The King's Adopted Son

Once upon a time, there was a king who had no children. So, he sent his viziers to find a clever boy whom he could adopt and make his heir.

The viziers traveled across the land, met many different boys, but none of them impressed them. The only place left to visit was a small village on the edge of the kingdom. When they arrived there, they saw a boy standing at the doorstep of a poor hut.

The viziers asked the boy where his father was.
"He is sowing life," the boy replied.
"What do you mean, 'sowing life'?" the viziers asked, surprised.
"He is sowing grain in the field. When the harvest comes, we will have food to live on!"

Then the viziers asked the boy where his mother was.
"She is lending tears," he answered.
"What do you mean, 'lending tears'?" the viziers asked, puzzled again.
"Well, our neighbor passed away, so my mother went to mourn for him. And when she dies, the neighbors will mourn for her in return."

The viziers then asked the boy to bring them some food and a little wine. But the boy said:
"First, tie your horses to the vines, and then I will pour the wine."

The viziers looked around but could find no vineyard or vines anywhere. They returned to the boy and said:
"There is no vineyard or vines anywhere!"
"Then how could there be any wine here?"

The viziers were impressed by the boy's wit and cleverness, and they liked his wise words.
"Such a smart boy deserves to be the heir," they said, and they took him to the king.

More fairy tales

• The Tale of Tskhetag and Devtag
• The Tale of the Deev Who Wanted to Destroy the Miller's Son
• About the Hunter and His Son
• Raggedy
• About Three Bald Liars