The Prince and the Three Fates
Once upon a time, a boy was born whom a king and queen had long wished for. The entire kingdom rejoiced greatly, for at last, there was an heir to the throne. The child was named Inaros, and everyone was invited to a grand feast.
The king invited the fairy godmother to bless the child. However, as soon as she saw the baby, her smile turned to sadness.
— Is something troubling you?
— He is a beautiful little boy, but it is a pity what awaits him in the future.
— What do you mean? — That fate has written for him to face a great danger, either from a snake, a crocodile, or a dog. If I could, I would save him, but it is not within my power.
An Isolated Childhood and the Desire for Adventure
The king was shocked and very worried. Quickly, he built a fortress on top of a hill to protect his only son. He placed guards to watch over him day and night.
Inaros grew up within the fortress walls. There he studied and prepared for battle. His only connection to the outside world was through the palace's huge windows, from which he could see the kingdom.
One day, Inaros saw a puppy playing outside his window and asked a guard to bring it to him.
— That puppy is very cute! Go and bring him to me!
The guard didn't know what to do, for he knew Inaros's destiny, but he couldn't disobey the prince's orders, so he went to the king.
— A dog? Don't you know the prophecy? He will be killed by a snake, a crocodile, or a dog!
While the king was scolding the guard, Inaros slipped out through the palace gates to play with the puppy. He picked up the puppy and ran inside.
— Please, Father! I promise I will take care of him. Let me keep him!
Seeing how happy he was and how he played with the puppy, the king decided to listen to him.
— Thank you, Father! Your name will be Fluffy, and we will be friends for life!
Setting Sail and the Storm at Sea
Days and years passed, and Inaros grew into a handsome young man. But he yearned to explore the world outside.
— Father, why do you keep me confined in this palace? — You don't know what dangers lurk in the world outside! — I know the prophecy well, but look at me and Fluffy. We are inseparable. Don't you think at least part of the prophecy hasn't come true? And if I want to be a good king, I need to know what's happening out there in the world.
— Very well! Then I will not stop you. Go and explore the world, but my son, be careful! — Thank you, Father! I will be very careful!
The next day, Fluffy and Inaros set off by ship towards a distant kingdom. During the journey, they encountered a very powerful storm. The ship's mast broke, and the passengers lost their balance, some of them falling into the sea.
Inaros was worried, for he couldn't see Fluffy anywhere.
— Fluffy! Fluffy! Where are you? Where are you?
The Meeting with Princess Elena
Without hesitation, Inaros jumped into the sea to save his best friend.
— Oh, Fluffy, my dear! I cannot lose you!
At that moment, Inaros noticed a crocodile swimming towards them. Holding Fluffy tightly, he swam quickly towards the ship.
Suddenly, the crocodile got scared and dove back to the bottom. Inaros was surprised, and when he turned around, he saw a beautiful girl on the ship, with a bow and arrow in her hand.
— Climb aboard quickly! — Thank you! — Didn't anyone tell you not to swim during a storm? — Thank you! You saved not only me but also my best friend. If you permit me, I would like to know your name. — I am Elena, princess of the kingdom of Alabama. — Ah! And what is a princess doing on a ship with ordinary people? — I wanted to explore the world, but my father wanted me to marry a prince. So I decided to go on a little adventure before my fate was sealed.
Inaros was pleasantly impressed by her courage.
— And what are you doing here? — I am Inaros. I am a merchant. I have some business to attend to.
The two continued to talk until the end of the journey. The ship arrived in Alabama, where Elena and Inaros disembarked with Fluffy following them. The king and his soldiers waited for Elena on the shore to take her to the palace. Seeing her with a stranger, they arrested Inaros.
— No! Leave him alone! He hasn't done anything wrong! — Who are you, stranger, and what business do you have with my daughter?
The Truth Revealed and the Royal Wedding
Seeing that he could no longer lie, Inaros revealed his true identity. He also expressed his desire to marry Elena, if he received permission.
— Forgive me, my dear prince! Soldiers, remove his shackles immediately and give him the best room in the palace! You are probably tired. How about you take a bath and join us for dinner?
While they ate and talked, the king began to like Inaros and requested that the wedding take place. Their parents met to discuss the marriage. A royal wedding was arranged for Inaros and Elena.
However, Inaros did not want to hide the truth about his fate from his bride.
— What is it, Inaros? Why did you call me here two hours before our wedding vows? Is everything alright? Don't you want to get married? — I have to tell you something. I can no longer hide this from you, unfortunately. — What is it, my love?
Inaros told her the prophecy given by the fairy godmother and mentioned that after Elena saved him from the crocodile, he had escaped his second fate as well.
— I don't believe in such things. But believe me, my love, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Whatever difficulties the future holds, we will face them together, and I will protect you always! And I love you too!
So they got married, and the whole kingdom celebrated and rejoiced.
— Oh, how beautiful she is! — They are a perfect match! — Long live the prince and princess!
Together, Elena and Inaros dedicated their lives to the well-being of the people. The people of the kingdom loved them dearly. So they were crowned king and queen.
— Long live the new king!
Facing the Last Fate
One night, as Inaros and Elena slept, she saw something in the shadow of the night crawling towards her husband. As it drew closer, she saw it was a snake.
— Aha! I was waiting for this day!
Elena placed a small bowl of milk in front of the snake. It went straight for the milk and drank it in an instant. After drinking the last drop, it fell asleep.
The clever and quick-witted Elena had anticipated an encounter with the snake. So she kept a bowl of milk mixed with magical herbs near her, which would put anyone who drank from it to sleep. Then, she ordered the soldiers to take the snake and throw it into a swamp far away.
A Life of Adventure and Happiness
Thus, she defeated Inaros's last fate and protected him with her intelligence and cleverness. Elena and Inaros went on expeditions to explore the world together and lived happily ever after. Together, they overcame difficulties and fears and are now braver than ever.
The moral of the story is that love, courage, and intelligence can overcome any obstacle, even destiny.
