EUROPEAN FOLK TALES: HIDDEN TREASURES

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Il Principe che sposò una rana The Prince who married a frog

Il Principe che sposò una rana In un regno lontano c’era un Re che aveva tre figli e uno di loro sarebbe diventato il suo erede.

Per non creare rivalità tra di loro il re li sottopose a una prova che consisteva nel lanciare alcune pietre con le fionde e dove fossero atterrate lì avrebbero trovato le loro future mogli.

La pietra del maggiore finì sopra il tetto di un forno; quella del secondo fratello finì vicino a una sartoria e quella del minore finì in un fosso.

La moglie del maggiore sarebbe stata una fornaia, la moglie del secondo sarebbe stata una tessitrice e il minore si sarebbe accontentato di una rana.

I primi due figli, convinti di diventare gli eredi, tornarono dal padre a presentare le loro fidanzate.

The Prince who married a frog Once upon a time there lived a King who had three sons.

The King needed to choose an heir, so he put the three Princes to the test: they had to throw some stones with a slingshot; where the stones fell they would find a wife.

The stone of the eldest son landed on the roof of a bakery.

The stone of the second son landed near a tailor shop. The stone of the youngest son fell into a hole.

So the first Prince would marry a baker, the second Prince would marry a seamstress, while the third Prince would make do with a frog.

The first two sons, who were sure they would be the heir to the throne, went to introduce their fiancĂŠes to the King.

Per vedere chi fosse la moglie degna del trono le sottopose a una prova che consisteva in filare perfettamente una canapa; chi l’avesse filata meglio avrebbe vinto la prima prova.

I figli andarono dalle fidanzate e si raccomandarono di fare un ottimo lavoro.

Il minore mortificato andò dalla rana e le diede la canapa e le disse che doveva riportarla filata entro tre giorni.

Dopo tre giorni i fratelli portarono al padre degli ottimi lavori di tessitura; il più piccolo dei principi si presentò solo con una noce che però racchiudeva un filo finemente tessuto che non finiva mai e che stupì tutti.

The King put the women to the test to see who the best was: they had to perfectly spin hemp in three days.

The two Princes went to their fiancées and asked them to do a good job. The youngest son, humiliated, went to the frog and gave her hemp to spin.

After three days, the brothers brought their father excellent weaving works; the younger prince introduced only a wot that enclosed a finely woven wire that never ended and that shocked everyone.

Il re propose un'altra prova agli aspiranti eredi al trono: le fidanzate avrebbero dovuto allevare per un mese dei cuccioli di cane. Il barboncino infiocchettato e addestrato dalla rana vinse sugli altri e cosĂŹ il figlio minore e la rana si aggiudicarono il trono.

The king proposed another test: girlfriends should have bred for a month puppies. The beribboned and trained poodle by the frog won over the others and the younger son and the frog were awarded the throne.

Il Re stabilì che i tre figli si sarebbero sposati tutti lo stesso giorno.

I fratelli maggiori mandarono due carrozze lussuose a prendere le proprie fidanzate, che si presentarono abbigliate molto elegantemente.

Il più piccino andò al fosso: lì trovò la rana su una carrozza, fatta con foglie di fico e trainata da quattro lumache.

Si misero in cammino, ma mentre aspettava la sua sposa il Principe si addormentò.

Al suo risveglio vide una splendida fanciulla con un abito verde smeraldo, in una carrozza d’oro massiccio.

La ragazza svelò di essere una principessa vittima di un incantesimo; solo se un principe l’avesse sposata pur essendo una rana, la maledizione si sarebbe spezzata.

Alla fine i due si sposarono, ereditarono il Regno e vissero felici e contenti.

The King decided that the three brothers would get married the same day.

The boys went by luxurious carriages to get the brides.

The youngest son found the frog in a carriage made of fig leaves and carried by four snails.

Later the Prince fell asleep and when he woke up a beautiful woman with an emerald green dress and a solid gold carriage appeared in front of him.

The Prince didn’t believe that the woman was the frog, but she explained she had been the victim of a spell.

In the end they got married and lived happy ever after.

Çoban Keloğlan Masalı KELOĞLAN THE CHOUDHURY

Çoban Keloğlan Masalı Evvel zaman içinde Keloğlan ile annesi, babasının yaptığı çobanlıkla geçinirlermiş. Günlerden bir gün dağda koyunları otlatırken, babasının yolunu eşkıyalar keser. Birkaç koyun isterler. Keloğlan’ın babası da:

“Bu koyunlar bana emanet” der vermez. Eşkıyalar zorlayınca Keloğlan’ın babası karşı koyar. Bunun üzerine eşkıyalar, onu acımadan öldürürler. Haber hemen köye yayılır. Keloğlan küçük yaşta babasız kalmıştır. Aradan günler geçmiş, ana oğulun geçimleri de zorlaşmış. Keloğlan, düşünmüş taşınmış

köylüler yeni çoban da bulamayınca, köyün çobanlığını yapmaya karar vermiş. Köylülerin; “Sen yapamazsın, okuman gerek” diye ısrar etmelerine rağmen, annesinin de rızasını alarak çobanlığa başlamış.

Meğer Keloğlan’ın amacı babasını öldüren eşkıyaları köylülere yakalatmakmış. Sabah erkenden köyün koyunlarını alıp düşmüş yollara. Bir dağın eteklerine gelmiş. Dağın kenarından da dere geçiyormuş. Koyunlar başlamış dereden su içmeye.

Keloğlan çok yorgunmuş, kendi

kendine:

“Şu

ağacın

gölgesinde biraz dinleneyim,” demiş.

Ağacın altına uzanmasıyla yorgunluktan uyuması bir olmuş. Bu arada koyunlar da susuzluklarını giderdikten sonra başlamışlar otlanmaya. Karınlarını doyurduktan sonra etrafa yayılmışlar.

Aradan uzunca bir zaman geçmiş… Derken akşam olmuş.

Köylüler koyunların gelmediğini görünce telaşlanmışlar.

“Biz ne halt ettik, küçük yaştaki bir çocuğa bu kadar koyunu teslim ettik … inşallah başına bir iş gelmez!..” demişler. Gene de içleri rahat etmemiş ve Keloğlan ile koyunları aramaya çıkmışlar. Bu arada Keloğlan, uykusundan büyük bir gürültü duyarak uyanmış. Birde ne görsün! Eşkıyalar etrafta otlayan koyunları

topluyorlar…

Keloğlan:

“Hey!

Ağalar

ne

yapıyorsunuz? Onlar benim sürüm… Bana emanet!..” diye bağırmış. Eşkıyalar: “Geçen yılda biri aynen senin gibi dedi, canından oldu!..” diye karşılık vermişler. Keloğlan, bu eşkıyaların, babasının katilleri olduğunu anlamış. Hemen kurnazca plan kurmaya başlamış.

Eşkıyalar, Keloğlan’a yaklaşmış:

“Sen şimdi bu koyunları bize vermiyor musun?” demişler.

Keloğlan:

“Ağalar, ne haddime! Yeter ki benim de canıma kıymayın.

Hatta biraz beklerseniz size bir sürü daha getiririm!..” demiş.

Bunun üzerine eşkıyalar: “Canından olmak istemiyorsan çabuk gel!” demişler. Keloğlan, eşkıyaları kandırdığına sevinerek köyün yolunu tutmuş.

Amacı, köylüleri getirip eşkıyaları yakalatmakmış. Bir süre yol aldıktan sonra kendisini aramaya çıkan köylülerle karşılaşmış.

Heyecanla olanları anlatmış. Köylüler hemen Keloğlan’la birlikte sürünün olduğu yere gitmişler.

Gizlice eşkıyalara yaklaşmışlar ve birden üzerlerine atılarak eşkıyaları kıskıvrak yakalamışlar. Keloğlan babasının katillerini

yakalatmanın

sevinciyle

köylülere:

“Babamın

katillerini

yakalattım … Ben artık çobanlık yapmayacağım … Okuluma devam edeceğim.” demiş. Sonra da mutlu bir halde evinin yolunu tutmuş.

KELOĞLAN THE CHOUDHURY Once upon a time Keloğlan, his mother and his father who was a choudhury were living all together. One of these days when his father was herding the sheep bandits slashed his way and wanted some of his sheep. Keloğlan’s father said:

“These sheep don’t belong to me” and he resisted them. And then bandits killed him. Days passed and mother and son can barely make money. Keloğlan, then, decided to be the new choudhury. The villagers said “No! You shouldn’t do that! You should go to school”! But his mother said “Ok.” Then he became the new choudhury. But in fact Keloğlan’s real aim was to make the villagers catch the bandits who had killed his father. Early in the morning he took the sheep and fell on the road and reached a mountain. There was a creek near the mountain. The sheep started to drink water. Keloğlan got tired and thought that he should rest under the shadow of that tree. As soon as he lied under the shadow of the tree he fell asleep. After drinking enough water the sheep began to wandering around. A long time passed. The villagers got anxious since the sheep hadn’t come back and started to say “What have we done? Why did we give our sheep to a young boy?” The villagers went to look for the sheep and Keloğlan.

By the way Keloğlan woke up when he heard a loud noise and saw that bandits taking the all the sheep around. He screams: “ Hey! What are you doing? These sheep don’t belong to you!

They are mine!” They reply back: “Last year someone like you said that too and he lost his life!” Keloğlan saw that they are the killers of his father and made a clever plan. The bandits came next to him. “And now you are not giving these sheep to us, right?” they said.

Keloğlan answered : “ Sir, I never dare that! Please do not kill me. If you wait a little while I can bring you more”

They said : “ If you don’t want to die come back quick!”.

Keloğlan started to walk back to the village. He wanted to bring the villagers to maket hem catch the bandits Then he met the villagers on his way home and explained all the things happened. All the villagers went to theplace where all the things happened with Keloğlan.

They came closer to the bandits secretly and suddenly they jumped onto them and caught them. Keloğlan felt so happy and told the villagers “I made the killers of my dad caught. I will not be a choudhury anymore. I will go to my school again”. And everybody lived happily ever after

Ελληνική Μυθολογία: o Μύθος του Ορφέα και της Ευρυδίκης Greek Mythology: the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice

Ελληνική Μυθολογία: Ο μύθος του Ορφέα και της Ευρυδίκης. Σύμφωνα με την Ελληνική Μυθολογία, Η Θράκη, η περιοχή στην οποία βρίσκεται η πόλη μας, ήταν κόρη του Ωκεανού και της Παρθενόπης και αδελφή της Ευρώπης. Ήταν σημαντική μάγισσα όπως όλες οι γυναίκες της χώρας της. Η Θράκη ήταν επίσης η πατρίδα του άγριου και πολεμοχαρή θεού ‘Αρη αλλά και του Ορφέα, του γιού του βασιλιά της Θράκης Oίαγρου και της Μούσας Καλλιόπης. ‘Ήταν πολύ ταλαντούχος μουσικός καθώς διδάχτηκε μουσική από τον θεό Απόλλωνα ο οποίος σύμφωνα με άλλο μύθο ήταν ο πατέρας του. Ο Ορφέας έπαιζε τη λύρα του τόσο τέλεια που ακόμη και ο Απόλλωνας έμενε άφωνος. Λέγεται ότι τίποτα δεν μπορούσε να αντισταθεί στη μουσική του, ούτε οι εχθροί, ούτε τα ζώα. Ακόμη και τα δέντρα και οι πέτρες μετακινούνταν με τη μουσική του.

Ο Ορφέας ερωτεύτηκε την Ευρυδίκη, γυναίκα μοναδικής ομορφιάς και χάρης την οποία παντρεύτηκε και ζούσαν ευτυχισμένοι. ‘Oταν όμως ο Υμήν, ο θεός του γάμου, κλήθηκε να ευλογήσει το γάμο τους, προέβλεψε ότι η τελειότητα του δεν θα διαρκούσε πολύ. Λίγο καιρό μετά από αυτήν την προφητεία, καθώς η Ευρυδίκη τριγυρνούσε στο δάσος με τις Νύμφες, την δάγκωσε ένα φίδι και πέθανε ακαριαία.

Ο Ορφέας απαρηγόρητος τραγουδούσε την θλίψη του με τη λύρα του και κατάφερε να συγκινήσει οτιδήποτε ζωντανό και μη στον κόσμο. Και οι άνθρωποι και οι θεοί συγκλονίστηκαν από τη θλίψη του. Τότε ο Απόλλωνας τον συμβούλεψε να

κατεβεί στον Άδη και να δει τη γυναίκα του. Οποιοσδήποτε άλλος

θνητός

θα

είχε

πεθάνει

αλλά

ο

Ορφέας

προστατευμένος από τους θεούς πήγε στον Άδη παίζοντας τη λύρα του. Κατάφερε επίσης να σαγηνέψει τον Κέρβερο, το τέρας με τα τρία κεφάλια που προστάτευε την πύλη του Κάτω κόσμου. Ο Ορφέας παρουσιάστηκε μπροστά στον θεό του κάτω κόσμου, τον Άδη και στη γυναίκα του την Περσεφόνη.

Ο Ορφέας έπαιξε την λύρα του τόσο όμορφα που συγκίνησε ακόμη και την κρύα καρδιά του Άδη. Έτσι ο Άδης του είπε ότι θα μπορούσε να πάρει πίσω την Ευρυδίκη με έναν όμως όρο: Η Ευρυδίκη θα τον ακολουθούσε στον πάνω κόσμο αλλά αν

γυρνούσε να την κοιτάξει θα την έχανε για πάντα. Αν ο Ορφέας έκανε υπομονή η Ευρυδίκη θα γυρνούσε για πάντα κοντά του. Ο Ορφέας χάρηκε πάρα πολύ. Ευχαρίστησε τους θεούς και έφυγε για να ανεβεί στον πάνω κόσμο. Καθώς ανέβαινε προσπαθούσε να ακούσει τα βήματα της Ευρυδίκης πίσω του. Δεν άκουγε όμως τίποτα και πίστεψε ότι οι θεοί τον είχαν κοροϊδέψει. Φυσικά η Ευρυδίκη ήταν πίσω του αλλά σαν σκιά ακολουθούμενη από τον θεό Ερμή. Λίγα μόλις μέτρα από την έξοδο, ο Ορφέας δεν άντεξε και γύρισε να την κοιτάξει. Η Ευρυδίκη ήταν πίσω του αλλά η σκιά της εξαφανίστηκε. Έτσι, χάθηκε για πάντα. Ο Ορφέας άρχισε να θρηνεί με την λίρα του για να μπορέσει να ενωθεί ξανά με την Ευρυδίκη για πάντα. Στο τέλος, ο Ορφέας απαρηγόρητος πνίγηκε στον ποταμό Έβρο αλλά οι Μούσες αποφάσισαν να τον επαναφέρουν στη ζωή και να κρατήσουν ανάμεσα στους ζωντανούς για να τους μαγεύει όλους με τις υπέροχες μελωδίες του.

Greek Mythology: the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice According to the Greek Mythology, Thrace (Thraki), the area where our town is located, was the daughter of Oceano and Parthenopi and the sister of Europe. She was an important witch, just like all the women of her country. Thrace was the place where the fierce and warlike god Mars was born but also the country of Orpheus, the son of the Thracian king Oiagros and the muse Calliope. He was a very talented musician as he had been taught music by the god Apollo, who according to another myth was his real father. Orpheus played his lyre (lira) with such perfection that even Apollo was surprised.

It is said that nothing could resist his music and melody, neither enemies nor beasts. Even trees and rocks moved by his music. Orpheus fell in love with Eurydice ("she whose justice extends widely") a woman of unique beauty and grace, whom he married and lived happily with. However, when Hymen, the god of marriage, was called to bless the marriage, he predicted that their perfection was not meant to last.

A short time after this prophecy, Eurydice was wandering in the forest with the Nymphs, when she was tragically bitten by a snake and died instantly. Orpheus sang his grief with his lyre and managed to move everything living or not in the world; both humans and gods were deeply touched by his sorrow and grief.

Apollo then advised him to descend to Hades and see his wife.

Any other mortal would have died, but Orpheus, protected by the gods, went to Hades playing his lyre. He also managed to charm Cerberus, the monster known to have three heads that protected the gate of the Underworld. Orpheus presented himself in front of the god of the Underworld Hades (Pluto) and his wife Persephone.

Orpheus played his lyre, melting even Hades' cold heart.

Hades told Orpheus that he could take Eurydice with him but under one condition; Eurydice would follow him while walking out to the light, but he should not look at her before coming out to the light because he would lose her forever. If Orpheus was patient enough he would have Eurydice as a normal woman again by his side.

Orpheus was delighted; he thanked the gods and left to ascend to the world. As he was going up, he was trying to hear Eurydice’s steps, but he could not hear anything and he started believing that the gods had fooled him. Of course Eurydice was behind him, but as a shadow followed by the god Hermes, waiting to come to light to become a full woman again.

Only a few feet away from the exit, Orpheus lost his faith and turned to see; Eurydice was behind him, but her shadow disappeared. Then, she was gone forever.

Orpheus started playing a mourning song with his lyre, so that he could be united with Eurydice forever. In the end, Orpheus drowned in the river Evros but the Muses decided to bring him back to life and keep him among the living people to sing for ever, enchanting everyone with his lovely melodies.

The Legend of Smok Wawelski Legenda o Smoku Wawelskim

Legenda o Smoku Wawelskim Wiele, wiele lat temu, kiedy Kraków był stolicą Polski, w zamku na górze Wawel żyli król Krak ze swoją córką Wandą.

Wszyscy mieszkańcy Krakowa kochali swojego króla i jego uroczą córkę.

Pewnego dnia w jaskini w górach wawelskich zamieszkał zły smok. Miał trzy głowy, a jego ciało było pokryte łuskami. W złości trząsł górami a z jego paszczy leciał ogień i dym. Smok sprawił, że całe miasto się go bało. Aby uspokoić smoka mieszkańcy Krakowa codziennie zostawiali pod jego jaskinią owce . Ale to mu nie wystarczyło.

Raz w roku miał on

otrzymać w ofierze małą dziewczynkę. Wielu mieszkańców próbowało walczyć ze smokiem. Jednak nikt był w stanie go

pokonać. Najmądrzejsi starcy spędzali dni i noce próbując znaleźć rozwiązanie, ale im się nie udało. W końcu nie było więcej dziewcząt w całym Krakowie i okolicy. Została tylko Wanda. Smok był zniecierpliwiony, a mieszkańcy wiedzieli, że teraz przyszła kolej na królewską córkę. W Krakowie panowała wielka żałoba, a król ogłosił na cały kraj, że szuka dzielnego rycerza, który mógłby pokonać smoka. Przybyło wielu odważnych rycerzy , którym nie udało się pokonać bestii. Większość z nich zginęło w walce. Kiedy cała nadzieja została stracona przed królem pojawił się uczeń szewca Dratewka, który poprosił o pozwolenie walki ze smokiem. Król wysłuchał Dratewki

i zgodził się z jego planem.

Młody

człowiek zabrał się od razu do pracy. Od rzeźnika zdobył skórę owcy. Od wszystkich mieszkańców zebrał siarkę, sól, pieprz i smołę. Napełnił nimi skórę, zszył mocno aby to wyglądało jak prawdziwa owca. Nocą położył ją przed wejściem do jaskini.

Następnego ranka głodny smok wyszedł z jaskini i od razu pożarł owcę. Wkrótce potem poczuł straszny palenie w całym ciele. Musiał napić się wody. Wypił jej tak dużo , że było widać dno rzeki Wisły. Smok pił i pił, aż w końcu eksplodował z ogromnym hukiem. Cały Kraków się cieszył a Dratewka poślubił Wandę i żyli razem długo i szczęśliwie.

The Legend of Smok Wawelski

Many, many years ago, when Krakow was still the capital of Poland, there lived in the castle on the Wawel mountain King Krak with his daughter Wanda. All the citizens in Krakow loved their kind-hearted King and the loving Wanda. For many

years everyone lived peacefully and provided for the wellbeing of their town. Amongst them lived one of the cobbler's family, a capableand hard-working apprentice by the name of Dratewka.

One day in a cave in the Wawel mountains, an evil dragon had settled. He had three heads and his body was covered in scales. When he was angry he went into such a rage that the mountains shook and he breathed fire and smoke from his mouth. He made the whole town afraid.

In order to calm him down the people put a sheep in front of his cave every day. But this was not enough for him. Once a year even a small girl had to be sacrificed.

Many of the citizens tried to fight against the dragon.

However, no-one was able to beat him. The council of elders

spent days and nights trying to find a solution but they couldn't find one. At long last there were no more girls left in Krakow, only Princess Wanda. The dragon became more and more impatient. Since there were no other girls to be found everyone knew that it was the king's daughter's turn.

There was great mourning all over Krakow. The king announced to the whole country that he was looking for a brave knight who could defeat the dragon. Many courageous knights came and fought without success against the beast.

Most were killed in their fight.

When all hope had been abandoned, the cobbler's apprentice, Dratewka, appeared before the King. He asked for permission to fight the dragon. The king listened and agreed to what he

was intending to do. The young man got to work on his plan straight away.

From the butcher he got himself a sheepskin. From all the citizens he collected brimstone, salt, pepper and pitch. He filled the sheepskin with these and sewed it up tightly so it looked like a real sheep.

At night he put the "sheep" in front of the entrance to the cave. The next morning the hungry dragon came out of the cave and ate up the sheep straight away. Shortly afterwards he felt a terrible burning all over his body. He tried to stop the burning by drinking massive amounts of water. He drank so much that the bed of the river Wisla could be seen. He carried on drinking until eventually he exploded with an enormous bang. There was great joy throughout Krakow.

Dratewka married Wanda and they lived happily together for a very long time to come.

Oisín in the Land of Youth Oisín i dTír na nÓg

Oisín in the Land of Youth

Oisín was hunting with his father, Fionn Mac Cumhaill and their soldiers. He noticed a beautiful woman coming towards him riding on a white horse. He fell in love with the woman straight away. ‘My name is Niamh with the Golden Hair' she said to Oisín.

Oisín i dTír na nÓg Bhí Oisín ag fiach lena athair, Fionn Mac Cumhaill agus na Fianna. Thug sé faoi deara go raibh bean álainn ag teacht ina threo agus í ag marcaíocht ar chapall bán. Thit Oisín i ngrá léi díreach ansin. ‘Niamh Chinn Óir is ainm dom’ a dúirt sí le hOisín.

Niamh was calling Oisín to come to the Land of Youth with him. 'We will be happy together forever' she said. Oisín got on Niamh's horse and off they went. Oisín liked the Land of Youth but he missed Ireland.

'Tar liom go Tír na n-Óg agus beimid sona sásta le chéile go deo na ndeor’. Dhreap Oisín ar dhroim an chapaill agus d’imigh siad leo ar chosa in airde. Thaitin Tír na n-Óg le hOisín ach mhothaigh sé Éire uaidh.

Niamh was calling Oisín to come to the Land of Youth with him. 'We will be happy together forever' she said. Oisín got on Niamh's horse and off they went. Oisín liked the Land of Youth but he missed Ireland.

'Tar liom go Tír na n-Óg agus beimid sona sásta le chéile go deo na ndeor’. Dhreap Oisín ar dhroim an chapaill agus d’imigh siad leo ar chosa in airde. Thaitin Tír na n-Óg le hOisín ach mhothaigh sé Éire uaidh.

Oisín really wanted to go back home to Ireland to visit. He made up his mind he would return, Niamh did not want him to go. Niamh explained to him that he should not set foot on Irish land.

Ba mhian leis filleadh chun cuairt a thabhairt ar Éirinn. Níor theastaigh ó Niamh go n-imeodh sé ach bhí an cinneadh déanta ag Oisín. Thug sí foláireamh dó gan a chos a leagan ar thalamh na hÉireann.

Oisín went back to Ireland but did not recognise anything there. Then he saw some men trying to move a big rock and asked them if they knew where Fionn and his soldiers were?

The men were surprised. They told him that Fionn Mac Cumhaill and his soldiers had lived in Ireland 300 years ago.

Oisín couldn't believe his family and his friends were gone.

He leaned over to help the men move the rock and fell off his horse to the ground. He turned into an old man.

Níor aithin Oisín an ceantar. Chonaic sé fir i bpáirc ag iarraidh

carraig a bhogadh agus d’iarr sé orthu an áit a raibh Fionn agus na Fianna. Bhí ionadh ar na fir faoi seo toisc gur mhair Fionn Mac Cumhall agus na Fianna in Éirinn 300 bliana roimhe sin.

Níor chreid Oisín go raibh a mhuintir agus a chairde imithe.

Chrom sé síos ón gcapall chun cabhrú leis na fir an charraig a bhogadh agus thit sé ar mhullach a chinn go talamh. Ar an bpointe, d’athraigh sé ina sheanfhear leochaileach.

The men took care of Oisín. He told them lots of stories about his father Fionn Mac Cumhall and his soldiers. This is how people learned of the hereos who lived in Ireland long ago.

Thug na fir aire d’Oisín. D’inis sé go leor scéalta dóibh faoina athair, Fionn Mac Cumhall agus na Fianna. Ar an mbealach seo, d’fhoghlaim muintir na hÉireann faoi na laochra a mhair in Éirinn fadó.

PRÂSLEA CEL VOINIC ȘI MERELE DE AUR Prâslea the Brave and the Golden Apples

PRÂSLEA CEL VOINIC ȘI MERELE DE AUR A fost odata ca niciodata un împărat care avea trei feciori. El avea în grădină un măr ce făcea mere de aur, dar niciodată nu gustase împăratul din acele mere, deoarece de fiecare dată venea un hoț şi le fura.

După încercările celor doi feciori mai mari de a prinde hoțul, a urmat şi feciorul cel mic. Noaptea, acesta a găsit o cale să nu adoarmă, iar, când se auzea ceva, imediat trăgea cu săgeata, astfel că l-a rănit pe răufăcator. Dimineața următoare, Prâslea a luat câteva mere şi le-a dus împăratului. Apoi, cei trei frați au pornit după hoțul de mere urmărind dâra de sânge lăsată de acesta.

Ajungând la o prăpastie, doar Prâslea a avut curajul de a coborî. Acolo a găsit un palat de aramă. Intrând, feciorul a văzut o fată care fusese răpită împreună cu cele două surori ale ei de trei zmei care voiau să le ia de soții.

Feciorul i-a înfruntat pe primii doi zmei şi apoi s-a îndreptat spre palatul de aur unde locuia ultimul zmeu şi hoțul merelor de aur. S-au luptat, iar Prâslea l-a învins ajutat fiind de un corb si de fata cea mică de împărat. Cu ajutorul unui bici a transformat palatele în mere de aramă, de argint, respectiv de aur și le-a inmânat prințeselor. Fetele salvate de Prâslea au fost scoase din prăpastie de fraţii lui mai mari. Invidioși pe mezin, aceștia au dat drumul sforii cu care îl trăgeau spre tărâmul oamenilor, crezând ca vor fi scăpat de el pe vecie.

După aceea, cei doi le-au dus pe fete la împărat şi s-au cununat.

Prâslea a rămas singur în prăpastie. La un moment dat, a văzut un balaur care ataca niște pui de zgripsor. A doborât balaurul, iar zgripţuroaica, drept mulțumire, l-a dus pe băiat pe tărâmul lui.

Acolo, acesta a aflat că fetele cele mari s-au măritat cu frații lui, iar fata cea mică se va mărita cu cel care îi va aduce o furcă având caierul şi fusul de aur și care toarce singură. Auzind aceasta, Prâslea a mers la argintarul împăratului, băgându-se ucenic. Când argintarul a adus caierul şi fusul de aur, fata a realizat că Prâslea trăiește. Aceasta a mai cerut cloșca cu puii de aur. Argintarul a adus şi cloșca cu puii, iar fata și-a dat

seama că tot Prâslea a fost. Prințesa a cerut argintarului să-l aducă pe meșterul obiectelor de aur. Când a apărut Prâslea, şi fata, şi împăratul l-au recunoscut. După ce s-au îmbrățișat, feciorul le-a povestit tot ce s-a întâmplat. Atunci au venit şi frații lui Prâslea. Cum i-a văzut, împăratul s-a şi supărat.

Prâslea i-a iertat spunând că pedeapsa o să o primească de la Dumnezeu. Cei trei feciori au ieșit la poarta palatului şi fiecare a tras o săgeată cu arcul. Când au căzut, săgețile feciorilor mai mari le-au venit direct în creștetul capului şi i-au omorât, dar pe Prâslea nu l-a străpuns săgeata.

Prințesa cea mică s-a căsătorit cu Prâslea si au trăit fericiți până la adânci bătrâneți.

Prâslea the Brave and the Golden Apples A king had a magnificent garden with a tree that bore golden apples, but he never ate them, because every year, the apples were stolen as they became ripe. None of his guards could catch the thief. His oldest two sons tried, one year after the other, but fell asleep near midnight. The next year, the youngest son, Prâslea, tried. He set up two stakes to prick him if he ever started to lean in his sleep. At midnight, he heard rustling and shot an arrow. In the morning, a trail of blood led away, and the apples were ripe.

The king was pleased, but Prâslea wanted to track the thief.

He and his brothers followed the blood to a ravine, where the two older brothers tried to have the others lower them into the ravine. However, they became frightened, and came back.

Prâslea had them lower him. He found a copper castle. There, a lovely maiden told him she was a princess, and that the ogres (zmeu) that had kidnapped her and her two sisters had wanted to marry them, but the sisters had put them off with demands. He fought with the ogre there and killed him. He went on to the second castle, of silver, and killed the second ogre; went on the third castle, of gold, where the ogre thief was, and wrestled with him as well. It was a longer fight, and Prâslea called on a raven to drop some tallow on him, in return for three corpses.

This strengthened him, and he fought on. Then both the ogre and Prâslea called on the princess there to give them water; she gave it to Prâslea, and he killed the ogre.

The princesses showed him a magic whip that made golden apples. Each of them took one. Prâslea brought the princesses back and sent them to the human territory. The older two told the brothers that they would marry them. Then Prâslea sent up a stone with his cap. His brothers dropped it, to kill him, and married the older sisters.

Prâslea saved some eaglets from a dragon, and their mother, in gratitude, carried him to the other world. There, he found that the youngest princess was being pressed to accept a suitor. She said that she would accept only if she received a golden distaff and spindle that would spin of themselves,

because the ogre had given her one. Prâslea went to work for the silversmith who had to do this and brought out the one the ogre had given her, using the golden apple. The princess then demanded a golden hen with golden chick, and when he produced it, insisted that he be brought before her, because he had to have the golden apple. They recognized Prâslea. He and his brothers went outside and shot arrows into the air.

The brothers' arrows hit and killed them, but Prâslea's hit the ground.

He married the youngest princess and they lived happily ever after.

OUR SCHOOLS: 11o Dimotiko Scholeio, Alexandroupoli, Greece St Damian’s National School, Dublin, Ireland Istituto Comprensivo "Via Boccioni" “Principessa Mafalda” Rome, Italy T.C. Meb Onder Ata Ilkokulu, Ankara, Turkey.

Schoala Gimnaziala, Nr.1, Branesti, Bucharest, Romania Przedszkole nr 240 im. Polskich Olimpijczyków, Warsaw, Poland