Once upon a time there was a queen, but God did not give her children. Every morning she went to the garden and prayed to God for a son and a daughter.

Then God sent an angel to her, "Be of good cheer, you will have a son, and he will have the power to turn hope into reality, and he can get anything in the world if he wants it." ”

The queen told the king the good news. Soon the king gave birth to a son, and the king was overjoyed.

Every morning the queen took the child to the garden where all kinds of wild animals were kept, and bathed in a clear stream, and the child grew up.

One day, while the little prince was lying in his mother's arms, and the queen was napping, an old cook came to him, and knowing that the boy had the power to turn hope into reality, he stole him, hid him in a secret place, and found a nurse to nurse him. Then he killed a chicken and dripped its blood on the queen's apron and clothes. Then he came to the king and accused the queen of being careless and causing the child to be eaten by wild beasts.

When the king saw the blood on the queen's body, he believed it and fell into great sorrow. He ordered the construction of a tower so high that it would not see the light of day, and locked the queen up for seven years, and did not bring her food and water, so that she would slowly starve to death.

God sent two angels into two white doves to deliver food twice a day for seven years.

The cook thought to himself, "If the child really has the power to grant his wish and I am in the palace, I may be in trouble." ”

So he left the palace and went to the place where the children were hidden, and said to the prince, who was already able to speak, "Let yourself wish for a beautiful palace with a garden, and all the articles to go with it." ”

As soon as the child's voice fell, everything was already in front of his eyes.

After a while, the cook said to him again, "It's not good that you're alone." I want a pretty girl to keep you company. ”

As soon as the prince said yes, a beautiful girl was already standing before him, and no painter could describe her beauty. The two of them play games together and love each other with all their hearts. The cook went out hunting like a nobleman.

It suddenly occurred to him that one day the prince would want to live with his father, and that he would be killed! So he returned, seized the girl, and said, "Tonight, when the boy is asleep, go to his bedside, and take his sword, and put it into his breast, and take out his tongue and heart to me." Or I'll kill you!" With that, he left.

When she came back the next day, instead of doing what he was told, she asked, "Why should I kill an innocent child?" He's never hurt anyone. ”

The cook said, "If you don't do what I ask, I'll kill you." ”

When he was gone, the girl had a deer taken and killed, and the heart and tongue were taken out and placed on a plate. When she saw the old man approaching, she quickly said to the little boy, "Lie down quickly and cover yourself with your clothes." ”

When the scoundrel came in the door, he asked, "What about the child's heart and tongue?" ”

The girl took the plate and handed it to the old cook, but the prince lifted the quilt and said, "You old scoundrel! Why kill me? I'll condemn you now: turn into a black curly dog with a gold collar around your neck, and you will have to eat red-hot coals until there is fire in your throat. ”

As soon as he finished speaking, the old man turned into a black dog, with a gold collar around his neck and could not move. The prince ordered a red-hot charcoal fire, and the black dog had to stuff it into his mouth, until it was so hot that it burst out of his throat.

The prince stood for a moment, remembering his mother, wondering if she was still alive. He said to the girl, "I want to go back to my own country." If you are willing to go with me, I will provide you with everything you need. ”

"Well, it's so far," replied the girl, "and it's a strange country, and no one knows me, so what am I going to do?" She seemed reluctant to go with her, but the prince was unwilling to part with her, so he wanted her to become a beautiful caryophyllus with him.

Then the prince set off, and the black dog had to run after him. The prince went to the tall tower where his mother was imprisoned, hoping for a long ladder that would allow him to climb to the top, and the ladder did appear.

He climbed to the top and shouted down: "Dear Your Majesty, are you still alive?" ”

The queen replied, "I have just finished eating, and I am still full." The queen thought it was the two angels.

Then the prince said, "I am your dear son! You used to think I was eaten by wild beasts, but I'm still alive, and I'm going to save you! ”

He climbed down the tower to meet his father. At first he had people tell that he was a hunter and asked the king if he needed anything from him. The king said that as long as he was proficient in hunting and could catch prey.

At that time, there had never been a deer in the country, and the hunters promised to hunt as many deer as they wanted in the palace. He gathered all the hunters into the forest, formed a large circle, left a gap at the end of his side, and then said his hope, and at once two hundred deer fled in the encirclement.

The hunters shot one after another, and the captured game filled sixty carts with them. It was the first time in many years that the king had caught so much prey, and he was so pleased that he ordered the whole palace to come to a great feast the next day and share it with him.

When everyone had arrived, the king said to the hunter, "Since you are so clever, sit down beside me." ”

But the hunter replied, "Your Majesty, forgive me for not being able to obey, for I am but an ordinary hunter." ”

But the king insisted, "You sit next to me." ”

The hunter sat down. He thought of his dearest mother, and hoped that the king's close courtiers would bring her up, and ask if the queen in the tower was still alive.

As soon as this thought came to mind, the ceremonial officer was heard, "Your Majesty, we are here to celebrate, and I wonder what is going on with the queen in the tower?" Are you still alive? ”

But the king said, "Don't mention her!" Who told her to let the beast eat my dear son! ”

The hunter stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I am your son, the queen is still alive, and I have not been eaten by wild beasts. It was the evil cook who stole me while the queen mother was dozing, and then killed a chicken and sprinkled some chicken blood on her dress. ”

So saying, he brought the black dog up and said, "This is the villain." ”

He also called for a red coal, and the black dog devoured it in full view of everyone, until the flames ran out of his throat.

The hunter asked the king if he would like to see the dog return to its original form, and then expressed his hope. The dog immediately reverted to the chef's original appearance: wearing a white apron and holding a dinner knife in his hand. When the king saw the cook, he hated him and ordered him to be locked up in the deepest dungeon.

Then the hunter said, "Father, would you like to see the girl who brought me up?" The cook had asked her to kill me or kill her, but she didn't. ”

The king said, "I would like to see her." ”

The son said, "Dear father, I would like her to come to you in the form of a beautiful flower. So saying, he took out from his pocket a beautiful caryophyllus, which the king had never seen more beautiful.

The son said, "Let her be restored to her original form now." He spoke his hopes, and the flowers immediately turned into a beautiful girl, whose beauty no painter in the world could paint.

The king sent two maids and two male attendants to the tower to take the queen to the banquet hall. But the queen ate nothing, but said, "While I am in the tower, the merciful God has always cared for me, and he will soon set me free." ”

She lived for three days, and then died happily. On the day of her burial, the two angels who brought her food turned into two white doves and followed her to the cemetery and stayed on her grave. Although the old king ordered the cook to be put to death, his soul was tormented by grief, and he soon died. His son was married to a beautiful girl he had brought back from turning into a caryophyllus, but only God knows if they are still alive.