The Most Incredible Thing
A Story About Ciuoro and Antonio
Once upon a time, when magic was man's best friend, there was an elf named Ciuoro. What was special about Ciuoro was that he only helped courageous people who had the spirit to do remarkable things.
Ciuoro traveled from city to city, seeking extraordinary people and creating great stories. In one such city, there lived a handsome young man named Antonio. Antonio was a clockmaker and a very good friend of Ciuoro. He was intelligent, generous, and very hardworking.
The King's Announcement
One day, the king's messenger came with a message.
— Attention, good people! The princess has decided to marry. Whoever does the most incredible thing shall marry the king's daughter and receive half the kingdom. Anyone who wishes to display their talents is invited to the palace tomorrow!
People in the crowd began talking excitedly.
— That's great! What are you going to do to win the princess's heart? — Me? What can I do? — So you don't think you can do something incredible? — Have you lost your mind! The only incredible thing I can do is bring you to them. You're the only unusual thing in my life right now. — Hm, I certainly wouldn't encourage you to do that, but you do make clocks, don't you? Why not make an incredible clock? — Making clocks isn't incredible. — But making an incredible clock would indeed be incredible! Don't you think? — Ah, I don't really think I can, Ciuoro. — You'll never know if you don't try!
An Incredible Idea
This set Antonio thinking. What did he have to lose? He could at least try. Antonio finished his work and went to bed. It was dark. He kept looking at his toolbox. Was he capable of building something incredible? Well, how could he find out if he didn't even try?
He took a piece of paper and made a rough sketch of the clock he imagined, and then he began.
— Maybe, just maybe, Ciuoro is right.
His mind suddenly filled with extraordinary things his clock could do. He worked for hours. He was so excited that he neither ate nor fell asleep the whole night.
Preparations for the Contest
The next day, as planned, the whole town was at the palace to demonstrate their talents.
There were swordsmen who, well, fought more with themselves than with anyone else.
— Isn't it incredible how I can hurt myself? Of course. Next!
The Talent Contest
— Ooh, I can sleep for months on end. — Ah, he's already asleep? Father, do we have to wait months to wake him up? — Take him out of here, please. Yes, exactly. Lift him up. It'll be easier that way.
There were jugglers who got bored juggling apples and pears and started juggling tables and chairs. At one point, they were so desperate to prove their talent that they juggled people.
— I can't tell if this is an incredible thing or not, but I'll feel sick if you don't stop. — But, Your Majesty, I wanted to keep juggling with you! — Ah, how dreadful! Next!
Antonio's Clock
Then Antonio entered. He bowed before the princess and the king.
— I am a clockmaker, Your Majesty, and I would like to show you my work.
The competitors present at the palace were already convinced Antonio would lose. He was a mere clockmaker, after all. Antonio pulled the cloth from the structure and revealed his peculiar clock.
— That's the ugliest clock I've ever seen. — Forgive me, Your Majesty, but talent and intelligence can accomplish things that beauty cannot. — Are you saying this clock is intelligent? Hm, let's see what it can do.
The Clock's Riddles
Antonio merely touched the center of the clock and it started. Everyone watched in wonder as the clock struck one. And out came a man made of wood.
— Very well, number one for living a happy life is to have faith. Believe in who you are and you'll have a fulfilled life. That should be the only rule if you ask me.
The audience was in shock. The wooden man returned. The clock struck two and two ballet dancers appeared. Oh, how they danced, how they moved! It was truly magical.
The clock struck three and out came the Sun and the Moon. Not the real ones, of course. The third was the brightest star in the night sky, Sirius, who, I might say, wasn't quite so serious.
— Ha ha ha! Four! Four! Make the clock strike four!
And it did. This was a riddle the palace had to solve. Out of the clock appeared a tulip, a grasshopper, an empty nest, and a basket of fresh fruit.
— Wait! The tulip eats the grasshopper and the grasshopper's spirit sits in the empty nest eating fresh fruit? I've solved the riddle! A flower eats an innocent insect and its spirit eats fruit? Terrible! — I know what these are! They're the four seasons! The tulip grows in spring, we all know grasshoppers appear in summer, the empty nest is winter because the birds have already flown away, and the basket of fresh fruit is autumn because it signifies the harvest festival!
— Ha ha ha! Bravo!
Once the riddle was solved, the objects returned to the clock. The clock continued and struck five. Another riddle appeared. Glasses, a gong, a bowl of fresh herbs, a plate of steaming food, and a puppy.
— Hm, this must be the five senses! Glasses for sight, the gong for hearing, uh, herbs for smell, delicious food for taste, and... — Touch! Oh, can I touch this cute little puppy?
But as soon as the riddle was solved, the objects quickly returned to the clock, because even the clock didn't want to lose its senses.
Now time was at the halfway point. The clock struck six and a die appeared that needed fixing.
— Oh, it's broken! No die lands on six every time. — Hm, but it's not broken, Your Majesty! That's the hour on the clock! — Oh, I knew that.
It was time for seven and seven little children appeared. They spun in circles and seemed stuck in the endless loop of a verse.
— Oh, I'm so dismayed! — And after you I came to stay! — We've got so much to do today! — We've reached the middle of the week! — Thirteen beside me you will seek! — A scream from me is what you'll get! — The last day, the last day yet! — Ah, I shall only sleep, I bet! — Oh, because of you six, I've been tired all week! — Oh, I'm so dismayed! — Oh no, not me, I came after you, I say! — They're the seven days of the week!
The days returned quietly. And an extraordinary thing happened when the clock struck eight. The eight planets appeared. They moved around the Sun to show how beautiful our solar system is. The people at the palace were fascinated.
After the planets returned, it was time for the nine little fairies to appear and present a dance. People watched them happily. The clock struck again and the ten counselors appeared.
They were so intelligent that the king's courtiers feared for their jobs. Before the king could say anything...
— Thank heavens! Oh, thank heavens!
Suddenly, two children appeared.
— Let's play a game! — Yes, two plus two plus seven!
The clock struck eleven!
— Eleven struck eleven! Struck eleven!
Everyone waited patiently, for now the time had come for twelve. The clock shook and out came an older woman. Everyone was puzzled. But then she began to sing. She sang twelve beautiful songs with her gorgeous voice.
Her voice made the flowers bloom and the birds around the palace began to dance. It was the most beautiful voice anyone had ever heard.
— Oh, this truly is the most incredible thing I have seen in my life! It will be my pleasure to give my daughter in marriage to such a talented man as Antonio the clockmaker!
Everyone at the palace agreed that the clock was the most incredible thing. And the princess fell in love with the clockmaker too. Just as the king was about to announce the wedding date...
The Destruction
— No! Ah!
— Oh, the clock was so beautiful, even when it was destroyed!
It was a stunning sight. The crowd stood and watched, unable to take their eyes off it.
— There! I've destroyed the most incredible thing! Isn't that incredible, huh? — Indeed. — So, according to your rule, I shall marry the princess and receive half your kingdom. Correct? — Yes, that's right! — Ah! But, Father! — I'm sorry, my child. A promise is a promise. The entire kingdom agrees that the destruction of this wonderful work of art was the most incredible thing. Don't you think? — Ah, yes, but not in that sense! — Ah-ah, dear princess. The promise was for the most incredible thing, not a particular kind of incredible thing! — I'm ready to marry you.
The Triumph of Talent
People were shocked and sad. Antonio was very sad. He took his destroyed clock back to his dark house. He sat on the bed, sad, unable to move.
— Oh, it's terrible. Ah, this, this is my truth. How stupid of me to dream of marrying the princess. It's alright, Ciuoro. Nothing has changed. I did my best. Ah, I should go to sleep.
But Ciuoro had no intention of giving up so easily.
The next day, the princess was to marry a man called the Incredible Destroyer. Preparations were being made, but no one was happy — not the princess, not the king. The Incredible Destroyer entered the palace with pride and stood beside the princess. Everyone was there, watching sadly, when the palace door burst open with a loud crash.
— Your Majesty, they, they are coming now! — Who's coming? — Why, the spirits of the destroyed clock!
It was true. The wooden man, the days of the week, the planets flew in.
— You thought you could kill talent? Art? Ha ha ha! — Put me down! Put me down! — Can't do that, sir! Friday's going to make this man spin just like us! — I'm getting dizzy! — Whose fault is that? How could you think art has no spirit? — Make him dance! — Ouch, my back! Ouch, my back! Fine, stop! Stop! I was a fool to think I could kill art! I apologize! Please, forgive me!
— Agreed. I was jealous of the clockmaker. His craft and the clock he made are indeed the most incredible things. I've lost, I admit. — Bring Antonio! Oh, someone go call my Antonio! — Come, boy! You truly deserve half of my kingdom! — And my heart!
Everyone rejoiced at the reunion of the princess and Antonio. The clockmaker proved that no matter how powerful and evil the destroyer, true talent can never be destroyed.
The Moral of the Story
As for the Incredible Destroyer, well, he does an incredible job repairing broken objects. As they say, all's well that ends well.
— What happened? Did I win half the kingdom and the princess's heart? — No, you didn't win them. It's the end of the story. — No, no! Wait, wait! I can show you the most incredible thing! I can...
