Three Dogs
Once upon a time, there lived a king who traveled extensively to various countries. During one of his journeys, he met a beautiful lady, whom he soon married and brought home. Shortly after, they had a daughter, and it was a great joy because the entire kingdom loved their king and queen. However, on the very day the child was born, a strange-looking old woman appeared at the palace and said she needed to speak with the king. When she entered the hall, she warned the king that the girl must not step outside the castle doors until she turned fifteen, or else the mountain giants would take her. The king heeded the old woman’s words and ordered that the child not be allowed to leave the palace.A little time passed, and the king and queen had a second daughter. Again, the old woman came and repeated her warning. Then a third daughter was born, and the same thing happened. The king and queen were deeply concerned, but they strictly forbade the princesses from leaving the castle under any circumstances and patiently waited for the day when their daughters would reach the right age and could safely step outside. The girls grew up beautifully, but a month before the eldest was to turn fifteen, the king had to leave for war. On that spring morning, as their father departed, the sun shone brightly, and the girls sat by the window, admiring the flowers in the garden. They so desperately wanted to go out and walk in the garden that eventually, they couldn’t resist and ran down to a small door that led outside. Of course, guards were stationed at every door in the castle, ordered not to let the princesses leave, but the girls pleaded so earnestly that the guard, who didn’t know the reason for the order, gave in and allowed them to go into the garden.
For a while, they played among the flowers, but soon a thick mist descended, enveloped them, and swept them up into the sky, carrying the princesses away to an unknown place.
Messengers were sent to all corners of the land, but they could learn nothing about the fate of the three princesses. When the king returned from the war, he was told what had happened, and he and the queen were left heartbroken in their now-empty castle, bereft of their beloved daughters.
The king proclaimed throughout the land that whoever found the princesses could marry one of them and would also receive half the kingdom as a reward. Many young men responded to the call, including two princes from neighboring countries who had heard the story. They set out well-armed and on magnificent horses, for they were wealthy and powerful, but they were also foolish and very arrogant. They boasted constantly that they would soon return with the princesses and claim their reward.
Meanwhile, in the same country, far from the capital, in a small forest hut, lived a poor woman with her son. He was a fine young man, brave and strong. All day long, he tended three pigs in the forest—their only wealth—and played beautiful tunes on a wooden flute he had crafted himself.
One day, as he sat in the forest playing his flute, an ancient old man approached him with a magnificent large dog. The young man immediately thought how wonderful it would be to have such a dog for protection and companionship, as it was lonely in the forest. The old man seemed to read his thoughts and, without a word, offered him the dog in exchange for a pig. The young man agreed at once, and the old man told him the dog’s name was Quickgrab, and if its master commanded it to grab something, the dog would do so, even if it were the largest giant.
When the young man returned home and told his mother what he had done, she flew into a rage, grabbed a stick, and began beating him, refusing to stop no matter how much he pleaded. So he called for Quickgrab, who immediately rushed in and seized her, though without hurting her. The woman had no choice but to accept the loss.
The next day, the young man went back to the forest, sat on a stump, and began playing his flute while the dog danced in the most astonishing way. Soon, the old man appeared again, this time with a new dog, and another exchange was made, as the young man thought it would be wonderful to have two dogs for protection. The second dog was named Rip, and the old man said that if commanded, it could tear even the fiercest giant to shreds. The young man’s mother was deeply displeased, but this time she didn’t dare beat him—she was too afraid of the two huge dogs!
The following day, he went to the forest as usual. Now he had only one pig left, but he had two enormous dogs that danced when he played his flute.
Once again, the old man appeared. This time, the third and final pig was exchanged for a dog. This dog was named Sharpear, for it had such keen hearing that it could hear everything happening for miles around—it could even hear the grass growing and the flowers blooming, so fine was its hearing, according to the old man.
The young man returned home quite pleased with his three dogs, and though his mother was deeply upset—understandably so, as she had lost her beloved pigs—he earnestly assured her that she had not lost out but had gained something very useful for their household.
The next day, he left very early to go hunting and returned only late in the evening, laden with game he had shot in the forest. Another day later, he told his mother that he wanted to try his luck and return rich to ensure her a peaceful old age.
He traveled a long way, and deep in the heart of a vast, dense forest, he once again encountered the old man from whom he had received the dogs.
The old man asked where he was headed, and when the young man replied that he was going to try his luck, the old man advised him to go straight until he reached the royal palace, where fortune awaited him. The young man followed the advice and cheerfully set off on the indicated path. Along the way, he paid for food and lodging by putting on performances where he played the flute and the dogs danced to his music.
Finally, he arrived in a large city, where he heard about a royal decree concerning the missing princesses, as this was the city where the palace of their father, the king, was located. He remembered what the old man had told him and headed straight to the palace, where the unhappy king and queen resided. When he demonstrated to the royal chamberlain how the dogs could dance, he was immediately allowed to perform before their majesties in the hope that it might cheer them up a little. The king was so amazed by the dog dances that he immediately asked the young man what reward he desired. But the young man replied that his only request was to be allowed to search for the princesses. The king didn’t think such a young lad had any chance of success, but he didn’t forbid him from going and said that he would not be denied the promised rewards if he brought back the three maidens.
And so, the young man set off on his journey with his three dogs, and it must be said that they proved very useful to him during this adventure. Sharp-Ear always told him what was happening for miles around, Swift-Grab carried his bundle, and when the young man grew very tired, he rode on Tearer, as Tearer was the strongest of all the dogs. One day, Sharp-Ear ran up to the young man and said that they were approaching a large mountain and that he could hear one of the princesses spinning yarn inside the mountain.
"The mountain belongs to a giant," said Sharp-Ear, "but he’s not at home right now."
When they approached the mountain, Sharp-Ear said he could hear the clatter of the giant’s horse’s golden horseshoes ten miles away.
The young man ordered the dogs to break down the door to the mountain, and inside, he saw a beautiful princess sitting and spinning golden yarn. Seeing the young man, she was very surprised, as she hadn’t seen a single living creature in the past seven years. She begged him to leave, knowing that the giant would kill him as soon as he returned. But the young man didn’t leave. When the giant returned, he flew into a rage upon seeing the door broken down and bellowed in a thunderous voice:
"Who dared to break down my door?"
"I dared," replied the young man, "and now I’ll break all your bones." After that, he set his dogs on the giant, and they tore him to pieces.
Then the young man loaded the giant’s horse with a sack of jewels, seated the princess in the saddle, and continued on his way. They traveled like this for several days, but then Sharp-Ear ran up and said they were approaching another tall mountain, and he could hear a girl spinning yarn inside. The giant wasn’t home, but he was about eight miles away. Sharp-Ear could hear the clatter of his horse’s golden horseshoes. As before, the dogs broke down the door to the mountain, and the second princess was rescued. When the giant arrived, the dogs dealt with him as quickly as they had with his brother. Then the young man seated the second princess on the golden-shod steed, and they continued their journey together. You can imagine how joyful the princesses were when they reunited after so many years of separation.
A few days later, the travelers reached the third mountain. This time, the giant was five miles away from his home. Inside the mountain sat the third beautiful princess, weaving a golden cloth. But when the third giant returned home, he did not shout or curse, for he already knew the fate of his hot-tempered brothers. Instead, he put on a show of good manners and kindly invited the young man to stay and dine with him. The young man was touched and accepted the invitation, but the princess quietly wept, and the dogs felt heavy-hearted. When the meal was finished, the young man asked if there was anything to drink.
"At the top of the hill," replied the giant, "there is a spring where pure wine flows. But I have no one to send to fetch the wine for us."
"No matter," said the young man, "I will send one of my dogs." The giant was pleased, for he very much wanted to be rid of the dogs. So, Quickpaw was given a jug and ordered to fetch the wine. Reluctantly, he set off. Time passed, but the dog did not return, and the giant suggested sending Tearer, though he was even more unwilling to leave his master alone. But he had no choice but to obey. The princess wept, and the giant rejoiced, seeing his plans coming to fruition. After some more time had passed, the giant said:
"I must say, I don't think much of your dogs. They're not very obedient, and they're probably chasing hares around the mountain by now." The young man grew angry upon hearing these words and ordered Sharpear to go immediately and bring the other dogs back. Sharpear, too, was reluctant to go, but his master insisted. And as soon as the dog reached the top of the mountain, a tall stone wall rose around him. This, it turned out, was what had happened to his companions. The giant had used his magic to trap them. And now, with the dogs gone, the giant grabbed a huge sword hanging on the wall and told the young man that it was time for him to part with his life. The young man was terrified, but he did not lose his composure.
"I have only one request," he said. "Before I die, allow me to pray and play a hymn on my wooden flute." The giant agreed, but as soon as the young man began to play, the spell was immediately broken, and the freed dogs rushed down from the mountain and tore the giant to pieces.
This time, the young man found a golden chariot that belonged to the giant, hitched horses to it, and drove the princesses back to their father's home. The princesses did not know how to thank their brave savior. He was a handsome young man, and as he drove the chariot, his dark curls fluttered in the wind. Each of the princesses took a golden ring from her finger and wove it into his hair. They were nearing the house when they were stopped by two ragged beggars who asked for help. It turned out that these were the very two princes who had once set out to search for the princesses. They had failed and looked pitiful, having spent all their money and lost their former power.
The young man took pity on them and let them into the chariot. But they were cruel and envious, and when they learned of the young man's adventures, they decided to get rid of him.
One day, while the dogs were hunting somewhere in the forest, the princes attacked the young man and strangled him before he could call for help. The vile princes threatened the princesses and forced them, under pain of death, to swear silence. Then they fled, leaving the poor young man lying on the path. The princesses returned home and grieved deeply, especially the youngest. She and the young man had fallen in love, and the girl had promised to become his wife. But soon the dogs set out to search for their master, and when they found him, they licked his wounds and lay around him, keeping him from freezing. Before long, the young man revived and was ready to continue his journey. But when he arrived at the king's palace, he found that many guests had gathered, all rejoicing and celebrating. The young man asked what the occasion was, and he was told that the elder princesses were marrying the two princes, who were boasting of their heroic deeds. But the youngest princess, he was told, was not participating in the festivities. She sat apart, weeping all the time.
The young man asked if he could entertain the guests with dog dances, and when he was brought into the hall, everyone was struck by his attractive appearance and pleasant manners. But as soon as the three princesses saw him, they leapt from their seats and rushed into the arms of their savior. At the sight of this, the deceitful princes had no choice but to flee in haste, and no one ever heard from them again. The young man could easily have proven the truth with the rings given to him by the princesses, but he did not need to, for everyone believed him anyway. He married the youngest princess, and soon husbands were found for the other two as well.
The brave young man earned great honor, and when the old king died, he was chosen to rule the kingdom. The legends say nothing of the old mother and the three dogs, but it is safe to assume that the old woman was surrounded by care and respect until the end of her days. As for the dogs, they were cherished and pampered by the entire court, and when the young king and queen had children, Quickpaw, Sharpear, and Tearer guarded them and played with them better than any nanny could!
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