River of fairy tales. Unprofessional translation from Russian. Viktor Gitin
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youth sighed bitterly, looked around and added:
«What a stupidity! I am trying pointlessly to bring life to these old snags. Otherwise, I could write a good book on philosophy or make a discovery. I would like to surprise the world with new knowledge, but I have to water withered roots and fertilize the soil with dung! As soon as I marry the sultan’s daughter, I will rule this country sensibly. I will develop sciences. Only the most educated people will rule in my kingdom. And I will be known as the cleverest and the most educated monarch in all the nearest lands! Meanwhile, I am stupidly carrying water and loosening the soil. It is offensive and humiliating, but such is the price of the princess’ hand and the throne.»
«You said a lot about your scholarly merits, but not a word about love. Or it’s not important to you?» the bride’s disguised father said.
«My intelligence and education will win the love of any girl. I read hundreds of books about love; I know all secrets of sensuous pleasures for the body. So, I am sure that I will get the princess’ love easily.»
Upon hearing this answer, the sultan went on, thinking on his way: «It’s good to have a clever son-in-law. It would be reasonable to let such an intelligent and educated youth rule the country!»
The sultan imagined that sciences and education were prospering in his country. He imagined people discussing different problems, having endless arguments on the porches of their houses. Everybody, young and old, know the position of stars in the sky and basics of geometry. They draw circles and squares on the ground. They prove each other the reason for thunder and lightning. But one thought preyed upon the ruler’s mind: who will grow wheat and graze sheep in this wonderful world of scholars and philosophers? Who will forge metal and mould plates out of clay? The ruler had no answer to these questions, and it puzzled him very much. Moreover, a really wise man is not the one who knows more than others, but the one who does not boast about his knowledge everywhere.
Thinking about it, the sultan came to the second fiancé. It was a prince from southern lands. He was swarthy, strong, and hot, like all natives of those countries. The disguised ruler bowed to him politely and asked the same question as to the first fiancé:
«Who are you, oh manly fellow? And what are you doing in these hours of heat?»
The prince waved his hoe harshly, like a sword, and replied discontentedly:
«I am your princess’ fiancé, a prince of the southern land! I studied martial arts with the best teachers. I know how to use the bow perfectly and I can hit a grain of barley from one hundred steps. I have mastered sword fighting perfectly. There is no one in the world who can throw a javelin as well as I do! I am a real warrior, and I was made to potter about the garden and dig the dung! What a disgrace! I have to spend my time and efforts pointlessly to get the princess and half a kingdom as dowry!»
The youth was very disappointed and got too excited. He kicked the bole of the withered apple tree and continued:
«It would have been better if the ruler ordered me to perform some great exploit or beat a monster. But he told me to mess around with trees. When I marry the princess and become a sultan myself, I will surely gather the most powerful army and expand the country’s borders to reach the sea. I will be famous for my warrior’s strength and victories over weaker countries. And now I have to fight against old snags and stumps. It is offensive and humiliating!»
«Oh, noble knight, I would like to ask you one more thing. If you marry the sultan’s daughter, will you have time for love and family besides victories in battles?» the bride’s father wondered carefully.
«Sure! The princess must give birth to sons, and I will bring them up to be just as manly warriors as me. And I don’t worry at all about feelings and love. The girls love strong and brave ones. I will surely win the love of the sultan’s daughter for my bravery and heroism. There is no other way!»
Having heard this fiancé’s answer, the sultan turned and went on. He liked this prince’s bravery and decisiveness. The monarch imagined what would happen to the country if he let this fiancé rule. The prince will make all the men in the kingdom put on battle armor. He will teach them to be soldiers and immediately start war with the neighboring countries. He is a strong and able knight, so he will surely win many battles. He will conquer new lands and new kingdoms. He may create a new empire and become an emperor. But there are so many of those whose great strength is of little use! The sultan was in big doubts. «Many people will be killed in these battles,» the monarch thought. «He will have to take all men to war. Children will be left without fathers; women will be left without husbands. Who will be a father to their new children? Who will work on the fields and in workshops if best craftsmen and grain farmers go to war? And how much sorrow will be brought to the houses of country dwellers when many of those who went to war perish or become crippled? It is easy to start a war, but it is difficult to finish it. Moreover, war is an expensive thing that only wealthy countries may afford.» The absence of answer to new questions confused the sultan again.
At this moment he came up to the third fiancé, the prince of eastern lands. He was ecstatically digging the soil around withered trees. It seemed that hard work gave him real pleasure and joy.
«Who are you? And what are you doing with this land?» the disguised ruler asked.
«I am the youth who wants to marry the most beautiful and wonderful girl of your country – the young princess!» the young man answered with a kind and modest smile. «I am trying to restore this wonderful garden. I am very lucky, because I am making new life, creating, and reproducing it. I am not very good at sciences, and I am bad at weapons. But I am good at writing songs and poems. It’s probably for this reason that I like to create. There is nothing better in the world than to work on restoring something destroyed or create something new. The sultan will hardly choose me as a fiancé for his daughter. I have no education or military valor, like the other princes have. They are stronger and more intelligent than me. But even if I fail to get the princess’ hand, I will be glad to accomplish this task anyway. For I will be able to leave a memory about myself. When I restore this garden, it will be my gift for her. Later, when she comes here, the rustling leaves will remind her about me and my feelings. When she gives birth to children, they will also run here, play, and have fun in this garden. They will hide in the shade of branches from sun or rain. And the fruit that will ripen here every year will bring joy to everybody with their taste and aroma. The sultan gave me a wonderful task, and I am very glad and thankful to him.»
«Does it mean that you don’t think you will be able to get princess’ love before you even try to do it?» the disguised bride’s father asked in surprise.
«I think that you cannot get true love, you can only give it to another one. I can give my love to the charming princess and have no right to demand and expect something back. I don’t know who she will give her love to. My love for the princess is my gift to her, not a deal or an exchange. True feeling is always disinterested…»
The youth caressed the withered boles of trees gently and diligently continued digging the soil, carrying water, and fertilizing the soil.
«That’s a worthless fiancé!» the sultan thought sadly. «He has no education, like the first one. No strength, like the second one. What is the point in such a useless husband? If I leave the country to him, he will turn it into gardens and parterres. Can it be right?!»
The monarch turned around and staggered to the palace thoughtfully. Then he called the old wise man again. The sultan complained the counselor that he had met the princes and talked to them, but he could not decide who was the worthiest husband of them. Whom should he choose as a husband for his beloved daughter, so that she would be happy all her life and so that the country would get a reliable ruler?