The Dump Princess
Once upon a summer, a certain prince fell in love with the picture of a beautiful princess and wanted to marry her. His friends tried to dissuade him, warning that all the suitors who had pursued her hand were dead. However, he dismissed their concerns and set out for the princess’s land accompanied by a few loyal followers.
The Enchanted Sparrow
Along the way, he bought a cage with a tiny sparrow inside. Disappointed by the bird’s size, the prince exclaimed in disgust, but the sparrow twittered back, “O Prince, I will bring you great luck. Throw this cage away and put me in the pocket of your jacket.”
Surprised to hear the sparrow speak, the prince decided to follow its advice. Soon, he arrived at the court of the king.
A Royal Challenge
“O King,” he announced, “I have come to woo your daughter into marriage.”
The king replied sternly, “My daughter hasn’t spoken in seven years. I will marry her off to the man who can make her speak. If you fail, I will have your head.”
Encouraged by the hidden sparrow, the prince agreed to the challenge and was brought before the mute princess.
Whispers of Wisdom
“How do you do?” he asked politely, but the princess did not respond. In a whisper, the sparrow urged him, “Put me on the mantelpiece and ask it to tell you a story.”
Puzzled but trusting the bird, the prince did as instructed. He addressed the mantelpiece, “O Mantelpiece, the princess may be dumb, but surely you can tell me a story.”
To his surprise, the mantelpiece spoke, “Prince, why do you try to speak to the princess? She is mad!”
Though the princess longed to cry out in anger to defend herself, she kept her mouth tightly shut and observed silently.
A Tale of Three Brothers
“O Mantelpiece, I feel bored. Do tell me a story,” the prince urged. The sparrow began to relate a tale.
In a certain village lived three brothers. The eldest was a hard worker, the second a talented washerman, and the youngest was a dunce who had great faith in God. One day, all three set out for the next city and rested in a large cave. The eldest kept watch and carved a wooden figure of a maiden; the second brother clothed the figure, while the third prayed to God for it to come to life. Miraculously, the figure did come to life.
A Surprising Response
The sparrow then asked, “O Prince, who among the three deserves to marry the wooden maiden?”
The prince answered confidently, “Surely, the eldest! He was the one who fashioned her.”
The sparrow responded, “Nonsense! The man who clothed her should marry the maiden.”
Unable to contain herself, the princess burst out, “Both of you are fools; the third brother should marry her!”
Delighted, the prince exclaimed, “Ha! The princess has spoken!”
Joyful Revelations
Everyone in the palace echoed, “Yes! The princess has spoken!” The king rushed in, eager to hear the news. “So, you have made my daughter speak?” he asked.
“He has not!” the princess retorted sharply, sealing her lips tightly again.
The king rolled on the ground in happiness and, true to his word, arranged for the clever prince to marry the princess. As for the sparrow, the prince took good care of it and kept it close to him for the rest of his life.