Once upon a time, there was a king. The king had a daughter. He had four ministers. The king went out for a stroll, accompanied by one of his ministers. Two brown geese flew past the king. The king said to his minister: “Tell me what those two brown geese are saying! What are they talking about as they fly away?” The minister replied: “Your Majesty, I do not know.” The king said: “Speak! If you do not, I will take your head.” The minister said: “Your Majesty, give me three days’ grace,” he said. The king replied: “Alright.” The king himself knew the language of the geese, returned home silently, dismounted from his horse, and sat down. The minister went home. “Ah, wife! You have nothing to do with me, and I have nothing to do with you,” he said. His wife asked: “What are you afraid of?”
— The king said to me: “Find out what the geese are saying, and if you cannot, I will take your head,” he said. I asked for three days’ grace. He granted me three days. The minister bathed in clean water, put on his shroud, and went to the west. The king’s daughter was walking there, accompanied by forty maidens. The king’s daughter saw the minister as he was leaving. She said to one girl: “Call that minister who is leaving over there,” she said. The girl ran over. She reached the minister and said: “The king’s daughter is calling you,” she said. The minister came to the king’s daughter. The king’s daughter said: “Oh, my minister, where are you going on foot?” The minister replied: “That’s right! Yesterday we went out for a stroll with the king, and two brown geese flew past us. The king said: ‘Tell me what those flying brown geese are saying! If you do not, I will take your head,’” he said. After being frightened, I asked for three days’ grace, and he granted it. If I find out and tell him in three days, he will not take my head. I am going because I do not know the language of the geese. That is your father’s decree,” he said. The girl said: “Oh, minister, I would do you a favor, but you will tell my father out of fear,” she said. “No, princess, I will not tell. If I die, I will die; why should I tell about someone who has done me a favor?” “Alright, my minister, I pity you. I will tell, you listen! They will ask who told the language of the geese. Then do not mention me; if you do, the blame will be on you.” Then the girl said: “The first one to fly was the male, and the last one was the female. The male said: ‘Every year, we used to fly behind the birds; why are we flying in front of the birds this year?’” The female replied: “It is because you are lame that we always fell behind,” she said. “I took care of you and waited for you. A bad male is taken care of by a good female,” she said. “Did you understand, my minister?” she asked. “I understood!” he replied. “Go and tell tomorrow. My father will know what I said, and even if he knows, do not say it,” she said. The minister was happy and returned home. His wife asked: “Ah, my dear, why are you so happy?” The minister replied: “Oh, there is some good news; now I am not afraid,” he said. The next morning, the minister got up early, washed his face and hands, and went to the king. “Peace be upon you, my lord!” he said. The king replied: “And peace be upon you too, my minister,” he said. “O king, I have come to tell you what you asked me to find out yesterday,” he said. “Alright, my minister, tell me!” the king said. “I will tell. Listen carefully. The first goose that flew was the male, and the last one was the female. The male said: ‘Every year, we used to fall behind the birds; why are we flying in front of them this year?’ The female replied: ‘Every year, we fell behind because your leg is lame, so I took care of you and waited for you. I did not leave you behind; a good female takes care of a bad male,’” he said, and this is what we have learned, my lord.” “You learned, my minister! Who taught you this, tell me, if you do not tell the truth, I will take your head,” the king said. The minister replied: “No one taught me; God put these words in my mouth,” he said. “I will kill you if you do not tell,” the king said. The minister, frightened, said: “I will tell. It was your daughter who said this,” he said. The king said: “I already knew it.” He summoned his people, called the higher nobility, slaughtered a fine horse, and held a feast. “I will give my daughter to whoever is the worst,” he said. “What good will a bad man do?” he said. He gathered the bad children. He intended to give her to one bad man. The man had scabs on his head, dirt coming out of his nose, and was a filthy beggar, and the king gave his daughter to him. The king’s daughter moved in with the beggar. The king’s daughter became the beggar’s wife; she was skilled, weaving ropes and digging a well next to their house. The water from the well turned to gold. The beggar became rich from his wife’s words; she made ropes every day, had clothes sewn, and sold them. The beggar returned home in the evening, bringing gifts, and they became wealthy. The food was cooked by itself, served by itself, and the table was set by itself. Four lamps were lit, and they lived like this. The next morning, the wife got up, washed her face and hands, and told her husband: “Today, go to the city; there is a man selling a black horse; buy it and bring it back!” she said, giving him a bundle of gifts wrapped in a white cloth. The beggar took the cloth, tucked it under his arm, and went on foot. As he walked at the market, he saw a man leading a black horse. The beggar stood up and said: “Brother, are you selling your horse?” he asked. “I am selling it; what will you give me?” he replied.
— I will give you two gifts.
— Give me three gifts. Give it with your cloth, he said. The beggar gave it, took the black horse in his hand. He led the black horse home. He tied the horse and entered his house. His wife asked:
— Did you come back?
— I came back!
— Did you bring the horse?
— I brought it!
— Did you tie it well?
— I tied it. The wife said: “Sleep tonight!” They both lay down, slept, woke up early, washed their faces and hands, and prayed. “Oh, my beggar, saddle the black horse, loosen the front girth, and tighten the back girth. Today, my father is chasing a gazelle. The head of the gazelle is gold, and the back is silver. He has been chasing it for two days and two nights but could not catch it. You ride the black horse, take the lasso, and you will catch it. When you catch it, dismount and prepare to slaughter it. When my father comes, he will say: ‘Oh, my son, give me this gazelle, and I will grant you whatever you wish in this world,’” she said. “Alright, my wife!” the beggar replied. The beggar mounted the black horse, took the lasso, climbed to the top of a mountain, and looked down to see a man chasing a gazelle, unable to catch up. The beggar came out in front and caught up with the gazelle. He threw the lasso around its neck, dismounted, and drew his knife to slaughter it. The king came galloping behind: “Oh, my son, give me this gazelle,” he said. “I will not give it!” the beggar replied. “I will grant you whatever you wish in this world.” “Alright, then,” the beggar said. The king took the gazelle and went home. When the beggar returned home, his wife came out to meet him.
— Did you come back, my beggar?
— I came back.
— Did you catch it?
— I caught it. I gave it to the king.
— Well done! – she said. They lay down and slept. The next morning, his wife said: “Oh, my beggar, what do you wish from the king?” The beggar replied: “What should I wish? I will ask for livestock, I will ask for a head!” The wife said: “Oh, my beggar, you have no sense; what do you need livestock for, what do you need a head for? There is livestock, and there is life. When you go to the king, he will ask: ‘What did you come to ask for?’ Then you say: ‘I came for the wish you promised the other day,’ and then he will ask: ‘What do you wish?’ You say: ‘May no one else light a fire for three days and three nights, except for me!’” “Alright, my wife!” he said. The wife sewed a coat from fine cloth, made a hat from fine cloth, put a pin made of straw in his eye, and made his eyes bright. The beggar went to the king’s palace. The beggar entered the palace. “Peace be upon you, O king!” he said. The king was sitting on his golden throne. The king was startled and sat up on his bed, while the beggar sat on the king’s throne.
— Oh, my dear, where are you going? – he said. “My lord, I have come to you.” “What is your business?” The beggar replied: “I have come to ask for the wish you promised,” he said. The king said: “I will grant you, my son, what do you wish?” The beggar said: “My lord, what should I wish? If you grant me, may no one light a fire for three days and three nights, except for my own house!” The king replied: “Alright, let it be so.” He mounted his minister on a black horse and sent word to his people. “I will take the head of anyone who lights a fire in three days and three nights,” he said. The minister went, informed the people, and returned home. The king sent the beggar home. The beggar returned home, and his wife asked: “Did you tell him, my beggar?” he said. “I told him. No one will light a fire for three days and three nights. My own house will not extinguish the fire for three days and three nights,” he said. Prosperity came, blessings came, happiness gathered around. The next morning, the young man woke up to find his surroundings filled with livestock; he had become wealthy. The wealthy man became proud. His wife said: “Today, ride the blue horse! Go out for a stroll; the king will meet you; he will also be hunting. You go there, tie this food to your saddle, and when it is time to eat, dismount. The king will also dismount. When we eat, the king will invite you. Do not go; if the king offers you food, do not eat. If you give him food, it will be from your meal, do not go!” she said. The beggar saddled the blue horse, mounted it, and went out for a stroll. He met the king, greeted him, and exchanged pleasantries. The king was hunting. When it was time to eat, the king dismounted. “Let’s eat,” said the beggar. “Alright,” the king replied, dismounting and eating his meal. The king called the beggar, but the beggar did not come close; when the king offered him food, he did not eat. When the beggar offered food, the king ate. “Oh my, how sweet it is!” he said. “I had a wife who used to cook like this; my daughter, who was born from her, used to cook like this. Since my daughter left, this is the sweetest food I have tasted!” he said. They finished their meals, mounted their horses, and the beggar said: — My lord! Please come to our house as a guest.
— Alright! – the king said. The king came to the beggar’s house. When he arrived, he found that it was better than his own house. The king did not know whether to believe it or not. The daughter said: “Go upstairs!” The king went upstairs and sat down. The girl set the table, brought food, and placed it before the king. The king ate and said: “Oh my! How sweet this food is! My daughter used to cook like this.” The girl asked: “To whom did you give your daughter?” The king replied: “I gave my daughter to a bad beggar.” The girl said: “Isn’t that my husband over there?” and pointed to her husband. “How does he look to you?” she asked. The father replied: “He looks good.” The girl said: “I made a bad man good; a good wife takes care of a bad man,” is this not true, father? You gave me to a bad man. You chased after a gazelle with a golden head and silver back. You could not catch it, but my husband caught it. Isn’t he better than you? My husband went to your house, and you got up from your golden throne and sat on your bed. He went to the throne. Isn’t he better than you?” The king said: “It is true; let my husband take my throne!” The king, in despair, said: “Oh, my daughter, you are wise, and I am foolish; come to my kingdom, rule my city!” The king returned home and died. Her husband became the king, and the daughter became the queen.
