The Wise Prince
Beyond the immense green desert lay a hill, and at its foot, a land. And beyond that land, a vast expanse of water. And at the end of the sea, a kingdom flourished, a splendid and grand land, ruled by a king and a queen.
They were happy, just like their subjects. And their happiness knew no bounds when the queen gave birth to a prince.
— My son, he will be a friendly king like his parents and will be adored by his subjects. I name him the Wise Prince.
The Prince's Birthday and His Desire to Travel
From that day, years passed. The Wise Prince grew, becoming a handsome young prince, and he was wise, just like his name.
— It is your 21st birthday, and your mother and I could not be prouder of the knight you have become. Ask me, my son, ask me for anything. — Father, I want to travel. To see the world before I take on the responsibility of the kingdom. Please, let me, Father. — But, my son, you are... — Let him do as he wishes. My son has never asked me for anything, and I will not refuse him on his 21st birthday. — Oh, thank you, Father.
The Prince's Journey and His Encounter with the Rabbit Princess
Thus, the Wise Prince received his parents' blessings and a servant to accompany him, and the two set off on their royal horses. They traveled for weeks, even months, learning many things about the civilizations on the continent.
But it must be said that the servant had grown rather bored and wanted to return home.
— If your Highness is satisfied with what you have seen, then might I suggest we return to the kingdom? — What? No, Judas. We still have much to travel and a lot to see.
Now, one day, as the prince rode through a quiet meadow, he suddenly saw an eagle attacking a rabbit. The poor rabbit had almost been caught in the eagle's sharp talons. The prince, aiming carefully, threw a stone at it and chased it away.
— Wise Prince, thank you for saving my life. Know that you have not saved a rabbit, but a princess, the daughter of the invisible king. My father always pays his debts. And because you saved my life, he owes you. Whenever you have problems or any kind of trouble, just say: "Oh, invisible king, come help me!"
The rabbit hopped away and disappeared among the bushes, leaving the Wise Prince astonished.
— Is it just me, or did the rabbit actually speak to us? — All I saw was the rabbit staring at you, and you at it. Prince, I think you've had enough of traveling now. Let's go home! — No. We go on.
Betrayal at the Well
And so they continued their journey, crossing deep rivers, passing through foreign lands, the seven valleys, and finally arriving in the great green desert, where there was nothing more to see than the sky, the green sand, and the scorching sun, like an envious neighbor.
— I'm... I'm so thirsty. — Well, we have no water.
Look! The prince and his servant saw a hole in the middle of the desert and went to it. To their delight, they saw it was a well full of sparkling water. But there was a problem. The well was too deep.
— There is only one way. One of us must go down. And since I am much heavier than you, your majesty's hands will not be able to hold me. I propose you hold onto the rope, and I will hold you as you descend into the well. — Agreed.
The Wise Prince descended into the well, drank cold water, and took some for his servant too.
— I'm done. Now pull me up! — Listen, prince. I'm tired of you telling me what to do. Now you must agree to become my servant, and I will be the prince. Agree, or I will drown you.
The Wise Prince was shocked, but he understood from the servant's tone that he was not joking.
— Very well, Judas. I accept. — Ah, ah, ah! I don't believe that. Write what I tell you. The bearer of this declaration is the Wise Prince, and he travels as Judas's servant.
The prince did as he was told and was finally pulled out of the well. They exchanged clothes, then continued on their journey.
The Deserted Kingdom and the King's Challenge
After a week, they arrived in a wonderful kingdom that seemed deserted, as if after a hurricane. Judas gave the Wise Prince his horse, telling him:
— Go to the stable and stay there. I will meet with the king. — As you say, my lord. — Hehehe! I, the Wise Prince of the Kingdom of Rose Valley, have come to you to ask for the hand of your daughter, whose beauty and wisdom are known throughout the world. If you accept, you will live. If not, we will declare war. — You do not speak like a prince. But perhaps that is how it is in your kingdom. Let me tell you something. A powerful enemy is approaching our empire with his gigantic army, and we cannot contend with them. Now, if you wish to be my son-in-law, defeat them, and my daughter is yours. Thus, we are all but flesh and bone. — Hmm. That's why your kingdom is so sad. Here's the thing. By tomorrow morning, no enemy will remain in your kingdom.
The Invisible King's Help
Judas went directly to the Wise Prince, who was known for his bravery and strength, knowing that the prince would do anything to get the letter back.
— You want the letter back, don't you? — Why? Yes, of course. — Then, listen to me very carefully.
Judas told the prince what he wanted and that in return he would receive the letter.
— But it's a huge army. — Mmm, yes. And the reward is, isn't it?
Having no choice, the brave prince put on his knight's armor, mounted his horse, and rode towards the city's border, shouting loudly:
— Oh, invisible king, help me! — Certainly, but...
Suddenly, the clouds roared, parting, and a great stallion appeared, upon which a tall and slender figure was revealed. It was the Invisible King.
— You saved my daughter, and I owe you. Ask me, ask me for anything! — Certainly, but shouldn't you be invisible? — Only to those I do not wish to reveal myself. Now, continue.
The Wise Prince told everything to the Invisible King, who listened absorbed.
— Take this magic sword and attack them from the left, and I, on my golden-maned horse, will attack from the right. One blow on each side, and the army will be struck down.
And both attacked the host. From the left, the soldiers fell like trees; from the right, like entire forests. In less than an hour, the entire army was defeated. Those who survived fled.
— I have paid my debt. Let us shake hands and bid farewell.
They shook hands in the most friendly manner, then the Invisible King and his stallion, transforming into red flames and disappearing into the air.
— Wow!
The Truth Comes Out
The Wise Prince returned, smiling, to the stable. His smile vanished because he knew it was time to take off the knight's armor and put on the servant's clothes.
— Ah! What have I gotten myself into! I should never have trusted Judas. He took my name, my position, and now he will marry the princess through deceit, and I can do nothing. Oh, I hope he returns my letter.
While the prince lamented to himself, he had not noticed that Princess Maina, who was sitting at her window and had the talent to hear thoughts from afar, had heard everything. First she was shocked, but then she smiled.
— He's so handsome!
The next morning, the old king was delighted to learn about his enemies' defeat and announced his daughter's engagement to the Wise Prince, who was Judas. But Princess Maina stood up and told her father everything she had heard.
— Yes, that's right! Call the true prince!
And the Wise Prince was summoned.
— Are you the true prince?
But the Wise Prince did not answer.
— Ha? What will he answer? I have the proof. Here, you can read it.
And saying this, he handed the proof to the king, who began to read it, completely bewildered.
— Are you sure about this document? — Oh, yes! — Ah, ah, ah! The bearer of this letter, the false and lying servant of the Wise Prince, begs for forgiveness and awaits his deserved punishment. The declaration was given to him in the well by the Wise Prince. He is dressed as a servant. — What? Is that what it says? — You can read it yourself! — But... but I cannot read.
The Story's Conclusion
At this, the king and princess laughed. The Wise Prince smiled because, besides being forgiving, he knew how important it was to be clever. Otherwise, the greedy always try to take advantage. Judas, the traitor, was thrown behind bars.
And the old king announced that his daughter would marry the Wise Prince. Well, they didn't marry immediately. They traveled the world for a few months and had numerous adventures. And finally, at the beginning of the harvest season, the two were united. Among all the other guests, a special one also came, one who had not been seen by anyone, except for the Wise Prince.
**The moral of this story is that wisdom and kindness always triumph over greed and deceit. Intelligence is a precious virtue, and those who possess it and use it with integrity will be rewarded, while those who
