The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE KING AND THE SMART SERVANT

ONCE UPON A TIME, A KING HAD A BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER. THE
KING WANTED A PRINCE FOR A SON-IN-LAW, BUT HIS DAUGHTER
FELL IN LOVE WITH A PAROBEK (HOUSEMAN) WHO JUST WORKED
FOR THE KING, TOOK CARE OF HIS CATTLE AND BARNS. THE KING
COULDN'T GET HIS DAUGHTER TO CHANGE HER MIND, SO HE TOLD
THE YOUNG MAN AND HER THAT IF HE DOES 3 THINGS, HE, THE
KING, TELLS THE YOUNG MAN TO DO, HE CAN MARRY HIS
DAUGHTER. IF HE FAILS HE WILL BE BEHEADED. IN OTHER
WORDS, HE WILL HAVE HIS HEAD CHOPPED OFF. AND THE KING
WAS SURE HE WOULD HAVE TO MISS ONE--HE COULDN'T BE THAT
SMART. ALTHOUGH THE KING LIKED THE YOUNG MAN BECAUSE
HE WAS AN HONEST AND LOYAL WORKER.
FIRST WAS TO COUNT ALL THE STARS IN THE SKY AND SHOW PROOF.
SO THE YOUNG MAN WONDERED AND WORRIED HOW CAN HE, BUT
AHA! HE TOOK A LARGE PIECE OF PAPER AND MADE HOLES IN IT
WITH A PIN. NEXT DAY AT THE TIME THE KING TOLD HIM TO
COME HE DID SO. HE PRESENTED THE PAPER TO THE KING AND
SAID, "I PIERCED A HOLE FOR EACH OF THE STARS. HERE
THEY ARE." WELL, IT WAS ACCEPTED BECAUSE THE KING COULD
NOT SHOW PROOF OTHERWISE.
SECOND: NOW SAID THE KING, "AT MIDNIGHT YOU SHALL COME
TO ME DRESSED BUT NOT DRESSED, ON A BLACK, BUT NOT BLACK,
WHITE BUT NOT WHITE, HORSE. SO AGAIN HE WORRIED WHAT TO
DO, BUT "AHA! I GOT IT!" HE GOT A GREY HORSE WITH DARKER
SPOTS HERE AND THERE SO HE WAS NEITHER WHITE OR BLACK
AND TO DRESS AND NOT DRESS, HE WRAPPED HIMSELF IN A
NETTING, LIKE CHEESE CLOTH OR VEIL. SO HE MADE IT
EXACTLY 12 MIDNIGHT. SO THE KING SAID, "YOU'VE DONE IT
AGAIN," AND WAS WORRIED THE YOUNG MAN MIGHT OUTSMART HIM.
SO HE SAID, "THIS IS THE LAST; I'M SURE HE WILL FAIL."
THIRD: "YOUNG MAN YOU SHOWED YOURSELF SMART SO FAR, BUT
THIS LAST; EITHER YOU DO IT OR YOUR HEAD BE CUT OFF."
THE KING SAID, "BE HERE AT 12 NOON. COME RIDING, BUT NOT
RIDING A HORSE, WALKING BUT NOT WALKING."
THIS WAS HARD, BUT THE YOUNG MAN CAME TO THINK THEN,
!AHA! I GOT IT!" SO HE WENT THROUGH TOWNS AND VILLAGES.
HE TRIED HUNDREDS OF HORSES, THEN HE ALMOST GAVE UP.
THE HORSES WERE EITHER TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL, BUT WHEN
HE ALMOST GAVE UP, HE THOUGHT OF THE HORSE HE TOOK CARE
OF AT THE KING'S PALACE. THERE HE TRIED ONE MORE, AND HE
WAS HIS LIFE SAVER. HE WAS JUST THE KIND HE NEEDED. AS
HE SAT ON HIS BACK HE LET HIS LEGS HANG DANGLING SO AS TO
ALMOST STAND BUT COULDN'T BUT HE HALF WALKED, THAT IS ON
THE BALL OF FOOT AND TOES. SO CAME 12 NOON AND THE KING
WAITED PATIENTLY, SO DID HIS DAUGHTER, THE PRINCESS.
AND THERE RODE, AND NOT RODE, WALKED, BUT NOT WALKED,
THE YOUNG MAN. THE KING WAS AMAZED AND SAID HE IS THE
LOSER AND THE YOUNG MAN THE WINNER. THE KING TURNED
TO HIS DAUGHTER, "YOU MAY MARRY THE YOUNG MAN AND HE
SHALL LIVE IN THE PALACE AND NOT WORK AS A HANDYMAN
ANY MORE. HE HAS PROVEN HE IS A SMART AND A GOOD MAN.
SO THEY MARRIED AND LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT, MY MOTHER, TOLD THIS STORY TO MY
BROTHERS AND ME WHEN I WAS ABOUT 9 OR 10 YEARS OLD.
I REMEMBERED A FEW OF THE FACTS, BUT NOT THE SOLUTIONS
TO THE KING'S TASKS, SO I ASKED HER TO WRITE THE STORY
DOWN FOR ME. THE ONLY THING I CHANGED IN TRANSCRIBING
IT, IS THE PUNCTUATION. THE WORDS ALL HERS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): TRANSLATION

Date learned: 05-15-1965