Uncle Longnose

Once upon a time, there were two kings who lived as neighbors. They were so envious of each other that one day, a war broke out between them. One king kept losing battles and couldn’t manage his army properly. Once, his army stopped by a riverbank, but there was no bridge or even a plank to cross the river.

The king sent an officer to see what the enemy was up to. The officer climbed to the top of a very tall tree, the tallest in the forest, and looked around. Suddenly, he saw children playing on a clearing below, having lit a fire. Then, a man with an extraordinarily long nose approached them.

The children stopped their game and ran to him:

"Uncle Longnose! Uncle Longnose!"

"Hello, children," said Longnose.

"Hello, Uncle Longnose! What’s new with you?"

"Well, I do have something to share, kids."

"Tell us quickly, Uncle Longnose!"

"I’ll tell you, but you must keep it a secret. Two kings are at war with each other. One keeps losing battles and can’t get his army across the river without a bridge. But he doesn’t know that in the forest, not far from us, there’s a red oak. If you cut a branch from it and lay it across the river, a bridge will instantly grow. But remember, not a word to anyone!"

*Crick-crack, bric-brac!
If you tell, you’ll turn to stone!
Crick-crack, bric-brac!*

This was exactly what the officer needed. He climbed down the tree and rushed to find the red oak. He found it, cut a branch, and brought it to the king.

"Your Majesty," he said, "I can build a bridge across the river in one night. Have the army ready. And don’t ask any questions."

"If you do as you promise," replied the king, "I’ll reward you handsomely."

The officer placed the branch on the riverbank, and it suddenly began to grow, transforming into a bridge that stretched across the river.

The army crossed the bridge and caught the enemy by surprise, defeating them.

Not long after, the enemy gathered all their forces and defeated the king again.

The officer decided to return to the tree. He climbed to the very top and saw the same clearing, with children by the fire, and the long-nosed man approaching them again.

"Uncle Longnose has come! Hello, Uncle Longnose!"

"Hello, children."

"What will you tell us today?"

"What will I tell you? Well, I do know something."

"Tell us quickly, Uncle Longnose!"

"I’ll tell you, but you must keep it a secret. The king built a bridge across the river, but he was still defeated afterward. He doesn’t know that in the forest, not far from us, there’s a hollow oak. Inside the hollow is rotten wood. If you gather that dust and throw it into the enemy’s eyes, they’ll choke and go blind. But remember, not a word to anyone!"

*Crick-crack, bric-brac!
If you tell, you’ll turn to stone!
Crick-crack, bric-brac!*

This was exactly what the officer needed. He climbed down the tree and rushed to find the hollow oak. He filled his pockets with the rotten wood and went to the king.

"Your Majesty," he said, "send the army into battle, and I’ll stand at the front. You’ll see what happens. Just make sure the wind blows from us toward the enemy."

"Let it be as you say," replied the king. "If we defeat the enemy, I’ll reward you well."

The battle began the next day. The officer threw the dust into the wind, and it turned into a choking cloud that overwhelmed the enemy soldiers. Some dropped dead on the spot, others fled, and only a handful survived. The enemy surrendered, and peace was made.

The king praised the officer for the victory.

"I promised you a great reward. I’ll give you my daughter’s hand in marriage—there’s no better reward."

The king’s daughter was as beautiful as daylight, and the officer had long been in love with her. He eagerly awaited the wedding, strolling and enjoying time with his bride in the courtyard. One day, she asked him:

"How did you manage to build the bridge across the river and unleash such a plague on the enemy?"

"Ah, princess, I’ll tell you everything. I climbed the tallest tree in the forest and saw a fire on the clearing, with children around it. Then a man with a long nose came to them. I overheard their conversation."

"What did they talk about?"

"Well, princess, it was about this."

But as soon as he began to tell her the secrets, he turned to stone. The princess was frightened and called for help. The entire palace gathered, including the officer’s uncle.

"Oh no," he cried, "what has happened to my nephew!"

The princess began to explain what had happened, and suddenly she, too, turned to stone.

Grief filled the palace. The king ordered the petrified bride and groom to be placed in the cathedral, and everyone wore mourning clothes.

The officer’s uncle couldn’t stop thinking about the strange story and wanted to see Longnose for himself. Unable to resist, he went into the forest. He climbed the tallest tree and saw that the princess had spoken the truth. On the clearing, a fire burned, children played around it, and the long-nosed man approached them.

"Hello, Uncle Longnose!"

"Hello, children."

"What news do you have today, Uncle Longnose?"

"Well, I do know something."

"Tell us! Tell us!"

"I’ll tell you, but you must keep it a secret. When I told you about the king who couldn’t cross the river or defeat his enemy, his officer was sitting nearby in the tree, eavesdropping. He built the bridge across the river and used the magical dust from the hollow oak to defeat the enemy. The king rewarded him with his daughter’s hand in marriage. But the officer revealed my secret to the princess, and she also blabbed. Both turned to stone, and the entire kingdom is in mourning. But people don’t know that deep in the forest, there’s a spring covered by a mirror. Lift the mirror, scoop a little spring water, and sprinkle it on the bride and groom—they’ll come back to life. But remember, not a word to anyone!"

*Crick-crack, bric-brac!
If you tell, you’ll turn to stone!
Crick-crack, bric-brac!*

The officer’s uncle didn’t waste any time. He rushed to find the spring. It took him a while, but by evening, he returned to the cathedral with the magical water. He couldn’t wait to test it. As soon as he sprinkled the water on his nephew, the young man came back to life and hugged his uncle. The same happened to the princess.

Everyone rejoiced, and preparations for the wedding resumed.

But the king kept asking the officer’s uncle how he had revived the princess. The uncle held his tongue, afraid of suffering the same fate. The king kept pressing him, and the uncle felt he couldn’t keep the secret any longer. "I’ll go back to that tall tree," he thought, "maybe I’ll hear something else and avoid disaster!"

So he went into the forest, climbed the tree, and looked down at the clearing. Everything was the same: children by the fire, and the long-nosed man approaching them.

"Hello, Uncle Longnose!"

"Hello, children."

"What’s new, Uncle Longnose?"

"Well, I do know something, kids. I’ll tell you, but you must keep it a secret. You already know that the officer and the princess turned to stone. The officer’s uncle hid in the tree near us and eavesdropped. He went to the spring and revived the bride and groom. They’re alive and well again, but the uncle is struggling to keep the secret. If he reveals it, he’ll turn to stone. But he doesn’t know that on the riverbank, there’s an orange tree. If you pick an orange, eat it, carve a hole in the tree’s trunk, and whisper the secret into it, nothing bad will happen to you. The secret will travel down the trunk into the roots and drown in the river. You can talk or shout about it, but you won’t turn to stone. But remember, not a word to anyone!"

*Crick-crack, bric-brac!
If you tell, you’ll turn to stone!
Crick-crack, bric-brac!*

The officer’s uncle listened intently. He quickly climbed down the tree and went to the river. He found the orange tree, did as Longnose had said, and then, without fear, told the king everything.

The next day, the wedding took place. If I were to tell you about all the festivities and fun, there wouldn’t be enough time until tomorrow. I’ll just say this: the young couple lived happily ever after, and their kingdom enjoyed peace and prosperity.

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Uncle Longnose

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