the queen became suspicious. Curious about his solitary trips into the forest, she bribed the guards to follow him. They reported back to her, telling her of the magical thread.
The queen, eager to put an end to the king’s children, found the spool of thread. She sewed some silk white cloaks and enchanted them with a spell passed down by her mother.
2. The Six Swan Brothers
One day, while the king was away hunting, the queen took the cloak and the magical spool into the forest. The children, seeing someone approaching, thought it was their beloved father and ran out to greet him. The queen threw the cloaks over each child, and as the fabric touched them, they transformed into six swans, flying away into the sky.
The queen returned home, pleased with herself, thinking she had rid herself of her stepchildren. But she did not realize that the youngest daughter had not gone to greet them.
The king visited his children and found only his daughter. He asked, "Where are your brothers?"
She replied, "Oh, my dear father! My brothers left me alone here."
She explained how she had witnessed her brothers turn into swans and fly away. The king was saddened, but he did not suspect the queen’s malice. He decided to bring his daughter back to the palace, but she feared the queen and asked to stay in the castle one more night. She thought to herself, "I can’t stay here long; I must find my brothers!"
That night, she secretly left the castle and journeyed through the forest, walking through the night and all of the next day. Exhausted, she came upon a small hut and went inside. There, she found six little beds. Not daring to sleep on any of them, she hid under one of the beds to sleep on the floor.
As the sun began to set, she heard a noise and saw six swans flying through the window. They landed and began to shed their feathers, turning back into her brothers. Overjoyed, she crawled out from under the bed. Her brothers were thrilled to see her, but they warned her:
"You cannot stay here. This is a hideout for thieves, and they will kill you if they find you."
She asked, "Can’t you protect me?"
They answered, "There’s no way. At night, we can only become human for a brief moment, for fifteen minutes, before we change back into swans."
She burst into tears and asked, "Is there no way to break the spell?"
They replied, "It’s incredibly difficult. You cannot speak or laugh for six years. During this time, you must sew six shirts made from water lilies. If you speak or laugh, all will be lost."
They had just finished speaking when they transformed back into swans and flew out the window.
Determined to free her brothers, the girl set off again into the forest, climbing a tree to sleep for the night. The next morning, she picked water lilies and began to sew the shirts. She could not speak or smile, and she worked diligently, knowing it was the only way to save her brothers.
3. The Princess’s Misfortune
As time passed, one day a king and his hunting party ventured into the deep forest and saw the girl sitting in a tree. They asked her, "Who are you, and why are you here?"
She remained silent. They asked again, but she only shook her head. The king, intrigued by her beauty, commanded his men to bring her down. They climbed the tree and gently carried her to the king.
The king asked, "Who are you? Why were you sitting in that tree?"
She remained silent. Despite his numerous attempts to get her to speak, she did not answer. Her beauty captivated the king, and he immediately fell in love with her. He clothed her in royal garments, and though she remained silent, her beauty shone brighter than the sun. She sat beside him at dinner, and her gentle demeanor made the king even more enamored.
"I long to live with you and no one else," he said.
Several days later, they married.
However, the king’s wicked stepmother disapproved of the union and spoke ill of the silent queen. She said, "Who is this girl who cannot speak? She is not worthy of being queen."
A year later, the queen gave birth to their first child. The stepmother secretly kidnapped the baby and smeared the queen’s mouth with blood, telling the king that she was a monster who ate children. The king did not believe her and defended the queen, always finding her sitting and sewing.
The following year, the queen gave birth to another child, but the wicked stepmother again tricked the king. He refused to believe her lies, saying, "She is a good and virtuous woman. She could never do such a thing."
But when the stepmother kidnapped the third child and accused the queen again, the king could do nothing but have the case brought to court. The queen was sentenced to death by burning.
The day of her execution also marked the end of her six-year silence. As she stood on the pyre, she held the last shirt she had finished, with only one sleeve missing. As the fire was about to be lit, she saw six swans approaching. Knowing that salvation was near, she joyfully awaited the moment of her release.
The swans circled above her, and as they swooped down, they shed their feathers, revealing her brothers in their human forms. The youngest brother still had a swan’s wing on his back, but the reunion was joyous. The queen explained to the king what had happened, and he was filled with sorrow and regret for not having believed her sooner. The stepmother was punished, and the king, the queen, and her six brothers lived happily ever after.
Six Swans
3. The Six Gifted Individuals
Once upon a time, there was an old queen who was actually a wicked witch. She had a daughter, the most beautiful girl in the world. But the witch, whose heart was full of malice, would only offer her daughter's hand to a suitor who could complete a difficult task; if they failed, they would lose their life. Many men, captivated by the princess's beauty, risked everything but failed to accomplish the tasks set by the witch, losing their heads in the process. One day, a prince heard of the girl’s beauty and told his father, the king, that he wished to seek her hand. The king warned him, "You will die if you go, son. You will not return." But the prince was lovesick, lying in bed for seven years without cure. The king, heartbroken, finally gave in and said, "Go ahead, son. I have no other advice to offer." The prince, feeling renewed strength, immediately set out on his journey.
As the prince rode across a desolate field, he saw something ahead, which looked like a large mound of hay. Upon closer inspection, it was a man with a stomach so large it resembled a mountain. The man rose and said, "If you need a servant, I will come with you." The prince, skeptical, replied, "What could someone as cumbersome as you possibly do for me?" The man answered, "If you think this is big, wait until I really puff up. I can get three thousand times bigger!" The prince, surprised, said, "Well, if that’s true, you might be useful. Come along." The man followed the prince.
Later, the prince came upon another man lying on the ground, ear pressed to the grass. The prince asked, "What are you listening to so intently?" The man answered, "I hear everything—the sounds of the world. I can hear even the grass growing." The prince said, "Then tell me what you’ve heard about the old queen and her beautiful daughter." The man replied, "I heard the sound of swords chopping—someone who came to ask for her hand lost their head." The prince, intrigued, said, "Come with me, you might be of help."
They traveled further and soon saw a pair of feet, then legs, and eventually the rest of a man so tall his body stretched far beyond sight. The prince exclaimed, "Wow! How tall you are!" The man replied, "This is nothing. I can stretch three thousand times taller, higher than the tallest mountain on Earth. If you need me, I will accompany you." The prince, amazed, said, "Come with me. I might need your help."
They continued and found a man sitting by the roadside, his eyes covered with a cloth. The prince asked, "Why are your eyes covered?" The man replied, "I have very powerful vision. If I open my eyes, everything I see will explode." The prince, intrigued, said, "If you’re willing, come along. I may have use for you."
Next, they found a man sitting in the sun, trembling from the cold. The prince asked, "How can you be cold in this hot weather?" The man explained, "My body is strange. The hotter it gets, the colder I feel. I can’t stand the heat, but in the cold, I feel warm." The prince said, "What a curious man you are! If you’re willing, come with me. I might need your help."
The prince now had a peculiar group of six servants, and they made their way to the witch’s castle. Disguised, the prince declared, "I will do whatever it takes to win the princess’s hand." The witch, delighted by the prince’s appearance, agreed but gave him three tasks. She said, "First, go and find the ring I lost in the Red Sea. Bring it back to me."
The prince told his servants, "Finding a ring in the Red Sea is impossible. How will I ever manage?" The man with the sharp eyes said, "I’ll find it." He looked for a moment and pointed, "It’s on a rock under the water." The tall man stretched out, reached down, and retrieved the ring. The prince, elated, took it back to the witch. She was stunned, but she said, "Well done, but now you must eat three hundred cattle grazing in the field and drink three hundred barrels of wine in the cellar. Everything must be consumed, not a bone or a drop left behind, or you’ll die."
The prince asked, "Can I invite a friend to help me? It would be quite lonely without a companion." The witch smirked and agreed, "You may bring one servant." The prince invited the large man, and he ate the entire herd of cattle and drank every drop of wine. When they returned, the witch was shocked, but she said, "Impressive, but there is still one task left. Tonight, I will send my daughter to you. You must hold her in your arms and not fall asleep. If you let go, you will fail." The prince thought, "This will be easy—I will stay awake." But he warned his servants, "We must be careful; she might use tricks. Keep watch over the door."
That night, the witch sent her daughter into the prince’s room. The tall man formed a circle around the two of them, and the large man stood guard at the door. The princess didn’t speak, but the prince couldn’t help staring at her beautiful face in the moonlight. As midnight approached, the witch cast a spell to make everyone fall asleep. At 11:45, the spell wore off, and the prince realized they had been tricked. He cried, "I’ve lost! I’ve failed!" But the man with keen hearing said, "Wait, let me listen." He focused and then said, "She’s sitting and crying in a mountain three hundred miles away. Only the tall man can reach her in time."
The tall man said, "I will go, but the man with the sharp eyes must come with me. We’ll clear the mountain together." The sharp-eyed man quickly uncovered his eyes, and with a single glance, the mountain exploded into pieces. The tall man carried the princess, and in an instant, they returned to the castle. The witch, arriving at midnight, was horrified to find her daughter still in the prince’s arms. Defeated, she had no choice but to give her daughter to the prince.
However, the princess, still resentful, plotted to get revenge. The next day, she told the prince, "I will marry you only if you can sit in the middle of a burning pile of wood and endure the fire." The prince’s servants quickly devised a plan. The man who felt cold suggested, "I will do it. I’ve been waiting for my turn." They placed him on the pile of wood and set it on fire. The flames burned for three days, but when the fire finally died, the cold man stood up, trembling and saying, "That was the coldest I’ve ever been!" The princess, finally convinced, agreed to marry the prince.
As they left for their wedding, the witch sent soldiers to intercept them. But the man with sharp hearing overheard the witch’s orders. He asked the large man, "What should we do?" The large man had a plan—he spat out the sea water he had drunk earlier, creating a massive flood that blocked the soldiers’ path. The witch sent more soldiers, but the man with sharp hearing heard their armor and signaled the sharp-eyed man. With a glance, the enemy forces were obliterated. The prince and princess continued on their journey.
When they arrived at the church to marry, the prince said, "I am not the son of a king. I am the son of a humble swineherd." The prince led his bride to a village and said, "This is my father, the swineherd. We must help him." The prince disguised himself and his bride, and they lived as humble peasants. The princess, believing she had married a swineherd, worked alongside her husband, though her feet hurt from the labor. Eventually, a man told her, "You don’t know your husband’s true identity. He’s the prince, and he’s waiting for you at the palace." She went to the palace, and when her husband embraced her, she finally recognized him. He smiled and said, "I endured hardship for you, and now you must do the same for me." Their wedding was held soon after, and the storyteller hoped to attend the celebration.
Six extraordinary individualsOnce, there was an old miller who had three sons, a mill, a donkey, and a cat. The sons ground the flour, the donkey fetched the grain and carried the flour, and the cat caught mice. When the miller passed away, his three sons divided the inheritance: the eldest received the mill, the second got the donkey, and the youngest was left with nothing but the cat. He sighed and said to himself, 'I’ve drawn the short straw! My eldest can grind flour, my second can ride the donkey, and what can I do with a cat? The best I can do is make a pair of gloves out of its skin.'
The cat overheard him and spoke up, 'Master, why go through the trouble of killing me for a pair of gloves? Just get me a pair of boots, and I will show you how I can make you proud.' The miller's son was astonished. A shoemaker happened to pass by, and the cat asked him to measure its paws for boots. Once the boots were made, the cat filled a sack with grain, tied it up, and slung it over its shoulder. The cat then walked out on two legs like a person.
At that time, the king of the land had a great love for a particular kind of bird, but no one could catch any. The woods were full of these birds, but they were so shy that no hunter could get near. The cat, knowing this, devised a clever plan. It went into the forest, spread some grain on the ground, tied a string to the sack, and hid nearby. Soon, a flock of the prized birds arrived, pecked at the grain, and entered the sack. The cat pulled the string, trapping several birds, and carried the sack to the king’s palace.
The guards called out, 'Halt! Where do you think you’re going?'
The cat replied confidently, 'I am here to see the king!'
One of the guards laughed, 'A cat going to see the king? That’s ridiculous!'
Another guard said, 'Let it go. The king often feels gloomy, maybe the cat can cheer him up.'
The cat entered the royal court, bowed, and said, 'Your Majesty, my master is the Count of... (the cat made up a long noble title) and sends his greetings. He also brings you a gift of the finest birds.'
The king, delighted by the plump birds, ordered the cat to take gold from the royal vault and fill the sack with it. 'Take as much as you like,' the king said. 'Give it to your master along with my gratitude for the gift.'
Meanwhile, the miller’s son, poor and wondering whether the money he spent on the cat’s boots would be worth it, sat by the window. Just then, the cat entered and dumped the sack of gold in front of him, saying, 'Here, master, is the payment for the boots. The king also sends his thanks and greetings.'
The young man was overjoyed but confused. The cat, removing its boots, explained, 'Now you have plenty of money, but this is just the beginning. Tomorrow, I’ll wear the boots again, and you’ll be even wealthier. I’ve told the king that you are a Count.'
The next day, the cat repeated its routine, hunting and bringing more birds to the king. Every day, the cat returned with gold, and the king grew fond of it, allowing it to come and go freely at the palace.
One day, while the cat was warming itself by the fire in the palace kitchen, a coachman grumbled, 'Curse the king and princess! Every time I want to go out to drink and play cards, they drag me out to take them to the lake!'
The cat, overhearing this, hurried back to its master and said, 'If you want to become a Count and grow even wealthier, come with me to the lake and take a bath.'
The miller’s son silently followed the cat, undressing and jumping into the water. The cat hid his clothes. Just as the royal carriage approached, the cat cried out, 'Oh no! Your Majesty, the Count was bathing when a thief stole his clothes from the shore! Now he is stuck in the water, and if he stays too long, he will catch a cold and die!'
The king immediately ordered the carriage to stop and sent a servant to fetch the royal clothes. 'The Count' was dressed in the king’s finest robes. The king treated him as a noble and invited him into the carriage. The princess, impressed by the handsome 'Count,' took a liking to him.
The cat then led them to a vast meadow, where over a hundred workers were mowing the grass.
The cat asked, 'Whose field is this?'
'It belongs to the sorcerer,' they replied.
The cat instructed, 'When the king passes by and asks whose field this is, tell him it belongs to the Count. If you don’t, you’ll be executed.'
The cat continued on its way, reaching a vast field of rice where another hundred workers were harvesting. The cat asked again, 'Whose rice is this?'
'It belongs to the sorcerer,' they replied.
The cat warned them, 'When the king passes by, say it belongs to the Count, or else you’ll be killed.'
The cat walked further until it reached a forest where more than three hundred people were cutting down oak trees for firewood. 'Whose forest is this?' the cat asked.
'It belongs to the sorcerer,' they replied.
The cat warned them once again, 'When the king comes, tell him it belongs to the Count, or you’ll be put to death.'
Soon, the cat arrived at the sorcerer’s castle. Boldly entering, the cat was met with a scornful look from the sorcerer, who asked what it wanted. The cat bowed and said, 'I’ve heard that you can transform into any animal. I’m curious to see if you can turn into an elephant. I find it hard to believe.'
The sorcerer, puffing with pride, responded, 'That’s no challenge.' In an instant, he transformed into an elephant.
The cat, impressed but feigning surprise, said, 'That’s quite impressive, but can you turn into a lion?' The sorcerer replied, 'Easily!' and turned into a lion.
The cat, now feigning even more fear, said, 'This is truly unbelievable! I’ve never seen anything like this, not even in my dreams! But if you could turn into a small creature, like a mouse, that would truly prove you are the greatest sorcerer.'
The sorcerer, flattered, agreed. 'I can do that!' and transformed into a mouse. The cat immediately pounced and devoured the mouse.
The king, along with the Count and the princess, arrived at the meadow.
The king asked, 'Whose field is this?'
Everyone replied as the cat had instructed, 'It belongs to the noble Count.'
The king remarked, 'What a beautiful piece of land the Count has.'
When they reached the rice field, the king asked, 'Whose rice is this?'
'The Count’s,' they answered.
The king said, 'Such a vast and beautiful field.'
When they reached the forest, the king asked, 'Whose forest is this?'
'The Count’s,' came the reply.
The king, even more impressed, said, 'The Count must be very rich. I don’t think I have a forest as grand as this.'
Finally, they reached the castle. The cat was waiting at the top of the stairs. As the king’s carriage stopped, the cat opened the door and said, 'Your Majesty, this is the Count’s castle. It’s an honor to have you here.'
The king stepped out of the carriage, astonished by the grandeur of the castle. It was larger and more magnificent than his own palace. The Count led the princess into a grand reception room filled with gold, jewels, and treasures.
The princess fell in love with the Count, and when the king passed away, the Count ascended the throne. He made the cat his chief advisor and gave it the title of Minister.
The Cat in BootsA soldier was walking along the road, carrying his gear and sword, returning home after a battle. As he walked, he encountered an old, hideous witch. Her lower lip drooped down to her chest. She greeted him cheerfully: 'Hello, master! What a beautiful sword you have, and such a large spear! Do you need money? How much do you want? I'll give you whatever you need.' The soldier replied: 'Thank you very much, old woman!' The witch continued: 'Do you see that big tree over there? It's hollow inside. Climb up to the top, and you'll find a hole. If you crawl through it, you'll reach the bottom. I'll tie this rope around you and pull you back up when you call me.' The soldier asked: 'What will I do down there, old woman?' 'There you'll find a wide road, lit up by over a hundred lamps. You'll also find three doors, each with a key already in the lock. When you open the first door, there’s a dog sitting on a chest. Its eyes are as big as drinking cups, but don't be afraid. Take this checkered apron of mine, spread it on the ground, and walk straight toward the dog. Grab it, open the chest, and take as much of the siling money as you want. If you prefer silver, go to the next room. There, a dog with eyes as large as millstone wheels sits on another chest, but don't worry. Use the apron again to grab it, and take as much silver as you need. If you want gold, go to the third room. The dog guarding the chest of gold has eyes as big as watchtowers. It's terrifying! But don’t be afraid—grab it with the apron, and take as much gold as you want.' The soldier responded: 'Your advice sounds good, but what will I owe you in return? You wouldn't give me this without wanting something in return.' The witch reassured him: 'No, I don't want anything from you. I only need you to fetch a lighter for me from down there, it's been left behind.' The soldier agreed. 'Alright, tie the rope around me.' The witch was pleased and said, 'Here’s the apron and the rope.' The soldier climbed the tree, crawled through the hollow trunk, and found himself on a brightly lit road. He opened the first door and was confronted by the dog with eyes like drinking cups. 'What are you staring at, you monster!' the soldier exclaimed. He spread the apron over the dog, opened the chest, and filled his bag with so many siling coins that he couldn't fit any more. After carefully closing the chest and returning the dog to its place, he moved on to the second room. Inside, another dog, its eyes as large as millstone wheels, stared at him. 'Why do you keep glaring at me? Don't you get a headache?' he muttered. Again, he threw the apron over the dog, opened the chest, and filled his bag with silver coins, abandoning the siling. He moved on to the third room, where the dog had eyes as large as towers. 'Good heavens! This one is truly monstrous!' the soldier thought. He stared at the dog, then said, 'That's enough for me!' He used the apron to grab the dog, opened the chest, and found it overflowing with gold, enough to buy an entire kingdom. He filled his bag, his clothes, and even his hat and belt with gold until he could barely move. Once satisfied, he returned the dog to the chest, closed the door, and shouted for the witch. 'Pull me up!' he called. The witch asked, 'Did you bring the lighter?' The soldier realized, 'Oh, I completely forgot!' He quickly fetched the lighter and was pulled back up to the road. The witch asked, 'Why do you need the lighter?' 'What is it for?' the soldier demanded. 'It’s none of your concern,' the witch replied. 'But I want to know,' the soldier insisted, drawing his sword. 'I won’t tell you, you fool!' the witch replied. With a swift motion, the soldier cut off her head. He then packed the money into the apron and set off to the city. There, he rented the finest room in the best hotel and ordered an expensive meal, feeling confident in his newfound wealth. A shoeshiner commented that his boots were too worn for such a rich man. The soldier promised to buy new boots soon. The next day, he had a new pair of boots and the finest clothes. He became a well-known figure in the city, attending all the best events, visiting theaters, and taking horse-drawn carriages to the most luxurious gardens. He often gave alms to the poor, remembering the hard times when he had nothing. But despite his wealth, he soon found himself spending it all, with only two siling left. He had to leave his luxurious room and move into a tiny attic. There, he polished his boots and sewed his buttons, no longer receiving visits from friends, as the climb to his new home was too steep. One dark night, he remembered the lighter he had found in the hollow tree. He took it out and lit it. The moment the flame sparked, the door opened, and the dog with eyes like drinking cups appeared and asked, 'What can I do for you, master?' Surprised, the soldier asked, 'What is this magic? Can I get whatever I want?' The dog disappeared and returned with a huge sack full of siling coins. The soldier soon realized that the lighter was enchanted. By lighting it once, he could summon the dog with siling money; twice for silver, and three times for gold. He returned to his luxurious life, his wealth restored, and all his friends came back to visit him, claiming they loved him. One day, he thought about the beautiful princess. 'Why can't I meet her? Everyone says she's incredibly beautiful, but what good is it if she’s locked away in a castle? How can I meet her?' He lit the lighter. With a flash, the dog with drinking-cup eyes appeared. The soldier requested, 'I want to meet the princess, even if only for a little while.' In an instant, the dog disappeared and returned with the princess, who was asleep on its back. She was so beautiful that anyone would know at first sight that she was royalty. The soldier couldn’t resist and kissed her passionately. The dog returned the princess to the castle. The next morning, the princess told her parents about the strange dream she had, of being carried by a dog and kissed by a soldier. The queen suggested, 'That’s a strange dream!' An old maid was assigned to watch the princess that night. The soldier, desperate to meet her again, waited for the dog to come. The maid, following the dog, realized where the princess was taken. The next night, she marked the door with chalk to identify the house. The dog, however, marked every door with chalk, making it impossible for the maid to find the soldier's house again. The next morning, the king, queen, and the maid went to search for the princess. They saw the first door marked with chalk and assumed it was the one. But the queen spotted another door, also marked with a cross, and soon there were many more. Realizing the difficulty, the queen made a small silk pouch, filled it with flour, and tied it to the princess's back. The dog came that night, took the princess, and carried her to the soldier's house. The queen, following the trail of flour, found the soldier's house and ordered him imprisoned. The soldier sat in a damp and dark cell, knowing that the next day he would be hanged. He realized he had forgotten the lighter at home. From his cell, he could see the people gathering outside to watch his execution. He called to a passing shoemaker's apprentice, asking him to bring the lighter for four siling. The apprentice, eager for the money, ran to fetch it and returned in time for the soldier to make his last request: to light a final pipe before his death. The king granted this, and the soldier lit the lighter three times. Instantly, the three dogs appeared, rushing to his aid. The soldier called out, 'Save me from this execution!' The dogs attacked the executioner and his assistants, sending them flying into the air. The soldiers and citizens fled in panic. The king, seeing the chaos, ordered the dogs to stop. The soldier, seizing the moment, asked for the king’s forgiveness and requested to marry the princess. The king, seeing the soldier's power, agreed, and a wedding was arranged. The soldier married the princess, and the three dogs became honored guests at the wedding feast. The celebration lasted for eight days, and the dogs kept their eyes wide open, enjoying the festivities.
The Lighter
The Lighter
Once upon a time, in a distant land, there stood an ancient castle deep in a vast, dark forest. Inside this castle lived a wicked witch who transformed into various creatures. By day, she was a harmless cat or sometimes an owl, but by night she reverted to her true form as a sinister old woman. She could command the winds, summon birds, and trap them, roasting them for her meals.
Anyone who ventured too close to her castle would suddenly freeze in place, unable to move as if turned to stone. If the traveler was a pure maiden, the witch would turn her into a bird, lock her in a cage, and add her to a collection of thousands of caged birds within the castle. The witch had nearly seven thousand cages with all kinds of rare birds.
The most beautiful girl in the village was Jorinde, who had promised to marry Joringel. They were deeply in love, and their bond grew stronger as the wedding day drew near. One day, they decided to take a stroll through the forest. As they wandered, they talked sweetly to each other, unaware that the day was passing quickly, and the fading light of dusk was all around them. The chirping of the birds echoed in the quiet forest, and their hearts were filled with a sense of longing.
Joringel warned his beloved:
– Don’t go near the castle!
Jorinde occasionally wept, sitting alone, overwhelmed by a sense of sadness as the light dimmed. Joringel shared her sorrow, and it seemed as if they were facing an inevitable farewell.
As night fell, they realized they had become lost in the deep woods. The sun had already disappeared behind the distant mountains. When Joringel looked up, he saw the ancient castle looming nearby. He was struck with fear and dizziness, almost fainting. Jorinde, however, sang a sorrowful song:
The bird with the red ring sings sweetly,Oh, what a pity, oh, what a misfortune!The dove has flown to the golden stream,Leaving its beloved behind.
To his horror, Joringel saw that Jorinde had transformed into a nightingale, singing, "Goodbye, my love!"
A large owl flew by, its eyes glowing like embers, circling the bird three times before calling out in a harsh, eerie tone.
Joringel could not move; he stood frozen, unable to speak or cry. He was as still as a statue.
As night deepened, the owl landed near a bush, and an old woman with a hunched back emerged. She was gaunt, with yellowish skin and huge red eyes. Her long, hooked nose made her look terrifying. The old woman muttered something, then walked toward the nightingale and captured it in her hands.
Joringel remained motionless, unable to speak or move.
After a while, the old woman returned and, in a hoarse voice, said:
– When the time is right, I will lock this bird in a cage, and then you will be free again.
Joringel, desperate, fell to his knees, pleading for her to release Jorinde, but the witch refused and left without a word.
He stood there, crying and lamenting, but it did no good. He cried out:
– Oh, oh, oh, what can I do now? Heaven help me!
He wandered aimlessly, traveling far from the forest. Finally, he settled in a remote village, where he tended sheep.
Though he often wandered near the castle, he never dared to approach it.
One night, as he slept, he dreamt of a bright red flower, with a large gem nestled in its petals. He picked the flower and carried it to the castle, where its magic would break the witch’s spell. In his dream, he reunited with Jorinde. The next morning, he set off to find the flower. After days of searching, on the ninth day, he finally found the flower, with a dewdrop sparkling like a gem in the center. He carried the flower with him day and night as he approached the castle.
When he touched the flower to the castle gates, they slowly creaked open. He entered, moving through the courtyard, hearing the sound of birds singing as he walked deeper into the castle. The sounds grew louder as he entered a large room, where the witch was feeding the birds. The room was filled with seven thousand birdcages. Upon seeing Joringel, the witch furiously shrieked, but she could not approach him. He paid no attention to her as he examined the cages.
There were hundreds of nightingales, but how could he find Jorinde among them?
Suddenly, he saw the witch carrying a cage, preparing to leave the room. Quick as lightning, he rushed toward her, touching the flower to the cage and to the witch herself. The witch’s magic evaporated, and Jorinde returned to her human form. They embraced passionately, just like before. Joringel touched the flower to the other cages, and the birds transformed back into beautiful young women. He took Jorinde’s hand, and together they walked out of the castle, happily returning home. From that day on, they lived together in peace, their love enduring until old age.
Jorinde and Joringel
Once upon a time, there was a wicked witch who had two daughters. She cherished her own ugly and cruel daughter, while she despised her stepdaughter, who was beautiful and kind-hearted. The stepdaughter owned a lovely apron, which the witch's daughter envied, and she insisted that her mother get it for her. The witch said:
- Don't worry, child. You will have it. She deserves to die. Tonight, when she falls asleep, I will kill her. When you go to bed, push her outside for me.
The poor stepdaughter, overhearing the entire plan while standing in the corner, quietly waited for the night. She went to bed early, waited for her wicked stepmother to fall asleep, and then pushed her out of bed, lying close to the wall herself.
Later that night, the witch sneaked into the room. She reached out with one hand to check if anyone was lying outside, then grabbed an axe with both hands and swung it, severing the head of the person lying outside. To her horror, she had killed her own daughter.
When the witch left the room, the stepdaughter got up and ran straight to her lover Roland's house, knocking on his door. She said:
- When dawn comes, the witch will realize what she's done, and we will be in danger.
Roland replied:
- I suggest you take the witch's magical staff, so she cannot use it to chase us. Only then will we have a chance to escape.
The girl took the staff and sprinkled three drops of blood: one on the floor by the bed, one in the kitchen, and one on the stairs. She immediately rushed to Roland's house. The next morning, the witch called out for her daughter to bring the apron, but she did not show up. The witch called:
- Where are you, my dear?
One drop of blood responded:
- I am here, by the stairs, mother.
The witch went to check but found no one. She called again:
- Where are you, my dear?
The third drop of blood responded:
- I am in bed, asleep.
The witch went into the room and saw what she had done—her beloved daughter was lying in a pool of blood. Furious, she ran to the window, looked far and wide, and saw her stepdaughter fleeing with Roland. She shouted:
- No matter how far you run, you will never escape me! Nothing can save you now!
The witch wore her enchanted shoes, which allowed her to travel vast distances in a single step. Soon, she caught up with the two. When the girl saw the witch approaching, she used the staff to transform Roland into a lake and herself into a duck swimming in it. The witch arrived at the lake's edge and threw food into the water to lure the duck closer, but the duck swam in circles, never coming near. By nightfall, the witch gave up and returned home.
The next morning, the girl and Roland resumed their journey, with the girl turning into a beautiful flower among thorn bushes and Roland becoming a violinist. Soon, the witch arrived and said to the musician:
- Wandering musician, may I pick that beautiful flower?
The musician responded:
- Yes, I will play music to help you pick the flower.
The witch eagerly crawled into the thorn bush to pick the flower, unaware it was the girl. But as she reached for it, the musician began to play, and the witch became entranced by the melody. She began to dance, and the more intense the music grew, the faster and wilder she danced. Her clothes were torn by thorns, her skin was scratched and bleeding, yet she could not stop dancing as long as the music played. When the music finally stopped, the witch collapsed and died.
With the witch gone, Roland and the girl were finally free. Roland said:
- I will go home and ask my father for permission to marry you.
- While you are away, I will wait here, turning into a red stone on the field, so no one will recognize me.
Roland left, and the girl waited as a red stone in the field. Back at home, Roland fell under a spell that made him forget his promise to the girl. She waited in vain, but he never returned. Heartbroken, she turned into a flower and thought:
- Someone will come and find me eventually.
One day, a shepherd boy passed by, saw the flower, and picked it. He took it home, and from that day on, every morning when he woke up, he found his house clean, with the tables set, the fire lit, and the water ready. By noon, when he returned, a delicious meal awaited him, but there was no one in the house. He couldn't figure out how it happened, as there was no place for anyone to hide in his tiny hut.
This continued every day, and the boy grew comfortable, but soon, he became scared and went to ask the wise old woman in the village. She told him:
- This is magic at work. In the early morning, watch closely. If you see anything moving in the house, let it be, but quickly cover it with a white cloth, and the magic will end.
The next morning, when the box opened, the flower emerged. The boy quickly covered it with a white cloth. Before him stood a beautiful girl. He recognized her as the one who had been caring for his home. She told him her story, and when he asked if she would marry him, she replied:
- I cannot, for my heart belongs to Roland, my true love. Though he did not return as promised, I remain loyal to him. But I will stay here and care for you.
According to local custom, all the girls in the village sang at the weddings of couples. They had to announce the wedding date to the villagers beforehand.
When the girl heard Roland was to marry someone else, she was heartbroken. She did not want to attend the wedding, but her friends insisted, and eventually, she agreed. When it was her turn to sing, she hesitated. Finally, she sang, and when Roland heard her voice, he stood up and said:
- This voice is so familiar, it is the voice of my lost love. I will marry no one else.
All of Roland's memories came flooding back, and he married the girl he had always loved. The sadness faded, replaced by the joy of their wedding day.
My Dearest Roland
8. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
It was a cold winter's day, and snowflakes fluttered through the sky like tiny feathers. A queen sat sewing by the window, framed by dark ebony wood. As she sewed, her eyes wandered to the falling snow, and she pricked her finger with the needle. Three drops of bright red blood fell onto the pure white snow. She gazed at the vivid red stain on the snow and thought to herself:
- If only I had a daughter as white as snow, with lips red as blood, and hair as black as the ebony wood of this window frame.
Some time later, the queen gave birth to a daughter with skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony, so she named her Snow White. But the queen died shortly after the birth.
After a year of mourning, the king remarried. The new queen was beautiful, but vain and proud. She had a magical mirror, and every time she stood before it, she would ask:
- Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?
The mirror would always reply:
- You, my queen, are the fairest of them all.
The queen was pleased, knowing the mirror spoke the truth.
As Snow White grew, her beauty surpassed that of the queen. When Snow White turned seven, the queen once again asked her mirror:
- Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?
The mirror answered:
- You, my queen, are the fairest of them all, but Snow White is more beautiful still.
The queen was horrified and filled with jealousy. From that moment on, she grew to hate Snow White. The envy and hatred consumed her, and she ordered a huntsman to take Snow White into the forest and kill her.
The huntsman obeyed and took Snow White into the deep forest, but when he drew his knife to kill her, Snow White begged him, pleading for her life:
- Please, dear huntsman, let me live. I will run away into the forest and never return to the palace.
Moved by her beauty and kindness, the huntsman relented:
- Run, child. You are too precious to die.
He let Snow White go and, instead of her heart, he killed a wild boar and brought its heart and liver to the queen as proof.
Meanwhile, Snow White wandered lost in the forest until she stumbled upon a small, neat cottage. Everything inside was tiny but perfect: a table set with seven little plates, each with a spoon, fork, and knife, and seven tiny glasses. There were seven little beds, each with white covers as pure as snow.
Snow White, tired and hungry, ate a little from each plate and drank a sip from each glass, not wanting to take more than her share. Exhausted, she lay on each bed to rest, but none of them were quite right until she found the seventh bed, which was just perfect. She lay down and fell fast asleep.
That evening, the seven dwarfs, who worked mining in the mountains, returned to their cottage. They noticed something had changed and went to their beds, each commenting on the differences:
- Who sat in my chair?
- Who ate from my plate?
- Who ate my bread?
- Who ate my vegetables?
- Who used my fork?
- Who used my knife?
- Who drank from my glass?
Finally, the seventh dwarf looked at his bed and saw Snow White asleep. They all marveled at her beauty and decided not to wake her. They left her to rest.
The next morning, when Snow White awoke, the dwarfs greeted her and asked who she was. She introduced herself and told them her story. The dwarfs, pitying her, offered her a place to stay in exchange for her help with the housework.
Snow White agreed, and from that day on, she lived with the seven dwarfs. They worked in the mines during the day while she kept the cottage clean and tidy. The dwarfs warned her to be careful, as the evil queen would surely find out she was alive.
Meanwhile, the queen, thinking Snow White had died, asked her magic mirror once again:
- Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?
The mirror responded:
- You, my queen, are the fairest of them all, but Snow White is still more beautiful.
Furious, the queen disguised herself as an old peddler woman and traveled to the cottage, where she offered Snow White a beautiful lace ribbon. Snow White, trusting the woman, allowed her to tie the ribbon around her neck, but it was so tight that Snow White fainted. When the dwarfs returned, they found her unconscious and cut the ribbon off, bringing her back to life.
The queen, enraged, tried again. She disguised herself as another old woman and offered Snow White a poisoned comb. This time, Snow White fell unconscious once more, but when the dwarfs found her, they took out the comb and revived her.
At last, the queen, determined to finish what she started, poisoned an apple and went to the cottage. She offered the apple to Snow White, who took a bite and immediately fell into a deep, death-like sleep. The queen returned to the palace, content that she had finally succeeded.
When the dwarfs found Snow White, they thought she was dead. They placed her in a glass coffin, and the dwarfs sat by her for days, mourning. One day, a prince from a neighboring kingdom passed by and saw Snow White in the coffin. He was so moved by her beauty that he asked the dwarfs for her body.
The dwarfs, moved by his sincerity, agreed. As the prince's men carried the coffin, one of them tripped, causing the poisoned apple to dislodge from Snow White's throat. Snow White awoke, and the prince, overjoyed, took her to his palace, where they married.
At the wedding, the wicked queen asked her mirror once again:
- Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?
This time, the mirror replied:
- You, my queen, are the fairest, but the young queen is even more beautiful.
The queen, realizing she had been defeated, went to the wedding, but when she saw Snow White, she was filled with terror. The queen was forced to wear iron shoes, heated in fire, and dance until she died as punishment for her wickedness.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
9. The Wicked Witch and the Children
Once upon a time, in a deep forest, there lived an evil witch who was known for devouring humans. Every day, she would hide and wait for anyone who ventured into the forest to hunt, gather firewood, or pick mushrooms. Any unlucky soul who wandered into her territory would be captured and eaten immediately.
One day, a group of children went into the forest to pick mushrooms, but they got lost and accidentally entered the witch's domain. The witch noticed them and began chasing after them, intending to capture them for dinner. The children, quick-thinking, climbed up the tallest tree to hide from her. Unable to climb the tree herself, the witch waited below, hoping they would come down from hunger and thirst. However, knowing that staying in the tree wasn't a long-term solution, the children devised a clever plan to outsmart the witch and escape.
Despite her best efforts, the witch was tricked by the children, who tied her to a tree with her own ropes. The children managed to escape, but the witch soon broke free and chased them again. This time, the children were caught in her net, with only one child managing to escape, hiding behind a large rock nearby. Using his wit, this child returned and freed the others. Not only did they escape, but the children succeeded in sending the wicked witch tumbling into the swift current of a river, never to be seen again.
This fairy tale teaches that with intelligence and quick thinking, one can always overcome even the most dangerous evil.
The Wicked Witch and the Children
10. The Princess Sleeping in the Forest
Once upon a time, a king and queen longed for a child but had no luck. One day, while the queen was bathing, a frog emerged from the water and spoke:
– Your wish will come true. By the end of the year, you will have a daughter.
The frog’s prophecy was accurate, and the queen gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.
The king was overjoyed and threw a grand celebration. He invited family, friends, and even the fairies, hoping they would bless his daughter.
The kingdom had thirteen fairies, but the king only had twelve golden plates, so one fairy was left uninvited. The celebration continued, and each fairy bestowed a special gift: one wished for beauty, another for grace, and another for wealth, among other things. Just as the twelfth fairy finished her blessing, the thirteenth fairy stormed in. She had not been invited to the feast, and in her anger, she declared:
– The princess will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die before her fifteenth birthday.
With that, she stormed out without another word. The twelfth fairy, though unable to undo the curse, softened it by saying:
– The princess will not die, but instead fall into a deep sleep for a hundred years.
To protect his daughter, the king ordered that all spinning wheels be destroyed in the kingdom. The princess grew up to be as beautiful, graceful, and intelligent as the fairies had foretold, loved by everyone she met.
On her fifteenth birthday, while the king and queen were away, the princess wandered the palace alone. She explored every room and finally came upon a hidden tower. She climbed a narrow staircase and discovered a locked door. Using an old rusty key, she unlocked the door and entered a small room where an old woman was spinning thread. The princess asked:
– What are you doing, dear lady?
The old woman replied, “I’m spinning flax.”
– What’s that thing spinning so quickly?
The princess reached for the spindle, and as soon as she touched it, the curse took effect. She pricked her finger and fell into a deep, eternal sleep. The entire palace fell asleep with her: the king and queen, the courtiers, the horses in the stable, the dogs in the yard, and even the flies on the walls. The fire in the kitchen went out, the roast meat stopped sizzling, and the kitchen staff froze in mid-motion. A thick hedge of thorns grew around the castle, hiding it from view. People called the princess the Sleeping Rose, and legends spread that no one could reach her, as the thorns would trap any would-be suitor.
Years passed, and eventually, a young prince arrived in the kingdom. He heard the tale of the Sleeping Rose, the princess who had been asleep for over a hundred years. The old man who told him the story warned him that many princes had tried to reach the princess but had failed. However, the prince was determined. He said:
– I am not afraid. I will find her.
The old man tried to stop him, but the prince pressed on. As he approached the thorny barrier, the vines miraculously parted, allowing him to pass. Inside the castle, everything was still. The horses, the dogs, the pigeons, and even the flies were all asleep. The prince made his way through the palace, encountering frozen staff members until he reached the princess’s chamber. There, she lay, as beautiful as ever. He kissed her gently, and at that moment, she awoke, gazing at him with affection.
They descended together, and as they did, the palace came to life. The king and queen awoke, and the courtiers, animals, and kitchen staff resumed their activities. The prince and princess were married in a grand celebration and lived happily ever after. The curse was broken, and the Sleeping Princess was finally freed from her long slumber.
The Princess Sleeping in the Forest
Buzz
