Fairy's gift Tale of the blue fairy Lydia Charskaya

A lot of joys, a lot of happiness, the gentle and wise king Silverbeard sowed around him. All the subjects of his kingdom lived well and freely. He helped the poor, the unfortunate a lot, fed the hungry, gave shelter to the homeless, in a word, helped everyone who needed his help. And the kingdom of Silverbeard was the happiest kingdom in the whole world. So people called it the Happy Kingdom. No screams or groans were heard here, no tears and sadness were visible, and there was nothing to say about wars. The wise, kind and gentle King Silverbeard lived in peace and harmony with all his neighbors. For this, he was loved by his own and foreign subjects, both near and far neighbors, and foreign kings, kings, dukes, barons. The king was especially loved by his own subjects. He was already very caring and kind, and was so concerned about their well-being, as soon as loving father can take care of their children.

But no one on earth has complete happiness. The beloved king of Silverbeard did not have complete happiness either.

The king was lonely, he had no family, no beloved wife, no loving children - there was no one ...

Many years ago, his only daughter died. The king took the death of his beloved close to his heart, but he thought that in caring for the welfare of his subjects, he would forget about his grief. However, it was not there. Every year the king felt more and more his loneliness, and every year he thought more and more often, to whom to leave the kingdom after his death.

And finally, the king decided to choose one of the daughters of his subjects, who would replace the deceased princess for him, would become the adopted daughter of him, the king, to whom, after his death, he could leave both the royal throne and his wealth.

The subjects rejoiced at this decision of the king, foreseeing that his choice would fall on a girl worthy of high honor.

Heralds, heralds, heralds scattered in different directions, trumpeted throughout the country that the king-father wants to choose a daughter for himself, who should become the queen, and eventually the queen - the mistress of the entire state.

On the appointed day they came to Royal Palace young girls of the whole state, all beauties to choose from, one more charming than the other, and all the daughters of noble nobles.

The old king looks at the beauties and thinks: "Whom to choose? Whom to prefer? They are all beautiful, all noble. You take one as a daughter - the other will be offended. What can you do?"

The good heart of the king was afraid even here, lest he offend anyone or offend. With such thoughts, King Silverbeard retired to his bedchamber and sees - standing in the corner of his royal bedchamber white woman, all as if woven from sun rays. Her face, body, clothes shine marvelously. Whole sheaves of light come out of the eyes.

The king retreated in amazement at the sight of the radiant vision. He threw up his hands.

Who are you, unseen creature? - asks - he is a radiant guest.

I am a good fairy, the sorceress Rada, - she answers, I found out that you, the king, decided to look for a daughter to replace the deceased princess. And so I came to tell you that I want to give you a present. You deserve it, king, with a good heart and care for your subjects.

Gift? asked the king in surprise. - What are you, fairy, going to give me?

I will give you such a daughter that you will be the happiest father in the world, I will choose for you such a daughter that you will immediately love her as you loved your deceased favorite, and your adopted daughter will replace your completely lost princess.

Oh fairy! exclaimed the king. “Tell me, which of the girls who came to the palace is the one you destined for my daughter?”

Which one? Here, king, listen carefully: among the girls who will come to the palace tomorrow, there will be one on whose shoulder, as soon as she crosses the threshold of your palace, a white dove will sit. That one, my king, you make your daughter.

Just look, make no mistake.

The fairy Rada said and disappeared from the bedchamber of the king.

All night King Silverbeard could not sleep. He kept thinking about the girl whom the fairy had promised him as a gift as a daughter. The next morning he got up hastily, dressed and went out into the royal hall, where the assembled girls were already waiting for him.

The king walked through the hall once, walked twice, looked at the girls, stroked his long beard and said nothing. Suddenly, the king sees through the window of the hall that the gates of the castle have flung open and a cart has driven into the royal court. Coals were piled on the cart, and the cart was being driven by a girl of about sixteen, thin, tired, swarthy, ugly, well, in a word, completely, completely ugly. And on the girl’s shoulder sits a dove white as snow, sits and coos in a human voice:

Here is your daughter, king. Take her and know that she is better than all these beauties that have gathered in your palace.

The king got angry and, despite all his kindness, reproached the fairy:

Well, you laughed at me, Rada, what an ugly girl you chose for me as a daughter!

And the fairy, or rather the white dove, spoke to him again in reply:

Wait, wait, king. Will you see it again!

Nothing to do! The king ordered his servants to quietly take the ugly woman to the palace, ordered her to dress up better and wait with noble beautiful girls in the front hall.

And he himself went out into the garden, not daring to immediately call such an unprepossessing girl his daughter. He went out into the garden and saw: two children were sitting by the fence; they are wearing shabby dresses, old shoes, and their faces are shining, joyful, as if on a great holiday.

What are you excited about, kids? the king turned to them.

The children had never seen the king up close and therefore did not recognize him.

We are waiting for the little collier, good sir, they answered. - She takes to sell coal to the royal kitchen and always returns with with full hands all the sweets that the king's cook gives her. And she gives us every last piece, good Mary.

Is she, so poor, giving you everything? the king asked.

All! She says that it is a hundred times more pleasant to give than to receive herself, - the children answered in one voice.

Who are you waiting for, my dear? the king turned to her, very surprised that the woman did not rise even at his approach from her place.

I'm waiting for the collier Maria, - she answered. - She should soon leave the palace, where she took the coal for sale. Now she will return, and we will go together to buy bread and meat. She's been working for me ever since I went blind.

So are you blind? - the king was amazed, looking at the woman with compassion.

Yes, kind person, I went blind about three years ago and since then I have been using the services of my Mary, who works for ten, to feed me.

This is your daughter, right? the king inquired keenly.

Oh no, good man, Maria is a stranger to me. She is an orphan and came to work for me when she found out that her own children had abandoned me, not wanting to feed their blind mother in her old age...

But why, if you are so in need, why did you not turn to the king? Silverbeard asked the woman again. - After all, the king, it is heard, is very willing to help all the poor.

Ah, good sir, I would have turned to the king, but Mary does not allow me to do this, ”the blind woman answered. - Mary says that it is a shame to ask when there is still strength to work, and that our king has many poor people who are twice as unfortunate and poorer than us. That's my Maria! concluded the blind woman with noticeable pride.

Silverbeard's heart was filled with a joyful feeling: he understood what a good coal-burner the children and this blind woman had told him about.

At the same moment a slight rustle made him turn around. It was some old man who, not recognizing the king, asked if he had seen the little collier? The king could not help asking the old man why he was so interested in the collier.

She is a smart girl, very smart,” said the old man. - To talk to her for me, the old man, a great pleasure.

She knows everything, she is interested in everything! It's hard to find another one like it. It's a pity she's poor and of humble origin. And in his mind and heart he deserves a better share than to be a simple coal miner.

At this time, a noise came from the palace to the king. The king approached the palace itself, unnoticed by anyone, and stopped at the open window of the hall where the assembled beautiful girls were. He stopped and was dumbfounded with amazement. Where did the charming faces of the beauties go? Where have the tender smiles gone from their pink lips? Where had the scarlet blush gone that made them look like spring roses?

The beautiful girls had faces that turned green with anger, sparkling eyes, lips twisted with anger. In muffled voices, the recent beauties shouted over each other and scolded.

Each of them wanted to be a queen so much that, forgetting themselves, they tried, as much as possible, to prick and insult each other. Envy and malice have made their beautiful faces ugly.

And among them, a meek and affectionate, swarthy girl walked, with gently flushed cheeks, with meek caress in her large, kind eyes; a dove sat on her shoulder. The girl approached one or the other of the malevolent beauty and with meek patience begged to calm down, not to quarrel, to submit to her fate.

You can be happy and useful to people without being a queen, - her melodious voice sounded gently, and all the recently still ugly face of the girl was now miraculously transformed, becoming a reflection of her beautiful soul.

The king could not bear it, entered the hall, went up to Maria, the collier, took her by the hand and said loudly:

That's who will be my daughter! She alone is worthy to replace my dead daughter, she alone is worthy of becoming a queen! Oh Fairy Rada! Thank you for a wonderful gift, for the rare heart of my dear Mary!

Having said this, the gray-haired King Silverbeard bowed low to the white dove.

And the little charcoal-burner became a queen. She took a blind woman to her palace and took care of her like her own daughter, surrounded herself with poor children, taught them and invented for them different activities and entertainment, summoned clever old men to the palace, with whom she consulted how best to help King Silverbeard in his good deeds. And the good princess baked and cared for all the people.

And Silverbeard was happy with her all his life.

There once lived a widow, and she had two daughters. The eldest is the spitting image of a mother: the same face, the same character. You look at your daughter, but it seems that you see a mother in front of you. Both, the eldest daughter and mother, were so rude, arrogant, arrogant, angry that all people, both acquaintances and strangers, tried to stay away from them.

And the youngest daughter was all in the late father - kind, affable, meek, and besides, she was also a beauty, of which there are few.

Usually people like those who look like them. That is why the mother loved her eldest daughter madly and could not stand the younger one. She made her work from morning till night, and fed her in the kitchen.

Among other things, the youngest daughter had to go twice a day to the spring, which was at least two hours away, and bring from there a large pitcher full of water.

Once, when the girl was taking water, some poor woman came up to her and asked for a drink.

“Drink to your health, auntie,” said the kind girl.

Quickly rinsing her pitcher, she scooped up water in the deepest and clean place and gave it to the woman, holding the jar so that it was more convenient to drink.

The woman drank a few sips of water and said to the girl:

“You are so good, so kind and affable that I want to give you something to remember. (The fact is that it was a fairy who purposely took on the appearance of a simple village woman in order to see if this girl was as sweet and courteous as they say about her.) This is what I will give you: from now on, every word that you say will fall from your lips either as a flower or precious stone. Goodbye!

When the girl came home, her mother scolded her for lingering at the spring.

"I'm sorry, mother," said the poor girl. “I am really late today.

But as soon as she uttered these words, several roses, two pearls and two large diamonds fell from her lips.

— Look! said the mother, her eyes wide with surprise. - It seems to me that instead of words, she drops diamonds and pearls ... What happened to you, daughter? (For the first time in her life, she called her younger daughter also.)

The girl simply, without hiding or boasting, told her mother about everything that had happened to her at the source. And flowers and diamonds just kept falling from her lips.

“Well, if that’s the case,” said the mother, “I must also send my eldest daughter to the spring ... Come on, Fanchon, look what falls from your sister’s lips as soon as she speaks!” Don't you want to receive the same amazing gift? And after all, for this you just need to go to the source and, when the poor woman asks you for water, politely give her a drink.

- Well, here's more! I want to drag myself into such a distance! - answered the slut.

- I want you to go! her mother yelled at her. - And this very minute, without talking!

The girl reluctantly obeyed and went, without ceasing to grumble. Just in case, she took with her a silver jug, the most beautiful one they had in the house.

As soon as she reached the source, a smartly dressed lady came out of the forest to meet her and asked for a sip of water. (It was the same fairy, only this time she took the form of a princess to test if she was so rude and evil elder sister as they talk about it.)

“You don’t think I dragged myself here to give you a drink?” said the girl boldly. - Well, of course, only for this! I purposely grabbed a silver jug ​​to bring water to your grace! .. But anyway, I don’t care. Drink if you like...

“However, you are not very kind,” the fairy said calmly. - Well, what a service, such is the reward. From now on, every word that escapes your lips will turn into a snake or a toad. Farewell!

As soon as the girl returned home, her mother rushed to meet her:

- Is that you, daughter? Well, how?

“That’s it, mother!” the daughter growled in response, and at the same moment two vipers and two toads plopped down on the threshold.

- Oh my god! cried the mother. — Yes, what is it? Where?.. Ah, I know! It's your sister's fault. Well, she will pay me! .. - And she rushed at her youngest daughter with her fists.

The poor thing, in fear, rushed to run and took refuge in a nearby forest.

There she was met by a young prince, the son of the king of this country.

Returning from the hunt, he found in the thicket beautiful girl and, marveling at her beauty, he asked what she was doing all alone in the forest and why she was crying so bitterly.

“Ah, sir,” answered the beauty, “mother drove me out of the house! ..

The royal son noticed that with every word the girl drops a flower, pearl or diamond from her mouth. He was amazed and asked to explain what kind of miracle it was. And then the girl told him her whole story.

The king's son fell in love with her. In addition, he reasoned that the gift that the fairy gave to the beauty was worth more than any dowry that another bride could bring him. He took the girl to the palace, to his father, and married her.

Well, the older sister every day became more and more disgusting and unbearable. In the end, even her own mother could not stand it and drove her out of the house. The unfortunate woman could not find shelter anywhere and with anyone and died, rejected by everyone.

Once upon a time there was a widow who had two daughters; the eldest was so like her both in face and disposition that, as they say, he would not divorce them. They were both so proud and inhospitable that it seems that no one would have agreed to live with them. The youngest, on the contrary, took after her father with meekness and courtesy, and besides that, she was an extraordinary beauty. Every person likes what looks like him: the mother was crazy about the eldest daughter, and she felt an irresistible disgust for the youngest. She made her work from morning to evening and did not allow her to dine at the table, but sent her to the kitchen.

Twice a day, the poor thing had to walk on the water, three miles from the house, and bring out a large heavy jug, full to the brim. One day, just as she was at the well, a beggar came up to her and asked for a drink. “If you please, my dear,” answered the beauty, rinsed out the jug, scooped up water in the cleanest place of the source and gave it to her, while she herself supported the jug with her hand. so that the old woman could drink more dexterously. The old woman took a sip of water and said:

“You are so beautiful and, moreover, so kind and polite that I can’t help but give you a present. (This old woman was a sorceress who turned into a beggar in order to experience the good temper of a young girl.) And my gift to you will be that every time you utter a word, either a flower or a precious stone will fall out of your mouth."

The beauty returned home, and her mother began to scold her for having lingered so long at the well.

Excuse me, mother; I definitely hesitated a little, ”she answered, and immediately dropped two roses, two pearls and two large diamonds from her mouth.

What do I see! exclaimed the old woman in surprise. “She has pearls and diamonds coming out of her mouth!” Where did this grace come from, my daughter? (She called her daughter for the first time.)

The poor thing frankly told everything, dropping a diamond at every word.

That's how! the widow objected. - So I'll send my daughter there now. Come here, Pear, look at what comes out of your sister's mouth when she speaks! I bet you would like to have the same gift! You should go to the spring for water, and if a beggar asks you to drink water, fulfill her request with all courtesy and courtesy.

Here's another! - objected the evil one. - I am such that I can walk on water, how!

I want you to walk on the water, - objected the mother, - and this very minute.

She went, only grumbled all the time. She took with her the most beautiful silver decanter they had in their house. Before she had time to approach the source, she saw a lady, extremely richly dressed; this lady came out of the forest, went up to her and asked to give her a drink. It was the same sorceress who had appeared to her sister, but this time she assumed the form and appearance of a princess in order to experience the extent to which the girl's temper was bad and unfriendly.

Did I come here to drink others! - the proud woman answered with rudeness. “Isn’t it for you that I brought this silver decanter from home?” Look what a lady! You yourself scoop it up with your hand, if you are so thirsty.

What an ignoramus you are! - answered the sorceress in a calm voice, without any, however, anger. - Well, if you did this to me, I'll give you a gift, and it will consist in the fact that at every word you say, a snake or a toad will fall out of your mouth.

Mother, as soon as she saw her Pear from afar, immediately shouted:

Well, daughter?

Well, mother? - she answered, and two snakes and two toads jumped out of her mouth.

Oh heaven, - exclaimed the old woman, - what do I see! The sister is the reason for everything - that's right ... Well, then, wait! I'm her!

She rushed to beat the poor thing, her second daughter, but she ran away and hid in a nearby forest. The king's son, returning from hunting, met her there and, struck by her beauty, asked her what she was doing in the forest and why she was crying.

Ah, sir! she answered. “Mother drove me out of the house,” and at these words several pearls and diamonds fell out of her mouth.

The king's son was surprised and immediately asked what this meant? She told him her adventure. The king's son immediately fell in love with her and, realizing that such a gift was worth every dowry, took her to his father's palace and married her.

And her sister brought herself to such a point that everyone hated her and even her own mother drove her away, and the unfortunate, rejected by all, died alone in the forest from grief and hunger.

There once lived a widow, and she had two daughters. The eldest is the spitting image of a mother: the same face, the same character. You look at your daughter, but it seems that you see a mother in front of you. Both, the eldest daughter and mother, were so rude, arrogant, arrogant, angry that all people, both acquaintances and strangers, tried to stay away from them.

Usually people like those who look like them. That is why the mother loved her eldest daughter madly and could not stand the younger one. She made her work from morning to night, and fed her in the kitchen.
Among other things, the youngest daughter had to go twice a day to the spring, which was at least two hours away, and bring from there a large pitcher full of water.

Once, when the girl was taking water, some poor woman came up to her and asked for a drink.
“Drink to your health, auntie,” said the kind girl.
After rinsing her jug ​​hastily, she scooped up water in the deepest and cleanest place and gave it to the woman, holding the jug so that it was more convenient to drink.

The woman drank a few sips of water and said to the girl:

You are so good, so kind and friendly that I want to give you something to remember. (The fact is that it was a fairy who deliberately took on the appearance of a simple village woman in order to see if this girl was as sweet and courteous as they say about her.)

This is what I will give you: from now on, every word that you say will fall from your lips either as a flower or a precious stone. Goodbye!
When the girl came home, her mother began to scold her for lingering at the source.
“Excuse me, mother,” said the poor girl. - I'm really late.

But as soon as she uttered these words, several roses, two pearls and two large diamonds fell from her lips.

Look! - said the mother, eyes wide with surprise. - It seems to me that instead of words, she drops diamonds and pearls ... What happened to you, daughter? (For the first time in her life, she called her younger daughter also.)
The girl simply, without hiding or boasting, told her mother about everything that had happened to her at the source. And flowers and diamonds were falling from her lips at the same time.

Well, if so, - said the mother, - I need to send my eldest daughter to the source ... Come on, Fanchon, look what is pouring from your sister's lips, as soon as she speaks! Don't you want to receive the same amazing gift? And after all, for this you just need to go to the source and, when the poor woman asks you for water, politely give her a drink.

Well, here's more! I want to drag myself into such a distance! - answered the slut.
- I want you to go! her mother yelled at her. - And this very minute, without talking!
The girl reluctantly obeyed and went, without ceasing to grumble. Just in case, she took with her a silver jug, the most beautiful one they had in the house.

As soon as she reached the source, a smartly dressed lady came out of the forest to meet her and asked for a sip of water. (It was the same fairy, only this time she took on the form of a princess to test whether the elder sister is as rude and evil as they say about her.)

Don't you think that I dragged myself here to give you a drink? - said the girl defiantly. - Well, of course, only for this! I purposely grabbed a silver jug ​​to bring water to your grace! .. But anyway, I don’t care. Drink if you like...

However, you are not very kind, - the fairy said calmly. - Well, what is the service, such is the reward. From now on, every word that comes out of your mouth will turn into a snake or a toad. Farewell!

As soon as the girl returned home, her mother rushed to meet her:
- Is that you, daughter? Well, how?
- And so, mother! - my daughter growled in response, and at the same moment two vipers and two toads plopped down on the threshold.

Oh my god! cried the mother. - Yes, what is it? Where?.. Ah, I know! It's your sister's fault. Well, she will pay me! .. - And she rushed at her youngest daughter with her fists.

The poor thing, in fear, rushed to run and took refuge in a nearby forest.

There she was met by a young prince, the son of the king of this country. Returning from a hunt, he found a beautiful girl in the thicket and, marveling at her beauty, asked what she was doing all alone in the forest and why she was crying so bitterly.

Ah, sir, - answered the beauty, - mother drove me out of the house! ..
The royal son noticed that with every word the girl drops a flower, pearl or diamond from her mouth.

He was amazed and asked to explain what kind of miracle it was. And then the girl told him her whole story.
The king's son fell in love with her.

In addition, he reasoned that the gift that the fairy gave to the beauty was worth more than any dowry that another bride could bring him. He took the girl to the palace, to his father, and married her.

Well, the older sister every day became more and more disgusting and unbearable. In the end, even her own mother could not stand it and drove her out of the house. The unfortunate woman could not find shelter anywhere and with anyone and died, rejected by everyone.

- THE END -

Fairy tale in retelling