Fairytale 6. The Dove Princess

     Once upon a time, at the beginning of summer, three witches gathered under an old oak tree. They lit a fire, sprinkled various potions into the flames, and began to weave their spells with the smoke.

At that same time, a King and his young Princess happened to be passing by. Every summer, the King would tour his lands, forests, and lakes. When he saw the witches gathered under the oak by the lake, he ordered the carriage to stop. He stepped out, followed by his guards, and approached the witches, while the little Princess ran after him.

     "Have you not heard the decree banning all witchcraft?" the King asked, sternly adding, "And bow down�"you are standing before your King."

But the witches didn’t move, as if they hadn’t heard him at all. The King grew angry and ordered the witches to be executed on the spot. As their heads were about to be cut off, one of the witches spoke up:

     "You shouldn't have meddled in our affairs," said one.

     "And now misfortune will come to you," added the second.

     "As your coat of arms bears a dove, may the most precious thing in your family also be given to a dove," said the oldest witch.

In an instant, all three witches turned into black snakes and swiftly slithered into the forest.

     The King laughed at the witches' threats and at his frightened guards as he headed back to the carriage. But along the way, he glanced around and asked the nanny, who had been dozing in the carriage:

     "Where is my daughter? Where is the Princess?"

The nanny, startled, scrambled out of the carriage�"but the Princess was nowhere to be seen. The King ordered every meadow, every shore of the lake, every stone and tree to be searched. They searched everywhere but found no trace of the Princess.

     Then the King felt a small weight land on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw a dove�"a pure white one, with a golden tiara on its head and silver bracelets on its legs.      The King recognized this dove as his daughter, for those bracelets were unique, crafted by the finest jewelers in the kingdom especially for the Princess.

     The King recalled the witches’ words: “As your coat of arms bears a dove, may the most precious thing in your family also be given to a dove.” Grief-stricken, he didn’t know what to do next or how to save his daughter. He took the Princess Dove into the carriage and returned home.

     When they arrived at the castle, the King ordered a cage of pure gold to be made for the Dove Princess. It had to have golden flowers that would bloom with the sunrise and close with the moon's appearance, and little golden birds on top that would sing lullabies to the Dove Princess each night.

     The court craftsmen made everything exactly as the King requested. The cage with the Dove Princess was placed in the royal chambers. It gleamed in the sunlight, and the golden birds sang softly. But this did not ease the King’s sorrow. The cage’s splendor could not hide the sadness of the captive princess or her father’s grief.           The King lived in sorrow for decades and eventually died of old age.

Fifteen days after the King’s death, the kingdom passed into the hands of his neighbor, who gave it to his son. The golden cage with the Dove Princess was left in the royal chambers, and all the servants swore an oath never to tell anyone about the bird that lived in that cage.

     The young Prince took up residence in the old King’s chambers, but he found it difficult to sleep there. Each night he dreamt the same dream: as soon as the moon rose high in the sky, a beautiful girl entered his chambers. She wore a golden tiara, a blue dress, and silver bracelets. She approached the Prince's bed and spoke in a soft voice:

     "Set me free. There is no joy for me in this golden prison. By day, the flowers cloud my mind with their fragrance, and by night, the birds lull me to sleep with their songs."

     The Prince fell in love with this girl and began to ask the old castle servants if they knew of her.

     "If she lives, I’ll free her from her captivity, and if she is a spirit, I will honor her memory."

     But no one uttered a word until, finally, some elderly cooks took pity on the Prince and told him that the old King had once had a daughter whom three witches had turned into a dove. But under threat of death, the King had forbidden anyone to speak of it outside the castle or to tell any strangers in the castle.

     "The King was a cruel man," said one of the cooks. "He despised sorcerers and witches. He loved no one�"only himself and his own reputation with his neighbors. Because of this, his only daughter suffered. The witches turned her into a dove, and even then, the King didn’t change his ways�"he locked her in a golden cage and kept her under constant watch."

     "That special dove still lives in your chambers, my lord," said another cook. "In a golden cage on your balcony."

     "How can I help her?" the Prince asked quickly. "She is so dear to my heart and soul."

     "We know how," said the eldest cook. "After sunset, go to the old oak by the White Lake. Wear the skin of a seven-year-old bear and wait. When a raven perches on the oak and asks, 'The golden feather or the copper branch?' ask for the copper branch. As soon as you get it, run back home without looking back. And when you return, strike the cage with that branch seven times to break the spell on the Dove Princess."

     The Prince thanked the cooks and hurried to find the bear skin. No sooner had he left the kitchen than the cooks transformed into three black snakes and slithered away through an open window.

     As soon as the sun set, the Prince went to the old oak tree, covered himself with the bear skin, and waited for the raven. When the castle clock struck midnight, a large black raven flew to the tree. It noticed the man under the skin and asked:

     “What do you want now that you’ve come here? The golden feather or the copper branch?”

     "I need the copper branch," the Prince replied. "And only it."

     "Are you sure?" the raven asked slyly. "With the golden feather, you could become the greatest ruler, the most important figure in all of history�"past and future."

     "No, I only need the copper branch," the Prince said firmly.

     "As you wish. The previous king chose the feather, though. Are you sure you don't want it?" asked the raven again. "Yes, he came here. But he chose glory over saving his daughter. And you, I see, are not like him. It will be a shame if you don't make it out in time."

     With that, the raven dropped the branch at the Prince's feet. The Prince grabbed it and ran back to the castle. As he ran, he felt the ground creak beneath him like old floorboards, and something behind him called out to him pitifully. The Prince barely resisted the urge to look back. He felt hot breath near his ear, as if something was running alongside him. He glanced sideways and saw a terrible creature, one too horrifying to describe in words. In his fright, he threw the bear skin at it, and it transformed into a real bear. While the creature and the bear fought, the Prince managed to escape.

     The ordeal left a mark on him�"some of his hair turned white.

     The Prince returned to the castle and hurried to the golden cage on the balcony. He struck it seven times with the copper branch, and the cage shattered into tiny particles. The dove flew out, filling the balcony and the Prince's chambers with a bright light, like the midday sun at his feet. The Prince shut his eyes, and when he opened them, he saw the beautiful Princess before him. The golden tiara highlighted her flowing blonde hair against her blue dress; silver bracelets adorned her wrists, and her eyes were as blue as the sea.

     They had a grand wedding, as a fairy tale should. Fairies, witches, and sorcerers were invited, including three noble ladies and a dark-haired gentleman with a raven’s nose. And from that day on, the kingdom lived in peace and happiness.