The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-08-28
HOW THE KINGS YOUNGEST SON CAME INTO His own
REToLD FROM THE HUNGARIAN ny
LOUISE SOUVAN

wen, now, lnere was somewhere In the
world living king. This king had
three sons.
He was already very old; indeed. so
old that iron poles had to be put up
to keep his eyelids open. once he said
to his sons:
my sons, if you'd bring me the water
of everlasting youth and the water OF
death, and, besides, If you were able to
get me the finch with the golden voice,
I'd be willing to give uyou my whole
realm"
More the princes needed not. Inn
mediately they saddled their horses
The two Oldest ones had magnificent
stations. while the youngest rode an
ugly old gray mare. AS you may well
imagine, they rallied him about his mis-
cradle mare and asked him how he
dared to start out upon a horse that
might break down at any minute. Yet
the kings little son did not care, but
kept riding where his nose led the
way.
He rode and rode and thus finally
went through seven times seven king
doms. His brothers invited him to
join them but as they had made fun
of him at the start he preferred to go
alone. On the way he found miser-
able hut, inhabited by an old woman.
Good morning, grandmother" said
the kings son.
THANK you, sonny! What brought
you here?"
He told her ALL from beginning to
end, and why he had gone into the
world.
II do not know a thing about it,"
said the old woman; 'but on the other
side of the wood another old woman
is living; perhaps she can tell you
something"
Thus saying she fetched a jug and
handed it to the kings son.
my dear son. fill me this jug with
the water of life" she begged, "and
bring it to me in passing; for your
good deed expect good"
Then the lad went On the other
side of the wood he really found the
old woman. but she, too, understood
as much of his affair as the hen does
of the A B c. She also handed him a
jug and informed him that not far
from there lived a woman who was
older. still than herself; if he would
seek her all would be Strengthened out.
After a while he truly found this an
cient woman also. and she, / tell you.
was older than the star Sirius. The
kings son greeted her.
Good day, grandmother"
THANK you. my dear son." the old
woman tried to say, but could not, so
she just stammered. What brought
you hereT
Again he told her the whole story
from beginning to end. how he was to
fetch the water of life and death and,
if possible, get the finch with the gold
en- voice which his father desired to
have. But since he had had no success
far av,d n ,0f Ii hot tn dn DQ
begged for her advice. The ancient
woman said:
you drove your hatchet into a big
tree, my son. But just go on trying;
perhaps you will yet succeed. After
leaving my house you'll soon come to
huge wood In the middle Of 1t you'll
find a gold castle; one window is
always open. Now, mind well what
am going to tell you. Tie your horses
tail up very carefully-indeed. not a
single hair may remain untied-and
then jump through the window. AS
soon as you are inside you will find
the charmingly beautiful Iona; but do
not be tempted to kiss her. for then you
are surely lost; rather tear out hair
from her head and with 1t bind up the
beak OF the golden finch, which is kept
close to Ilona's side in a cage AT the
right side of the room the water OF life
is flowing and to the left the water of
death; fill your jugs and then take to
your heels Look at this brush. this
towel this egg; they can be of help to
you In time of need"
Upon that she fetched jug. and.
together with the brush, the towel and
the egg. she gave IL TO the kings son.
The kings son started right away.
and soon he reached the middle OF the
wood where the castle stood.
1t was just noon. The sun shone
upon the castle. How beautiful il was
in it's pure gold radiance! The kings
son jumped from his horses back. and
the first thing he did was to tie up his
horses tail; then he mounted again and
valuted through the open window. In
the castle he opened not only his eyes
La. La L. for