The San Francisco call., 1910-08-21
Retold from the Hungarian.
BY Louise Souvan


from here and even beyond them
where the little snort tailed pig is dig
ging, there was a green bearded king
This green bearded king once set out
to wander through the world. He had
been walking for a long time. in fact
already 100 needle lengths had he
been wandering. when it suddenly
struck him that it must have been II
years at least since he had left the
house. He was tired from stirring this
way and that way and as he was
thirsty, too, he sat down on the edge
of brook; the water looked cool and
inviting, and he bent down for a hearty
drink Hardly had he begun to drink
when somebody took hold of his beard.
He tried to pull backward, but could
not. Then he shouted into the water:
Listen. / don't know who you are,
but let go my beard before something
happens to you"
But he was only pulled the harder
Indeed, he was pulled SO awfully that
he took to begging, for nothing else
was left for him to do. At last voice
from out the depths of the water said:
IF you give me something in your
realm that you don't know about I'll
let your beard co.
What shouldn't know about in my
realm, when l am aware of the least
little needle?" replied the green bearded
king.
Just give me that promise, and moth
ing else safd the king of all the sor-
cerers, for it was ne who was hidden
under the water and nobody else.
'.All right. be 1t yours said the green
bearded king at last.
He felt quite miserable from kneeling
and lying upon his stomach for such a
long time. when at last the sorcerers'
king let his beard go. On his way home
he thought and thought what thing
there could be in his realm which he
knew nothing about.
AT home a handsome lad ran to well
come him and embraced and kissed him
over and over again.
Oh, dear father, how long you have
been away! How good to have you
home again. said the lad
The king stared at him in utmost as
tonishment. He thrust the boy from
him and said:
Whose father am I? Whose son are
you? / don't know you"
In the house his wife, the queen. told
him that the lad was really his son,
who had been born after he left home
many years ago.
Now the king understood. This hand
some lad then he had promised the
sorcerer king. for surely he had known
nothing of the lad. He almost died
from worry.
Then he called in the youth and told
him ALL But the boy, not scared in the
least, consoled his father, assured him
that all would end well and that he was
to leave the house as soon as possible.
Next day he got ready and went away.
He wandered and wandered through
seven times seven Kingdoms and also
reached the brook where his fathers
beard was kept fast Upon the water
seven wild ducks swan about. and on
the shore shirt was hanging which
the wind moved gently hither and
thither. He took the shirt and was
just about to put ii into his knapsack
when suddenly one of the seven wild
ducks turned into a wonderfully beau
tiful girl and said to the lad:
Handsome prince, 4 know who you
are and where you are going. You are
the green bearded kings son and on
the way TO my father. for he has won
you from your parent. Give me my
shirt. For your good deed expect
good"
The kings son gave 1t to her. The
girl put it on. toos golden ring from
her finger and gave II to the lad.
Take good care OF this ring. With
A. 80, caa s,a aaxu throu0b "a oaetla