The Four Skilful Brothers

In a modest cottage at the edge of a great forest, there lived a poor man with four sons. Though he loved his boys dearly, he knew that his small farm could not support them all, and the time had come for them to go out into the world and learn trades that would provide for their futures.

The Father’s Wise Counsel

“My dear sons,” the father said one autumn morning, “you have grown into fine young men, but I cannot teach you all you need to know here on our little farm. The time has come for each of you to choose a path and master a skill that will serve you throughout your lives.”

The four brothers - Heinrich, Wilhelm, Friedrich, and Johann - were excited by the prospect of adventure and learning. They had always been competitive with each other, but they were also deeply loyal and loved one another dearly.

“We will each choose a different skill,” declared Heinrich, the eldest, “and in four years’ time, we will return to show what we have learned.”

The Brothers’ Departures

The four brothers set off in different directions, each following his own interests and inclinations.

Heinrich had always been fascinated by distant places and hidden things. He sought out the most skilled astronomer in the land, a wise old man who lived in a tower filled with telescopes and charts of the stars.

Wilhelm was drawn to the mysterious and the swift. He found a master thief who was renowned not for stealing from honest people, but for recovering treasures that had been wrongfully taken by others.

Friedrich had always been clever with his hands and loved working with tools. He apprenticed himself to a master craftsman who could make anything from the finest materials.

Johann was brave and adventurous, with quick reflexes and a steady aim. He sought out the greatest marksman in the kingdom, a man who could hit any target, no matter how small or distant.

Four Years of Learning

Each brother devoted himself completely to mastering his chosen skill.

Heinrich learned to use the most powerful telescopes and magical viewing devices. After four years, he could see anything, anywhere in the world, no matter how far away or well hidden it might be. He could spot a single bird flying over a distant mountain or a lost coin at the bottom of a deep well.

Wilhelm studied the arts of stealth, speed, and precision movement. He learned to move so quietly that he could walk on fresh snow without leaving footprints, and so quickly that he could snatch a feather from a bird’s wing without the creature noticing. Most importantly, he used these skills only for good purposes.

Friedrich mastered every type of craftsmanship imaginable. He could build a ship that would sail faster than the wind, construct a house that would stand forever, or create any tool or device that might be needed. His hands could shape any material into exactly what was required.

Johann became the finest marksman who had ever lived. He could hit a target the size of a pinhead from a mile away, and he never missed his mark. His arrows could fly true even in the strongest wind or through the heaviest rain.

The Reunion

At the end of four years, the four brothers returned home as they had promised. Their father was amazed to see how they had grown and changed, and he was eager to hear about their adventures and new skills.

Each brother demonstrated his abilities, and their father was astounded by what they had accomplished. “You have all become masters of your crafts,” he said proudly. “But now I wonder - how will you use these remarkable skills?”

As if in answer to his question, a royal messenger arrived at their cottage that very day with urgent news.

The King’s Desperate Plea

“The king needs heroes!” announced the messenger. “The princess has been kidnapped by a terrible dragon and taken to a distant land across the sea. Many knights and heroes have tried to rescue her, but none have returned. The king promises that whoever saves his daughter may marry her and inherit half the kingdom.”

The four brothers looked at each other with excitement. Here was a chance to use their skills for a truly noble purpose, and to help each other in the process.

“We will work together,” declared Heinrich. “Each of our skills will be needed for this quest.”

The Search Begins

The brothers set out immediately for the royal castle, where they offered their services to the desperate king. Some of the courtiers were skeptical that four young men with unusual skills could succeed where armored knights had failed, but the king was willing to try anything.

Heinrich immediately put his extraordinary vision to work. Using his most powerful magical telescope, he scanned the horizon in all directions, searching for any sign of the princess or the dragon.

After hours of careful searching, Heinrich suddenly exclaimed, “I see her! The princess is on a rocky island far across the sea. She appears to be unharmed, but she is trapped in a tall tower. The dragon is coiled around the base of the tower, guarding her.”

Friedrich’s Swift Solution

“I can build a ship that will get us there quickly,” Friedrich announced. Working with incredible speed and skill, he constructed a vessel unlike any that had ever been seen. It was light as a feather but strong as iron, and it could sail faster than any bird could fly.

The four brothers set sail immediately, with Heinrich using his vision to guide them directly to the distant island. The magical ship carried them across the vast sea in just a few hours, a journey that would have taken weeks in an ordinary vessel.

Wilhelm’s Daring Mission

When they reached the island, they could see the massive dragon wrapped around the tower where the princess was imprisoned. The beast was enormous, with scales like armor and eyes like burning coals.

“The dragon is too large and fierce to fight directly,” Wilhelm observed. “But I think I can sneak past it and reach the princess without being detected.”

Using his incredible stealth skills, Wilhelm crept up the tower so quietly that not even the dragon’s keen senses could detect him. He moved like a shadow, making no sound and leaving no trace of his passage.

Within minutes, Wilhelm had reached the top of the tower and found the princess. She was frightened but unharmed, and she was overjoyed to see her rescuer.

“Hold on to me tightly,” Wilhelm whispered, “and do not make a sound. I will carry you down safely.”

Johann’s Perfect Shot

Wilhelm began the careful descent with the princess, moving as silently as he had climbed up. But just as they were almost to safety, a loose stone was dislodged by their movement and fell to the ground below.

The dragon’s eyes snapped open at the sound, and the great beast immediately spotted the escaping princess. With a roar of fury, the dragon reared back and prepared to breathe fire that would incinerate both Wilhelm and the princess.

At that critical moment, Johann stepped forward with his bow ready. He had only one chance to save his brother and the princess, and he would need to make the most difficult shot of his life.

The dragon’s mouth was opening to release its deadly fire when Johann’s arrow flew true, striking the beast in its only vulnerable spot - directly in the throat. The dragon collapsed instantly, defeated by Johann’s perfect marksmanship.

The Triumphant Return

The four brothers and the rescued princess sailed back to the kingdom in Friedrich’s magical ship, arriving to great celebration and rejoicing. The king was overjoyed to have his daughter back safely, and he was amazed by the story of how the four brothers had combined their skills to accomplish what no one else had been able to do.

“Each of you played an essential role in this rescue,” the king declared. “Heinrich found the princess, Friedrich provided transportation, Wilhelm performed the rescue, and Johann defeated the dragon. Without any one of you, the mission would have failed.”

The Question of Reward

The king was prepared to honor his promise and allow one of the brothers to marry the princess and inherit half the kingdom, but now he faced a dilemma. All four brothers had been equally important to the rescue, so how could he choose just one to receive the reward?

The brothers themselves were unsure how to resolve this situation. They had worked together as a team, and none felt that he deserved the reward more than the others.

The princess herself provided the solution. “Your Majesty,” she said to her father, “these four young men have shown me that they value cooperation and family loyalty above personal gain. I would be honored to call them all my brothers, but I do not wish to marry any of them.”

The Princess’s Choice

“During my captivity,” the princess continued, “I had time to think about what kind of man I would want to marry. I realized that I want a husband who will love me for myself, not for the reward that comes with marrying me. These brave brothers rescued me out of goodness and heroism, not for personal gain, and that makes them true friends rather than suitors.”

The king was initially surprised by his daughter’s decision, but he soon realized that she was showing wisdom beyond her years.

The True Reward

Instead of marriage and inheritance, the king offered each brother a different but equally valuable reward. Heinrich was made the royal astronomer, with the finest equipment and the responsibility of watching over the kingdom’s safety. Wilhelm became the head of the royal guard, protecting the castle and the royal family with his stealth and speed.

Friedrich was appointed the kingdom’s master builder, with unlimited resources to create wonderful things for the benefit of all the people. Johann became the captain of the royal archers, training others in marksmanship and defending the realm from any threats.

The Brothers’ Wisdom

The four brothers were delighted with these positions, which allowed them to use their skills in service to others while remaining together. They had learned that their individual talents were most powerful when combined with the abilities of others.

They built homes near each other and remained close friends and collaborators for the rest of their lives. Their teamwork became legendary throughout the kingdom, and they were called upon whenever a challenge required multiple skills and perspectives.

The Lasting Legacy

Years later, when people told the story of the four skilful brothers, they emphasized not just the individual talents each brother had developed, but the way they had worked together to achieve something none could have accomplished alone.

The tale became a beloved reminder that while individual skill and talent are valuable, cooperation and teamwork can accomplish miracles. It taught that true success comes not from outdoing others, but from finding ways to combine different strengths for the common good.

The Moral for All Time

The four brothers’ story showed that the greatest achievements are possible when people with different talents work together toward a shared goal. It reminded everyone that competition between family members and friends should always be balanced with cooperation and mutual support.

And so the four skilful brothers lived happily, using their remarkable abilities not to compete with each other, but to create a better world for everyone around them.