When they came close to the third prince’s castle, the princess climbed into a splendid-looking crystal ball carried by strong strong guards and had silk curtains around it, making it grand.
No one from outside could see what was inside the crystal.
The third prince came to his father’s castle and found that his two brothers were already here.
“I have found a beautiful woman for me.” The first brother told the other two brothers smugly.
The second brother snorted. “The woman I have brought shall be the most beautiful one of them all.”
The third brother was silent, so the two elder princes looked expectantly at him. The third brother looked at the white crystal and smiled to himself. “I have found myself a white cat.”
The two brothers were dumbfounded at first and then burst out laughing.
“Were you afraid of being eaten up by mice?” The first brother laughed some more. “Is that why you got yourself a white cat?”
They went inside the king’s palace and there the first two brothers brought out the women whom they had chosen as their wives. The women were indeed very beautiful and the king could not decide who among the two was more beautiful.
The king turned to the third brother.
The third prince waved at the crystal behind him.
The king removed the silk curtain from behind as the princess stepped out.
The entire court was dumbstruck as they saw the beautiful princess.
There was no doubt the princess brought by the third prince was more beautiful than anyone could imagine.
The princess smiled sweetly at the flabbergasted king. “King, I have come here to tell you that I wish to marry your son. But I do not want your kingdom after that.”
There was a murmur of astonishment after that.
The princess continued. “My father has six kingdoms. I shall reward one to you, one each to two of your elder sons. In return I want nothing more than your friendship and your consent so that I will marry your youngest son and rule the other three kingdoms.”
The king was very happy with the turn of events and he happily agreed to all this.
After their marriage, the prince and princess ruled their three kingdoms and lived happily ever after.
Adapted from Andrew Lang’s Fairy Tales
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