Chapter 56 55. Queen of the Three Golden Mountains

Once upon a time, there was a poor man who had three sons.The man became more and more ill, and one day he called the children to the bedside and said, "As you all have seen, I am going to die; I have left you nothing, but I want you to be honest and behave like I have worked hard all my life, and God will help you." After speaking, he died, leaving his three sons to live alone. The eldest said, "We should find some work, as father said." All three agreed, and they went out together on the road to make a living. In the evening, when they came to a palace, they knocked on the door and asked to stay overnight.They called for people and looked around, but they didn't see anyone.So they went into the palace, and saw a table set for three, and many delicious dishes.They stared at it blankly for a while, and then the boss said: "Anyway, we didn't see anyone, let's eat first, and if someone comes, we'll ask his permission." Then, the three of them began to eat and drink.

When they had eaten and drank enough, they turned round the building, and saw in one room a bed with a canopy on it; another with a bed with garlands on it; There was also a bed in another room, supported by a wreath of gold leaves. "These beds seem to be specially prepared for us." The three said in unison, "Great! Let's go up and enjoy it." The three went to a room each, and the boss said: "Hey, remember, get up early and hurry, I won't wait for you." In the morning, the eldest got up early. He didn't say hello to his younger brothers and packed up his things.Just walk away alone, that's the way he handles people.After the second child woke up, he ran to his brother's room to have a look, and found that he had already left. He also packed his things and left.

The third child was still sleeping soundly on the bed, and he got up very late to find his two older brothers, who had long since disappeared.Breakfast was set on the dining table, and the youngest sat down to eat it. After eating, he went to a window to look out.There is a beautiful garden outside, and the third child wants to go down and have a look. The third child was named Sandrino, and he was indeed a handsome young man.He came to the garden and turned around, only to find a large pool in the open space deep in the garden.The head of a very beautiful girl was exposed in the water, she just remained motionless in the water, the pool water submerged her neck.

Sandrino said, "Ma'am, what are you doing in the pool?" She said: "God must have brought you, brave young man. Tell you, I am the queen of the three golden mountains. I was enchanted by monsters and imprisoned in the water. Only when I met a brave young man who dared to continue Sleep in this palace for three nights before I can be rescued." "If it was that easy, I'd just sleep here," Sandrino said. "Well," said the queen, "after you sleep here for three days, I will marry you. But I want to remind you that if you hear strange noises, don't be afraid, there will be all kinds of vicious beasts at night. Go to the room where you live, and if you can hold it, you will see that they can only recede without harming you at all."

"Oh, I'm not afraid. Don't worry. I'll do as you say." Evening: The lad went to bed, and in the middle of the night he heard strange noises, the roars of wild beasts. "I see," Sandrino said, wanting to see what would happen. Wolves, bears, eagles, snakes, and all kinds of ferocious beasts entered the room. They were more terrifying than devils. They swam around until they came to the bed.But Sandrino persisted, and slowly, slowly, the animals left the room, it was over, good night. In the morning, when the boy came to the pool, he saw that the queen had come out of the water a little, and the water was only up to her girdle.The Queen was delighted and kept praising him.The next night, in Sandrino's room, the same music of the beasts was played again, but he held on.In the morning, he went to see again, and the queen had come out of the water even more, and the water was only up to her calves.The queen said many more compliments to him, and Sandrino happily went to breakfast.

On the last night the beasts howled even more, and turned to the boy's pillow.Sandrino held on until they were gone.In the morning, the queen was only submerged in the water, and the young man held out his hand to her and helped her out of the water.At this time, many court ladies appeared, and a grand congratulation party was held for them.They immediately went to breakfast and then fixed the wedding three days later. On the morning of the wedding, the Queen said to Sandrino: "I have one more important thing to say to you. When we kneel to receive the blessing of the priest, you must not sleep, or I will disappear and you will go to bed again." You can't see me either."

"That's the thing!" Sandrino said. "How can I sleep?" They came to the church, and when they knelt down to receive the blessing, Sandrino was so sleepy that he fell asleep.The queen disappeared immediately.After a while, Sandrino woke up and found that the Queen was gone. He said, "Oh, what a pity I am!" I went out to find my wife. When it was dark, he came to an inn, and asked the owner if he had seen the queen of the three golden mountains.The owner said: "I didn't see her, but you should know that I am the king of beasts on the earth, now let me ask them if they saw her." He whistled, and saw groups of dogs, cats, tigers, Lions, monkeys, and all kinds of animals are here.The shopkeeper asked, "Has any of you ever seen the queen of the three golden mountains?"

"No, we haven't seen one," answered the animals. After letting the animals back down, the shopkeeper said to Sandrino: "Don't worry, I have a solution. Tomorrow I will introduce you to my brother. He is the king of all fish. Go and ask the fish if they have seen her." .” The next morning, Sandrino gave the shopkeeper a purse of money, packed up his things, and went straight to the shopkeeper's brother. When the man who ruled Wanyu heard that Sandrino was introduced by his brother, he received him warmly in his inn and said to him: "Wait a minute, I will send all the gifts to you now." The fish call and ask them."

He blew a whistle, and at once all kinds of fish came, pike, tench, eels, sturgeon, dolphins, whales, and so on.They all replied: "No. We saw nothing." The shopkeeper sent them back and said to Sandrino: "Tomorrow I will write for you to my brother, who is the king of all birds." , perhaps his birds have seen her." Sandrino finally waited for the third day. He walked, walked, and came to the third hotel.The owner said: "I'll ask you right away." Hearing his whistle, all kinds of birds came, including chickens, owls, barn owls, pheasants, birds of paradise, falcons, etc., only the eagle did not show up.At this time, the shopkeeper whistled again, and the eagle came.

"I beg your pardon for being late," it said, "I am present at the banquet in the palace of King Marona, who is marrying the Queen of the Three Golden Mountains." Hearing the news, Sandrino despaired.But the King of Birds said, "Don't worry, let us find a remedy." Then he said to the eagle, "Can you fly this lad to King Marona's palace?" "Go!" said the eagle, "but I ask, and every time I ask for water, he must give me water, and every time I ask for bread, he must give me bread, and every time I ask for meat, he must give me Meat. Otherwise, I'll throw him into the sea."

The young man had prepared two baskets of bread, two large pails of water, and two pounds of meat.The eagle let him ride on his back and flew into the sky.Whenever the eagle asked him for bread, water, or meat, he gave it immediately.But when he almost flew over the sea, the meat he brought was eaten up.The eagle called again: "Meat!" and Sandrino didn't know what to do.He cut off a piece of flesh from his own leg and gave it to the eagle.The Queen once gave Sandrino a magic ointment, which he applied to the wound and it healed. The eagle took him right into the queen's chambers. When they met, they hugged each other tightly.The two said goodbye to each other, and then the queen took him to the king and explained to him that this man was her rescuer and her husband.The King thought this was just, and gladly ordered a wedding for them, and the wedding festivities lasted a month and a week.