Hungarian Folk Tales: Brave Prince Nick
Once upon a time in a land far away there was a king.
And the king had three daughters.
Every morning he took a walk in the forest with his daughters,
until one morning when a large, black cloud appeared in the sky.
King, you must give me your eldest daughter or else I will snatch the Sun from the sky!
Then the king said:
If you are a good spirit come down, if you are a bad spirit go away!
So off the cloud went and it took the Sun with it.
The next morning they went for a walk again and the black cloud appeared again.
King, give me your middle daughter or else I will take the Moon from the sky!
The king did not do as the cloud demanded and so it took the Moon.
On the third day the cloud appeared again:
King, give me your youngest daughter or else I will steal all the stars!
The king did not obey and so it stole the stars.
The world was ruled by darkness.
One day Prince Nick went down to the courtyard for water with his younger brother.
Brother, I would bring back the Sun, the Moon and all the stars
if the king would give me half of his kingdom and his youngest daughter's hand in marriage.
The king heard what the prince said and he sent for him, saying:
Look, my boy, if you do not do as you suggested I shall have you executed.
Give me a good sword, your majesty and I shall set forth.
And off he went through seven lands.
Eventually he came to a silver forest and there he found a silver bridge.
He strucked the bridge and a plank came loose.
Then a dragon rode upon a horse and the horse stumbled.
The dragon said:
May dogs drink your blood, I have crossed this bridge for three years but my horse has never stumbled.
What happened?
Fire for me, water for you, both of us must perish!
The dragon climbed down from his horse and said:
Prince Nick, come out from your hiding place under the bridge!
I have known you since you are no bigger than a seed, that I would have to do battle with you.
How shall we fight? Wrestling, sticks or swords?
Wrestling is for dogs, sticks of a swineherds, swords are for heroe.
And they began to fight.
They fought and fought until Prince Nick cut off two of the dragon's heads.
Prince Nick, spare my last head and I will return all the stars to you.
Where are they?
There, under my saddle, take them.
Prince Nick took the stars from under the saddle,
chopped the dragon's last head off and walked away.
He soon reached a golden forest.
There he went up to a golden bridge.
He stroked the bridge with his sword.
Two planks broke off and he hid himself under the bridge.
The seven headed dragon appeared and his horse stumbled.
I have crossed this bridge for seven years but my horse has never stumbled.
Why does it do it now?
Fire for me, water for you, both of us must perish!
Prince Nick, come out from your hiding place under the bridge!
I have known since you were no bigger than a seed that I would have to do battle with you.
How shall we fight? Wrestling, sticks or swords?
Wrestling is for dogs, sticks of a swineherds, swords are for heroes.
They fought and fought until at last Prince Nick cut off six of the dragon's heads.
Prince Nick, spare my last head and I will return you the Moon!
It is under my saddle.
Prince Nick took the Moon out and put it with the stars.
And then he chopped off the dragon's last head.
He walked and walked and soon Prince Nick arrived at the diamond forest.
He went to the diamond bridge and struck it with his sword.
Three planks broke off and he hid himself.
A dragon appeared with twelve heads and its horse stumbled on the bridge.
What happened?
I have never stumbled in all twelve years.
Fire for me, water for you, both of us must perish!
I have known since you were no bigger than a seed, that I would have to do battle with you.
How shall we fight? Wrestling, sticks or swords?
Wrestling is for dogs, sticks of a swineherd, swords are for heroes.
They fought and fought until Prince Nick cut off eleven of the dragon's heads.
Prince Nick, spare me my last head and I shall give you the Sun!
It is there, under my saddle.
The dragon had a horse with only three legs,
but that horse could run faster than any horse with four.
Prince Nick put the stars and the Moon under the saddle,
mounted the horse with three legs,
chopped the dragons last head off and rode away.
As he was riding out to the forest, a little man spoke to him from the top of a tree.
Prince Nick, do you really think that the Sun, the Moon and the stars are yours to keep?
Of course, who else should have them?
Me!
Prince Nick climbed the tree to do battle with a little man.
While he was climbing, the little man jumped down into the saddle of the horse with three legs,
and he rode off.
Prince Nick climbed down and followed him.
And as he was walking, he met a man. The man was crying.
Why are you crying?
I'm crying because if I open my eyes I can see through the world but see no further.
Come with me, and you will be able to use your eyes again.
They walked on and met another man who sat crying.
Why are you crying?
I'm crying because if I take one step I will step over the world, but then can step no further.
Come with us and you will be able to step again.
As they walked they reached a house where the little man lived.
But he was not at home.
Then Prince Nick said to the first man:
Have a good look around and try to find the little man with a long beard.
I can see him.
He is sitting on top of a willow tree in the middle of the sea.
Catch the little man for me – he told the second man.
And the second man took one step, caught the little man and took him to Prince Nick by his beard.
Then Prince Nick took the Sun, the Moon and the stars away from him.
He let the stars fly up into the sky, and they lit his way home.
And as he journeyed, he let the Moon go too.
And as he grew close to home, he released the Sun,
so that he would arrive back in the bright daylight.
When the three young men arrived home the king gave them his daughters
and he granted Prince Nick half his kingdom.
They had a wonderful wedding and they all lived happily ever after.