The Whimsical Princess and Her One-Eyed Suitor

The Beautiful and Clever Princess

Once upon a time, there was a king who had a most beautiful and clever daughter. However, with all her virtues, the princess proved to be a formidable headache for her father, as she would not marry anyone who could not answer three questions she posed or who failed to complete the tasks she assigned. These questions were often whimsical, if not nonsensical, and the tasks she demanded were nearly impossible for anyone short of a genie, giant, ghoul, or goblin.

The Impossible Challenges

On one occasion, she asked one of her royal suitors, a young man as round as a boar, to live for an entire year on a diet of cockroaches to be eligible for her hand. She also asked another suitor, a king who had recently lost his fifth wife and still had red eyes from excessive weeping, to laugh continuously for a week. The brave king managed to laugh for several hours before suddenly realizing the humiliation he was enduring, at which point he resumed crying and ran away.

A Chance for Commoners

One by one, all the princes and kings in that part of the world were deemed disqualified by the princess. Eventually, when no more royal suitors stepped forward, the king decided to open the chance to commoners. However, this experience proved to be equally frustrating.

The One-Eyed Young Man

One day, much to the king’s annoyance, a one-eyed young man in tattered robes appeared before him, asking to be tried by the princess. The king, in a very bad mood, replied, “Since I have opened this chance to all, I cannot ask you to leave. But I am weary of the riff-raff coming to try their luck. Until now, all those rejected by the princess were given a traveling allowance and a courteous goodbye. However, from now on, anyone who is turned away will be imprisoned. Are you still willing to meet the princess?”

“My lord, as willing as ever,” replied the young man. “But if I succeed in passing the test, what reward will I receive?”

The King’s Agreement

“Well, in that case, you would marry the princess!” the king declared.

“That, my lord, is the prospect that has brought me here, but I believe there should also be a reward for those who can pass the test,” the young man argued.

“All right,” announced the king resignedly, “whoever can win my daughter’s heart will not only have her hand but the throne as well.”

The Princess’s Challenge

The young man was led into the palace, with the king and all his courtiers following, intrigued by the stranger’s audacity. The princess, entertaining herself in one of the inner courtyards with her pet peacocks, was delighted to have yet another occasion for sport and fun.

“Hello, young man with one eye, I am afraid you can only see half of me, can’t you?” the princess teased, prompting giggles from her maids.

“Oh, no, sweet princess, I can see you fully! In fact, I can see twice as much as you can!” answered the young man.

The First Question

“What a liar you are! How can you see twice as much?” demanded the princess.

“I will tell you how, provided this question is counted as one of the three I must answer,” retorted the young man.

“All right,” the princess agreed.

“Now I will prove my claim. How many eyes do you see on my face?” he asked.

“Only one eye, of course!” replied the princess.

“Now, I can see two eyes on your face! So, don’t I see twice what you see?” the young man countered.

This answer prompted hearty laughter from the crowd. The king was greatly pleased; it was a satisfaction most of the courtiers shared as they watched the arrogant princess become thoroughly discomfited.

The Second Challenge

“Now, young man, here is my second question,” the princess declared. “If you say ‘no’ to this question, you’re out. If you say ‘yes,’ you have to act accordingly.”

“I agree,” said the suitor, bowing courteously.

“Can you carry a mountain on your head?” the princess asked.

“I can,” answered the young man nonchalantly, surprising everyone.

“Then come, let us go near the mountain yonder,” the princess challenged, turning and walking away with her maids, the king, and the courtiers following behind.

The Clever Rebuttal

Once they reached the mountain, the young man looked at the princess and said, “I am ready!”

“Are you? Then show us how you can carry it on your head!” she demanded with a laugh.

“O princess, I repeat, I am ready. All you have to do is lift the mountain and place it on my head. I said I could carry it; I never promised to lift it!” he rebuffed the princess.

This prompted not just laughter but also applause from the crowd. Even the king was about to clap his hands but stopped when he noticed his daughter was on the verge of tears.

The Final Challenge

“My child, my cherub,” said the king, “Do not lose heart. You still have a chance—albeit your last chance—to defeat this brave young man.”

“Can you narrate twelve tales, none of which my maids have heard before?” asked the princess.

“I can, my sweet princess,” replied the young man. They returned to the palace garden, where the princess sat surrounded by her maids, while the king and courtiers faced them. The young man stood in the center.

The Storyteller

Having traveled through many lands, he shared stories that were not known in this kingdom. He narrated each tale with drama and eloquence. After each story, he would ask the maids, “Did you know this one already?” to which they enthusiastically replied, “No, no!”

But upon finishing eleven stories, the princess whispered to her maids to claim they knew the last one. The young man sensed the princess’s instruction and continued his storytelling.

“Once upon a time, not long ago, there was a young man in this country who loved the princess dearly. They used to meet secretly in the royal garden. One day, the princess jokingly asked him, ‘Darling, can you sacrifice one of your eyes for my sake?’ Instantly, the young man plucked out one of his eyes and offered it to her. The princess was amazed and promised to be his wife, not just in this life but in all their future incarnations! Here is the princess, and I am that lucky young man. Now tell me, clever maids, did you know this beforehand?”

“Yes, yes! Who doesn’t know this? We all knew very well!” shouted the maids enthusiastically, following their mistress’s instructions. The princess hung her head in embarrassment, while the king and the crowd couldn’t hide their profound appreciation for the young man’s cleverness.

A Happy Conclusion

Seeing the king weary from his daughter’s antics, he declared on the spot that he had found his son-in-law. True to his word, after the wedding, the king relinquished his throne in favor of his new son-in-law and devoted his time to jigsaw puzzles and composing doggerels and limericks. The young man soon proved to be a great ruler, beloved by all—especially by his wife.