Once upon a time there lived a king. This king had three daughters. He loved them very much, especially after his wife’s death, (the girls’ mother). One day the king asked the oldest daughter: “ My girl, how much do you love me?” “ Father, I love you like honey”, she replied. “ God bless you, my daughter”. Then he asked his second daughter: “What about you? How much do you love me?’ “Like sugar, father.” ‘God bless you too” The king was very pleased and happy when he heard how much his daughters loved him. He believed that a great love is sweet as sugar and honey. Then, the turn of the youngest daughter to be asked came: “How much do you love me, my dear?” “Like salt in dishes, father!” answered the girl. Her sisters started to laugh when they heard her answer. But the king turned red with anger and said:
“How so? Did you not hear what your sisters said and how much they love me? That’s your gratitude for how much I work to raise and teach you? Go away from my house with all your salt! The youngest daughter was sad because she had upset her father and said: “Forgive me, father. I didn’t want to upset you. That’s how I thought I love you, at least as much as honey and sugar.” ‘I don’t want to hear you, said the king, go away, you shameless girl!’ And he left, leaving the girl crying. Seeing the king’s anger, the youngest girl took some ragged old clothes and left. She went from village to village until she arrived at the court of another king. She stopped at the gate to have a rest, when the cellarman’s wife saw her and asked her: “What do you want?” “She answered: “I’m a poor girl without parents and I’m looking for work, if there is anything. As the cellarman’s wife’s helper had just left and she was searching for another one, she looked at the girl carefully and thought that she was just perfect for the job. “What salary do you want?” “I don’t want any money, I want to work for a while and if I do a good job, and then give me whatever you think I deserve.” Hearing her humble answer, the cellarman’s wife hired her. The girl was nice and clever and she also proved to be very hardworking. She didn’t gossip with the other servants at the court and when she had any spare time, she read. The news about the helper‘s modesty and work reached the queen’s ears. She asked to see her. As soon as she heard her and saw that she was honest and nice, the queen liked her. So she decided to take her by her side. Wherever she went the girl also went. She was never separated from the queen. The queen loved her as if she were her own child. Even the king was amazed by such attachment.
This king had a son, and he loved him greatly and so did the queen. One day the king had to go to war and he took his son. The king’s son was wounded in battle. It was a great sadness and sorrow at the court because of this. He was brought home and cared for with great attention by the queen. But when she was very tired, her place was taken by the girl. Her gentle words, sweet caresses and her modesty made the prince like her. One afternoon, when he was healthier, he told his mother: “You know something, mother, I want to get married! “Ok, my son, ok. I will find you a good king’s daughter, kind and beautiful too.” “I found her, mom” “Who is she?” Do I know her?” “Don’t be upset, mother. I like the girl who is always with you. I love her very much” The queen resisted at first, but she couldn’t make her son change her mind. So both of them went and convinced the king that the girl was modest, honest, hardworking and kind-hearted. So the wedding was decided. When they started sending the wedding invitations, the future bride asked her fiancé to invite her father, a certain king, but she didn’t say that she was his daughter. The king and the queen agreed and invited him. The wedding day came, all the guests arrived and the party lasted all day, just like a king’s wedding always does. In the evening the royal table was filled with various foods, drinks, pies and many other goodies. The bride told the chefs what to cook. But they cooked the same dishes for all the guests except one. Then she told a servant: “You will take these dishes cooked by me to one guest. Don’t take them to someone else, because it is very dangerous.”
Everyone sat down, began to eat and have fun. The king, who was the bride’s father, ate very little. Since he had come he kept looking at the bride, and she looked familiar, but he could not believe it. He recognized her, but he couldn’t figure out how she ended up marrying a king’s son, that’s why he didn’t tell anyone anything. He found her changed, probably because of all the trouble and misery she had to endure. The king wanted to eat and have fun too, like all the other people at the wedding. But after just one bite he stopped. The servant who brought him the food, picked it up untouched. He was very surprised because all the other guests were eating the food which to him tasted strange. So he decided to try some of the dishes of the guest sitting next to him at the table. They were delicious, mouth-watering. He wanted that food, he couldn’t eat the horrible food he was brought. Finally he couldn’t take it anymore and he stood up and said out loud: “Well, king, did you invite me to your son’s wedding to make fun of me?” “Oh, no, your highness! How can you think of this? You are taken care of just like any other king at this wedding!” “Do forgive me, king, but the food of all the other guests is good to eat, unlike mine, which is not.” The father-in-law king got very angry and asked for the chefs: “What did you put in this food? Taste it and tell me what’s wrong!” and told them to find the one responsible for this and punish him harshly. The bride had cooked all the dishes for her father with honey and sugar and without any salt. Even the salt cellar on the table had sugar in it. At that moment the bride stood up and told her father-in-law: “I cooked the food for the angry king and this is why I did it: This king is my father. We were three sisters. One day my father asked us how much we loved him. One of my older sisters told him she loved him like honey, and the other told him she loved him like sugar. I told him I loved him like salt in the dishes. I thought there isn’t a bigger love than this. But my father was so angry that he threw me out of the house. I got where
I am now with God’s help and through hard work and honesty. I wanted to prove to my father that a man can live without sugar and honey, but he can’t live without salt, that’s why I cooked all his dishes without salt. Please judge for yourselves who was right.” All the guests said that her father unfairly threw her out. Then her father said that he had been wrong and he hadn’t been able to treasure his daughter’s wisdom and he apologized. The girl kissed his hand and apologized for her deed, too. Then, everybody started dancing and having fun. And they all lived happily ever after.
