Barbover the Green Beard, or The Tale of the Prince Who Lost His Head

Here’s a tale where there’s no lie, or if there is, just a word or two.

Once upon a time, there lived a king in France who had only one son, named Charles. This king’s brother was the King of England, and he also had only one son. One day, Charles said to his father:
"Father, you should write to my uncle, the King of England, and ask him to let my cousin come visit us at court. I want to meet him—we’ve never seen each other before."

The French king wrote to his brother, the English king, asking him to send his son to Paris for a visit.
And so, the English prince, named Henry, arrived in Paris with his tutor.
The young princes soon became very close friends and were inseparable.

One day, they went hunting together in a large forest near Paris, accompanied by only two servants. Charles became engrossed in chasing a wild boar. His companions fell behind, he lost sight of them, and soon found himself lost.

Evening fell, and after wandering through the forest for a long time, Charles had to seek shelter at an inn he eventually stumbled upon. It was late, and the prince was hungry, so he ate everything the innkeepers had without hesitation. There was another guest at the inn who had arrived shortly before Charles, and the two dined together at the same table. They began to talk, but neither revealed their name.

After dinner, the stranger suggested they play cards. Charles agreed, and his luck was so bad that he lost all his money down to the last penny, and then even his horse.
"I won’t play anymore," he finally said.
"Let’s play one more round," his partner suggested.
"I have nothing left to bet. What will you play for?"
"Your head against mine."
"Very well, I agree." And he thought to himself, "Surely I’ll win at least once."

The cards were dealt. Alas! The prince lost again.
"In a year and a day," the stranger said, "come to my castle to settle your debt. If you don’t come, I’ll find you wherever you are."
"But what is your name, and where do you live?"
"My name is Barbover the Green-Bearded. And the castle where I live is one you’ll have to search for and find yourself, or else I’ll come looking for you."

The next morning, at sunrise, the prince was shown the way and returned home gloomy and pensive. He left the slain boar with the innkeeper as payment for his stay, as he had no money left. At home, he found everyone in inconsolable grief. But when they saw him, their sorrow and tears turned to joy.
However, from that day on, the prince’s former cheerfulness and carefree spirit never returned. Nothing amused him anymore; he seemed ill and wasted away before their eyes. The doctors could not find a cure for his ailment, and the prince’s parents and the entire court were deeply troubled by his prolonged illness.

Ten months passed, and finally Charles said to his father:
"Father, I must go on a journey, and a dangerous one at that. I don’t know if I’ll return, so let us say our goodbyes, just in case."

And so he left, despite his father’s pleas and tears, without even saying where or why he was going. He rode aimlessly, yet somehow knowing which road to take. After several days, he found himself in the very forest where he had gotten lost during the hunt. Night fell, and he knocked on the door of a humble hut, noticing a light in the window. An old man with a white beard opened the door.
"Greetings, Father Hermit," said the prince.
"Greetings, my son. What are you seeking in the forest?"
"I need to reach Barbover’s castle, but I don’t know where it is or which road to take."
"I know where the castle is. But there’s no need to rush. Stay with me for a few days, and when the time comes, I’ll tell you how to find it."

The prince spent eight days with the hermit, and on the ninth day, the old man said to him:
"My son, the time has come for you to keep your word and go to Barbover. Listen to me carefully. Do exactly as I say, and you’ll find a way out of this trouble. Here’s a little ball that will roll ahead of you. Just follow it, and it will lead you to the foot of a mountain. At the top of that mountain stands Barbover’s castle. Once it reaches that spot, the ball will return to me. The base of the mountain is surrounded by thickets of thorns and brambles, so dense and impenetrable that you won’t be able to pass through them. Take these scissors—they’ll cut a path for you. When you no longer need them, just say, ‘Scissors, return home,’ and they’ll come back to me. Then climb the mountain. When you reach the top, you’ll see a wide plain covered in fragrant flowers. In the middle of the plain is a pond, its water clear and bright, with a silver-lined bottom. By the pond, there are three beautiful golden benches. Hide behind a laurel bush and wait until three beautiful princesses appear. They’ll sit on the golden benches, undress, and step into the water. These girls are sky-maidens. Quickly jump onto the back of the youngest one. She’ll rise into the air with you and carry you to her father Barbover’s castle. Do everything as I’ve told you, and you’ll return home. But if you disobey me, you’ll never see your home again."

Charles thanked the old hermit, promised to remember all his instructions, and set off, following the little ball that rolled ahead of him.

He arrived at the foot of the mountain, released the ball, and it rolled back to the hermit. Then the prince used the scissors to cut a path through the thorns and brambles, and the scissors, like the ball, returned to the old man.

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Let me know if you'd like me to continue or adjust anything!
And the prince began to climb the mountain. He reached the summit—and saw a garden full of wondrous, fragrant flowers and trees bending under the weight of fruit. He also found a pond lined with silver and three golden benches by the water's edge.

The day was beautiful, with the sun shining in the clear sky. The prince hid behind a laurel bush and soon saw three large birds descending from above on broad wings. As soon as they touched the ground, their feathers fell away, and the birds transformed into three maidens of astonishing beauty. They sat on the golden benches, lingered for a moment, and then stepped into the water. Charles instantly sprang from his hiding place, ran to the youngest maiden, and jumped onto her shoulders. She let out a cry, stepped out of the water, threw on her feathers, and rose into the air with Charles. The other two maidens followed her. They flew to their father's castle, which hung between heaven and earth. Barbover recognized the prince and said:
"Ah, it's you, the son of the French king? Have you come to pay your debt?"
"Yes," replied the prince. "The time has come, hasn't it?"
"And it's good that you came, because if I had to search for you myself, you would regret it. Follow me."
"Wait until tomorrow, Father," said Barbover's youngest daughter.
"Very well, we'll wait until tomorrow, since he came of his own accord."

Barbover's youngest daughter was named Quantique. Charles told her why he had come, and Quantique promised to help him. When he retired to his room after dinner, she followed him and said:
"Prince, I pity you. Still, if my father agreed to delay the reckoning until tomorrow, there is still hope for salvation. Tomorrow morning, he will tell you what trials he wants to put you through. Whatever he demands of you, do not lose heart—I will help you. Do not be surprised if I speak harshly to you or even strike you at times. Remember, it is for your own good."

The next day, Barbover said to his youngest daughter:
"Hey, Quantique, prepare breakfast for this young man; it's time for him to get to work."
"Me?" retorted Quantique. "We have servants for that, Father!"
"No, you will prepare his breakfast yourself. That is my wish."
And Quantique prepared breakfast, pretending to do so reluctantly.
When Charles had eaten, he was handed a wooden axe and ordered to clear a large forest completely by sunset.

With the axe on his shoulder, the prince set off for the forest, but when he saw the task ahead, he sat under a tree and wept, repeating, "I am lost now!"

At noon, Barbover ordered Quantique to bring the prince his lunch. She went to the forest and found Charles still sitting under the tree, weeping.
"Is this how you plan to finish the task?" she asked.
"Why even try?" replied the prince. "It would be better to kill me outright than to torment me like this."
"Give me the axe; I'll show you how to chop trees."
She took the wooden axe, struck the trunk of the nearest tree, and the tree fell onto the next one, the second onto the third, the third onto the fourth—and within an hour, the entire forest lay on the ground.
"Today's lesson is done," said Quantique. "Trust me, Prince; do not lose heart so easily."

And she left.
At sunset, Charles also returned to the palace. He walked back whistling, with the axe on his shoulder.
"Well, is the task done?" asked Barbover, waiting for him at the threshold.
"It is done," Charles replied calmly.
"You cleared the entire forest?"
"I cleared the entire forest. Not a single tree remains."
"You've ruined me! Such a beautiful forest!"
"I only did as you commanded."
"What does this mean?" Barbover wondered to himself.

The next morning, he led Charles to the foot of a tall mountain, gave him a wooden spade, and ordered him to level the mountain by evening, leaving only a flat plain in its place.
Left alone, the prince sat under a tree, lit his pipe, and began to smoke, glancing at the mountain and anxiously wondering if Quantique would come to his aid again today.

At noon, Quantique brought him his lunch once more.
"Do you think you'll level the mountain this way?" she asked.
"But you know yourself," Charles replied, "that I could never do this, even if I worked for a century."
Quantique took the wooden spade, struck the mountain, and said:
— Mountain, disappear!
And the mountain vanished, replaced by a smooth, wide plain.
At sunset, the prince returned to the castle, whistling carelessly.
— Is the task completed? — asked Barbover.
— It is.
— Impossible!
— Climb the castle tower and see for yourself.
Barbover climbed the tower and, to his astonishment, saw that the mountain was gone.

“What does this mean?” he thought to himself. “Well, no matter. Tomorrow I’ll come up with a task he won’t handle so easily.”
Charles had dinner and went upstairs to his room. Quantik secretly came to him and said:
— So far, we’ve managed to get out of trouble quite easily. Tomorrow will be harder. But no matter what, listen to me in everything and rely on me.

The next morning, Barbover announced to Charles that he must find and retrieve a large ship’s anchor from the seabed, the very anchor that Barbover’s grandfather had sailed with. This anchor had been lying at the bottom of the sea for over a hundred years.
The prince now listened to whatever was commanded of him without the fear he once had. He went to the seashore, sat on a rock, and calmly lit his pipe.

At noon, Quantik came again and said:
— Now you must cut off my head and throw it into the sea. Dig a hole in the sand and collect all the blood that flows from my body. But be careful not to fall asleep. If you do, it will be the end for both of us, and nothing will save us. Here’s a knife: cut calmly, let your hand not tremble.

Charles took the knife that Quantik handed him and, without flinching, cut through the neck of the sorcerer’s daughter. He threw the head into the sea and collected the blood from the wound in a hole he had dug in the sand.
Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming desire to sleep and was about to give in when Quantik’s head emerged from the water. Behind it floated the anchor.
— You almost fell asleep, poor friend, — she said. — Quickly, take my head and place it back on my body; it will reattach itself.
Charles picked up the head, placed it back, and in that same moment, Quantik stood before him, just as she had been before.
— Now let’s hurry home, — she said, — because I’ve grown very weak from the loss of blood. Luckily, you no longer need to fear my father; our trials are over. Tomorrow he will offer you the choice to marry any one of us three. You must say you want me, Quantik. Then my sisters will cry, “No, father, we don’t agree! We will all turn into mice, and let us be placed in a sack. The prince will reach in, and whichever one he pulls out will be his wife.” — “Very well, let it be so,” my father will say. When you reach into the sack, two mice will immediately dart toward you. But do not pull out either of them, for they will be my sisters. I will hide at the bottom of the sack, and you will easily recognize me.

They returned to the castle, and Quantik went to bed. When Barbover saw that Charles had emerged from this trial with honor, he said:
— Well, prince, there is no one like you in the world, and I wish to take you as my son-in-law. I have three daughters; which one will you choose?
— Quantik, — Charles replied without hesitation.
— No, a prince should not choose like that! — both elder sisters immediately cried. — We will all turn into mice and be placed in a sack. Whichever one the prince pulls out will be his wife.
— Very well, let it be done so that you are not offended, — said Barbover.
And so, the three princesses were placed in a sack. Charles reached in, and two mice immediately rushed toward him. But he pushed them aside and began to search the bottom of the sack for the third, who sat quietly, unmoving. He pulled her out and showed her to Barbover:
— I want this one!
And the mouse instantly transformed into a beautiful girl. It was Quantik.

They were married, and a grand feast was held in the castle in their honor.
That night, when the newlyweds entered their bedroom to retire, Quantik deliberately threw a candlestick onto the bed prepared for them. In that same moment, the bed fell through a chasm that opened beneath it, landing on a wheel studded with razor-sharp knives, and shattered into tiny pieces. This was a trap prepared for the newlyweds by Quantik’s sisters, who were also sorceresses like her, but they narrowly escaped it.

Charles and his wife set off for Paris in a beautiful golden carriage that soared through the air. Flying over the forest where an old hermit lived, they descended and spent the day with him. The hermit baptized the young sorceress.
Upon arriving in Paris, they found the old king gravely ill and near death. But when the king saw his son, whom he had thought lost forever, and his beautiful wife, his health was immediately restored.

And so began a series of lavish celebrations and feasts, where even the poor were not forgotten—unlike in our times!

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Barbover the Green Beard, or The Tale of the Prince Who Lost His Head

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