#The-Feather-King or #Puss-in-boots?
As you can read in the next story it isn't that bad to be a Kitty.
And... it is a smart thing to do what Kitty tells you to!
And... it is a smart thing to do what Kitty tells you to!
The feather King
Once there was a couple working on the land. They had their baby with them. It was laying in a swing made of some diapers.
Suddenly a cat appeared and stole the baby.
The cat was taking good care of the child. She brought it herbs, carrots and strawberries.
The child was a boy. As he grew up the cat said: you have to marry the King's daughter.
How can I, the young man said, I am naked!
The cat blew a whistle, birds showed up from all around and she took from each one a feather. Out of the feathers she made a suit and gave it to him.
She took him to the animals and said: these animals will follow you when you visit the King. Tell the king they are a presents given by the Feather King.
So did the young man. The King was surprised and thought: what a rich King must that be.
Next day the cat told him to visit, with animals, the King again. If the King says he wants the Feather King to marry his daughter, tell him it's fine and the wedding will be in three days.
Again the young men went to the king and said: the Feather King sents me. These presents are for you, the King's reaction was exactly like the cat foretold.
As the 3 days passed by the cat went into the forest. She blew on her whistle and this time the most beautiful and shining birds came to her. She picked out 1 feather of each of them. Out of that she made the greatest coat ever seen. She told the young man to put it on as soon as he entered the King's castle.
Next she ran to the castle screaming: Help me, the Feather King fell into the swamp! Give me your finest clothes to dress him. So did the King.
The young man put on the clothes and together they continued their way to the wedding ceremony. At the moment the young man entered the castle he did put on his feather coat, just like the cat told him. The coat was so shining that it hurted the eyes of those who were looking at it.
After the wedding the King said: I will come with you to your place to see how rich you really are. Together they went on their way in the King's carriage. The young man couldn't stop looking at his beautiful clothes. He didn't had an eye for his wife one single moment. So the cat, who noticed it, said to him: if the King asks you why you look at your clothes tell him your own clothes are more beautiful as his.
And of course the king did notice he had only eyes for his clothes and he did ask him why he was looking at them the whole time... what the young man answered we already know.
The cat left the carriage and ran in front of it. On her way she saw a large herd of sheep. As she noticed the shepherd she jumped into his neck and scratches him all over. If the King may ask you who's herd this is, you will answer the Feather King! If not I will return and scratch you to death! It's not hard to imagine what the shepherd said as the king asked him who the owner of that great herd is.
The cat did the same with the shepherds of a cattle of buffaloes and horses. Of course the King was very impressed by the wealth of the Feather King. He thought: He is way richer as I am.
Next they arrived at a castle made out of gold, silver, crystal and jewels. The real owner of it was a warlock. Also inside the castle was beautiful furnished and dinner was ready.
Straight away the King, his daughter and the young man started eating.
But the cat was posting outside at the front door. As the warlock came home he was furious.
How dare you to break in my house he shouted.
You better show me first if you are a warlock, the cat said. They say you can change yourself in any kind of animal but I find it hard to believe. So you better show it to me or you stay outside.
Ha, the warlock said, that is a piece of cake and he changed himself into a gigantic lion.
The cat who was afraid of lions jumped on the roof. Well, a big animal is easy, she said, but how about a small animal? A mouse for example? At once the warlock changed into a tiny mouse. The cat jumped down from the roof, catched the mouse, killed and ate it.
Now the castle, the herds and cattle, etc. did belong to the young man, since the warlock was dead.
I am very grateful to you, the young man said to the cat. How can I ever thank you?
Now you need do me a favour, the cat said. Take a sword and cut my head of!
How can I do such a terrible thing, the young man said. If you don't do it I scratch your eyes out of your head, the cat answered.
Then the young man took a sword and cut of her head. And the cat? She changed into the most beautiful woman he ever saw.
The young man took her into his castle and said to the King: this is my mother.
Since the King was a widower and an old man he asks her: why shouldn't we celebrate our wedding as well?
The beautiful woman agreed and with his new wife the King went on his way to his castle.
And the young man? He stayed with his wife in the castle of the warlock and felt richer as 7 Kings together.
This is an Hungarian fairy tale. I think we all do recognize the biggest part of it.
The tales come from several parts of the world. Hungarian people have a big feeling for drama en the accent is on the dialog. So the best way to hear them is told by a story teller.
Every tale is close to the world of the shepherd and farmer.
The first two big editions of Hungarian folk tales were written in 1822 (Gáal, working in a library in Vienna) and 1825 (landgrave Mailáth).
For those who do like to hear a Hungarian folk tale.. I have one for you.
It's about king Mathias (lived in the 15th century, he was one of the most beloved kings) who wants to know how the people are living, been treated well by a shepherd and a shepherd who is too smart to let himself been treated like a dog.
