The Unlooked for Prince

Once upon a time, a king and queen wished very much for a little son, but they had no children. They tried to hide their sadness and pretended to enjoy hunting and hawking, but at last the king could bear it no longer. He declared he must travel to the farthest corners of his kingdom and would not return for many months. Perhaps then he would have so many things to think about that he would forget about the son who never came.

The kingdom was very large, full of high, stony mountains and sandy deserts. One day the king wandered out alone, meaning to go only a little way, but everything looked alike and he lost his way. He walked for hours, the sun beating hot on his head and his legs trembling under him. He might have died of thirst if he had not stumbled upon a little well that looked newly dug. On the surface floated a silver cup with a golden handle, but it bobbed about whenever he tried to seize it. Too thirsty to wait, he knelt down and drank his fill.

When he finished, he tried to rise, but his beard seemed stuck fast in the water. No matter how he pulled, he could not free it. After a few painful jerks, he called out angrily, "Let go at once! Who is holding me?"

"It is I, King Kostiei," said a voice from the well. Looking up through the water, the king saw a little man with green eyes and a big head. "You have drunk from my spring, and I will not let you go until you promise to give me the most precious thing your palace contains that was not there when you left."

The only thing the king cared for in his palace was the queen herself, and she was weeping bitterly on a pile of cushions when he rode away, so he knew Kostiei's words could not apply to her. He cheerfully gave the promise, and in an instant, man, spring, and cup disappeared. The king knelt on dry sand, wondering if it was all a dream. But feeling stronger, he decided it had happened and rode off lightly to find his companions.

After some weeks, they began the journey home. They arrived one hot day, eight months after leaving. The king was greatly loved, and crowds lined the roads, cheering. On the palace steps stood the queen, holding a golden cushion, and on it lay the most beautiful baby boy ever seen, wrapped in lace.

Suddenly Kostiei's words rushed into the king's mind, and he wept bitterly. Everyone was surprised, for they expected him to be overjoyed. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not forget his promise.

Every time he let the baby out of his sight, he thought he had seen him for the last time.

Years passed, and the prince grew into a fine young man. Kostiei made no sign, and gradually the king thought less and less about him, until he forgot him altogether. No family in the kingdom was happier than the king, queen, and prince. But one day, while hunting in a lonely part of the woods, the prince met a little old man. "How are you, my unlooked-for Prince?" he said. "You kept them waiting a long time!"

"And who are you?" asked the prince.

"You will know soon enough. When you go home, give my compliments to your father and tell him I wish he would settle his debt with me. If he neglects to pay, he will bitterly regret it." So saying, the old man disappeared. The prince returned to the palace and told his father what had happened.

The king turned pale and told his son the terrible story. "Do not grieve, father," said the prince. "It is not so dreadful! I will find a way to make Kostiei give up his rights over me. But if I do not come back in a year, you must give up all hope of seeing me."

Then the prince prepared for his journey. His father gave him a suit of steel armor, a sword, and a horse. His mother hung a gold cross around his neck. They kissed him tenderly, shedding many tears, and let him go.

He rode steadily for three days. At sunset on the fourth day, he found himself on the seashore. On the sand before him lay twelve white dresses, dazzling as snow, but as far as he could see, there was no one around.

Curious, he took one of the dresses, left his horse to wander in the fields, and hid among some willows to wait. In a few minutes, a flock of geese that had been paddling in the sea came to the shore.

They put on the dresses, struck the sand with their feet, and in an instant turned into eleven beautiful young girls, who flew away as fast as they could. The twelfth and youngest remained in the water, stretching her long white neck and looking about anxiously.

Then she saw the king's son among the willows and called out with a human voice: "O Prince, give me back my dress, and I will be forever grateful."

The prince quickly laid the dress on the sand and walked away. When the maiden had thrown off the goose-skin and put on her proper clothes, she came toward him. She was more beautiful than anyone had ever seen.

She blushed, held out her hand, and said softly, "I thank you, noble Prince, for granting my request. I am the youngest daughter of Kostiei the Immortal, who has twelve daughters and rules the kingdoms under the earth. My father has waited for you a long time, and his anger is great.

But do not worry, and fear nothing. Only do as I say. When you see King Kostiei, fall on your knees at once and pay no attention to his threats or cries. Draw near to him boldly. What happens next, you will know in time. Now let us go."

At these words, she struck the ground with her foot, and a gulf opened. They went down into the heart of the earth. Soon they reached Kostiei's palace, which gave a light brighter than the sun to the dark kingdoms below. The prince, as bidden, entered boldly into the hall.

Kostiei sat on a golden throne in the center, a shining crown on his head. His green eyes glittered like glass, his hands were like crab claws. When he saw the prince, he let out piercing yells that shook the walls. The prince paid no attention but continued advancing on his knees toward the throne. When he was almost there, the king burst out laughing and said, "You have been lucky enough to make me laugh. Stay with us in our underground empire, but first you must do three tasks. Tonight it is late. Go to sleep; tomorrow I will tell you."

Early the next morning, the prince received a message that Kostiei was ready to see him. He dressed and hurried to the throne room. When he bowed low, Kostiei said, "Now, Prince, this is what you must do. By tonight, you must build me a marble palace, with crystal windows and a golden roof. It is to stand in the middle of a great park with streams and lakes. If you can build it, you shall be my friend. If not, off with your head."

The prince listened in silence, then returned to his room to think about the certain death that awaited him. Suddenly a bee flew against the window and tapped, saying, "Let me in." He opened the window, and there stood the youngest princess. "What are you dreaming about, Prince?"

"I was thinking of your father, who plans my death."

"Fear nothing. You may sleep in peace. Tomorrow morning when you wake, you will find the palace ready."

What she said, she did. The next morning, when the prince left his room, he saw a palace more beautiful than he had ever imagined. Kostiei could hardly believe his eyes and wondered how it had appeared. "Well, this time you have won," he said, "but you will not escape so easily. Tomorrow all twelve of my daughters will stand in a row before you. If you cannot tell me which is the youngest, off goes your head."

"What! Not recognize the youngest princess?" said the prince to himself. "That seems unlikely!"

"It is so difficult that you will never do it without my help," replied the bee, buzzing about the ceiling. "We are all so alike that even our father can hardly tell us apart."

"Then what must I do?"

"This: the youngest will have a ladybird on her eyelid. Be very careful. Now goodbye."

Next morning, King Kostiei sent for the prince again. The young princesses stood in a row, dressed exactly alike, with eyes cast down. The prince looked at them, amazed at their likeness. Twice he walked along the line without seeing the sign. The third time, his heart beat fast at the sight of a tiny speck on the eyelid of one girl. "This one is the youngest," he said.

"How did you guess?" cried Kostiei in fury. "There is some trickery! But you will not escape me so easily. In three hours, you shall come here and give me another proof of your cleverness. I will light a handful of straw, and before it burns up, you must turn it into a pair of boots. If not, off goes your head."

So the prince returned sadly to his room, but the bee was there before him. "Why do you look so melancholy, my handsome Prince?"

"How can I help it when your father orders me to make him boots? Does he take me for a shoemaker?"

"What do you plan to do?"

"Not make boots, at any rate! I am not afraid of death. One can only die once."

"No, Prince, you shall not die. I will try to save you. We will fly together or die together." As she spoke, she spat on the ground, then drew the prince out of the room, locked the door behind her, and threw away the key.

Holding each other tightly by the hand, they made their way up into the sunlight. They found themselves by the same sea, and the prince's horse was still grazing in the meadow. When he saw his master, the horse whinnied and galloped over.

Without a moment's delay, the prince sprang into the saddle, swung the princess behind him, and away they went like an arrow from a bow.

When the hour came for the prince's last trial and there was no sign of him, the king sent servants to his room. Finding the door locked, they knocked loudly and heard, "In a moment." It was the spittle, imitating the prince's voice. The servants reported back.

Kostiei waited, but no prince came. He sent them again, and the same voice said, "Immediately." "He is making fun of me!" shrieked Kostiei. "Break down the door and bring him to me!" The servants obeyed. The door was broken open. Nobody inside—only the spittle laughing.

Kostiei was beside himself with rage and commanded his guards to ride after the fugitives. If they returned without them, their heads should pay the price.

By this time, the prince and princess had a good start and were feeling happy, when suddenly they heard the sound of galloping far behind. The prince sprang from the saddle and laid his ear to the ground. "They are pursuing us," he said. "Then no time to lose," answered the princess.

She changed herself into a river, the prince into a bridge, and the horse into a crow, and divided the wide road beyond the bridge into three little paths. When the soldiers reached the bridge, they paused, uncertain which road the fugitives had taken. They gave up and returned trembling to Kostiei.

"Idiots!" he shouted. "They were the bridge and the river! Go back at once!" They galloped off like lightning.

But time had been lost, and the prince and princess were far ahead. "I hear a horse," cried the princess. The prince jumped down and listened. "Yes, they are near." In an instant, prince, princess, and horse disappeared, and instead stood a dense forest with countless crossing paths.

Kostiei's soldiers dashed into the forest, believing they saw the flying horse ahead. They seemed close, when suddenly horse, wood, everything vanished, and they found themselves back where they started. They returned to Kostiei and told him of this fresh disaster. "A horse! A horse!" cried the king.

"I will go after them myself! This time they shall not escape!" He galloped off, foaming with anger.

"I think I hear someone pursuing us," said the princess. "Yes, so do I." "And this time it is Kostiei himself. But his power only reaches as far as the first church, and he can go no farther.

Give me your golden cross." The prince unfastened the cross his mother had given him. The princess changed herself into a church, the prince into a priest, and the horse into a belfry. Hardly had they done this when Kostiei arrived. "Greetings, monk.

Have you seen travelers on horseback pass this way?" "Yes, the prince and Kostiei's daughter just went by. They entered the church and told me to give you their greetings if I met you." Then Kostiei knew he had been beaten. The prince and princess continued their journey without any more adventures.