The King of England and His Godson

Once upon a time, there lived in England a king who was passionately fond of hunting. In his lands, there was not enough game for him, so he went to France, where it was abundant.

One day, he saw a beautiful bird of an unknown species perched on a branch. He quietly crept up to it. But just as he was about to grab it, the bird fluttered away, hopping from tree to tree, and finally settled on a branch of an apple tree in the garden of an inn. The king was determined to catch the bird at all costs and entered the garden, but his efforts were in vain—the bird slipped away from him once more and disappeared.

After wandering through forests and valleys all day, the king arrived in a small village in the evening, where he had to spend the night. He knocked on the door of a poor man's hut, who welcomed him as best as he could. The poor man told him that his wife had just given birth to a boy, but they had not found a godfather for him because they were poor. At their request, the king agreed to be the boy's godfather and named him Eugene. Before leaving, the king took out a sealed paper from his purse and handed it to the parents, instructing them to give it to their son when he turned seventeen.

When the child was six years old, he said to his father: "You often tell me about my godmother, but why do you never speak of my godfather?"

"My child," the father replied, "your godfather is the most noble man—he is the King of England. He left a sealed paper that I must give to you when you turn seventeen."

The boy began attending school, and funds for his education were sent from an unknown source.

Finally, the day came when Eugene turned seventeen. He woke up early in the morning and said to his father:

"I must go to my godfather."

The father gave him a horse and thirty-six livres, and the young man bid farewell to his parents. But before setting off, he visited his godmother, who was skilled in witchcraft.

"My dear," she said to him, "if you meet a limping man or a hunchback, turn back."

The young man promised his godmother to follow her advice and set off on his journey. Not far from the village, he encountered a limping man. He turned his horse around. The next day, he met a hunchback. He turned back again.

"Tomorrow," he said to himself, "perhaps I will have better luck."

On the third day, he came across another hunchback. It was his schoolmate, named Adolph. "This time," Eugene said to himself, "I will not turn back."

"Where are you headed?" the hunchback asked him.

"I am going to my godfather, the King of England."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"Alright."

They continued their journey together, and when it grew dark, they stopped at an inn. Eugene told the stable boy that he would leave at four in the morning. The hunchback, however, ordered his horse to be saddled at three o'clock and, as soon as the clock struck three, mounted his horse and rode off.

Eugene was greatly surprised when he woke up and could not find his horse.

"Where is my horse?" he asked the servant.

"Your companion," the servant replied, "came on your behalf and said to have the horse saddled by three o'clock. He left an hour ago."

Eugene immediately set off in pursuit of the hunchback and caught up with him in the forest, near a cross. The hunchback stopped and said threateningly:

"If you value your life, swear before this cross that you will never tell anyone you are the king's godson, unless it is three days after your death."

Eugene swore the oath, and they continued their journey, arriving at the palace of the English king.

The king, mistaking the hunchback for his godson, welcomed him with open arms. He also greeted his companion very kindly.

"Who is this young man?" he asked the hunchback.

"This, godfather," the hunchback said, "is my schoolmate, whom I brought with me."

"You did well, my son," the king said. "But I cannot keep my promise. You know, I promised to give you my daughter in marriage when you grew up, but she was kidnapped. It has been eleven years since I ordered her to be searched for everywhere, on land and sea, and she still has not been found."

Both young men were settled in the palace, and everyone began calling Eugene Adolph. The nobles and court ladies grew fond of him, as he was handsome and clever, while everyone despised the hunchback. Only the king, still believing him to be his godson, treated him kindly. But he also showed favor to his companion, which angered the hunchback.

One day, the hunchback came to the king and said:

"Godfather, Adolph boasts that he will obtain the giant's mule."

The king summoned Adolph:

"Eugene told me that you boasted you could get the giant's mule."

"I, Your Majesty? How could I have boasted about that? I don't even know where to find this mule."

"No matter! If you do not bring it to me, you will be burned alive at the stake."

Taking some food with him, Adolph set off sadly on his journey. After walking some distance, he met an old woman who asked him for a piece of bread.

"Take all of it if you want," Adolph said. "I have no appetite."

"You are sad, my dear," the old woman said. "I know the reason for your sorrow: you have been ordered to get the giant's mule. Well, the giant lives on the other side of the sea; he has a thrush that sings so loudly it can be heard from one shore to the other. As soon as you hear its song—but not before—cross the sea. And when you see the giant, speak to him boldly."

The young man soon reached the seashore, but the thrush's song was not heard. He waited until the bird began to sing and then crossed the sea. The giant appeared immediately and said to him:

"What do you want here, shadow of my mustache, dust of my palms?"

"I have come for your mule."

"What do you need it for?"

"That is none of your concern. Give it to me."

"Very well, I will give it to you, but on the condition that you return it to me someday."

Adolph took the mule, which could run a hundred miles in an instant, and returned to the palace.

The king was very pleased to see Adolph again and promised not to mistreat him in the future. But soon the hunchback, hearing about the thrush, came to the king and said...
— Godfather, Adolf boasted that he could take the giant's thrush, which sings so beautifully and whose song carries so far.

The king summoned Adolf:

— Eugene told me that you boasted you could get the giant's thrush.

— Me, Your Majesty? I never boasted about that, and how could I even catch it?

— No matter! If you don't bring it to me, you'll be burned alive at the stake.

Adolf went back to the seashore. Hearing the thrush's song, he immediately crossed the sea and caught the bird.

— What do you want here? — asked the giant. — The shadow of my mustache, the dust from my palms?

— I came for your thrush.

— What do you need it for?

— That's none of your business. Give it to me.

— Fine, I'll give it to you, but on the condition that you return it to me someday.

When Adolf returned to the palace, all the court ladies were delighted by the thrush's song, and the king promised not to harm the young man anymore.

Some time later, the hunchback said to the king:

— The giant has a large lantern that illuminates the land for a hundred leagues around. Adolf boasted that he could get this lantern and bring it here.

The king summoned Adolf:

— Eugene told me that you boasted you could get the giant's lantern.

— Me, Your Majesty? How could I possibly do that?

— No matter! If you don't bring me the lantern, you'll be burned alive at the stake.

Adolf set off and soon reached the seashore. The thrush, which had told him when it was safe to cross, was no longer there; however, he dared to make the crossing and, reaching the other shore, went straight to the giant.

— What do you want here? — asked the giant. — The shadow of my mustache, the dust from my palms?

— I came for your lantern.

— What do you need it for?

— That's none of your business. Give it to me.

— Fine, I'll give it to you, but on the condition that you return it to me someday.

The young man thanked the giant and went back. Near the royal palace, he stopped, waited for nightfall, and then continued his journey, holding the lantern high, which illuminated everything around.

The delighted king once again promised not to harm Adolf.

For a while, Adolf was left in peace, but suddenly the hunchback said to the king:

— Adolf boasted that he knows where your daughter is and that he could find her and bring her home.

The king summoned Adolf:

— Eugene told me that you boasted you know where my daughter is and can bring her to me.

— Oh, Your Majesty, by your order, she was searched for everywhere, on land and at sea, and could not be found anywhere. How do you expect me, an unknown stranger, to handle such a task?

— No matter! If you don't bring her, you'll be burned alive at the stake.

Adolf, very distressed, set off on his journey. He met the same old woman he had seen before. She told him:

— The king wants you to find his daughter? Go back to the giant.

Adolf crossed the sea and, coming to the giant, asked if he knew where the king's daughter was.

— I know, — answered the giant. — She is in the castle of the queen with silver legs, but to free her, you'll have to work hard. First, ask the king to return my mule, thrush, and lantern. Then you must build a ship three hundred toises long, just as wide, and one hundred and fifty toises high. On that ship, you must make a room, and in that room, a loom. Most importantly— the entire ship must be built without iron or copper; let the king do as he knows how.

Adolf relayed to the king what the giant had said. Immediately, craftsmen were summoned and ordered to build a ship three hundred toises long, just as wide, and one hundred and fifty toises high. On this ship, they were to make a room, and in that room, a loom, with not a single piece of iron or copper anywhere. The ship was built in two days. But the hunchback bribed one of the craftsmen, and he inserted an iron fastener into the ship.

Adolf brought the ship to the giant. The giant said:

— The ship was fastened with iron.

— No, — replied Adolf, — there is no iron here.

— There is iron in this spot, — said the giant. — Return the ship to the king, let him call a craftsman with a hammer and chisel, and you'll see I'm right.

As soon as the craftsman placed the chisel on the indicated spot and struck it with the hammer, the chisel broke. The iron fastener was immediately removed, and when Adolf returned with the ship, the giant had nothing to criticize.

— Now, — said the giant, — you must load onto this ship three hundred loaves of bread, three hundred pounds of beef, three hundred sacks of millet, three hundred pounds of flax, and also place three hundred maidens on board.

The king ordered them to be found in the city of London and the surrounding areas. When the three hundred maidens were found, they were placed on the ship, along with the bread, beef, and everything else, and then Adolf returned to the giant. The giant pushed the ship from the shore, and it was immediately carried more than two hundred leagues out to sea. Adolf stood at the helm, below deck the three hundred maidens spun, and the giant wove.

Suddenly, a mountain appeared in the distance— black as night.
— Ah, — said Adolf, — here we are!

— No, — said the giant, — this is the kingdom of fish. Tell them that you are a French prince on your way to distant lands, otherwise they won’t let you pass.

— Why have you come here? — the fish asked the young man.

— I am a French prince, and I am on my way to distant lands.

— We don’t care that you’re a prince — we won’t let you pass.

Then Adolf began to crumble bread into the water. The fish all rushed to the food at once, and in the meantime, the ship passed through.

Before the ship had sailed far, the king of the fish said to his subjects:

— We acted very rudely — we didn’t thank the prince for helping us in our great need. Catch up with him and bring him back! — The fish brought the ship back, and the king said to the young man:

— I give you my bone. When you need help, I and my kingdom will be at your service.

— Well? — the giant asked Adolf. — What did the fish king give you?

— He gave me his bone. But what do I need a fish bone for?

— Put it in your pocket; it will come in handy.

After a short while, a second mountain rose before them, even darker than the first.

— Is this where we need to dock? — asked Adolf.

— No, — replied the giant, — this is the kingdom of ants.

The ants, with backpacks on their backs and in full gear, were engaged in military exercises. They asked Adolf in unison:

— Why have you come here?

— I am a French prince, and I am on my way to distant lands.

— We don’t care that you’re a prince — we won’t let you pass.

Adolf threw them a handful of millet. The ants all rushed to the food at once, and in the meantime, the ship passed through.

— We acted very rudely, — said the ant king after a while, — we didn’t thank the prince. Catch up with him and bring him back!

When Adolf was brought back, the king said to him:

— Prince, for seven whole years we have been suffering great need — you have relieved us of it, even if only for a while. I give you my leg. When you need help, I and my kingdom will be at your service.

— What did the ant king give you? — asked the giant.

— He gave me his leg. But what do I need an ant’s leg for?

— Put it in your pocket; it will come in handy.

After some time, a third mountain rose before them, even taller than the first two and even darker.

— Surely we’ve reached our destination now? — asked Adolf.

— No, — replied the giant, — this is the kingdom of rats.

— Why have you come here? — the rats asked.

— I am a French prince, and I am on my way to distant lands.

— We don’t care that you’re a prince — we won’t let you pass.

Adolf threw them some bread, and the rats let the ship pass.

— We acted very rudely, — said the rat king, — we didn’t thank the prince. Catch up with him and bring him back!

When the young man was brought back, the rat king said:

— We are very grateful to you for helping us in our great need. I give you a whisker from my mustache. When you need help, I and my kingdom will be at your service.

— Well? — asked the giant. — What did the rat king give you?

— He gave me a whisker from his mustache. But what do I need a rat’s whisker for?

— Put it in your pocket; it will come in handy.

The ship continued on its way and soon approached a third tall mountain.

— Is this where we need to dock? — asked the young man.

— No, — replied the giant, — this is the kingdom of ravens.

— Why have you come here? — the ravens asked.

— I am a French prince, and I am on my way to distant lands.

— We don’t care that you’re a prince — we won’t let you pass.

Adolf threw them some meat, and the ravens let the ship pass.

— We acted very rudely, — said the king of the ravens after a while, — we didn’t thank the kind prince. Catch up with him and bring him back!

The young man was brought to the king, who said to him:
— You have done us a good deed, and we are very grateful to you for it. I give you my feather; when you need help, I and my kingdom will be at your service.

— What did the King of Ravens give you? — asked the giant.

— He gave me his feather. But what use is a raven’s feather to me?

— Put it in your pocket; it will come in handy. After a while, Adolf saw a mountain, much higher and darker than any he had seen before.

— This time, — he said, — we must be close to our destination?

— No, — replied the giant, — this is the kingdom of the giants.

— Why have you come here? — shouted the giants.

— I am a French prince, and I am on a journey to distant lands.

— We don’t care if you’re a prince — we won’t let you pass.

Adolf began throwing them large pieces of bread. The giants picked them up and greedily devoured them. Meanwhile, the ship passed by.

— We were very rude, — said the King of the Giants, — not to thank the prince. Catch up with him and bring him back.

When the young man returned, the king said to him:

— We are very grateful to you for helping us; we were ready to devour each other. I give you a hair from my beard; when you need help, I and my kingdom will be at your service.

“From them,” Adolf thought to himself, “I’ll get more use than from all the others, for they are big and strong.”

— Well? — asked the giant. — What did the King of Giants give you?

— He gave me a hair from his beard. What am I to do with it?

— Put it in your pocket; it will come in handy.

— Now, — continued the giant, — we will reach the land of the Queen with Silver Legs. You will go straight to the castle; the entrance is guarded by a princess, the daughter of the English king — she has been turned into a lioness, her eyes, nostrils, and mouth spewing flames. In the castle, there are thirty-six rooms; first, enter the one on the left, then the one on the right, and so on through all the rooms.

Upon arriving in the land of the Queen with Silver Legs, Adolf went to the castle. When he crossed the threshold, the lioness not only did not attack him but even began licking his hands — she sensed that he was her deliverer.

Following the giant’s advice, the young man moved from room to room until he finally reached the last one, where the Queen with Silver Legs sat.

— Why have you come here? — asked the old queen.

— I have come for the princess.

— Truly, you deserve to be turned into an animal as punishment for your audacity. Know that to free the princess, you must work hard. First, bring me three hundred pounds of flax spun by three hundred maidens.

Adolf brought her three hundred pounds of yarn and brought the three hundred maidens who had spun it.

— Good, — said the queen. — Now, do you see that tall mountain? It must be leveled to the ground, and in its place, a beautiful garden must be planted, adorned with flowers and trees; the trees must bear large, ripe fruit, and you have two days to accomplish this.

Adolf went to the giant for advice. The giant summoned the help of all the inhabitants of the giants’ kingdom, the ants’ kingdom, the rats’ kingdom, and the ravens’ kingdom. The giants leveled the mountain in an instant and threw the debris into the sea. Then the rats and ants began digging and loosening the soil, the ravens flew to distant gardens for flowers and trees, and everything was ready before the queen’s deadline. Adolf went to the old queen and told her to look at the garden. She had nothing to criticize, but she still grumbled under her breath.

— This is not all, — she finally said to the young man, — I also need the water of life and the water of death.

Adolf turned to the giant again. But this time, the giant could not give him good advice: he was not as learned as the old queen.

— Perhaps, — he said, — the ravens will tell us something useful.

A call was sounded. The ravens gathered, but none of them knew how to proceed. After a while, they noticed that two old veterans — La Chic and La Rame — had not shown up. They were sent for. La Rame was drunk; he declared that he did not know where to find the water of life and death and that he didn’t care. He was thrown into prison.

A little later, La Chic arrived — he was even drunker. He was asked where to find the water of life and death, and he replied that he knew, but first, they must release his friend. Adolf ordered La Rame to be released, then gave five hundred francs to his friend to drink to his health, and La Chic led him to a cellar where the water of life flowed at one end and the water of death at the other.

La Chic advised posting guards at the entrance to the cellar because the old queen intended to send pigeons to break the vials that could hold the water. Indeed, the pigeons arrived, but the ravens were stronger and did not let them approach. Then the giant said to the young man:

— First, you will give the queen the water of life and demand that she restore the princess to her natural form. Then you will splash the old woman’s face with the water of death, and she will die.

When Adolf appeared, the queen asked him:

— Well? Have you brought the water of life and death?
— Yes, — replied Adolf, — here is the water of life.

— Good. And where is the water of death?

— First, return the princess to her natural form, and then I will give you the water of death.

The queen did as he wished, and the lioness turned into a beautiful girl. She threw herself on Adolf’s neck and thanked him for her deliverance.

— And now, — said the old queen, — give me the water of death.

Adolf splashed her face with the water, and she fell dead.

Then the young man set off with the princess on their return journey to England and sent a messenger to the king to announce their arrival.

Great was the joy in the palace. All the court ladies came out to greet the princess; she kissed them all. A hunchback who had sneaked in among them also approached and tried to kiss her, but the princess said:

— Go away, you are too ugly!

That evening at dinner, the king said to the princess:

— My daughter, I promised my godson to give you to him in marriage; I trust you will not make me break my word.
"Dear father," said the princess, "give me a week's time so that I may properly pray."

The king agreed.

A week later, the princess told the king that she had dropped a ring into the sea, a ring that had been given to her by the queen with silver legs, and that it was essential to retrieve it from the seabed.

The hunchback, envious of the princess's preference for Adolphe, went to the king and said:

"Godfather, Adolphe boasted that he could retrieve the princess's ring from the seabed."

The king immediately summoned Adolphe:

"Eugène told me that you boasted you could retrieve the princess's ring from the seabed."

"No, Your Majesty; I could not possibly do that."

"No matter! If you do not bring back this ring, you will be burned alive at the stake."

Adolphe left deeply troubled and went to the giant, to whom he confided his sorrow.

"I had sworn not to help you anymore," said the giant. "But I still do not wish to abandon you in your hour of need. I will summon the fish."

The call was sounded. A great multitude of fish appeared, but none of them knew where the ring was.

Soon, it was noticed that two old veterans, La Chic and La Ramée, had not answered the call. They were sent for. La Ramée was drunk; he said he did not know where the ring was and that it was none of his concern; he was thrown into prison. Shortly after, La Chic appeared—he was even drunker. He said the ring was in his knapsack but demanded that his friend be released first. When La Ramée was freed, La Chic handed the ring to the young man. Adolphe gave him a hundred francs to drink to his health and then ran with the ring to the king.

"I think, my daughter," said the king, "you must be satisfied: tomorrow you will be wed."

"I have not yet decided what to do," she replied. "I would like the castle of the queen with silver legs to be moved here first."

The king immediately ordered the foundation to be laid, and the hunchback, growing increasingly envious of Adolphe, said to the king:

"Godfather, Adolphe boasted that he knew how to move the castle of the queen with silver legs here, and without a single crack, not even the size of a pinprick."

The king summoned Adolphe.

"Eugène said that you boasted you could move the castle of the queen with silver legs here, and without a single crack, not even the size of a pinprick."

"No, Your Majesty, I did not boast of such a thing; how could I possibly do that?"

"No matter! If you do not do this, you will be burned alive at the stake."

Adolphe, deeply distressed, went again to the giant, who said to him:

"First, ask the king to build a large ship for you."

When the ship was ready, Adolphe set sail with the giant. The giant summoned all the inhabitants of the giant kingdom, the ant kingdom, and the rat kingdom. The ants and rats removed the castle from its foundation, and four giants lifted it and carried it onto the ship. Then all the inhabitants of the fish kingdom were called upon to support the vessel.

When Adolphe returned, everyone at the English king's court rejoiced. The castle was placed on the foundation that had been laid opposite the royal palace. The king then said to his daughter:

"Now I hope you will marry Eugène."

"My father," said the princess, "wait a little longer; I have not yet decided what to do."

Since the princess made no secret of her disgust at the sight of the hunchback, his envy of Adolphe grew ever stronger. One day, he said to the young man:

"Let us go hunting in the deer grove."

"With pleasure," replied Adolphe.

When they entered the grove, the hunchback shot Adolphe in the back with a rifle, killing him on the spot. He then dug a hole and buried the body. The king, noticing that Adolphe had not returned, asked the hunchback where he had gone.

"I have no idea," replied the hunchback. "He must have gone wandering—surely, he grew tired of living here in comfort and peace."

The princess was in despair but did not show it. Instead, she asked her father for permission to go hunting in the deer grove.

The king, fearing some misfortune might befall her, wanted forty huntsmen to accompany her, but the princess pleaded to go alone.

Entering the grove, she saw crows circling above a hole. She approached and, recognizing poor Adolphe, half-eaten by the crows, began to moan and weep. Finally, she remembered that she carried a vial of the water of life. She rubbed the corpse with the water, and the young man revived, full of strength and health. This happened exactly three days after his death.

The princess returned to the palace with Adolphe. She hid him in one of the rooms and went to the king.

"My father," she said, "would you be glad to see Adolphe?"

"My daughter," replied the king, "what are you saying? Adolphe has gone to the ends of the earth; he cannot return so soon."

"Very well," continued the princess, "order all the doors of the palace to be locked, post guards, and follow me."

When the king entered the princess's chambers, she brought the young man to him, and he said:

"Your Majesty, Adolphe is not my real name; I am Eugène, your godson!"

Then he pulled out a letter from his chest, the one the king had given to his parents, and handed it to the king, saying:

"Do you recognize this letter?"

When the king learned all that had happened, he ordered the hunchback to be burned at the stake, and Eugène married the princess. I was standing guard at the princess's door, grew bored, and left.

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The King of England and His Godson

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