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Long ago there was a king who had a very brave son. One day the son told his father, "Father, I am going to roam the world in search of adventures."The king did not want to grant his son permission to do so, but the prince insisted so much that the king finally consented.The prince mounted a beautiful horse and journeyed seeking adventures. After travelling a long long way, he came to a forest which he had to cross. Penetrating the deep woods, he suddenly heard a hound bay and a lion roar. Then he saw four animals: a lion, a hound, an eagle and an ant, all of them arguing over the carcass of a deer.Seeing the prince approach, the lion roared, "One moment, hombre. As you see, all of us argue because we cannot decide which part of this dead deer belongs to each. If you make a satisfactory division of the carcass amongst us, we will reward you."The prince agreed and divided the deer into four parts. To the lion he gave the haunches, to the hound the ribs, to the eagle the entrails, and to the ant the head.The animals agreed to the division as the lion said to the prince, "We promised to reward you and we will keep that promise." Pulling a hair from its mane and giving it to the prince, the lion continued, "Take this hair. Whenever you want to become a lion just say 'God and Lion' and you will be transformed into a lion. To become a man again, all you have to say is 'God and Man.'"The hound also gave the prince a hair from its body and told him to effect his transformation into a hound, he had only to change the wording of the phrase to "God and Hound," then "God and Man."The eagle then gave the prince a feather and told him to say, "God and Eagle," in order to become an eagle. The ant also gave the prince one of its antennae, telling the youth to say "God and Ant" to become an ant.The prince thanked the animals and went on his way, until one day he came to a castle which appeared to be deserted. The prince desired to see the interior of this castle, but it seemed impossible as the place was completely surrounded by a high wall. He then remembered the gifts he had received from the animals in the forest. Pulling out the feather, the prince said, "God and Eagle." He turned into an eagle and flew over the castle. In the highest tower of the castle he saw an open window, to which he flew and stopped on the sill. He looked into a bedroom and there saw a beautiful maiden asleep.The prince then said, "God and Man," and turning into a man again, entered the bedroom the better to see the sleeping maiden. The maiden awoke and, seeing the prince bending over her, asked, "Señor, what do you want here? If the giant, owner of this castle, finds you, he will kill you without mercy.""Señora," answered the prince, "I do not fear the giant, since I seek adventure. As far as I can see, you seem to be a prisoner in this huge castle. If I can be of service, please order me to do what I can.""True," said the maid, "I am a prisoner of the giant. But it is hopeless to ask for your aid. The giant conquers all who fight against him."Suddenly a thundering voice was heard echoing through the castle. The maiden exclaimed, "We are lost! The giant will be here any moment and there is no place where you can hide.""Do not be afraid, señora," and holding the little ant's antenna the prince said the magic words which made him an ant.At that instant the giant came in saying, "Señora, I am sure that you were talking to someone." The giant searched everywhere but did not see the ant. Satisfied, he left.The prince then said, "God and Man," and became a man again.The maiden was so appy she couldn't even talk, but finally she spoke to the prince."Señor, perhaps you can save me. But to do so, you have to slay the giant, and to slay the giant you must first break the egg in which the giant's life is kept. That egg is very well hidden. Nobody has ever been able to find it."The following day the giant came to the maiden's bedroom and the girl said, "Señor, last night I dreamt that your life was in danger. A man was breaking the egg which hides your secret.""Do not worry, señora, that egg is very well hidden," he replied.The giant left, but nevertheless he worried. Perhaps his life was really in danger. Quick as the win of an eye, the giant became a pigeon which flew out of the window.The prince, who had been watching the giant all this time, said, "God and Eagle" and began to fly in pursuit of the pigeon.The pigeon landed at a cave from which it took a little box containing an egg. At this particular moment the eagle arrived. The pigeon, seeing the eagle, changed into a coyote who swallowed the egg. The coyote started to run. The prince said "God and Lion," and turned into a lion and gave chase. The coyote then turned into a hare, which hid in the underbrush where the lion was unable to follow it.The prince said "God and Hound," became a hound and began to chase the hare. The hare, finding itself in danger of being captured, quickly changed itself back into a pigeon. The eagle caught the pigeon, flew to earth with the dead pigeon in its claws, opened up the dead bird and with a single blow of its beak broke the egg. Then instead of a dead pigeon there was a dead giant in its place.The eagle flew back to the castle and entered the maiden's bedroom. There he said "God and Man," assumed his human form, and took into his arms the beautiful maiden. Forgetti ng their fear of the giant, they were married and changed the gloomy castle into a nest of love and happiness. |
