once upon a time there was a soldier who returned from a long war
he was tired and penniless but his heart was warmed by the kindness of strangers
some were poor but still gave him whatever they could
be gone nasty smelly old crone how do you know
what oh just a little rich humor
your a fine outstanding soldier
hmm and strong too
how would you like to make some money
inside that hollow tree there's a room with three doors
behind each door is a wooden box full of money
but there are all guarded by ferocious dogs
if you put my magic apron over the dog's eyes
it will sleep while you help yourself to as much money as you can carry
and what do you get out of all this old witch
oh just a dusty old tinderbox lying down there bring me it and you can keep all the money
and so with nothing to lose the soldier took the witch up on her offer and he climbed inside
and just like the witch had said there was a ferocious dog
so he did what she told him to and he took out the magic apron
delighted the soldier filled his pockets with copper coins as the dog slept
then he entered the next room
soldier tell me did you get it
give it to me not so fast what's so special about this tinderbox tell me witch or i'll cut off your head
nothing just give it to me no i think i'll keep it
he said and as she walked off she did what any witch would do and she cursed him
saying that until he replaced the greed in his heart with love he would never be free
but the soldier was rich and he didn't care about a silly old witch's curse
he was having fun
but fun only lasts for a while while he spent all his money on friends and lavish parties
he never noticed that his stock of gold coins was almost getting over
that's where the king keeps her his most precious jewel the princess a prisoner but why
a witch cursed the king for his greed and said the princess would only marry a common soldier
the king keeps her locked up hoping one day a rich prince will come along
when the soldier saw her face he immediately fell in love with her
he somehow wanted to convince the king to her hand in marriage so he came up with an idea
he took all his remaining gold and went to the goldsmith to make a gift for the king
a rich prince at last
the king sent for the prince but when the soldier came in and the king saw he was wearing
soldier's boots the king ordered him to leave
but your majesty I am no longer a soldier I am a very rich man rich you say
how rich
the king sent his accountant to check if the soldier was telling the truth
they soon realized that the soldier didn't have any coins left at all
he realized his friends weren't real friends at all especially now that he had no money
and because he was poor the king wouldn't let him marry the princess
what was he to do
of course the old witch the tree the money
he was deflated with just one coin left the soldier didn't have enough
he didn't have any money for his next meal either
he suddenly remembered the old tinderbox and fetched it
as soon as he struck the tinderbox a ferocious dog appeared
yes it was the same one that he saw inside the hollow tree
money bring me money lots of it
haven't you learned nothing from what that witch taught you
you speak why didn't you speak before
I didn't get the chance you sent me to sleep with that stupid apron
oh sorry about that tell me soldier did the money really bring you happiness
then ask yourself what is it your heart truly desires
a princess everyone wants a princess
it's never a dog is it
the dog vanished in a flash of light a moment later it reappeared with the sleeping princess on its back
the soldier was stunned he reached out to touch her
the soldier didn't realize it but something had replaced the greed in his heart it was love
the next morning the dog took the princess onto his back and took her back to the palace
is something wrong child
last night I had the strangest dream I rode on a dog's back it took me to a house where a handsome soldier lived
he told me he loved me more than anything in the world
the king told the queen to stay awake all night to keep watch over the princess
the queen had an idea she filled a small silk bag with buckwheat flour
and sewed it to the back of the princess's night dress that night when the dog carried the princess
on his back he was unaware of the flower trickling out of the bag leaving a small trail behind them
if i could have one wish it would be to marry you and make you happy forever i know now
that true love is more precious than all the money in the world
the king queen and the guards followed the trail of flower to the soldier's house
the soldier was told he was being arrested for kidnapping the princess
and that he would be executed the following day
he thought about the poor people who gave him their last
boy wait how would you like to earn some money
he told the boy if he ran as fast as the wind and fetched the tinderbox from his home
he would give him his very last gold coin
any last request soldier the soldier had a plan he asked the king for a pipe to smoke
the soldier told the king he had been cursed by the witch too but the curse was now lifted
because he had replaced the greed in his heart with true love love was more important than money ridiculous
the soldier said he would give the king the tinderbox
in return for the princess's hand in marriage
where are we going my love how will we live the soldier didn't know neither did he care
because what was important was the love they had in their hearts for each other
and that was something all the money in the world couldn't buy