Like many others in the world, there was a king who had three
sons. This king was blind, and he had heard one day that there was a
king who had a white blackbird, which gave sight to the blind. When
his eldest son heard that, he said to his father that he would go
and fetch this white blackbird as quickly as possible.
The father said to him, "I prefer to remain blind rather than to
separate myself from you, my child."
The son says to him, "Have no fear for me; with a horse laden with
money I will find it and bring it to you."
He goes off then, far, far, far away. When night came he stopped. One
evening he stopped at an inn where there were three very beautiful
young ladies. They said to him that they must have a game of cards
together. He refuses; but after many prayers and much pressing
they begin. He loses all his money, his horse, and also has a large
debt against his word of honour. In this country it was the custom
for persons who did not pay their debts to be put in prison, and if
they did not pay after a given time they were put to death, and then
afterwards they were left at the church doors until someone should
pay their debts. [161] They therefore put this king's son in prison.
The second son, seeing that his brother did not return, said to his
father that he wished to go off, (and asked him) to give him a horse
and plenty of money, and that certainly he would not lose his time. He
sets off, and, as was fated to occur, he goes to the inn where his
brother had been ruined. After supper these young ladies say to him:
"You must have a game of cards with us."
He refuses, but these young ladies cajole him so well, and turn him
round their fingers, that he ends by consenting. They begin then,
and he also loses all his money, his horse, and makes a great many
debts besides. They put him in prison like his brother.
After some time the king and his youngest son are in deep grief
because some misfortune must have happened to them, and the youngest
asks leave to set out.
"I assure you that I will do something. Have no anxiety on my account."
This poor father lets him go off, but not with a good will. He kept
saying to him that he would prefer to be always blind; but the son
would set off. His father gives him a beautiful horse, and as much
gold as his horse could carry, and his crown. He goes off far, far,
far away. They rested every night, and he happened, like his brothers,
to go to the same inn. After supper these young ladies say to him:
"It is the custom for everyone to play at cards here."
He says that it is not for him, and that he will not play. The young
ladies beg him ever so much, but they do not succeed with this one in
any fashion whatever. They cannot make him play. The next morning he
gets up early, takes his horse, and goes off. He sees that they are
leading two men to death. He asks what they have done, and recognises
his two brothers. They tell him that they have not paid their debts
within the appointed time, and that they must be put to death. But
he pays the debts of both, and goes on. Passing before the church he
sees that they are doing something. He asks what it is. They tell him
that it is a man who has left some debts, and that until someone pays
them he will be left there still. He pays the debts again.
He goes on his journey, and arrives at last at the king's house
where the blackbird was. Our king's son asks if they have not a
white blackbird which restores sight. They tell him, "Yes." Our young
gentleman relates how that his father is blind, and that he has come
such a long way to fetch it to him.
The king says to him, "I will give you this white blackbird, when you
shall have brought me from the house of such a king a young lady who
is there."
Our young man goes off far, far, far away. When he is near the king's
house a fox [162] comes out and says to him, "Where are you going to?"