A Tale of Wit, Love, and Retribution | Votra Inc.
Once upon a time, there was a gardener who owned a vast orchard filled with trees, fruits, and livestock. Among his treasures was his daughter, a young woman of extraordinary beauty. Every day, she worked in the garden, tending to the plants.
The Prince’s Riddle
One day, a handsome young man passed by the garden. Seeing the girl, he called out:
— “May your work be blessed, gardener’s daughter! Basil is planted, basil is watered—how many leaves does the basil have?”
The girl smiled and replied:
— “When you can tell me how many leaves are in the forest and how many stars are in the sky, then I will tell you how many leaves the basil has.”
The young man left but returned the next day, asking the same question. Again, she gave the same answer. Each time he passed by, he asked the riddle, and each time she refused to answer.
The Prince’s Plan
Deeply in love, the young man devised a plan. The next morning, he filled a basket with peaches and walked past the garden, calling out:
— “Fresh peaches! Sweet peaches!”
The gardener’s daughter, eager to buy some, approached him.
— “How much for the peaches?” she asked.
— “They are free,” he replied, “but only if you let me embrace you once.”
Surprised, the girl hesitated but decided to consult her mother.
— “Mother, a young man is selling peaches, but he asks for an embrace in exchange.”
— “Then let him embrace you, my daughter,” the mother replied.
The girl returned, accepted his embrace, and took the peaches. The next day, when the young man passed by again, he asked:
— “Gardener’s daughter, basil is planted, basil is watered—how many leaves does the basil have?”
— “When you tell me how many leaves are in the forest and how many stars are in the sky, I will tell you how many leaves the basil has,” she replied once more.
The young man, thinking himself clever, smirked and said:
— “Fine! Peaches for peaches!”
But the girl, knowing she had been tricked, grew furious and sought revenge.
The Girl’s Revenge
That night, she asked her father to sew her a fur coat with bells. Then, she went to the butcher and bought a pair of strong animal lungs, complete with a windpipe.
Dressed in the coat and carrying the lungs, she waited until midnight. Then, she marched to the young man’s house, shaking the bells on her coat as she banged on the door.
Terrified, the young man awoke.
— “Who is it?” he asked.
— “I am the Angel of Death!” she declared in a deep voice.
— “Why are you here?”
— “I have come to take your soul!”
Panicked, the young man pleaded:
— “Please, spare me! At least let me embrace my beloved first!”
— “Very well,” she said. “But first, follow me.”
She led him to the stable, where he kept thirty mules.
— “Before you embrace your beloved, you must first embrace each of your mules.”
Shaking with fear, the young man obeyed. Each time he hugged a mule, the disguised girl smacked him with the lungs, making it seem as if the mule was hitting him back.
When he had embraced all thirty mules, she disappeared into the night.
A Wedding and Another Trick
The next day, the young man returned to the garden and again asked:
— “Gardener’s daughter, basil is planted, basil is watered—how many leaves does the basil have?”
She smirked and responded:
— “When you tell me how many leaves are in the forest and how many stars are in the sky, I will tell you how many leaves the basil has.”
The young man, thinking he had won, laughed and said:
— “Fine! Peaches for peaches!”
But the girl shot back:
— “Mules for mules!”
Shocked, the young man realized what had happened the night before. Realizing her intelligence, he sent matchmakers to propose marriage, and her family accepted.
A week before the wedding, the young man ordered a tailor to sew his wedding garments. A few days later, the disguised girl went to the same tailor.
— “Those wedding clothes,” she said, “turn them into horse shoes and bells instead!”
When the groom arrived to pick up his clothes, he was horrified to find metal horseshoes and bells instead of fine garments.
— “What have you done?” he yelled.
— “We did as you asked!” said the tailor. “You came last week and told us to turn your garments into horse shoes!”
The young man sighed. “Ah! That girl has tricked me again!”
On the wedding day, the groom prepared a grand feast. Large pots of meat simmered over the fire. But once again, the bride-to-be arrived in disguise.
— “This food is too bland!” she declared. “Add more salt!”
The cooks followed her orders, adding handfuls of salt to every dish.
When the groom arrived and tasted the food, he gagged—it was unbearably salty.
— “Who ruined the feast?” he shouted.
— “You told us to add more salt!” the cooks replied.
The young man groaned. “It was her again!”
The Wedding Night
That night, the groom prepared to take revenge. He hid a dagger beneath his pillow, intending to kill his bride for all the humiliation she had caused him.
As soon as he entered the bridal chamber, he asked:
— “Was it you who made me embrace thirty mules?”
— “Yes,” she replied from inside a cupboard.
— “Was it you who turned my wedding clothes into horse shoes?”
— “Yes.”
— “Was it you who ruined my feast with salt?”
— “Yes.”
Furious, he grabbed the dagger and stabbed the figure lying in the bed. But instead of blood, a thick, sweet liquid poured out—it was a stuffed doll filled with syrup!
Stunned, the groom muttered:
— “Even her blood is sweet!”
At that moment, the real bride jumped out of the cupboard.
— “Hold your hand, my love! I am alive!”
The groom dropped the dagger, overwhelmed with relief. They embraced, laughing.
At last, all their tricks, revenge, and mischief were forgotten. The wedding feast resumed, and they lived happily ever after.
