The young toad brought the box, and the fat toad opened it, and gave
Simpleton a carpet out of it, so beautiful and so fine, that on the
earth above, none could have been woven like it. Then he thanked her,
and ascended again. The two others had, however, looked on their
youngest brother as so stupid that they believed he would find and
bring nothing at all. “Why should we give ourselves a great deal of
trouble to search?” said they, and got some coarse handkerchiefs from
the first shepherds’ wives whom they met, and carried them home to the
King. At the same time Simpleton also came back, and brought his
beautiful carpet, and when the King saw it he was astonished, and said,
“If justice be done, the kingdom belongs to the youngest.” But the two
others let their father have no peace, and said that it was impossible
that Simpleton, who in everything lacked understanding, should be King,
and entreated him to make a new agreement with them. Then the father
said, “He who brings me the most beautiful ring shall inherit the
kingdom,” and led the three brothers out, and blew into the air three
feathers, which they were to follow. Those of the two eldest again went
east and west, and Simpleton’s feather flew straight up, and fell down
near the door into the earth. Then he went down again to the fat toad,
and told her that he wanted the most beautiful ring. She at once
ordered her great box to be brought, and gave him a ring out of it,
which sparkled with jewels, and was so beautiful that no goldsmith on
earth would have been able to make it. The two eldest laughed at
Simpleton for going to seek a golden ring. They gave themselves no
trouble, but knocked the nails out of an old carriage-ring, and took it
to the King; but when Simpleton produced his golden ring, his father
again said, “The kingdom belongs to him.” The two eldest did not cease
from tormenting the King until he made a third condition, and declared
that the one who brought the most beautiful woman home, should have the
kingdom. He again blew the three feathers into the air, and they flew
as before.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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