Floatling set out on his journey to find the three hairs of Grandfather Allknow.
However Floatling did not know which direction to take.
But with the Fates as his Godmother it was not very difficult.
Soon Floatling was on the right path.
He was traveling over the hills when he came across a black sea. On the sea was a boat and the boat had a ferryman.
The ferryman looked curiously at Floatling. “Where are you going?”
“I am going to find the three golden hairs of Grandfather AllKnow.”
The ferryman looked very happy. “I have been waiting for a messenger to go to Grandfather Allknow for twenty years now.”
“Why?” Floating asked.
“I wanted to ask Grandfather Allknow about when my job would end. I have been ferrying people across this sea for twenty years now.”
Floatling promised the ferryman that he would ask Grandfather Allknow the question. In return, the ferryman ferried Floatling across the black Sea.
On reaching the other side Floatling walked for some distance and he came across a great city.
However the city looked old and sad.
In front of the city Floatling met an old man who had a staff in his hands. But the old man could barely walk.
“Who are you?” The old man studied Floatling.
Floatling nodded at the old man. “I am going to see Grandfather Allknow to ask for three golden hairs.”
The old man was overjoyed on hearing the words of Floatling. “I will take you to see our king. We have been waiting to see a man like you who can carry the message to Grandfather Allknow.”
Floatling accompanied the old man and soon he saw the king of the great and old city.
The king looked sad. “We had an Apple tree here in our city that bore apples. If anyone ate even one of the apples they would become young again. Even if they were on the brink of death they would become young again.” Floating looked surprised as the king continued, “However for the past twenty years the apple tree has not produced any fruit. Can you ask Grandfather Allknow whether there is a reason why the apple tree does not produce any fruits."
Floatling promised the king that he would ask Grandfather Allknow the question.
Floatling walked some more and this time he came to another city. However this city was only half ruined unlike the previous one.
Far away from the city at the cemetery a son was burying his father.
Floatling looked at the young man who wept after burying the old man. The young man then turned to Floatling. “Where are you going?”
Floatling told the man his mission.
The young man looked even sadder. “It is a pity that you did not come sooner. Our king has been waiting for someone like you for a long time. I have to take you to him.”
Floatling did not understand but he accompanied the man to see the king of this place.
The king also looked sad and told Floatling his story. “We had a well in our city. If anyone drank from the well, even if he was at the point of death he would get well at once. However for the last twenty years the water in the well has ceased to flow. Can you ask Grandfather Allknow whether there is any way to help us?”
Floatling promised the king that he would ask Grandfather Allknow the question.
Floatling walked some more and this time he reached a black forest. He walked on and on in the forest and there he was stunned to see a golden palace with a large green meadow in the middle of the dense forest.
This was Grandfather Allknow’s palace.
It glittered as if it was on fire.
Floatling went into the palace but he found no one there. At last he found an old woman sitting and spinning in one corner.
“Welcome Floatling,” she told him because she seemed to recognise him. “I am delighted to see you again.”
Naturally this was one of the Fates who had blessed Floatling when he had been born.
Flaunting bowed to the lady and told her the reason he had come to this palace.
The old woman smiled at Floatling. “Grandfather Allknow is my son. He is the bright sun. In the morning he is a little boy, at noon he becomes a grown man and in the evening he is an old grandfather. I will gladly help you get three golden hairs from his golden beard. It is not for nothing that I am your godmother. But you cannot remain here when my son comes back home. My son is definitely a good man but he becomes very hungry in the evening. If he sees you here at that time he may even eat you.”
The old lady hid Floatling in an empty tub in one of the rooms of the palace.
At that time Floatling told the old woman about the questions he had to ask Grandfather Allknow for the others.
The old woman told promised Floatling that she would definitely ask Grandfather Allknow the questions and asked Floatling to pay attention when Grandfather Allknow answered.
Adapted from Bohemian folk tales
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