The Story of Bensurdatu

Once upon a time there was a king and a queen who had three wonderfully beautiful daughters. From morning till night, their only thought was how to make the girls happy.

One day the princesses said to the king, "Dear father, we would so much like to have a picnic and eat our dinner in the country."

"Very well, dear children, let us have a picnic by all means," he answered, and gave orders to get everything ready.

When the lunch was prepared, it was put into a cart. The royal family stepped into a carriage and drove far into the countryside. After a few miles they reached a house and garden that belonged to the king. Close by was their favorite place for lunch. The drive had made them very hungry, and they ate with a hearty appetite until almost all the food was gone.

When they had finished, they said to their parents: "Now we would like to wander around the garden a little. When you want to go home, just call us." And they ran off, laughing, down a green path that led to the garden.

But no sooner had they stepped across the fence than a dark cloud came down and covered them. It prevented them from seeing where they were going.

Meanwhile, the king and queen sat lazily among the heather. An hour or two slipped away. The sun was dropping towards the horizon, and they began to think it was time to go home. So they called to their daughters and called again, but no one answered.

Frightened by the silence, they searched every corner of the garden, the house, and the nearby woods, but they could not find the girls anywhere. The earth seemed to have swallowed them up. The poor parents were in despair. The queen wept all the way home and for many days afterward. The king issued a proclamation: whoever brought back his lost daughters would marry one of them and, after the king's death, would rule the kingdom.

Now, two young generals were living at court at that time. When they heard the king's declaration, they said to each other: "Let us go search for them. Perhaps we will be the lucky ones."

So they set out, each riding a strong horse, taking with them a change of clothes and some money.

But although they asked at every village they rode through, they could hear nothing of the princesses. By and by, their money was all spent, and they had to sell their horses or give up the search. Even that money only lasted a little while longer.

Soon they had nothing but their clothes between them and starvation. They sold the spare garments that were tied to their saddles. Then they went in the clothes they were wearing to the inn to beg for food, as they were really starving.

When they had to pay for what they had eaten and drunk, they said to the innkeeper: "We have no money, only the clothes we are wearing. Take these and give us some old rags instead, and let us stay here and serve you." The innkeeper was happy with the bargain.

So the generals stayed and became his servants.

All this time, the king and queen remained in their palace, longing for their children. But not a word was heard of either them or the generals who had gone to find them.

Now, there was a faithful servant of the king's named Bensurdatu, who had served him for many years. When Bensurdatu saw how grieved the king was, he lifted up his voice and said to him: "Your majesty, let me go and seek your daughters."

"No, no, Bensurdatu," replied the king. "I have lost three daughters and two generals. Should I lose you too?"

But Bensurdatu said again: "Let me go now, your majesty. Trust me, and I will bring back your daughters."

Then the king gave in. Bensurdatu set out and rode until he came to the inn. He dismounted and asked for food. It was brought by the two generals, whom he recognized at once despite their miserable clothes. Much astonished, he asked them how they had come to be there.

They told him all their adventures. He sent for the innkeeper and said to him: "Give them back their clothes, and I will pay everything they owe you."

The innkeeper did as he was told. When the two generals were dressed in their proper clothes, they declared they would join Bensurdatu and seek the king's daughters with him.

The three companions rode on for many miles. At length they came to a wild place with no sign of a human being. It was getting dark. Fearing to be lost on this desolate spot, they pushed on their horses and at last saw a light in the window of a tiny hut.

"Who comes there?" asked a voice as they knocked at the door.

"Oh, have pity on us and give us shelter for the night," replied Bensurdatu. "We are three tired travelers who have lost our way."

Then the door was opened by a very old woman. She stepped back and beckoned them to enter. "Where do you come from, and where are you going?" she said.

"Ah, good woman, we have a heavy task before us," answered Bensurdatu. "We are bound to bring the king's daughters back to the palace."

"Oh, unhappy creatures!" she cried. "You do not know what you are doing! The king's daughters were covered by a thick cloud, and no one knows where they may be now."

"Oh, tell us if you know, good woman," begged Bensurdatu, "for with them lies all our happiness."

"Even if I told you," she answered, "you could not rescue them. To do that, you would have to go to the very bottom of a deep river. Indeed, you would find the king's daughters there, but the two eldest are guarded by two giants, and the youngest is watched by a serpent with seven heads."

The two generals, who stood listening, were filled with terror at her words and wished to return immediately. But Bensurdatu stood firm and said: "Now that we have come so far, we must see it through. Tell us where the river is, so we can get there as soon as possible." The old woman told them and gave them some cheese, wine, and bread so they would not set off starving. When they had eaten and drunk, they lay down to sleep.

The sun had only just risen above the hills the next morning when they all woke up. Taking leave of the wise woman who had helped them, they rode on until they came to the river.

"I am the eldest," said one of the generals. "It is my right to go down first."

So the others tied a rope around him, gave him a little bell, and lowered him into the water. But as soon as the river closed above his head, such dreadful rushing sounds and peals of thunder crashed around him that he lost all his courage. He rang his bell, hoping it might be heard amid all the noise. Great was his relief when the rope slowly pulled him up.

Then the other general plunged in. But he fared no better than the first and was soon back on dry ground.

"Well, you are a brave pair!" said Bensurdatu as he tied the rope around his own waist. "Let us see what will happen to me." When he heard the thunder and clamor around him, he thought to himself, "Oh, make as much noise as you like. It won't hurt me!" When his feet touched the bottom, he found himself in a large, brilliantly lit hall. In the middle sat the eldest princess, and in front of her lay a huge giant, fast asleep. As soon as she saw Bensurdatu, she nodded to him and asked with her eyes how he had come there.

In answer, he drew his sword and was about to cut off the giant's head when she stopped him quickly and made signs for him to hide, because the giant was just beginning to wake. "I smell a man's flesh!" murmured the giant, stretching his great arms.

"Why, how could any man get down here?" she replied. "You had better go back to sleep."

So the giant turned over and went to sleep. Then the princess signaled to Bensurdatu. He drew his sword and cut off the giant's head with such a blow that it flew into the corner. The princess's heart leaped with joy. She placed a golden crown on Bensurdatu's head and called him her deliverer.

"Now show me where your sisters are," he said, "so that I may free them too."

The princess opened a door and led him into another hall. There sat her next sister, guarded by a giant who was fast asleep. When the second princess saw them, she motioned for them to hide, for the giant was showing signs of waking.

"I smell man's flesh!" murmured the giant sleepily.

"Now, how could any man get down here?" she asked. "Go back to sleep." As soon as he closed his eyes, Bensurdatu crept out from his corner and struck such a blow at his head that it flew far, far away. The princess could not find words to thank Bensurdatu for what he had done. She too placed a golden crown in his hand.

"Now show me where your youngest sister is," he said, "so that I may free her too."

"Ah, that I fear you will never be able to do," they sighed, "for she is in the power of a serpent with seven heads."

"Take me to him," replied Bensurdatu. "It will be a splendid fight."

The princesses opened a door, and Bensurdatu went through into a hall that was even larger than the other two. There stood the youngest sister, chained fast to the wall. Before her was stretched a serpent with seven heads, horrible to see.

As Bensurdatu came forward, the serpent twisted all its seven heads in his direction and then made a quick dart to snatch him within its grasp. But Bensurdatu drew his sword and struck about him until the seven heads were rolling on the floor.

He threw down his sword and rushed to the princess and broke her chains. She wept for joy and embraced him. Then she took the golden crown from her head and placed it in his hand.

"Now we must go back to the upper world," said Bensurdatu. He led her to the bottom of the river. The other princesses were waiting there. He tied the rope around the eldest and rang his bell. The generals above heard and drew her up gently. Then they untied the cord and threw it back into the river. A few moments later, the second princess stood beside her sister.

Now only Bensurdatu and the youngest princess remained. "Dear Bensurdatu," she said, "do me a kindness and let them draw you up before me. I am afraid the generals will betray you."

"No, no," replied Bensurdatu. "I will certainly not leave you down here. There is nothing to fear from my comrades."

"If it is your wish, I will go up then. But first I swear that if you do not follow to marry me, I shall stay single for the rest of my life." Then he tied the rope around her, and the generals drew her up.

But instead of lowering the rope again into the river, envy at the courage and success of Bensurdatu filled the hearts of the two generals so much that they turned away and left him to perish. What is more, they threatened the princesses and forced them to promise to tell their parents that it was the two generals who had set them free. "And if they ask you about Bensurdatu, you must say you have never seen him," they added. The princesses, fearing for their lives, promised everything, and they all rode back to court together.

The king and queen were beside themselves with joy when they saw their dear children once more. When the generals had told their story and the dangers they had faced, the king declared that they had earned their reward. The two eldest princesses would become their wives.

Now we must see what poor Bensurdatu was doing.

He waited patiently for a long, long time, but the rope never came back. Then he knew he had been right—his comrades had betrayed him. "Ah, now I shall never reach the world again," he murmured. But being a brave man and knowing that moaning about his fate would not help him, he rose and began to search through the three halls, hoping to find something to help him. In the last hall stood a dish covered with food, which reminded him that he was hungry. So he sat down and ate and drank.

Months passed. One morning, as he was walking through the halls, he noticed a purse hanging on the wall that had never been there before. He took it down to examine it and nearly dropped it in surprise when a voice came from the purse saying: "What are your commands?"

"Oh, take me out of this horrible place and up into the world again!" And in a moment he was standing by the riverbank, with the purse tightly clasped in his hand.

"Now let me have the most beautiful ship that was ever built, all manned and ready for sea." And there was the ship, with a flag flying from its mast on which were the words "King with the Three Crowns." Then Bensurdatu climbed on board and sailed away to the city where the three princesses lived.

When he reached the harbor, he blew trumpets and beat drums so that everyone ran to the doors and windows. The king heard it too and saw the beautiful vessel. He said to himself: "That must indeed be a mighty monarch, for he has three crowns while I have only one." So he hurried to greet the stranger and invited him to his castle, for he thought, "This will be a fine husband for my youngest daughter." Now the youngest princess had never married and had turned a deaf ear to all her suitors.

So long a time had passed since Bensurdatu had left the palace that the king never guessed that the splendidly dressed stranger before him was the man he had deeply mourned as dead. "Noble lord," said the king, "let us feast and make merry together. Then, if it seems good to you, do me the honor of taking my youngest daughter as your wife."

And Bensurdatu was glad, and they all sat down to a great feast, and there was great rejoicing. But only the youngest princess was sad, for her thoughts were with Bensurdatu. After they rose from the table, the king said to her, "Dear child, this mighty lord does you the honor of asking for your hand."

"Oh, father," she answered, "spare me, I pray you, for I wish to remain single."

Then Bensurdatu turned to her and said: "And if I were Bensurdatu, would you give the same answer to me?"

As she stood silently gazing at him, he added: "Yes, I am Bensurdatu, and this is my story."

The king and queen were deeply moved by his account. When he had finished, the king stretched out his hand and said: "Dear Bensurdatu, my youngest daughter shall indeed be your wife. And when I die, my crown shall be yours. As for the men who betrayed you, they shall leave the country, and you shall see them no more."

And the wedding feast was ordered, and there was rejoicing for three days over the marriage of Bensurdatu and the youngest princess.