Princess Thronkolen

This was in those years
When roosters grew horns.

Once upon a time, there lived an old charcoal burner. He had already celebrated twenty-five christenings in his life, but for his twenty-sixth child, he could not find a godfather. He did, however, find a godmother. When he went out to search for a godfather, he encountered a luxurious carriage in which the king himself was seated. The charcoal burner took off his hat and fell to his knees in the middle of the road. The king saw him, stepped out of his carriage, and gave him a gold coin.

"Forgive me, Your Grace," said the charcoal burner to the king, "but I am not seeking alms. I am looking for a godfather for my newborn child. I cannot find one."

"Why is that?" asked the king.

"Well, Your Grace, I have already celebrated twenty-five christenings, and all my neighbors have already been godfathers to my children. But I did find a godmother!"

"Well then," said the king, "return home, bring the child and the godmother to the church, and I will be the godfather."

The old charcoal burner returned to his hut, beaming with happiness.

They informed the godmother, took the child, and went to the church. The king was already waiting for them there.

When the christening was over, the godfather gave the father a thousand écus for the upbringing and education of his godson. He also gave him half of a castle, which the child was to return when he turned eighteen. Then the king departed.

The child was named Charles.

When Charles turned seven, he was sent to school, where he learned everything he desired. As soon as he reached eighteen, his father handed him the half of the castle and told him to go to Paris, to the court of the French king, his godfather. The young man rode off on a magnificent horse, with the half of the castle in his pocket. He was a sight to behold! On a narrow, well-trodden path, he met a little old woman, who told him that a little further ahead, by a spring, he would see a man who would offer him a drink.

"But follow your path, my boy, and do not drink, no matter how much he begs you."

"Very well, grandmother, I will not drink from that spring," said Charles.

When he approached the spring, he saw a traveler sitting in the shade, as if resting. The traveler said to him:

"Handsome young man, try this water."

"Thank you, but I am not thirsty," replied Charles.

"Just take a sip. You have never tasted such delicious water in your life!"

He insisted so much that Charles approached him to taste the water. But as he knelt down to drink from the spring, the traveler pulled the half of the castle from Charles's pocket, jumped onto the horse, and sped away like an arrow. Charles ran after him, but to no avail! He could not catch up and soon lost sight of both the stranger and the horse.

"Woe is me," he thought. "I did not heed the old woman's advice. What shall I do now? No matter, I will walk. Sooner or later, I will reach Paris, and then we shall see."

And he set off down the road.

When the thief whom Charles had met at the spring arrived in Paris, he immediately demanded to be admitted to the king and showed him the half of the castle. The two halves were joined, and it was clear that they matched perfectly. And so, the scoundrel became a welcome guest at court, and the king accepted him as his godson. The thief spent his days eating, drinking, feasting, and carousing.

Not long after, Charles arrived there as well. He was taken into the palace as a shepherd. The false godson saw Charles, became frightened, and began to devise ways to get rid of him and destroy him. One day he said to the king:

"If only you knew, godfather, what the shepherd said!"

"What did he say?" asked the king.

"What did he say? He said that he could go to the Sun and ask it why it is so red in the morning when it rises."

"Well, that cannot be! He must have lost his mind!"

"Upon my word, godfather, he said it, and I think it would not be amiss to send him there."

And so, the shepherd was summoned to the king:

"Is it true, young shepherd, that you said you could go to the Sun and ask it why it is so red in the morning when it rises?"

"Did I say that, Your Majesty? How could I say such a thing!"

"You said it, so my godson claims. You must fulfill what you boasted of, or else you will die! Set off tomorrow morning."

Poor Charles was at a loss, believe me. He did not sleep a wink all night.

The next morning, before setting off, he crossed himself and said, "With God's help!"

He headed east. Soon he met an old man with a white beard, who asked him:

"Where are you headed, my boy, and why are you so sad?"

"Truly, grandfather, I do not know where I am headed, and I am sad for good reason. The king has ordered me to ask the Sun why it is so red in the morning when it rises."

"Do not worry, my boy. Do as I tell you, and you will succeed. Here is a wooden horse. Mount it, and it will carry you to the land of the rising Sun. You will find yourself at the foot of a high mountain. Dismount and leave the horse at the foot, then climb to the summit. There you will see a beautiful castle—the castle of the Sun. All you need to do is enter and fulfill your task."

"Thank you, grandfather."

Charles mounted the wooden horse, and it soared into the air. Soon they arrived at the foot of a high mountain.
Charles climbed to the summit alone. There, he saw the Palace of the Sun, entered without hindrance, and asked:

"Is the Sun at home?"

"No," replied an old woman, likely the Sun's mother. "What do you need from him?"

"I need to speak with him, grandmother!"

"Well, if you can wait a little, the Sun will return soon. But, my poor boy, my son will be very hungry when he arrives and will want to eat you. Still, stay; I like your face, and I won't let him harm you."

Soon, the Sun arrived and shouted:

"I'm hungry, Mother, I'm starving!"

"Alright, sit down, my son, I'll feed you right away," said the old woman.

"Mother, I smell a human, and I want to eat him!" the Sun cried again.

"Well, if you think I'll let you eat this boy, you're very mistaken. Look how handsome he is!"

"What do you want here?" the Sun asked Charles.

"I was sent to you, gracious Sun, to ask why you are so red in the morning when you rise?"

"Very well, I won't harm you because I like your face, and I'll even tell you what you want to know. In a nearby castle lives Princess Tronkolen, and every morning, as I pass by her dwelling, I have to shine with all my might so that her beauty doesn't outshine me."

The next day, the Sun rose very early and began its usual journey, while Charles left shortly after. He descended the mountain and found his wooden horse waiting at the base. Charles mounted the horse and soon arrived at the place where he had met the old man. The old man was still there, waiting for him.

"Well, my boy?" he asked. "Did your plan succeed?"

"It did, grandfather," replied Charles. "May God bless you!"

"Good. If you ever need me, just call."

With that, the old man vanished before Charles could even blink.

When Charles returned to the king's palace, everyone was surprised to see him cheerful and content.

"Well," the king asked, "will you now tell me why the Sun is so red in the morning when it rises?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will tell you."

"So, why is it?"

"Because near the Sun's castle lies the castle of Princess Tronkolen. Every morning, as the Sun passes by her castle, it has to shine with all its might so that her beauty doesn't outshine it."

"Very well," the king replied and sent the shepherd back to his sheep.

Shortly after, the false godson spoke to the king again:

"If only you knew, godfather, what the shepherd said!"

"What else did he say?"

"What did he say? He said he could bring Princess Tronkolen to you so you could marry her."

"Really? Summon him to me at once." The poor Charles went to the king, very anxious.

"Well, young shepherd, did you say you could bring Princess Tronkolen to me to become my wife?"

"How could I say such a thing, Your Majesty? One must be out of their mind to say that!"

"You boasted about it; now you must deliver, or face death!"

The next morning, Charles set out, sad and pensive. "If only I could meet that old man again," he kept repeating to himself. No sooner had he thought this than the old man appeared before him.

"Hello, my boy!" he said.

"Hello to you too, grandfather!"

"Where are you headed, my boy?"

"Honestly, grandfather, I don't know. The king ordered me to bring Princess Tronkolen to his palace, and I don't know how to even begin."

"Don't worry, boy. First, take this white stick. Return to the king and tell him you need three ships: one loaded with porridge, another with lard, and the third with salted meat. The porridge you'll give to the Ant King, who lives on an island in the middle of the sea. When you reach the island, ask, 'Does the Ant King live here?' They'll say, 'Yes.' Then say, 'I've brought him a gift,' and point to the ship with porridge. All the ants from the island will come and quickly empty the ship. 'May my blessing be with you!' the Ant King will say. 'If you ever need me, call for the Ant King, and I'll appear before you at once.' Next, you'll come to another island, where the Lion King lives. As you approach, ask, 'Does the Lion King live here?' They'll say, 'Yes.' Then say, 'I have a gift for him,' and point to the ship with lard. You'll see lions from all over the island gather and quickly empty the ship. The Lion King will also say, 'May my blessing be with you! If you ever need me, just call, and I'll be there.' Finally, you'll reach a third island, home to the Hawk King. As you approach, ask, 'Does the Hawk King live here?' They'll say, 'Yes.' Then say, 'I've brought him a gift,' and point to the ship with salted meat. The Hawk King will appear, surrounded by his subjects, and quickly empty the ship. 'May my blessing be with you!' the Hawk King will say. 'If you ever need me, just call for the Hawk King, and I'll be there.' Your godfather, the king, will give you three ships loaded with porridge, lard, and salted meat. Before setting sail, draw a cross on the sand with the white stick, and a favorable wind will blow to take you to your destination. Be sure to do everything exactly as I've told you, and you'll succeed!"

"Thank you, and may God bless you, grandfather," said Charles.

And he went on his way.

Here is Charles already at sea with his three ships. He arrived at the first island, where the Ant King lives, and asked:

"Is the Ant King living here?"

"Yes, he is," they replied.

"Well then, I have brought him a gift. Tell him I ask him to come and accept the offering."

They informed the Ant King, and he immediately appeared, accompanied by countless hordes of ants. In an instant, the ship was cleared, and then the Ant King said:

"May my blessing be with you, Charles, godson of the French king. You have saved us—our kingdom is being ruined by famine, and we were literally dying of hunger. If you ever need me, just call for the Ant King, and I will be there in an instant."

In short, Charles sailed and sailed until he reached the island where the Lion King lived, and then the one where the Hawk King resided. He did everything exactly as the old man had advised him, and they promised him help and protection if needed. Before leaving the Hawk King's island, he asked:

"How far is it from here to the palace of Princess Troncolen?"

"You still have a long journey ahead," they replied, "but you will arrive there safe and sound. There you will see the princess by the fountain: she will be combing her golden hair with a golden comb and an ivory comb. Try not to let her notice you before you see her, or else she will enchant you. She will be standing under an orange tree growing by the fountain. Sneak up very quietly, climb the tree, pick an orange, and quickly throw it into the fountain. Then Princess Troncolen will raise her head, smile at you, and ask you to escort her to her palace. You may follow her without fear."

"Thank you," said Charles to the Hawk King, and he continued on his way.

Soon he approached the palace, a magnificent palace. He saw the princess under the orange tree by the fountain: she was combing her golden hair with a golden comb and an ivory comb. He climbed the tree unnoticed, picked an orange, and threw it into the fountain. Immediately, the princess raised her head and saw Charles in the tree.

"Oh," she said, "Charles, godson of the French king, so it is you! Be a welcome guest. Come down and escort me to my palace. I will not harm you. On the contrary."

Charles followed her to the palace. He had never seen such beauty in his life!

Charles had already lived in pleasure and joy for two weeks when one day he asked if the princess would agree to follow him to the palace of the French king.

"Gladly," she replied, "if you fulfill three of my commands."

"I will try," he answered.

The next morning, the princess led him to a barn where there was a pile of seeds of all kinds. There were seeds of clover, flax, hemp, turnips, and cabbage mixed together. The princess told him that by sunset, he must sort the seeds into piles so that each pile contained the same type of seed. Then the princess left.

Poor Charles was left alone and began to cry, thinking that no one in the whole world could complete such a task. Then he remembered the Ant King. "The king told me," thought Charles, "that if I ever needed him and his people, I only had to call for them, and they would come to my aid. Now it seems I really need the ants. Let's see if their king told me the truth."

"Ant King, come to my aid, I need you very much!"

And immediately the Ant King appeared.

"How can I serve you, Charles, godson of the French king?" he asked.

Charles told him of his trouble.

"Well, if that's all, don't worry, it will be done in an instant."

Then the king called his subjects, and immediately ants came crawling from all sides, covering the entire floor of the barn. The king showed them what needed to be done, and they all got to work. When everything was finished, the Ant King said to Charles:

"The task is done."

Charles thanked him, and the king disappeared along with all his ants.

At sunset, when the princess arrived, she saw Charles sitting calmly, waiting for her.

"Is my command fulfilled?" she asked.

"Yes, Princess, everything is done," replied Charles.

"Let's see."

And she began to examine all the piles. She took a handful of seeds from each pile and brought them to her eyes. She found no mixed seeds in any of them; everything was sorted perfectly, all in their proper places. She was very surprised.

"Well done," she said. "Now let's go to dinner."

The next day, she ordered Charles to cut down a long avenue of huge oak trees, giving him a wooden axe, a wooden saw, and wooden wedges for the task. All the trees had to be cut down by sunset that same day.

Once again, our young man was at a loss.

"If only the Lion King doesn't come to my aid," he thought, "I will never manage this task."

And he called for the Lion King:

"Lion King, come to my aid, I need you very much!"

And the Lion King appeared immediately.

"How can I serve you, Charles, godson of the French king?" he asked.

Charles told him of his trouble.

— Is that all? Don’t worry then, it’ll be done in no time.

At that moment, the king let out a terrible roar, and immediately the entire alley was filled with lions.

— Well, my children, — said the king to them, — uproot these trees for me and chop them down, and be quick about it!

They immediately got to work, each one striving to outdo the other. Everything was done before sunset.

When the princess arrived, she was very surprised to see that all the oaks had been uprooted and chopped down, and Charles was lying on his back, either asleep or pretending to be.

“What a man!” she thought. She tiptoed quietly up to Charles and kissed him twice. Charles woke up.

— The work is done, I see, — said the princess.

— Yes, princess, everything is done.

— Good, let’s go to dinner. You must be hungry.

The next day, she told him to blow up and level a huge mountain, taller than Mount Bre. He was given a wheelbarrow and a wooden shovel. The work had to be finished by sunset.

Approaching the foot of the mountain, Charles looked at it and said to himself:

— What am I to do? I’ll never manage this. But the Hawk King hasn’t done anything for me yet. I must call him—he’s my only hope.

— Hawk King, come to my aid, I need you very much!

And immediately the Hawk King descended to him.

— How may I serve you, Charles, godson of the French king? — he asked.

— Princess Troncolen told me that I must blow up and level this tall mountain before sunset, and if you don’t help me, I truly don’t know how I’ll manage.

— If that’s all, don’t worry, it’ll be done before sunset.

Then the Hawk King let out a terrible cry, and immediately a huge swarm of hawks gathered, so vast that they blocked out the sun.

— What must we do, King? — they asked.

— Move this mountain so that only a flat plain remains, and be quick about it, my children!

And the hawks began tearing apart the mountain with their claws, carrying chunks of earth to the sea. They worked so diligently that everything was finished long before sunset, and no one would have guessed that a mountain had stood there that very morning.

When the princess arrived at sunset, she saw Charles sleeping under a tree and kissed him twice again. He immediately woke up and said:

— Well, princess, the work is done—look, the mountain is gone. Now, I hope you’ll come with me to the palace of the French king.

— Gladly, — she replied. — Let’s go at once.

And they headed to the sea. Charles’s ships were still there. They boarded a ship, set sail, and arrived in France without any trouble. Along the way, they visited the old man, who said to Charles:

— Well, my boy, did your plan succeed?

— It did, grandfather, may God bless you!

— Good! Now go to your godfather; your trials and sorrows are over, and you no longer need me.

When Charles arrived at the king’s palace, accompanied by Princess Troncolen, everyone marveled at her beauty. The old king was completely smitten and wanted to marry her immediately, even though his queen was still alive.

— No, — the princess said to him, — I did not come here to marry you. I will not marry you, nor the devil who is here with you.

— The devil? Where is he? — the king exclaimed.

— The one you believe to be your godson is the devil, but here is your true godson, — said the princess, pointing to Charles.

— He endured all the suffering, and he deserves the reward; he will be my husband.

— But how do we get rid of the devil? — asked the king.

— First, find a young woman who has recently married and is pregnant with her first child. When you find her, heat the oven until it’s red hot and throw the devil inside. He will rage and scream in fury, and he’ll try everything to escape the oven! But the young woman will keep him there by threatening him with her wedding ring.

They found a young woman, pregnant with her first child, heated the oven until it was red hot, and threw the devil inside. He raged and screamed horribly, so much so that the entire palace shook. But whenever he tried to leap out of the fire, the young woman held her wedding ring up to the oven’s opening, forcing the devil to retreat. Finally, he said:

— If I could have lasted here another year, I would have brought the kingdom to ruin.

But he had to perish in the oven.

Then Charles married Princess Troncolen. The old coal miner, along with his wife and all their children, were also invited to the wedding. And what a feast it was! Noise, commotion, and celebration! The bells rang out, flags waved, and the violins sang!

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