Storytime : The Prince and the Wizard

The Prince and the Wizard

There was a king, and he had only one son, who happened to be knightly and of the heroic sense. To prove himself, he left on an adventure across his father's land upon his royal horse. He came to a forest, where he found a large tree to rest under and take a nap. Vivid dreams came to him, and wild dragon horses breathed fire into his ears, whispering that if he ventured further, he will find a man with no kidneys on his path. Being the adventurous type, the prince awoke, and scoured the path until he found a man squirming and wailing about.

"Mercy! What are you screaming for, man?"

"A wizard has taken my kidneys and left me here on the road to wither and die." the flailing lad stated.

The prince proudly said, "Rest here, and I will return," and he traveled for three days and three nights before he rested. At the hill where he rested, he saw three horses, which when they saw him, ran over to him to eat him. Not blinking an eye, the prince says to the horses, "Do not eat me, for I shall give you pearly hay and fresh water for the rest of your days." The horses considered this a moment, then replied, "Be our Master, but see you've done as you promise." The prince smiles, "Horses, if I don't, then eat me and slay me." So he takes the horses back to his father's castle where he gives them fresh water and pearly hay. He takes the smallest horse, which is faster than a normal breed, and rides back to the lad in the road without his kidneys.

"Brother, what is the name of this wizard that took your kidneys?"

"What his name is, I know not, but I do know where he's gone to. He's gone to the other world."

With his path set, the prince traveled very far to find the entrance of the Other World, and wound his way through the thickest of brambles before he found the wizard's abode.

He called out to the wizard, "Oh Wizard! Come forth so that I might see what kind of man you are." The wizard was hasty, and flew out of his shanty with the intent to eat and slay the prince. The prince threw his sabre and club, and the wizard instantly found his hands bound behind his back.

"Here, wizard, tell me where my brother's kidneys are, else I shall slay you this very hour." The wizard could tell this man strong and inpenetrable, so muttered, "You will find them in a jar in my house."

"And when I have them, what should I do with them?"
"Put them in water and have your lad drink."

So the prince found the jar of kidneys and left the wizard in his world to rot, and traveled the long distance back to the man in the road.

Upon finding the lad, he put the kidneys in water, gave them to him to drink, and so he drank. And when he had drunk, he was whole, so he took the prince and kissed him, "Be my brother til death or thine, and so too in the world to come."

And the men became brothers, stronger together than apart, and set on many adventures together.

The End.


I wonder what we can learn from this story....

Comments

Zillah said…
Kidney water really isn't all it's cracked up to be.

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