The Horned King

Once upon a time, a king had horns growing on his head. But no one knew about it, as the king never appeared without his crown. The barbers who trimmed his hair were immediately beheaded to prevent them from spreading the news of his shame. Eventually, it was the turn of a poor barber. He knew that no one had ever left the king alive, so he bid farewell to his family and prepared for death. When he arrived and began cutting the king's hair, he saw the horns. The barber was astonished but didn’t show it and said nothing. The king liked the barber's behavior and decided not to kill him, saying:

"If you ever tell anyone what you saw, I will have your head immediately!" And he let him go.

The barber returned home, and everyone surrounded him, asking how he had survived. The barber remained silent, not uttering a word, fearing for his life. But he began to swell, bursting with the desire to reveal that the king had horns. He kept silent, but the pressure grew until his stomach reached his chin, and he could no longer endure it—he was on the verge of death. The barber went to a swamp, found a reed, looked around to ensure no one was watching, and shouted:

"Our king has horns!"

After shouting, he immediately felt relieved, his stomach deflated, and he recovered. It so happened that a traveler cut that reed, made a flute from it, and blew into it. The flute sang:

"Our king has horns!"

The people gathered. Everyone learned of the king's shame and laughed, while the flute kept singing:

"Our king has horns!"

Word reached the king that everyone in the squares was shouting about his horns. Enraged, the king ordered the barber to be brought before him.

"Was it you who told everyone about my horns?"

"No," said the barber, "I told no one."

"Then why is everyone playing flutes saying I have horns?"

"Very well," said the barber, "summon the one who is playing the flute, take it from him, and blow into it yourself. You'll see if I'm telling the truth or not."

The king ordered the flute to be brought. He took it, blew into it, and in front of all the people, it sang: "Our king has horns!"

The king was furious, but he couldn’t execute the barber, as he himself had publicly revealed the truth.

And so, the clever barber was saved.

More fairy tales

• The Frog Bride
• The Grumpy Old Women and the Wise Little Girl
• The Tsar's Son and the Tushinets' Son
• The Tiger - the Cat's Defender
• About the Peasant and the Village Elder