The Three Feathers

Once upon a time, there lived a king who had grown old and gray, and the time had come for him to choose which of his three sons would inherit the throne. The two elder princes were considered clever and capable, admired throughout the court for their wit and learning. The youngest son, however, was quiet and thoughtful, and many at court whispered that he was simple-minded, calling him Dummling behind his back.

One crisp autumn day, the king summoned his three sons to the great hall. Golden leaves danced outside the tall windows as he addressed them with the gravity befitting such an important moment.

“My dear sons,” he began, his voice echoing in the vaulted chamber, “I have grown too old to rule effectively. One of you must succeed me, but I cannot decide based on birth order alone. Therefore, I shall set you three tasks. He who performs them best shall inherit my kingdom.”

The princes stood attentively before their father’s throne, each eager to prove his worth.

“For the first task,” the king continued, “you must bring me the finest carpet in all the world. You have one year to complete this quest.”

He then took three white feathers from a cushion beside his throne and stepped out onto the castle’s great balcony, where the wind caught his silver hair. “Let fate guide your paths,” he declared, and released the feathers into the air.

The wind carried the first feather east, and the eldest prince mounted his horse to follow its direction. The second feather drifted west, and the middle prince rode off in pursuit. But the third feather fluttered only a short distance before settling to the ground near the castle gates.

The elder brothers laughed mockingly. “Poor Dummling,” sneered the eldest. “Your feather didn’t even try to show you a proper quest! What fortune can you find so close to home?”

“Perhaps he should search the castle cellars,” added the second with cruel mirth. “I’m sure he’ll find magnificent carpets among the storage sacks!”

Undeterred by their mockery, the youngest prince examined the spot where his feather had fallen. To his surprise, he discovered a cleverly concealed trapdoor hidden beneath fallen leaves and moss. Curious and always willing to follow where fate led him, he opened the door and descended the stone steps that led into the earth.

The stairway opened into the most wondrous underground palace he had ever imagined. Crystal chandeliers cast rainbow light across walls decorated with precious gems, and the air hummed with mysterious enchantment.

In the center of this magical realm sat an enormous toad, but this was no ordinary creature. She wore a tiny crown upon her head and was surrounded by countless smaller toads, all engaged in various courtly activities—some playing miniature musical instruments, others engaged in what appeared to be important discussions.

“Welcome, young prince,” said the great toad in a voice both wise and kind. “I am the Queen of this underground kingdom. Your feather was guided here by ancient magic, for we have been expecting you.”

The prince, though surprised, bowed respectfully. “Your Majesty, I seek the finest carpet in all the world. My father has set this task to determine his heir.”

The toad queen smiled warmly. “You have shown respect where others might have shown fear or disgust. For this courtesy, I shall help you.” She clapped her small hands together, and immediately, several of her subjects brought forth a carpet so beautiful it seemed to capture starlight itself.

“This carpet,” she explained, “was woven from moonbeams and dreams by the greatest artisans of the fairy realm. Its like does not exist anywhere in the mortal world.”

The prince accepted the gift with profound gratitude and returned to the castle just as his brothers arrived. The eldest had traveled through many kingdoms and purchased what he believed to be the finest Persian carpet available. The second had journeyed to distant lands and acquired an exquisite Turkish rug of remarkable craftsmanship.

But when all three carpets were displayed before the king, there was no contest. The youngest prince’s carpet seemed to glow with inner light, its patterns shifting like living art, and its texture was softer than the finest silk.

“The youngest has won this contest,” declared the king. “But the test is not yet complete.”

The elder brothers protested loudly. “Father, surely this is some trick! How could Dummling, who barely traveled beyond our gates, find such a treasure?”

The king raised his hand for silence. “The second task will determine if this was mere luck. You must now bring me the most beautiful ring in existence.”

Once again, he released three feathers into the wind. The first two were carried far from the castle by strong gusts, while the third fell near the same spot as before.

“This is becoming ridiculous,” muttered the eldest brother as he rode eastward.

“Clearly the wind has no sense of proper questing,” added the second as he departed westward.

The youngest prince returned to the hidden door and descended once more to the underground palace. The toad queen greeted him warmly.

“Another task from your father, I presume?” she asked with twinkling eyes.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Now I must find the most beautiful ring in all the world.”

The queen nodded thoughtfully, then called to her subjects. “Bring forth the Ring of Eternal Beauty!” she commanded.

A procession of small toads approached, carrying a ring that defied description. It seemed to be carved from captured rainbow light, set with a stone that held the essence of every sunrise and sunset that had ever been.

“This ring,” explained the queen, “was crafted by the spirits of beauty themselves. It has the power to enhance the loveliness of whoever wears it and to bring joy to all who look upon it.”

When the three brothers reconvened at the castle, the eldest proudly displayed a magnificent emerald ring set in gold, while the second presented a sapphire ring surrounded by diamonds. But when the youngest prince revealed his ring, the entire court gasped in wonder. The ring seemed to fill the hall with gentle radiance, and everyone present felt their hearts lifted by its beauty.

“Again, the youngest has triumphed,” announced the king. “But I will set one final task to be absolutely certain.”

The elder brothers were now quite desperate and angry. They whispered together, plotting to discredit their youngest brother somehow.

“For the final task,” declared the king, “you must bring me the most beautiful woman in the kingdom, and she must be willing to become queen.”

The feathers were released a third time, and once again, the youngest prince’s feather fell near the castle while his brothers’ were carried to distant lands.

In the underground palace, the toad queen listened to the third task with a mysterious smile. “This challenge is more complex than the others,” she said thoughtfully. “But I believe we can help you, if you are willing to trust in magic.”

She led the prince to a beautiful golden carriage no larger than a pumpkin, drawn by six tiny mice.

“Climb inside,” she instructed. “Have faith, and the carriage will carry you to your destiny.”

Though the carriage seemed impossibly small, when the prince stepped into it, he found it magically expanded to accommodate him perfectly. The mice, now transformed into magnificent white horses, carried him swiftly through tunnels that opened onto mountain paths he had never seen before.

They arrived at a cottage where a beautiful young woman sat spinning by her window. She had hair like spun gold and eyes blue as summer skies, but she was dressed in simple peasant clothes and appeared to be quite poor.

“Fair maiden,” called the prince from his carriage, “I am on a quest to find the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. Will you come with me to meet my father the king?”

The young woman looked up with surprise and wonder. “I am but a poor peasant girl,” she replied. “Surely I am not suitable for a royal court.”

“Beauty is not measured by wealth or station,” the prince replied gently. “Will you trust me?”

Moved by his kind manner and honest face, the maiden agreed to accompany him. As she stepped into the magical carriage, her simple clothes were transformed into a gown of silver and blue that rivaled the finest royal garments.

When they arrived at the castle, the entire court was amazed by the maiden’s grace and beauty. She carried herself with natural nobility, and her gentle manner charmed everyone she met.

The two elder brothers had returned with noblewomen from distant kingdoms—both beautiful and wealthy, but neither possessed the natural grace and inner radiance of the youngest prince’s companion.

“The choice is clear,” declared the king. “The youngest prince has succeeded in all three tasks. He shall be my heir.”

The eldest brothers could no longer contain their fury. “This is impossible!” they shouted. “How can our simple brother succeed where we have failed? He must be using trickery!”

The king looked sternly at his elder sons. “Your brother succeeded because he has the most important quality a ruler needs—the wisdom to recognize worth where others see only surface appearances. He showed respect to those whom others might dismiss, and in return, he received help that your pride would never have allowed you to accept.”

The youngest prince married the beautiful peasant maiden, who proved to be not only lovely but wise and kind-hearted as well. When she learned of the toad queen who had helped her husband, she insisted on visiting the underground palace to express her gratitude.

To their surprise, when they descended to the magical realm, they found that the toad queen had been transformed into a beautiful fairy, and all her subjects had become graceful sprites and elves.

“The enchantment that bound us is broken,” explained the fairy queen. “Your kindness and respect, shown without thought of reward, has freed us from a curse that lasted a thousand years.”

The youngest prince ruled wisely and well, always remembering that true worth often lies hidden beneath humble appearances. The beautiful peasant maiden became a beloved queen, known throughout the land for her compassion and wisdom.

As for the elder brothers, they eventually learned to value substance over appearance and became the young king’s most trusted advisors, finally understanding that wisdom and kindness are worth more than all the cleverness in the world.

And in the royal garden, a special fountain was built above the entrance to the underground palace, where the fairy queen and her people could visit the upper world whenever they chose, maintaining the friendship between the realms that had begun with three simple feathers and a prince humble enough to follow where they led.