The Priest's Youngest Son

There was once a priest who had three sons. On the day of his death,

the priest said to his sons: 'When I die, let each of you read the

psalter over me for one night.' But the elder sons did not do as

their father had bidden them, only the youngest read the psalter over

him. That night his father appeared, and gave him a horse. Next night

he again read the psalter over his father in his brothers' place. His

father again appeared, and gave him another horse, which he resolved

to give to his younger brother. On the third night he again read the

psalter. His father brought him a third horse, gave the young man

his blessing, and departed.

At that time, a princess was to be married to any man whose horse

could jump up to the castle, so that its rider could kiss that

maiden-queen. Many princes came to woo, but none of their horses could

leap up to the castle. Then the priest's youngest son mounted the horse

his father had given him, and rode up to the royal palace; he struck

the horse with his switch, and made it jump, but it could only go one

third of the way up to the castle. Next day he mounted another horse,

and made it jump, it went two thirds of the height of the castle. The

third day he came on the third horse, and made it jump; it jumped

right up to the top of the castle; the youth kissed the princess,

and they married him to her. After this the priest's son went home.

At this time the queen, his mother-in-law, fell ill; she sent for her

son-in-law, and said to him: 'Between the white sea and the black

sea there feeds a doe, they tell me that its milk will do me good;

if thou canst get it for me I shall recover, if not, I must die.' Then

the youth mounted his horse and went forth. He rode between the seas,

milked the doe, brought its milk to his mother-in-law, gave it to

her to drink, and healed her.