Clever Maria
Once upon a time, in a powerful region, there lived a merchant named Gobin. Gobin was the richest trader in the land and lived close to the palace.
He had three daughters. The eldest was named Elena, the second was Greta, and the youngest was Maria. Maria was the most beautiful of them all.
The King's Visit
One day, the king summoned the merchant to the palace.
— Your Majesty. — Come, Gobin, welcome. — Your Majesty, you summoned me? — Yes, Gobin. The thing is, I've made a huge trade deal with the neighboring empire. We need someone trustworthy who can deliver the goods there safely, and I want you to be the one to do it.
When he heard the king's words, Gobin was lost in thought. He was worried about his daughters because he had never left them alone before.
— What is the matter, Gobin? Why are you so quiet? — Nothing, Your Majesty. It's just that if I go, my daughters will be home alone. I'm just worried about them. That's all. — Don't worry. After you leave, your daughters will be well taken care of. It will be fine. — Yes, Your Majesty.
Gobin's Departure
Gobin didn't want to leave his daughters alone, but he couldn't refuse the king's wish. He went home to say goodbye to his girls. He found three pots of roses. He gave one to each daughter and told them:
— I'll be traveling for business. Don't let anyone into the house. If you do, I'll know through these vases. — Nothing will happen, Father. Don't worry about us on your journey.
Gobin said goodbye to his daughters and left. The next day, the king went to his house with two of his friends. Seeing him coming, Maria told her sisters:
— Let's go to the cellar and get wine for the king. I'll bring the key. Elena will bring the lantern, and Greta will get the bottle.
Hearing Maria's words, the king said:
— No, no, don't trouble yourselves. We don't want anything. We're fine. — Alright. You heard him, Maria? The king doesn't want anything. — We two aren't going anywhere. — Fine, don't come, but I'm definitely going.
Maria and the Gardener
Maria left. She ran to one of the neighbors' houses.
— Open the door! Open the door! — Who is it? Who comes so late at night? — Auntie, it's Maria. Please, open the door! — Oh, Maria! What brings you here so late at night? — Auntie, I had a fight with my sister. Please, let me sleep in your house tonight! — Oh, alright. Come in, come in, my dear.
Maria stayed all night at the old woman's house. When Maria didn't return, the king became very angry. When Maria arrived home in the morning, she saw that the roses in her sisters' vases had wilted, because they hadn't listened to their father. She went to her eldest sister's room.
She saw Elena sitting by the window, looking at the palace garden.
— Maria, you're back! Look, the apples in the garden look so beautiful! How delicious they must be! Please, go get some for me! — Elena? You've grown, but you still behave like a child! — Ah! — Please, Maria, go! — Fine, I'll go.
Maria jumped out the window and went into the garden. She took apples. She was running back when Elena shouted:
— Maria! Look, over there it's full of lemons! Pick lemons too, please!
Once again, Maria ran toward the garden and this time, just as she was about to return after picking the lemons, the gardener spotted her. He chased after her to catch her.
— Stop! Where do you think you're going after taking those lemons? Stop! Just wait until I catch you! I'll teach you a lesson! — Ah!
Maria pushed the gardener hard. He fell so badly that he couldn't get up for a while, and Maria ran away. Nobody knew who the thief was or where she had fled. Maria arrived home. She gave the apples and lemons to Elena and told her:
— See what trouble I could have gotten into because of you? From now on, don't ask me to do anything like that again. Understood?
Maria left, and what she said meant nothing to Elena. Elena simply began enjoying her apples.
— Mmm, what delicious apples! Good thing Maria got them! How else could I have tasted them? Mmm! Poor gardener! I think he's still howling in pain! Ha ha!
The King and the Merchant
The next day, her sister wanted bananas. She asked Maria to get bananas for her. Because of what had happened the day before, Maria didn't want to go there again. But since her sister insisted, she had to go. This time, the king was there, walking in the garden. He saw Maria.
— Oh! So it was you! Now you will be punished!
The king asked Maria a series of questions, and Maria admitted the truth. Then the king told her:
— For the crime you have committed, I will punish you in your own house. Come with me!
The king set off for her house. Maria was behind him. The king kept looking back to make sure Maria hadn't run away. But suddenly, when he turned around, he saw that Maria had vanished without a trace. She was gone.
The king's men searched for her all over town, but couldn't find her. The king became furious, and from then on he was always angry and soon fell ill. For several months, there was no improvement in his condition. Meanwhile, Maria's sisters married the king's two friends. Now they also had children.
Maria and the Children
One day, Maria snuck into her eldest sister's house. She took the two children and ran off with them. She put the children in a beautiful flower basket and covered them with many flowers, so that no one would know there were children inside. Then she dressed as a boy, put the basket on her head, and headed toward the palace, calling out:
— Who will bring flowers to the king? Who is lovesick? Who is lovesick? Who will bring these flowers to the king?
The king, who was resting in his bed, heard her. He called the guard outside his room.
— Listen, come in! Buy the flowers from the man who is calling out. The flowers outside.
The guard went and bought the flower basket. He gave the basket to the king. As soon as the king lifted the lid from the basket, he heard crying sounds from inside. He saw two beautiful children in the basket, among the flowers. His heart filled with love. He wondered how to reward Maria for this gift. But then he remembered how Maria had insulted him.
He became angry again. He decided to take revenge on Maria. Just then, a guard entered.
— Your Highness, the merchant you sent on that business trip has returned. — Very well. Tell him to appear at court tomorrow with a coat made of stones. If he doesn't show up, he will be punished. — Ah, yes, Your Highness.
Maria's Trial
Seeing the state of his house, the merchant was saddened. He thought his daughters had promised him nothing would go wrong. But he didn't see any of his girls there. He learned that both elder daughters had married without his permission. The guard arrived at the man's house.
— Listen, the king has ordered that tomorrow you be present at court with a coat made of stones for the king. If you don't appear, you will be punished.
The merchant was upset by this turn of events. On one hand, no one knew where Maria was, and on the other, he was scared about the coat. It was impossible for him to make the coat in a single day.
— But how will I make the coat in a single day? — Father, don't worry about the coat. Take this Greta with you to court and say you've come to take the king's measurements for the coat.
The merchant didn't understand. But he trusted Maria. So he went to the palace with Greta.
— You've come empty-handed? Where is the coat? — Your Highness, please forgive me, but I cannot make the coat. — Fine! Then prepare to die! — Your Highness, please, forgive me! Allow me to leave! — If you want to save yourself, give me your daughter!
The merchant returned home without saying anything. He was very sad, thinking about how he could give his daughter to the king. When he arrived home, he saw Maria standing there, waiting for him.
— Father, what happened to you there? — My child, what do I do? The king ordered me to give him your hand instead of the coat. — Don't worry, Father! Take a doll that looks exactly like me. The doll's head must have a thread wrapped around it, which when pulled, must make it nod yes or no.
Maria and the King
The next day, the merchant arrived at the palace together with Maria. The king ordered Maria to be sent to his room. So the soldiers took Maria to the king's room. Maria had hidden the doll in the folds of her dress.
As soon as the doors closed, she slowly took the doll out of her dress folds and hid under the bed, taking the thread in her hand.
— Maria, I hope you are well!
Maria moved the doll's head in a nod. The king continued to ask questions and showed her all her mistakes. Maria nodded yes for all the mistakes.
— Therefore, I sentence you to death!
The king drew his sword and cut off the head. As soon as the head fell to the floor, the king felt someone kissing his feet.
— Such love, even after death! What have I done? I killed you with these hands, so I will not remain alive!
When the king was about to cut off his own head, Maria quickly came out from under the bed, and the king embraced her. Then they married and lived happily ever after.
Moral of the story: Intelligence and ingenuity can overcome any obstacle, and true love can change even the hardest of hearts.
