Fatin Afrina Binti Md Hidzbillah (4sc2)

Princess Folktale (Norwegian) - The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain.

Once upon a time there live a King and Queen who had no children and they took it so much to heart they
barely had a happy moment. One day while the King stood in the castle veranda, an old beggar woman came
up to him and asked for some money. She greeted and curtisied him before asking why he looked so sad.
The King said that there's nothing she could do and it's useless into telling her his problem. Little did he
know, the beggar is a witch and could grant him his wishes. She said “The Queen shall have 3 daughters but
great care must be taken that they do not come out to the world before they are all fifteen years old
otherwise a snowdrift will come and carry them away”.

The time came and the queen had a beautiful babygirl. The year after, she had another as well as the third
year. These made the King very happy but even so, he still remembered to set a watch at the palace door.
They grew up to be very beautiful and nothing gets in their way. But their only despair was that they were
not allowed to go out and play like other children even if they begged their parents million of times. One
evening, not long before the youngest princess fifteenth birthday, their parents went out for driving. The
scenery looked so beautiful that they thought they must go out no matter what. So they begged and urged the
guard to let them out into the garden. He agreed but it was only for a minute and that he'll acompany them
there.

They went out to play in the garden and their heart filled with joy as it's their first time stepping out of the
castle. Just as they're about to go inside, they spotted a large rose at the other end of the garden and they felt
they must have them no matter what. By the time they bent down to gather the roses, a big dense of
snowdrift came and swept them away. The news broke out and the King announce to the whole Kingdom;
whoever could save the Princesses should have half the kingdom's wealth and as well as a hand in marriage
with one of the princesses. People of both high and low took the opportunity but none of them succeed.
Then, came a captain and a lieutenant who tried their luck. Next, came a soldier who claimed to be dreaming
of saving the princesses for 3 night straight. With that, all of them set off for the search.

The soldier, the lieutenant and the captain met at the high road but soon after left to the forest following the
soldier's idea. As they went deeper, they saw a bridge. On the bridge, there's a bear which they overcame
with the soldier's supply of meat. Right after, they saw a lion right at the very end of the bridge but they
overcome it by throwing a ham towards it. They continued their journey until the late evening where they
found a large house. Even if it looked decent, there's no food for them to consume which lead them to starve
for the night. But rest assured, the soldier still have some meat left which he's willing to shae with the other
two. Eventhough they are quite hesitant, they helped themselves with what they have. The next day, the
lieutenant was to remain at the house to cook while the other two went out for shooting. Not long after, came
an old man with long beard and scrutches asking for a penny. The lieutant was to give it to him but as soon
as he got them, he pretend to let it fall to the floor and strike at him as if he's not on crutches anymore. The
lieutenant got injured so badly he weren't able to move a limb from the spot next to the door until the both of
them came back.

The next day is the same but with a change of person to take care of the house. The captain is in charge of
all the cooking this time while the other two went out. As guessed, the same event happened to him; he's left
laying on the floor with injuries. The third day the soldier took charge of cooking and came the same old
man asking for a penny or two. The soldiere replied saying he have none on him but in exchange he’ll give
him food instead. To cook, he needs fire and to make them he needs wood. So, he told the old man he needs
him to cut the wood. But the old man said he didn't know how to cut them so the soldier taught the ways. As
the old man began to get a hold of his teachings, his beard got caught between the lodge.As the soldier saw
the opportunity, he began to beat him with the handle of the axe and threaten if he won't spill where the
princesses are he'll make sure the skull of the old man is smashed. The old man cried and begged to spare his
life and soon told him where the princesses are.

To find them he must go to the east of the house where there's a mound. He have to dig the out the turf to
find a big stone slab. He then have to move it out to find a hole which leads him to another world. To pass
the hole there's many obstacle he have to go through such as going through both fire and water. With that,
the lieutenant let the old man go. Later that evening, the two came home to which surprises them as the
soldier is still alive and breathing. He told them where the princesses are and asked them to bring along as
many rope there are and a basket. They then began to dug out the turf as told.

The captain was to go first but soon tugging on the rope at the feeling of water spouting into his ears. Next is
the lieutenant. But soon enough, tugged at the rope when he saw the blazing fire yawning beneath him. The
last person, the soldier went through both fire and water until he reached the bottom. He dared not to let go
of it as it was pitch dark but soon found a gleam of light and went into that direction. Not long after, he came
to a big palace where he walked through the halls and rooms to which he found nobody. At last he heard the
hum of a spinning wheel and there he found the eldest Princess spinning copper yarn in a room made of
copper. She was so shocked to find a “Christian” in such place. His purpose was to save the princesses but
she told him if he got caught by the troll, he wouldn't be able to breathe again. But he was so persistent and
told her everything would be fine. The soldier then hid somewhere in the hall near the room where the trolls
wouldn't see him.

Sometime later the trolls came and felt something was off. It smelled the blood of a Christian in his castle
but the princess assure that it that the raven flew past the room and dropped a human bone from the chimney
so she threw it out and cleaned it up after it but she suppose it still smells. Then she invite the troll to lie
down on her so she could scratch its heads. Before long, the troll fell asleep and she gently puts away his
head on a stool with cushion. She then went to call the soldier and with one blow, he manage to cut all three
of the troll's head with the sword heavier than anything he ever lifted but with the draught he drank before,
he's able to do it all alone. The soldier did the same thing to all the other trolls with the first having three
heads, the second having six and the third having nine. The sword also gets more challenging to be lifted as
it kept getting heavier each and every time. As a token of appreciation, the youngest princes took off her
gold ring and tied it onto his hair. Nonetheless, they manage to get out of the troll's castle. With the same
path, they went back to the hole again. The soldier let the princesses climb the rope first and they reaches the
top safely. Suddenly as he's still climbing, the rope got cut off and he fell back to the bottom of the pit.
Those are done both by the lieutenant and the captain. They forced the princessses to agree that they were
the one who saved them especially the youngest princess or they will be killed.

When they reached the palace again, the King expect the princesses to be very happy as they were saved.
Since the King is too over the cloud nine with the news, he celebrated those two with full of honour. These
made them to become more cockier and arrogant as they will have the many benefits as they wanted. The
youngest princess seemed to be full of sorrow since the day they were rescued. So, she were put under
twelve men to watch over her - afraid that she would do something to herself. The wedding for the two
eldest sister was being prepared extravagantly as it should never been heard before or spoken before. In the
meantime, the soldier tried hard to figure out a way to get out from the side of the world he's in. At last, he
found a golden key which fitted into a little cupboard over the bed and found an old rusty whistle. He
blowed on them and all the birds from any direction came flocking around him. It said that he were the
master to all the birds and asked if he could ever get out from here. They said they have no idea as how to do
so. Soon after, the birds told him he could ask their mother. He then began blowing on the whistle for the
second time. Shortly after, a bird larger than an eagle came and asked what his wishes are. He told her he
wishes to be out from this world. The bird agree but only if he could slaughter twelve oxen for her to have a
good meal which then she could help him get out from here. He did as told so and finally are able to get out
from there. The bird told the soldier if he have any trouble, he could just blow the whistle and it will come
right before him.

As the wedding day approaches, both the sister who was about to get married to the lieutenant and captain
weren't as delighted just like their little sister. Each day they will become more sorrowful than ever. The
King got worried and asked them about their concern to which they replied with wanting such checkers
where they had played with in the blue mountain. With that, the King had sent his words to all of the best
goldsmiths in the kingdom. Every goldsmiths have been to the palace except an old infirm man who haven't
done any work except for the odd ones.
The soldier asked him if he could be his apprentice and the old man was so glad that he would want to be
working with him. He felt very joyful and later he got drunk from the amount of alcohol that have gotten
into his head. As he saw the opportunity, he persuaded the old man to go up the palace and tell the King he
will make the checkers for the princesses. And so, the King told him it must be finished within three days or
else life have to be spared. The old man was quite confident that his apprentice would make a good job with
the checkers so he let him be for the first day. The second day, he became a bit warry about his apprentice
not doing anything. The last day he felt quite defeated with the way his apprentice is behaving. Not a sound
nor progression was seen or heard from all the three days he was assigned to do so. The soldier kept on
assuring him that everything will be fine and that the checkers will be finished by the time the sun rises.

The night before the day ends, he blowed the whistle and asked the bird to get him the checkers fro the blue
mountain . He even offered meat for the bird and the bird did not hesitate to get them for him. The next
morning, the old man got furious with him for thinking he wasn't doing anything for the three days but got
shocked upon seeing him holding the checkers. After grooming themselves, they went straight to the castle.
The moment they stepped into the castle, the youngest princess was there and beyond glad to find the same
checkers she had been playing during his stay on the other side of the world. She asked him if he made them
by himself but instead he told her that it was her apprentice. So she demanded to see him.

The moment she saw him, she recognised him immediately and pushes all the other soldiers to go run up to
him. After giving him a handshake she announced to everyone present that he's the one who saved her from
the trolls and show the evidence of her ring in is hair being knotted. She told them that he’s the one she
wanted to marry. The news broke and they soon found out about the lies the captain and the lieutenant have
been putting up. As penalty, both life must be sacrifced. The soldier ended up marrying the youngest
princess and he got half the wealth of the country and everything got better ever since.