“Do not be afraid,” he said, “it is I, your faithful friend.” With a yelp of surprise she rushed up to him, looked into his eyes and found that he had been telling the truth. They sat on the sofa and the prince, which he of course was, told her his story.
After his father’s death, a distant aunt had come to the castle and asked him to give up the crown to her or she would curse him and his mother badly. The prince had refused and had been transformed into a fox, his mother into a vixen, the castle had sunk underground and all his subjects had been changed to resemble trees and make up the large forest. He had been allowed to merely live in the forest und could never leave it. The only cure for the curse would be to find a girl, willing to follow him through the forest to his home and trusting him completely.
“I have been rummaging the forest for many a year now and succeeded in scaring away many pretty girls. You were the first one that trusted me and therefore I will not only ask you to stay with me in my castle, but also to marry me,” he concluded his tale.
The girl could not have been more surprised, but was anxious as she could not believe this lad to really adore her and as her mother had always told her that only fools marry without true affection. She therefore asked the youth to bring her three proofs of affection: a white horse, that carried its rider to every possible destination in an instant, a golden horn, that made everyone who heard it blown happy and peaceful, and last a bottle of the water from the fountain of life that assured the drinkers would not only life for ever, but also find their true love. As soon as the prince had heard the girl’s task, he prepared to leave. He was eager to prove his love, which indeed was great. Before his departure he only asked to be allowed to take a string of her hair, which he formed into a ring and wore around his left middle finger. “This way you will always be with me and I will be sure to return to you. Stay in the castle and feel yourself to be at home. I will return soon.” With these words he mounted his faithful horse Arrow and rode off.
Soon he had left his kingdom, which was indeed rather small. He rode on and not much later the road ahead parted in three directions. The prince was unsure which he should take and sat on a large rock to think about this new situation. ‘If I go the wrong way, it will take me a long time to come back here and take another one. I would loose too much time. I also cannot go back. My sweet girl would never agree to marry me if I came without her gifts. I will just have to sit here and wait for some kind person to help me. If no one comes I shall be miserable forever.’
He did not have to be patient for long. A very old and wrinkled man came by and asked him, what he would be doing there, all alone and with such a sad face.
“Alas, dear grandfather,” cried the prince. “I am in such a miserable situation. I need to find a white horse, that carries its rider to every possible destination in an instant, a golden horn, that makes everyone who hears it blown happy and peaceful, and last a bottle of the water from the fountain of life that assures the drinkers would not only life for ever, but also find their true love. If I cannot bring these things home, my sweetheart will not marry me.”
The old man laughed and answered: “Son, if that is your only problem, it is not such a great misery at all. I can help you.”
“How so?”
“Easily, if you will just promise me one thing, I can provide you with the means of accomplishing your task very soon.”
“Anything, my dear friend!”
“Invite me to your wedding and let me sit next to your lovely bride in her father’s stead.”
“I will give you my whole-hearted promise to let you come to my wedding and I am sure my bride, who is an orphan, will gladly love you as a father.”
“Then I will help you in an instant. Just know that you will have to be tremendously brave and not give way to your fears.”
“I will do anything you ask of me, if I can just get these gifts and bring them home as soon as possible.”
The old man searched his carpet handbag and pulled out a curiously shaped object. It was of indefinable color, shining greenish-blue one moment and changing to reddish the next. There were glittering stones set all over it and it seemed to shift its shape very, very slowly.
“What is this?” asked the prince, prying the object.
The old man replied: “This is what will help you on your further travels. It is a Magos Meros, a magical time reverser. Take the first road, which will lead you towards the sea. You will have to take a boat and row out to an island off the shore. Mark that this island is inhabited by vicious giants. You have to outsmart them and get to an old hollow tree exactly in the middle of the island. There you will find something, of which the giants do not know what it is, but what they nevertheless guard carefully. It will help you get safely off the island. Once back on the shore take the Magos Meros and ask to be returned to the wicked crossroad, for that is the name of this place. You will be back here at the same moment at which you left. You can now take the second road, which will lead you to the fountain of life. There is no immediate danger involved in getting the water. You need however hurry to use the Magos Meros once you have the water safely in a bottle for there are evil spirits close by, who cannot themselves fetch the water, but would kill you to get by it. At last, you can go the third path, which will lead you to the most dangerous part of your journey. You will come to the ruin of an old robber-knight castle. There you will have to spend three nights and not fear anything you will meet. When the third night is over, you will be rewarded and can instantly return home. You will have lost no time.”