Folklore stories are one of the best ways to transfer knowledge between
people, as they combine heritage through popular fables and myths that
align with moral values and principles. Reading these stories helps
foster cultural depth across different races, nationalities, and
cultures.
Once
upon a time, there was a sweet gypsy girl playing around a tree. One of
the ministers saw her, fell in love with her, and asked her to marry
him and live with him in his palace. She said to him, “No, sir, your
mother won't accept a poor gypsy girl like me.” The minister was
determined, so he kidnapped her, and when he brought her to the palace,
his mother didn't agree to him marrying a gypsy girl. She said to him,
“You must kill her in the old forest, strip her, leave her naked as her
mother gave birth to her, and bring me her clothes and her heart.”
The minister agreed and told his mother that her request would be implemented after a week. The poor girl stayed in the palace for a week, and the minister raped her daily. A week later, the minister took the girl to the old forest, where there were many wild animals. The minister said to the gypsy girl, “I must kill you and take your clothes and heart to show my mother.”
The girl begged him not to kill her and said to him, “There is a cat in this forest; her heart is exactly like mine. Take her heart, and I will give you all my clothes. In this way, your mother will be sure that you killed me.” The minister agreed, took her clothes, killed the cat, and took her heart, leaving the girl alone and naked to meet her fate.
The girl walked a lot until she found a road through the forest and stood behind a tree, hoping that someone might pass and rescue her. After a while, a handsome young man on a horse passed by. The girl was afraid and thought the minister had come back to kill her. The young man heard a voice behind the tree and said in a loud voice, “If you are a ghost, move away, and if you are a human being, speak.”
The poor girl said, “I'm a human being like you, but please do not come near me because I’m naked.” The young man took off his coat and threw it to her, then turned to the other side so she could wear the coat without embarrassment. After that, he took her on his horse, and they set off. There was no talk between them until they reached the king's palace. The girl said, “Why did you come to the royal palace?” He replied, “I am the prince of the country. Come with me and don't worry.”
The girl entered the palace with the king, and his mother was astonished when she saw her son with a beautiful woman, her long black hair hanging down in braids. The king's mother took care of her and dressed her in very luxurious clothes until she became more beautiful than before. The king's mother asked the gypsy to marry her son because she was the most beautiful woman in the country, and it was an old custom that the king must marry the prettiest girl in the kingdom he ruled.
The king invited all the inhabitants of the kingdom to attend his wedding ceremony. All the people and ministers came to bless the king, among them the minister who raped the gypsy girl and threw her in the forest. His mother was also there, very afraid the girl would reveal what they had done. The king said, “Who has an amusing story to tell us?” Some people told entertaining folk tales, and then the gypsy girl asked the king to let her tell a story. The king said, “Go ahead, my beautiful girl.”
The girl said, “There was an innocent gypsy girl playing around a tree, and one of the rich ministers kidnapped her, raped her, threw her in the forest, and left her there without clothes.” After that, she pointed at the minister and his mother and said to them, “Tell us the rest of the story so that everyone knows what you did to the poor gypsy girl.”
Now the king knew why he had found his wife naked in the forest. He arrested the minister and ordered him to be hanged to set an example for any man who would hurt a girl. In the past, laws prevented the execution of women, so the king ordered the minister's mother to be imprisoned for life, and from that moment on, she never saw the sun again. As for the gypsy girl, she lived happily with her husband and his kind mother.
Best Folk Stories From Around The World
1- The Beautiful Gypsy Girl Story
The minister agreed and told his mother that her request would be implemented after a week. The poor girl stayed in the palace for a week, and the minister raped her daily. A week later, the minister took the girl to the old forest, where there were many wild animals. The minister said to the gypsy girl, “I must kill you and take your clothes and heart to show my mother.”
The girl begged him not to kill her and said to him, “There is a cat in this forest; her heart is exactly like mine. Take her heart, and I will give you all my clothes. In this way, your mother will be sure that you killed me.” The minister agreed, took her clothes, killed the cat, and took her heart, leaving the girl alone and naked to meet her fate.
The girl walked a lot until she found a road through the forest and stood behind a tree, hoping that someone might pass and rescue her. After a while, a handsome young man on a horse passed by. The girl was afraid and thought the minister had come back to kill her. The young man heard a voice behind the tree and said in a loud voice, “If you are a ghost, move away, and if you are a human being, speak.”
The poor girl said, “I'm a human being like you, but please do not come near me because I’m naked.” The young man took off his coat and threw it to her, then turned to the other side so she could wear the coat without embarrassment. After that, he took her on his horse, and they set off. There was no talk between them until they reached the king's palace. The girl said, “Why did you come to the royal palace?” He replied, “I am the prince of the country. Come with me and don't worry.”
The girl entered the palace with the king, and his mother was astonished when she saw her son with a beautiful woman, her long black hair hanging down in braids. The king's mother took care of her and dressed her in very luxurious clothes until she became more beautiful than before. The king's mother asked the gypsy to marry her son because she was the most beautiful woman in the country, and it was an old custom that the king must marry the prettiest girl in the kingdom he ruled.
The king invited all the inhabitants of the kingdom to attend his wedding ceremony. All the people and ministers came to bless the king, among them the minister who raped the gypsy girl and threw her in the forest. His mother was also there, very afraid the girl would reveal what they had done. The king said, “Who has an amusing story to tell us?” Some people told entertaining folk tales, and then the gypsy girl asked the king to let her tell a story. The king said, “Go ahead, my beautiful girl.”
The girl said, “There was an innocent gypsy girl playing around a tree, and one of the rich ministers kidnapped her, raped her, threw her in the forest, and left her there without clothes.” After that, she pointed at the minister and his mother and said to them, “Tell us the rest of the story so that everyone knows what you did to the poor gypsy girl.”
Now the king knew why he had found his wife naked in the forest. He arrested the minister and ordered him to be hanged to set an example for any man who would hurt a girl. In the past, laws prevented the execution of women, so the king ordered the minister's mother to be imprisoned for life, and from that moment on, she never saw the sun again. As for the gypsy girl, she lived happily with her husband and his kind mother.
{folklore stories}
It
is said that there was a great king who had a very beautiful daughter,
but she was arrogant and conceited. Many kings and princes proposed to
her, but she rejected them all. When her father got tired of her
arrogance, he decided to invite all the kings, princes, and nobles he
knew to give her one last chance to choose between them. The next
morning, they arrived at the palace, all standing in one row, and the
princess walked in front of them to see them.
She said to the fat man, “I will not marry you, elephant!” She said to the tall and skinny one, “I will not marry you, sugarcane!” And she said to the one with the very white face, “I will not marry you, pale!” The princess stopped for a longer period in front of the last of them, who was a handsome young man with no apparent defect except for his large brown mustache. The princess looked at him for a long time and then said, “However, I will not marry you, brown bear!”
Thus, her father's efforts went to no avail, so he became angry and said to her, “You will marry the first groom who proposes to you, even if he is a beggar, as punishment for your arrogance.” The next morning, a beggar came to the palace and said to the king, “I love the princess very much, and I want to marry her!” The king welcomed the beggar and summoned the priest, who came immediately, and the king married the princess to that poor beggar. The princess shouted and cried a lot, but the king did not care and said to the beggar, “Take your wife with you and leave immediately, and don't let me see your faces again!”
The groom set off with the angry princess; the only thing that calmed her down was her husband’s gentle manner. They passed by a very beautiful forest, so the princess asked him, “Who owns this forest?”
He replied, “The owner of this forest is the king with the big brown mustache.” He gave her the same answer when she asked about the plains, the cornfields, and finally the wonderful city they passed through. She said to herself, “If it weren't for my foolishness, that king would be my husband now!”
In the end, they reached a simple hut, and the poor princess asked him, “Why are we here?” He replied, “This is my home, and now it is yours.” The princess wailed and cried, but hunger and fatigue forced her to enter without objection.
There was no table or fireplace in the hut, so she had to help her husband prepare firewood, light the stove, cook dinner, and wash the dishes. The next day, her clothes became dirty, so she had to wear a burlap dress.
The princess cleaned and arranged the place every day, and when she had finished all the work in the hut, she worked on the spinning wheel. The princess never rested and lost her soft hands from excessive work.
Days passed, and her husband told her, “You will work as a cook in the palace kitchen.” Thus, the poor woman was forced to sacrifice her pride once again, but her new job kept her busy all the time.
In the second week of her work, a big celebration was held to honor the king’s marriage to a bride who was still unidentified. That evening, when she finished her work, she sat with the servants to watch the celebration. Meanwhile, her husband came, wearing very luxurious clothes. He grabbed his wife’s hand, pulled her into the hall, and began dancing with her to the tunes of classical music.
The princess was very embarrassed, and everyone looked at her with disgust. Her husband said to her, “Do you not know me? I am the king with the brown mustache! I cut off the mustache, disguised myself as a beggar, and married you. All of this was in agreement with your father so that you would stop being vain and proud.”
The princess did not know what to say or how to feel. She was overwhelmed by a mix of shame, fear, and happiness, but love was the strongest feeling that entered her heart at that moment. The princess cried like a child and threw her head on her husband's chest.
After a short time, she was dressed in luxurious wedding clothes, and the princess’s father and mother came to participate in the celebration.
The attendees did not understand what exactly had happened between the king and the maid, but the sight of the princess returning as a radiant bride made them forget everything, and they all indulged in the most wonderful wedding that had ever been held.
2- The Arrogant Princess: A Folklore Story from Ireland
She said to the fat man, “I will not marry you, elephant!” She said to the tall and skinny one, “I will not marry you, sugarcane!” And she said to the one with the very white face, “I will not marry you, pale!” The princess stopped for a longer period in front of the last of them, who was a handsome young man with no apparent defect except for his large brown mustache. The princess looked at him for a long time and then said, “However, I will not marry you, brown bear!”
Thus, her father's efforts went to no avail, so he became angry and said to her, “You will marry the first groom who proposes to you, even if he is a beggar, as punishment for your arrogance.” The next morning, a beggar came to the palace and said to the king, “I love the princess very much, and I want to marry her!” The king welcomed the beggar and summoned the priest, who came immediately, and the king married the princess to that poor beggar. The princess shouted and cried a lot, but the king did not care and said to the beggar, “Take your wife with you and leave immediately, and don't let me see your faces again!”
The groom set off with the angry princess; the only thing that calmed her down was her husband’s gentle manner. They passed by a very beautiful forest, so the princess asked him, “Who owns this forest?”
He replied, “The owner of this forest is the king with the big brown mustache.” He gave her the same answer when she asked about the plains, the cornfields, and finally the wonderful city they passed through. She said to herself, “If it weren't for my foolishness, that king would be my husband now!”
In the end, they reached a simple hut, and the poor princess asked him, “Why are we here?” He replied, “This is my home, and now it is yours.” The princess wailed and cried, but hunger and fatigue forced her to enter without objection.
There was no table or fireplace in the hut, so she had to help her husband prepare firewood, light the stove, cook dinner, and wash the dishes. The next day, her clothes became dirty, so she had to wear a burlap dress.
The princess cleaned and arranged the place every day, and when she had finished all the work in the hut, she worked on the spinning wheel. The princess never rested and lost her soft hands from excessive work.
Days passed, and her husband told her, “You will work as a cook in the palace kitchen.” Thus, the poor woman was forced to sacrifice her pride once again, but her new job kept her busy all the time.
In the second week of her work, a big celebration was held to honor the king’s marriage to a bride who was still unidentified. That evening, when she finished her work, she sat with the servants to watch the celebration. Meanwhile, her husband came, wearing very luxurious clothes. He grabbed his wife’s hand, pulled her into the hall, and began dancing with her to the tunes of classical music.
The princess was very embarrassed, and everyone looked at her with disgust. Her husband said to her, “Do you not know me? I am the king with the brown mustache! I cut off the mustache, disguised myself as a beggar, and married you. All of this was in agreement with your father so that you would stop being vain and proud.”
The princess did not know what to say or how to feel. She was overwhelmed by a mix of shame, fear, and happiness, but love was the strongest feeling that entered her heart at that moment. The princess cried like a child and threw her head on her husband's chest.
After a short time, she was dressed in luxurious wedding clothes, and the princess’s father and mother came to participate in the celebration.
The attendees did not understand what exactly had happened between the king and the maid, but the sight of the princess returning as a radiant bride made them forget everything, and they all indulged in the most wonderful wedding that had ever been held.
{folk tales stories}
One
day, a man left his country, heading to a new area. There, he entered a
monastery to serve. After spending time serving faithfully, he wished
to see his wife and homeland again. He said to the head of the
monastery, "I have served you all this time sincerely, but I want to
return to my country now."
The abbot replied, "Well, my son, but before you go, I will give you three pieces of advice. First, when you change your old way, you will face trouble. Second, watch a lot and talk a little. Third, think about your actions well before you do them. Well-thought-out actions are wiser and more beneficial." After that, the abbot gave him a loaf and said, "Divide it in half when you are happy."
The good man left, and on his way back home, he met a group of travelers. The travelers told him, "We would take the nearby road because it is short. Would you like to come with us?" The man thought for a moment, then remembered the abbot's advice and answered them, "Thank you, my friends. I will continue on this road." When he reached the middle of the road, he heard the sound of shooting. He looked from afar and found that a group of thieves had killed the travelers. The man thanked God and continued on his way.
While walking, he reached a large house and entered, asking for food. The owners of the house gave him a large plate of delicious meat. However, when the man put his fork into the piece of meat, he discovered that it was human flesh! He wanted to ask the owner of the house about the significance of providing such meat, but he remembered the second tip: "Watch a lot and talk a little." He thanked the house owner for hosting him. The owner of the house said, "Well done, my son. You saved yourself from death because anyone who inquired about my food was killed immediately and cooked." The man thanked him and left this ominous house.
The man arrived in his homeland and went to his house, but he didn't find his wife. Instead, he found a well-prepared table for two people with two cups, two forks, and two plates. The man said to himself, "How is this? I left my wife alone, and here I am seeing a table prepared for two!" Therefore, he hid under the bed to find out what was going on. His wife entered the house carrying a jug of water. Soon afterward, a strange young man came, and the woman hugged and kissed him.
The man became angry and almost went out to kill them, but he remembered the third piece of advice from the abbot. He retracted his action and kept watching them. During their conversation, the wife said to the young man, "I haven't seen you for a long time, but God has compensated me with a husband who was like a brother, father, and mother to me."
This man was her brother, whom she hadn't seen for many years. When the husband concluded that he was her brother, he came out from under the bed, laughing with joy. He then embraced and kissed them. After that, he remembered the loaf that his master had given him to eat when he was happy. When he divided the loaf, gold coins fell from it. The abbot had hidden them in the loaf as a reward for him for following the three pieces of advice.
3- The Three Tips: An Old Story from Italy
The abbot replied, "Well, my son, but before you go, I will give you three pieces of advice. First, when you change your old way, you will face trouble. Second, watch a lot and talk a little. Third, think about your actions well before you do them. Well-thought-out actions are wiser and more beneficial." After that, the abbot gave him a loaf and said, "Divide it in half when you are happy."
The good man left, and on his way back home, he met a group of travelers. The travelers told him, "We would take the nearby road because it is short. Would you like to come with us?" The man thought for a moment, then remembered the abbot's advice and answered them, "Thank you, my friends. I will continue on this road." When he reached the middle of the road, he heard the sound of shooting. He looked from afar and found that a group of thieves had killed the travelers. The man thanked God and continued on his way.
While walking, he reached a large house and entered, asking for food. The owners of the house gave him a large plate of delicious meat. However, when the man put his fork into the piece of meat, he discovered that it was human flesh! He wanted to ask the owner of the house about the significance of providing such meat, but he remembered the second tip: "Watch a lot and talk a little." He thanked the house owner for hosting him. The owner of the house said, "Well done, my son. You saved yourself from death because anyone who inquired about my food was killed immediately and cooked." The man thanked him and left this ominous house.
The man arrived in his homeland and went to his house, but he didn't find his wife. Instead, he found a well-prepared table for two people with two cups, two forks, and two plates. The man said to himself, "How is this? I left my wife alone, and here I am seeing a table prepared for two!" Therefore, he hid under the bed to find out what was going on. His wife entered the house carrying a jug of water. Soon afterward, a strange young man came, and the woman hugged and kissed him.
The man became angry and almost went out to kill them, but he remembered the third piece of advice from the abbot. He retracted his action and kept watching them. During their conversation, the wife said to the young man, "I haven't seen you for a long time, but God has compensated me with a husband who was like a brother, father, and mother to me."
This man was her brother, whom she hadn't seen for many years. When the husband concluded that he was her brother, he came out from under the bed, laughing with joy. He then embraced and kissed them. After that, he remembered the loaf that his master had given him to eat when he was happy. When he divided the loaf, gold coins fell from it. The abbot had hidden them in the loaf as a reward for him for following the three pieces of advice.
4- The Angel and the Three Brothers: A Story from Serbia
When the angel went down to earth, he took the form of a beggar, went to the guava tree, and found the older brother. He asked him to give him a piece of fruit. The brother plucked some fruits, gave them to the beggar, and said, "Take these fruits from my share because I cannot give you from the rations of my brothers." The angel thanked the man and left.
On the morning of the second day, the second brother stayed to guard the tree. The angel came again and begged him for some fruit. The man took some fruits and gave them to the angel, saying, "Take these from my share, but I do not dare to give you from the portions of my brothers."
On the third day, the youngest brother remained at home with the tree. The angel came as on the previous two days and asked for some fruits. The youngest brother gave him fruits from his portion and didn't touch the portions of his brothers.
The angel appeared again, but in the form of a monk, and went to the house of the three brothers. He said to them, "Come with me. I will give you anything you wish in this world." The three brothers followed the monk until they reached a stream. The angel said to the eldest brother, "Ask and wish."
The man said, "I hope this stream will turn into wine, and this wine will be mine." The angel drew a mark in the air with his stick, and in the blink of an eye, wine flowed instead of water. On the banks of the stream, there were hundreds of barrels and men working under his command. Then the angel said to the eldest brother, "This is all you wanted. Take care of yourself."
After that, the angel said to the middle brother, "Ask and wish." The man said, "I hope all these pigeons will turn into sheep, and these sheep will be mine!" Again, the angel drew a mark in the air with his stick, and immediately all the pigeons turned into sheep. Thousands of sheep appeared, along with hundreds of shepherds under the man's command. The angel told him, "This is what you wished for, so live your life."
Finally, the angel went to the youngest brother and said, "Ask what you want." The man said, "I hope that God will give me a pious and kind wife." The angel drew in the air with his stick, and immediately a beautiful and kind girl appeared. They got married and lived in the woods.
After some time, the Lord sent the angel again and said, "Go down and see how those brothers are living." The angel descended to the earth as before, in the form of a beggar, and went to the eldest brother, who had the torrent of wine. He asked him for a cup of wine, but the man refused, saying, "If I give everyone who asks, I will waste everything I have!"
When the angel heard that, he drew a mark in the air with his stick, and the torrent began to flow with water again. The angel said to the eldest brother, "This was not yours! Now go back to the guava tree to guard it."
The angel then went to the middle brother, the owner of the field full of sheep. He asked him for a small piece of meat because he was hungry, but the man refused, saying, "If I gave everyone a piece of meat, I wouldn't have anything left!"
When the angel heard that, he drew a mark in the air with his stick, and the sheep immediately turned back into pigeons and flew away. The angel said to the middle brother, "That was not yours! Go now to the guava tree to guard it."
Finally, the angel went to the youngest brother to check on him. He found him living with his wife in a small hut in the woods. The angel said to them that he had come from a long journey and begged them to allow him to spend the night with them. The couple welcomed the guest, and the man said, "I apologize to you because we are very poor and cannot serve you properly."
The angel said, "I'll be satisfied with all you have." The man asked his wife to prepare a loaf of bread and a bowl of water for the guest. Soon after, the couple put bread and a bowl of water in front of the angel.
The angel was very happy because of the couple's generosity. As a reward for them, the angel touched the hut with his stick, and it turned into a large palace containing everything from animals to servants and workers. The angel blessed the younger brother and his wife and left. The couple lived happily ever after for the rest of their lives.
{english folktales stories}
Once
upon a time, there was a very poor young man named Simon. This man went
to the market to look for work, and when he got there, a very rich
merchant came on a golden cart. All the market men were there, but as
soon as they saw him approaching, they ran and hid from him. Only one
man remained; that was Simon.
The rich merchant said to Simon, "If you are looking for a job, I will make you work with me for 100 rubles a day." The young man agreed without much thought. The merchant said to him, "Tomorrow, come to the wharf to start work." The next day, Simon arrived at the wharf and found the rich merchant waiting for him.
The merchant and the young man sailed for a long time until they reached an island containing many mountains and a giant golden palace belonging to the rich merchant. As soon as they arrived, the merchant's wife rushed to receive them with her beautiful daughter. Simon sat with the family, and they ate the most delicious food. The young worker was kind and handsome, and the merchant's daughter loved him very much as she kept looking at him intently.
After they had eaten, the merchant said to Simon, "Let us rest today and start work tomorrow," and he asked him to sleep in the guest room. At night, the merchant’s daughter came to Simon, gave him a flint stone and a gold stone, and said to him, "Take these; maybe you will need them someday."
The next day, the merchant and Simon went to the golden mountain. When they arrived, the merchant said, "Let's drink a toast of courage," then gave him a hypnotic drink. As soon as the young man drank, he fell into a deep sleep. After that, the merchant killed a big sheep, opened its belly, put the young man inside it, and sewed the sheep's skin well. He then sat behind a tree.
Shortly afterward, the crows came, carried the sheep up the mountain, and began to peck at it. Soon, the crows devoured the sheep and were about to start devouring Simon, but fortunately, Simon woke up at that moment. He pushed the crows away and asked aloud, "Where am I?" The rich man replied, "You are at the top of the golden mountain. To get down from it, you must extract the gold and throw it under the mountain." Simon did what the rich man told him. He extracted a lot of gold, rolled it down the mountain, and the merchant started putting gold in the carts.
After the rich man finished collecting gold, he said to Simon, "Thank you, idiot! This is much more than I need." Simon said, "How do I get down?" The rich man replied, "Ninety-nine men died on this mountain before you, and with you, the number will be a hundred." Then the arrogant merchant left the young man alone to meet his fate.
The poor young man thought, "What should I do? Going down is impossible, and staying means a cruel death from hunger and thirst." Simon sat thinking while the black crows prepared to devour him. Simon remembered the flint stone and the gold stone that the merchant's daughter had given him.
Simon took out the two stones and hit them together. Suddenly, a giant man appeared in front of him and asked, "What is your wish?" The young man said in a state of fear and astonishment, "Take me down from this mountain." Immediately, the man carefully carried him down. Simon found a boat sailing near the island, so he said in a loud voice, "Good men, take me with you." The sailors responded to the young man's request, took him with them, and brought him back to his town.
Several months passed, and the young man again suffered from hunger because of his extreme poverty. He went to the market in search of work. The rich man came again with his golden cart, and as soon as the market men saw him, they hid right away. Only Simon remained, and the rich man said to him, "Do you agree to work with me for 200 rubles a day?" Simon agreed immediately, and the merchant asked him to come to the wharf the next day.
They met the next day, sailed toward the island, and the merchant did not remember Simon. The merchant greeted the young man at his home, and they spent the first day with joy. The next day, the worker and his master went to work. They arrived at the golden mountain, and the merchant said to Simon, "Take a drink before we start work." The young man replied, "Wait, sir. You are the employer, and you must drink first. Let me serve you until you are satisfied with me." Then Simon offered him a hypnotic drink mixed with wine.
As soon as the rich merchant drank the wine, he fell asleep. Simon then killed a large sheep, opened its belly, put the merchant inside, and sewed the sheep closed. Simon hid among the trees, and after a while, the black crows came and carried the sheep, with the merchant inside it, up the mountain. When the merchant woke up, he looked around and said, "Where am I?"
The young man replied, "You are at the top of the golden mountain. In order to get down from it, you must dig and throw the gold under the mountain." The merchant was forced to obey, so he dug and rolled the gold down the mountain.
Simon filled the carts with gold and said to the merchant, "That's enough, thank you very much." The merchant said, "What about me?" Simon replied, "You can do whatever you want. Ninety-nine men died before you; with your death today, the number will be a hundred."
Then the young man took the carts, went to the rich merchant's palace, and married the merchant's beautiful daughter. The daughter became the owner of all her father's wealth. Simon, his family, and his wife lived in love and happiness at the golden palace.
What about the arrogant rich merchant?
He became like many of his victims, a prey to the black crows.
5- The Golden Mountain: A Folktale from Russia
The rich merchant said to Simon, "If you are looking for a job, I will make you work with me for 100 rubles a day." The young man agreed without much thought. The merchant said to him, "Tomorrow, come to the wharf to start work." The next day, Simon arrived at the wharf and found the rich merchant waiting for him.
The merchant and the young man sailed for a long time until they reached an island containing many mountains and a giant golden palace belonging to the rich merchant. As soon as they arrived, the merchant's wife rushed to receive them with her beautiful daughter. Simon sat with the family, and they ate the most delicious food. The young worker was kind and handsome, and the merchant's daughter loved him very much as she kept looking at him intently.
After they had eaten, the merchant said to Simon, "Let us rest today and start work tomorrow," and he asked him to sleep in the guest room. At night, the merchant’s daughter came to Simon, gave him a flint stone and a gold stone, and said to him, "Take these; maybe you will need them someday."
The next day, the merchant and Simon went to the golden mountain. When they arrived, the merchant said, "Let's drink a toast of courage," then gave him a hypnotic drink. As soon as the young man drank, he fell into a deep sleep. After that, the merchant killed a big sheep, opened its belly, put the young man inside it, and sewed the sheep's skin well. He then sat behind a tree.
Shortly afterward, the crows came, carried the sheep up the mountain, and began to peck at it. Soon, the crows devoured the sheep and were about to start devouring Simon, but fortunately, Simon woke up at that moment. He pushed the crows away and asked aloud, "Where am I?" The rich man replied, "You are at the top of the golden mountain. To get down from it, you must extract the gold and throw it under the mountain." Simon did what the rich man told him. He extracted a lot of gold, rolled it down the mountain, and the merchant started putting gold in the carts.
After the rich man finished collecting gold, he said to Simon, "Thank you, idiot! This is much more than I need." Simon said, "How do I get down?" The rich man replied, "Ninety-nine men died on this mountain before you, and with you, the number will be a hundred." Then the arrogant merchant left the young man alone to meet his fate.
The poor young man thought, "What should I do? Going down is impossible, and staying means a cruel death from hunger and thirst." Simon sat thinking while the black crows prepared to devour him. Simon remembered the flint stone and the gold stone that the merchant's daughter had given him.
Simon took out the two stones and hit them together. Suddenly, a giant man appeared in front of him and asked, "What is your wish?" The young man said in a state of fear and astonishment, "Take me down from this mountain." Immediately, the man carefully carried him down. Simon found a boat sailing near the island, so he said in a loud voice, "Good men, take me with you." The sailors responded to the young man's request, took him with them, and brought him back to his town.
Several months passed, and the young man again suffered from hunger because of his extreme poverty. He went to the market in search of work. The rich man came again with his golden cart, and as soon as the market men saw him, they hid right away. Only Simon remained, and the rich man said to him, "Do you agree to work with me for 200 rubles a day?" Simon agreed immediately, and the merchant asked him to come to the wharf the next day.
They met the next day, sailed toward the island, and the merchant did not remember Simon. The merchant greeted the young man at his home, and they spent the first day with joy. The next day, the worker and his master went to work. They arrived at the golden mountain, and the merchant said to Simon, "Take a drink before we start work." The young man replied, "Wait, sir. You are the employer, and you must drink first. Let me serve you until you are satisfied with me." Then Simon offered him a hypnotic drink mixed with wine.
As soon as the rich merchant drank the wine, he fell asleep. Simon then killed a large sheep, opened its belly, put the merchant inside, and sewed the sheep closed. Simon hid among the trees, and after a while, the black crows came and carried the sheep, with the merchant inside it, up the mountain. When the merchant woke up, he looked around and said, "Where am I?"
The young man replied, "You are at the top of the golden mountain. In order to get down from it, you must dig and throw the gold under the mountain." The merchant was forced to obey, so he dug and rolled the gold down the mountain.
Simon filled the carts with gold and said to the merchant, "That's enough, thank you very much." The merchant said, "What about me?" Simon replied, "You can do whatever you want. Ninety-nine men died before you; with your death today, the number will be a hundred."
Then the young man took the carts, went to the rich merchant's palace, and married the merchant's beautiful daughter. The daughter became the owner of all her father's wealth. Simon, his family, and his wife lived in love and happiness at the golden palace.
What about the arrogant rich merchant?
He became like many of his victims, a prey to the black crows.
{english folk tales}
Yuuki
and Yuuka were friends and neighbors. One day, Yuuki went to the beach,
and when he saw a sea lion in the water, he said to him: "Mr. Sea Lion,
I wish you would come here; I will pick up lice from your head."
The sea lion swam toward him, and Yuuki pretended that he was picking up lice from his head. In fact, he picked up the flesh from his head and ate it. Then he said to him: "I picked up all the lice. You can go in peace." After the sea lion swam a little, he put his hand on his head to see if the lice were gone. He discovered that he had lost the flesh from his head, so he got very angry and swam back to the beach to kill Yuuki.
When Yuuki saw that the sea lion was chasing him, he ran into the mountains. After running for some time, he came to a crossroads. There was a wide road on the right and a narrow road on the left that ended in a narrow valley.
Yuuki thought to himself, If I take the wide path, the sea lion will catch me and kill me. So, Yuuki ran to the left and entered the narrow path. The sea lion followed him until he got stuck at the end of the narrow valley. At this moment, Yuuki hit him on the head. The sea lion died instantly, so Yuuki took his meat and skin to his house and became very rich.
Yuuka came to his friend's house and said to him: "You and I were poor. What happened that made you rich?" Yuuki invited his friend for dinner, and when Yuuka came, he saw that his friend's wife and children were eating sea lion meat. He sat down and ate with them. While eating, Yuuki told him everything that had happened and explained that crossing the narrow path saved his life.
After Yuuka heard what he wanted to know, he said to his neighbor: "I knew that," then stepped on the plates, scattered food in front of Yuuki's wife and children, and left.
The next morning, Yuuka went to the beach, called the sea lion, and said to him: "Sea lion, if you come here, I will pick up the lice from your head." The sea lion approached him, and Yuuka pretended to pick up lice from his head but actually took the flesh. The sea lion felt a little pain, but he thought it was because Yuuka was picking up lice.
When Yuuka finished, the sea lion thanked him and swam away. After a while, the sea lion put his hand on his head and discovered that Yuuka had taken his flesh. The sea lion became very angry and quickly returned to the beach to kill him.
Yuuka saw that the sea lion was following him, so he ran toward the mountains. After running for some time, he reached a crossroads. Yuuka thought to himself, Surely my friend lied to me so that I don't become as rich as him. If I take the narrow road, the sea lion will catch me, but if I take the wide road, I can run freely. When the sea lion gets tired of running, he will rest, and I will kill him from behind.
Yuuka took the wide road to run more easily. The sea lion followed him, so Yuuka kept running as fast as he could until he grew tired. However, the sea lion did not tire and kept running at full speed. In the end, the sea lion caught Yuuka and ate him. The flesh returned to the sea lion's head again because he had eaten a rich meal!
Anansi
was a skilled fisherman, but he grew old, and his eyesight began to
weaken little by little until he lost it completely. Anansi was still
very strong and continued fishing with the help of two men who were very
kind to him and helped him in every possible way. They took him to the
beach every morning, helped him onto the boat, and told him where to
throw his net and when to pull it. When they returned to land, they
guided him to step out of the boat so that he wouldn't drown.
This went on for many months, but instead of showing gratitude, Anansi treated them cruelly. When they told him where to throw his net, he would respond rudely: "I know! I was about to throw it there." When they directed him to get off the boat, he would say: "Oh, I know perfectly well that we’ve reached the shore. I was preparing to get off."
This situation continued for a long time. His rudeness grew unbearable, and the men decided to punish him for his ingratitude.
The next day, they took Anansi to the shore as usual. When they asked him to get on the boat, he said: "Do you think I am an idiot? I know the boat is there!" They made no comment, boarded the boat, and went to the fishing spot. When they told him where to throw his net, his response was so offensive that they decided to act immediately.
When the boat was full of fish, they began the journey back to land. After a short distance, they stopped and said: "Here, we’ve reached the shore." Anansi arrogantly replied that they were fools to state something so obvious. Feeling proud, he put his leg outside the boat, expecting to step onto land. Instead, he was shocked to find himself falling into deep water and drowning.
As for the two men, they paddled quickly away, leaving him to find his way alone.
Anansi was a skilled swimmer, like all the men in his country, but he was blind and could not see the land. He swam until he became sick and eventually drowned.
6- Yuuki, Yuuka, and the Sea Lion: A Story from the Ainu People
The sea lion swam toward him, and Yuuki pretended that he was picking up lice from his head. In fact, he picked up the flesh from his head and ate it. Then he said to him: "I picked up all the lice. You can go in peace." After the sea lion swam a little, he put his hand on his head to see if the lice were gone. He discovered that he had lost the flesh from his head, so he got very angry and swam back to the beach to kill Yuuki.
When Yuuki saw that the sea lion was chasing him, he ran into the mountains. After running for some time, he came to a crossroads. There was a wide road on the right and a narrow road on the left that ended in a narrow valley.
Yuuki thought to himself, If I take the wide path, the sea lion will catch me and kill me. So, Yuuki ran to the left and entered the narrow path. The sea lion followed him until he got stuck at the end of the narrow valley. At this moment, Yuuki hit him on the head. The sea lion died instantly, so Yuuki took his meat and skin to his house and became very rich.
Yuuka came to his friend's house and said to him: "You and I were poor. What happened that made you rich?" Yuuki invited his friend for dinner, and when Yuuka came, he saw that his friend's wife and children were eating sea lion meat. He sat down and ate with them. While eating, Yuuki told him everything that had happened and explained that crossing the narrow path saved his life.
After Yuuka heard what he wanted to know, he said to his neighbor: "I knew that," then stepped on the plates, scattered food in front of Yuuki's wife and children, and left.
The next morning, Yuuka went to the beach, called the sea lion, and said to him: "Sea lion, if you come here, I will pick up the lice from your head." The sea lion approached him, and Yuuka pretended to pick up lice from his head but actually took the flesh. The sea lion felt a little pain, but he thought it was because Yuuka was picking up lice.
When Yuuka finished, the sea lion thanked him and swam away. After a while, the sea lion put his hand on his head and discovered that Yuuka had taken his flesh. The sea lion became very angry and quickly returned to the beach to kill him.
Yuuka saw that the sea lion was following him, so he ran toward the mountains. After running for some time, he reached a crossroads. Yuuka thought to himself, Surely my friend lied to me so that I don't become as rich as him. If I take the narrow road, the sea lion will catch me, but if I take the wide road, I can run freely. When the sea lion gets tired of running, he will rest, and I will kill him from behind.
Yuuka took the wide road to run more easily. The sea lion followed him, so Yuuka kept running as fast as he could until he grew tired. However, the sea lion did not tire and kept running at full speed. In the end, the sea lion caught Yuuka and ate him. The flesh returned to the sea lion's head again because he had eaten a rich meal!
7- The Blind Fisherman: An Old Folktale from West Africa
This went on for many months, but instead of showing gratitude, Anansi treated them cruelly. When they told him where to throw his net, he would respond rudely: "I know! I was about to throw it there." When they directed him to get off the boat, he would say: "Oh, I know perfectly well that we’ve reached the shore. I was preparing to get off."
This situation continued for a long time. His rudeness grew unbearable, and the men decided to punish him for his ingratitude.
The next day, they took Anansi to the shore as usual. When they asked him to get on the boat, he said: "Do you think I am an idiot? I know the boat is there!" They made no comment, boarded the boat, and went to the fishing spot. When they told him where to throw his net, his response was so offensive that they decided to act immediately.
When the boat was full of fish, they began the journey back to land. After a short distance, they stopped and said: "Here, we’ve reached the shore." Anansi arrogantly replied that they were fools to state something so obvious. Feeling proud, he put his leg outside the boat, expecting to step onto land. Instead, he was shocked to find himself falling into deep water and drowning.
As for the two men, they paddled quickly away, leaving him to find his way alone.
Anansi was a skilled swimmer, like all the men in his country, but he was blind and could not see the land. He swam until he became sick and eventually drowned.
{short folktales stories}
Once
upon a time, there were two men working for the king: one of them was a
painter who did his job wonderfully, and the other was a carpenter,
renowned as one of the best in the kingdom. The painter hated the
carpenter deeply because the carpenter was closest to the king's heart.
One day, the painter went to the king and said, "Your Majesty, last
night, as I was preparing to sleep, an angel from Heaven sent by your
father visited me. He invited me to come to him, so I went to see what
he wanted. I found him incredibly wealthy, and he gave me a message for
you. Here it is, Your Majesty."
The king opened the message, which read:
"Oh, my son, I am here in Heaven. I have great wealth and everything I desire, except one thing: I wish to build a temple for the gods. However, there are no good carpenters here. Please send me the best carpenter you have. The painter who delivers this message to you knows what I mean because he has been here."
The king believed the painter's trick. He summoned the carpenter and told him, "My father lives in Heaven and is very happy. However, he wishes to build a temple for the gods and has asked me to send you to him to complete this task."
The carpenter was worried and thought to himself, This must be a trick by the painter to get rid of me. He then said to the king, "But how can I reach Heaven?"
The king replied, "You must gather all the tools you need for the journey. You and your tools will be placed among the firewood, and when the fire is lit, the smoke will carry you and your tools up to Heaven."
The carpenter said, "Well, that sounds good, but I need time to prepare." The king granted him seven days to get ready.
The carpenter returned home and told his wife, "That cunning painter has devised an elaborate plan to kill me. I only have seven days before I am burned." His wife suggested, "We should dig a tunnel from the house to the place where the fire will be lit. When the firewood burns, you can escape through the tunnel, and everyone will think you ascended to Heaven."
They began digging the tunnel, working tirelessly to complete it before the deadline. When the seven days were up, the king ordered large quantities of firewood to be gathered. The firewood was arranged in a circle, and the carpenter was placed inside the semicircle. As soon as the fire was lit, the carpenter slid into the tunnel and escaped to his house.
The painter, amazed, exclaimed, "Look! He is riding the smoke to Heaven!" Everyone believed it and returned home in awe. The carpenter, however, stayed hidden in his house to recover from his wounds and burns, as the people, the king, and the painter believed he was in Heaven.
In his house, the carpenter had a secret dark room where he washed himself daily and prepared garments resembling the clothes of the gods. Three months later, he emerged with skin as white as snow, wearing the divine garments, and went to meet the king. He carried a message from the king's father, which read:
"My dear son, it is said that you are a fair ruler who governs your people with wisdom and kindness. Three months ago, you sent me a carpenter to build the temple, and he has done a wonderful job. I now wish you to reward him on Earth. The temple has been built, and I request that you send me the best painter in your kingdom to paint it."
The king immediately rewarded the carpenter with great wealth to ensure his happiness for life. Then he summoned the painter and said, "The carpenter has returned from Heaven with a message from my father. He requests that I send you to paint the temple."
The painter looked at the carpenter, who now had bright white skin and wore strange, godly garments adorned with coral chains. Convinced of the journey's legitimacy, the painter prepared himself. The king gave him seven days to get ready.
When the day arrived, the carpenter suggested that drums and trumpets should be played to celebrate the painter's ascension to Heaven. The fire was lit, the music played loudly, and the noise filled the air. When the flames reached the painter, he screamed in agony, but the music drowned out his cries. Thus, the painter "ascended to Heaven."
8- The Wise Carpenter: A Popular Story from the Tibetan People
The king opened the message, which read:
"Oh, my son, I am here in Heaven. I have great wealth and everything I desire, except one thing: I wish to build a temple for the gods. However, there are no good carpenters here. Please send me the best carpenter you have. The painter who delivers this message to you knows what I mean because he has been here."
The king believed the painter's trick. He summoned the carpenter and told him, "My father lives in Heaven and is very happy. However, he wishes to build a temple for the gods and has asked me to send you to him to complete this task."
The carpenter was worried and thought to himself, This must be a trick by the painter to get rid of me. He then said to the king, "But how can I reach Heaven?"
The king replied, "You must gather all the tools you need for the journey. You and your tools will be placed among the firewood, and when the fire is lit, the smoke will carry you and your tools up to Heaven."
The carpenter said, "Well, that sounds good, but I need time to prepare." The king granted him seven days to get ready.
The carpenter returned home and told his wife, "That cunning painter has devised an elaborate plan to kill me. I only have seven days before I am burned." His wife suggested, "We should dig a tunnel from the house to the place where the fire will be lit. When the firewood burns, you can escape through the tunnel, and everyone will think you ascended to Heaven."
They began digging the tunnel, working tirelessly to complete it before the deadline. When the seven days were up, the king ordered large quantities of firewood to be gathered. The firewood was arranged in a circle, and the carpenter was placed inside the semicircle. As soon as the fire was lit, the carpenter slid into the tunnel and escaped to his house.
The painter, amazed, exclaimed, "Look! He is riding the smoke to Heaven!" Everyone believed it and returned home in awe. The carpenter, however, stayed hidden in his house to recover from his wounds and burns, as the people, the king, and the painter believed he was in Heaven.
In his house, the carpenter had a secret dark room where he washed himself daily and prepared garments resembling the clothes of the gods. Three months later, he emerged with skin as white as snow, wearing the divine garments, and went to meet the king. He carried a message from the king's father, which read:
"My dear son, it is said that you are a fair ruler who governs your people with wisdom and kindness. Three months ago, you sent me a carpenter to build the temple, and he has done a wonderful job. I now wish you to reward him on Earth. The temple has been built, and I request that you send me the best painter in your kingdom to paint it."
The king immediately rewarded the carpenter with great wealth to ensure his happiness for life. Then he summoned the painter and said, "The carpenter has returned from Heaven with a message from my father. He requests that I send you to paint the temple."
The painter looked at the carpenter, who now had bright white skin and wore strange, godly garments adorned with coral chains. Convinced of the journey's legitimacy, the painter prepared himself. The king gave him seven days to get ready.
When the day arrived, the carpenter suggested that drums and trumpets should be played to celebrate the painter's ascension to Heaven. The fire was lit, the music played loudly, and the noise filled the air. When the flames reached the painter, he screamed in agony, but the music drowned out his cries. Thus, the painter "ascended to Heaven."
{african folk stories}
Once
upon a time, the farmer Akachi was looking for a suitable plot of land
to turn into a field in order to grow corn and potatoes. After a period
of research, he discovered a beautiful site near a large forest
inhabited by fairies and began working to prepare the field.
Akachi took out his big knife and began cutting trees. As soon as he touched one of them, he heard a voice saying: Who cuts down the trees? Akachi was frightened and surprised, and he realized that this voice must be from fairies. So he replied, I am Akachi. I came to prepare the field. Fortunately for him, all the fairies were good, and they decided to help him cut down trees. Akachi was happy when he saw that all the trees were cut down quickly with minimal effort.
Akachi came home in the evening and was very pleased; he hid the secret of the field and the fairies from his wife. At the beginning of the new month, Akachi went to burn the dry trees. As soon as he touched one of the trees, one of the fairies said: Who plays in the trees? He answered quickly, I am Akachi. I came to burn the trees, and accordingly, the fairies burned all the dry trees, and the field became clean in no time.
Akachi came the next day and divided the field into two halves, one for corn and one for potatoes. The fairies helped Akachi a lot in all stages of preparation, from digging to sowing and planting. The soil was prepared with great care, and Akachi visited the place from time to time and congratulated himself on the wonderful harvest he would get.
One day, while the corn and the potatoes were still green, Akachi's wife asked her husband about the location of the field in order to go there and get some firewood. At first, the farmer refused to tell her about the place, but she insisted and promised that she would not tell anyone about the place. Akachi agreed on the condition that she would not answer any question she was asked in the field. The wife did not understand what he meant, but she promised him that she would not answer any question she heard there.
Akachi's wife arrived at the field and was amazed by the beauty of the crops. The corn was so tempting, although it was still immature, so the wife cut a corn cob. While she was doing so, she heard a voice saying: Who is trying to cut the corn? The wife forgot what her husband had told her and said: Who dares to ask me this question? Then she moved to the potato field and uprooted one of them. She heard the voice asking her again: Who's uprooting potatoes? She replied: It's me, Akachi's wife. It's my husband's field, and I have the right to take what I want.
One of the fairies said, Come on, let's help Akachi's wife pick the corn and the potatoes. Before the woman could reply with one word, all the corn and potatoes were lying on the ground, and the crop was completely spoiled because it was still green. The farmer's wife cried bitterly, but in vain. The wife returned home, and she didn't know how to tell her husband about this terrible disaster, so she decided to remain silent about it.
The next day, the farmer gladly went to his field to see how things were going. You can imagine how angry and desperate he was when he saw his field completely damaged. All his work and future were lost because his wife forgot her promise.
In
the past, there was a poor hunter walking in the forest in search of
food. After a long search, he reached a deep pit in which he found a
cheetah, a snake, a monkey, and a man who had all fallen into the pit
and could not get out of it. When they saw the hunter, they begged him
to help them get out of the pit. At first, the hunter hesitated to help
any of them except the man. The cheetah was eating his cattle, the snake
was constantly stinging people, and the monkey did not do a favor for
anyone.
The hunter only saved the man and left the animals in the pit because there was no point in releasing them. The animals begged him to save them, and in the end, he decided to help them get out of the pit. In return, each animal promised him a reward for his kindness. As for the man who was in the pit, he did not promise him anything, arguing that he was very poor. The good hunter took him to his house and allowed him to stay with him.
After a while, the snake came to the hunter, gave him anti-snake venom powder, and said to him, "Keep it well. It will be of great use one day, and when you have to use it, be sure to ask for the traitor's blood to mix it with the powder." The hunter did not understand the significance of this, but he kept the powder, as the snake told him. The cheetah also came after a short period, brought a sheep for the hunter, and promised to provide animals and birds for him so that he would never go hungry.
The monkey also did not forget his promise to the hunter, so he came to him and gave him a large bundle of gold and silver. Thus, the hunter became rich and built himself a beautiful house. The man who had been saved by the hunter was still living with him. This man was very envious and was not satisfied with the good fortune of his host; he was waiting for the first opportunity to frame him, and soon that opportunity came.
The king announced that a thief had entered the royal palace and stolen some jewels and valuables. Then the envious man rushed to the king and asked him, "What will be my reward if I reveal the robber?" The king promised to give him half of the stolen things. So the evil man falsely accused his host, despite his full knowledge that he was innocent.
The hunter was put in prison, and on the day of the trial, the king asked him to explain how he became rich. The hunter spoke honestly about the source of his money, but no one believed him. The king sentenced him to death.
The next morning, before the execution was carried out, news reached the king that a snake had bitten his son and that he was now dying. The hunter immediately remembered the powder that the snake had given him and offered the king a deal: to allow him to treat his son. The king refused at first, but he had to agree when the kingdom's doctors failed to treat his only son.
When he got permission, the king asked him if he needed anything to mix the powder. The hunter replied, "I need the traitor’s blood to mix it with the powder." Then His Majesty pointed out the evil man and said, "There stands the worst traitor ever because he betrayed his kind host who saved his life." The traitor's head was cut off, and the powder was mixed just as the snake had said. The young prince recovered as soon as the mixture was applied to his wound.
The king thanked the hunter and made him his personal advisor.
9- Akachi and the Fairies: A Short African Folktale
Akachi took out his big knife and began cutting trees. As soon as he touched one of them, he heard a voice saying: Who cuts down the trees? Akachi was frightened and surprised, and he realized that this voice must be from fairies. So he replied, I am Akachi. I came to prepare the field. Fortunately for him, all the fairies were good, and they decided to help him cut down trees. Akachi was happy when he saw that all the trees were cut down quickly with minimal effort.
Akachi came home in the evening and was very pleased; he hid the secret of the field and the fairies from his wife. At the beginning of the new month, Akachi went to burn the dry trees. As soon as he touched one of the trees, one of the fairies said: Who plays in the trees? He answered quickly, I am Akachi. I came to burn the trees, and accordingly, the fairies burned all the dry trees, and the field became clean in no time.
Akachi came the next day and divided the field into two halves, one for corn and one for potatoes. The fairies helped Akachi a lot in all stages of preparation, from digging to sowing and planting. The soil was prepared with great care, and Akachi visited the place from time to time and congratulated himself on the wonderful harvest he would get.
One day, while the corn and the potatoes were still green, Akachi's wife asked her husband about the location of the field in order to go there and get some firewood. At first, the farmer refused to tell her about the place, but she insisted and promised that she would not tell anyone about the place. Akachi agreed on the condition that she would not answer any question she was asked in the field. The wife did not understand what he meant, but she promised him that she would not answer any question she heard there.
Akachi's wife arrived at the field and was amazed by the beauty of the crops. The corn was so tempting, although it was still immature, so the wife cut a corn cob. While she was doing so, she heard a voice saying: Who is trying to cut the corn? The wife forgot what her husband had told her and said: Who dares to ask me this question? Then she moved to the potato field and uprooted one of them. She heard the voice asking her again: Who's uprooting potatoes? She replied: It's me, Akachi's wife. It's my husband's field, and I have the right to take what I want.
One of the fairies said, Come on, let's help Akachi's wife pick the corn and the potatoes. Before the woman could reply with one word, all the corn and potatoes were lying on the ground, and the crop was completely spoiled because it was still green. The farmer's wife cried bitterly, but in vain. The wife returned home, and she didn't know how to tell her husband about this terrible disaster, so she decided to remain silent about it.
The next day, the farmer gladly went to his field to see how things were going. You can imagine how angry and desperate he was when he saw his field completely damaged. All his work and future were lost because his wife forgot her promise.
10- The Ungrateful Man: A Folk Story from West Africa
The hunter only saved the man and left the animals in the pit because there was no point in releasing them. The animals begged him to save them, and in the end, he decided to help them get out of the pit. In return, each animal promised him a reward for his kindness. As for the man who was in the pit, he did not promise him anything, arguing that he was very poor. The good hunter took him to his house and allowed him to stay with him.
After a while, the snake came to the hunter, gave him anti-snake venom powder, and said to him, "Keep it well. It will be of great use one day, and when you have to use it, be sure to ask for the traitor's blood to mix it with the powder." The hunter did not understand the significance of this, but he kept the powder, as the snake told him. The cheetah also came after a short period, brought a sheep for the hunter, and promised to provide animals and birds for him so that he would never go hungry.
The monkey also did not forget his promise to the hunter, so he came to him and gave him a large bundle of gold and silver. Thus, the hunter became rich and built himself a beautiful house. The man who had been saved by the hunter was still living with him. This man was very envious and was not satisfied with the good fortune of his host; he was waiting for the first opportunity to frame him, and soon that opportunity came.
The king announced that a thief had entered the royal palace and stolen some jewels and valuables. Then the envious man rushed to the king and asked him, "What will be my reward if I reveal the robber?" The king promised to give him half of the stolen things. So the evil man falsely accused his host, despite his full knowledge that he was innocent.
The hunter was put in prison, and on the day of the trial, the king asked him to explain how he became rich. The hunter spoke honestly about the source of his money, but no one believed him. The king sentenced him to death.
The next morning, before the execution was carried out, news reached the king that a snake had bitten his son and that he was now dying. The hunter immediately remembered the powder that the snake had given him and offered the king a deal: to allow him to treat his son. The king refused at first, but he had to agree when the kingdom's doctors failed to treat his only son.
When he got permission, the king asked him if he needed anything to mix the powder. The hunter replied, "I need the traitor’s blood to mix it with the powder." Then His Majesty pointed out the evil man and said, "There stands the worst traitor ever because he betrayed his kind host who saved his life." The traitor's head was cut off, and the powder was mixed just as the snake had said. The young prince recovered as soon as the mixture was applied to his wound.
The king thanked the hunter and made him his personal advisor.
{folklore around the world}
Once
upon a time, there were two women fighting over a child, each trying to
prove which of them was entitled to him. They couldn't resolve the
problem between them, so they decided to present the case to the king of
the country, who was distinguished by wisdom and cleverness. He
commanded the following:
"One of you will hold the boy's right hand, and the other will hold his left hand. Both of you will try with all your strength to pull him. The woman who can pull the child to her will take him."
As soon as he said that, the woman who wasn't the real mother pulled him to her with all her power, indifferent to whether this would harm the boy or not. As for the boy's real mother, she didn't pull the child strongly because she feared for him and didn't want to expose him to harm. Instead, she attracted him gently and tenderly, even though she was stronger than the other woman.
The king then said to the woman who pulled the boy with all her strength, "Enough! This boy is not your son but the son of that loving woman."
The boy was returned to his real mother, who hugged him with overwhelming joy and happiness, and the king ordered the other woman to be imprisoned.
11- King Solomon and Two Mothers: A Historical Story from the Tibetan People
"One of you will hold the boy's right hand, and the other will hold his left hand. Both of you will try with all your strength to pull him. The woman who can pull the child to her will take him."
As soon as he said that, the woman who wasn't the real mother pulled him to her with all her power, indifferent to whether this would harm the boy or not. As for the boy's real mother, she didn't pull the child strongly because she feared for him and didn't want to expose him to harm. Instead, she attracted him gently and tenderly, even though she was stronger than the other woman.
The king then said to the woman who pulled the boy with all her strength, "Enough! This boy is not your son but the son of that loving woman."
The boy was returned to his real mother, who hugged him with overwhelming joy and happiness, and the king ordered the other woman to be imprisoned.
{african folklore stories}
In
a big city lived a very rich man. Soon, the fame of his wealth spread
throughout the country. The matter reached the ears of a smart thief,
who decided to take some of his wealth.
One day, while the rich man was counting the money in his bags, the thief managed to hide in a dark corner of the room. When the rich man left the room to fetch something, the thief carried off two bags and quickly fled.
The rich man returned to the room after a few minutes and was surprised to discover that he had lost two bags. He found no trace of the thief, but by chance, he met him the next day outside the house. The thief felt confused, which made the rich man suspect him. However, he couldn't prove the theft, so he decided to present the matter to the judge.
The thief, feeling afraid, decided to seek the advice of a wise man in the village. The wise man pledged to help him on the condition that he would receive half of the stolen money once the thief escaped punishment.
The thief agreed to this offer. The wise man then said, "Go home, wear torn clothes, pull out your hair, and act completely crazy. On the day of the trial, when the judge asks you any question, all you need to do is say, 'Moo... Moo!'"
The thief followed the wise man’s advice, and on the day of the trial, when the judge asked him questions, he answered, "Moo... Moo," over and over. Eventually, the judge became angry and dismissed the session.
The thief returned home very happy. The next day, the wise man came to him and said, "Come on, fulfill your promise and give me my share of the stolen money."
The thief replied, "Moo... Moo!" When the wise man asked him any other questions, the thief kept saying, "Moo." In the end, the wise man gave up and returned home without receiving anything from the thief.
In this way, the thief kept everything for himself, while the wise man was left feeling very sad for helping the thief escape just punishment.
Here's the end of the stories.
See you in new stories ❤️
Read Also...
5 Fantasy Folklore Stories for Adults
12- The Thief and the Wise Man: A Story from West Africa
One day, while the rich man was counting the money in his bags, the thief managed to hide in a dark corner of the room. When the rich man left the room to fetch something, the thief carried off two bags and quickly fled.
The rich man returned to the room after a few minutes and was surprised to discover that he had lost two bags. He found no trace of the thief, but by chance, he met him the next day outside the house. The thief felt confused, which made the rich man suspect him. However, he couldn't prove the theft, so he decided to present the matter to the judge.
The thief, feeling afraid, decided to seek the advice of a wise man in the village. The wise man pledged to help him on the condition that he would receive half of the stolen money once the thief escaped punishment.
The thief agreed to this offer. The wise man then said, "Go home, wear torn clothes, pull out your hair, and act completely crazy. On the day of the trial, when the judge asks you any question, all you need to do is say, 'Moo... Moo!'"
The thief followed the wise man’s advice, and on the day of the trial, when the judge asked him questions, he answered, "Moo... Moo," over and over. Eventually, the judge became angry and dismissed the session.
The thief returned home very happy. The next day, the wise man came to him and said, "Come on, fulfill your promise and give me my share of the stolen money."
The thief replied, "Moo... Moo!" When the wise man asked him any other questions, the thief kept saying, "Moo." In the end, the wise man gave up and returned home without receiving anything from the thief.
In this way, the thief kept everything for himself, while the wise man was left feeling very sad for helping the thief escape just punishment.
Here's the end of the stories.
See you in new stories ❤️
Read Also...
5 Fantasy Folklore Stories for Adults
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