Once upon a time, there was a country in the world whose sky had no star, moon or sun. Therefore, it was forever shrouded in darkness.
There lived in that country a king and his three beautiful daughters and the three sons of a poor man from the country, the youngest of whom was called Nicholas.
Once Nicholas said to his father: My father, sir, I have something to say. It is said in the land that the king has destined his most beautiful daughter for the one who will bring the stars, the moon and the sun to the sky of his land. Let your serpent go to the king, and tell him that we three will fulfil his wish, and bring light to his kingdom, if he will give us his daughters to wife.
- "What are you saying, my dear son Nicholas!" said the poor man, shocked. But then he thought he would go up to the king and tell him his son's message.
The king was very happy and promised to give his daughters to the boys immediately if they would keep their promise.
Nicholas immediately bought three steeds for himself and his brothers, and they armed themselves well and set out to try their luck.
After six days and six nights they reached a copper bridge. There Nicholas stops his brothers and says to them: "Well, my brothers, let us rest here for a while. There is grass, there is water, our horses can graze. And you, settle down, but keep awake and look after the horses while I go down under the bridge for a while. I perceive we are in great danger.
Nicholas went down under the bridge and with his little finger moved one of the bridge's floorboards a little. Then there was a great noise, and the six-headed dragon came galloping out of the woods at the other end of the bridge on his copper-haired steed, and as he galloped, his horse's foot stumbled on the bridge.
- Oops, my sweet horse! - the dragon roars. - What reason can there be that you should stumble against your custom. Is it not the valiant Nicholas that is in my way? I smell his scent.
Then Nicholas speaks up from under the bridge: - This is me, as you see.
- Well, if it's you, come on out, let's wrestle to the death! Now you will not escape my wrath!
Nicholas clashed with the dragon, and so mightily that he cut off all six heads of the wonder-animal with a single swipe of his arm. Then Nicholas took the red-haired steed by the bridle and led it to his brothers. There he let go of the saddle-clasp, and the dawn star appeared above the palace of the king of the land of the unclean.
- "The boys have already begun their work," said the king, as soon as he saw the star.
Nicholas set off again with his brothers, who faithfully followed him up hill and down dale without knowing where they were going. At last, after twelve days and twelve nights, they came to a silver bridge.
- "Maybe we can rest here again," say the tired brothers. - "All right!" said Nicholas. I wanted to do it myself. Put the copper-haired steed with the other horses. You rest; but stay awake while I get under the bridge for a while. We are now in greater danger.
But don't think I'm afraid. You shall not be afraid when you see me. We'll stand our ground here, too. If I cry out, see if I am not very thirsty. Then throw me my canteen.
Nicholas moved one of the planks of that bridge with his middle finger and waited. Now there was an even bigger noise from the forest on the other side. The twelve-headed dragon roared out on his silver-haired steed. In the dislodged plank, this steed also stumbled heavily on the bridge.
- Up, my sweet horse! - cries the dragon. - What's wrong with you? What is the reason why you stumbled against your habit? Surely that vagabond knight Nicholas is lurking!
- "You've got him," said Captain Nicholas, stepping out from under the bridge. - "But how do you know my name, since this is the first time you've seen me?
- "I know you or I don't know you, it doesn't matter!" the dragon shouted. - Why waste time arguing? Draw your sword! Fight me to the death!
Nicholas did not expect two calls. They clashed. The fight was long; they hit each other hard. But once Nicholas was so lucky as to hit the dragon that he took off all twelve heads as if they had been poppy heads.
- Nor does it bother the pious mortals any more! - said Nicholas with satisfaction. Then he took the silver-haired steed and led it to his brothers. He let go of the saddle-grip, and suddenly the bright moonlight appeared above the palace of the king of the dark land. There was joy there, seven times greater than when they saw the dawn star.
Then Nicholas said again, "Well, my dear brothers, we have had enough rest. You have fed the horses well. Let us go on!
And so it was. They hurried up, they moved, they did not stop for twenty-four days and twenty-four nights. Then they came to the golden bridge.
- "Time to make camp," said Nicholas, and they dismounted.
- "But you never rest with us; you never eat, you never drink, you only fight," said one of the brothers.
- "Don't worry about that, my dear brother," said Nicholas. - Who would fight the dragons if I were asleep? I'll sleep at home. And today I have no time to rest, for I have work to do as I have never had before. You guys get some rest. You're good enough for me, even if I only see you. Just be awake and take good care while I'm under the bridge. Now comes the greatest peril. But fear not!
Here again Avval went down under the bridge, and with his index finger he prised open one of its golden planks. Then from the forest on the other side there came not only a terrible roar, but a terrible flame, for the twenty-four-headed dragon came from that direction on his golden-coated steed. This steed also stumbled heavily on the bridge.
- Up, my sweet horse! - cried the dragon angrily. - Twenty-four years thou hast walked this bridge and never yet stumbled. What can be the matter? Surely that knitting knight, Nicholas, is fidgeting in my way. But woe to him now! He must die, if he had a hundred souls!
- This is me! - said Miklós boldly, stepping out from under the bridge. - What do you want with me?
- "I want your life," the dragon cried, "because you killed my brothers! But let's go from here to a wider place and fight there! I could not cut you here for my pleasure.
Nicholas did not say a word. - What will be, will be, he thought to himself, if I can bear it, I'll kill even this one. - And with that he went out under the black mountain and fought with the terrifying dragon.
The angry fight went on for a long time. Even the ground shook beneath the fencers. Nicholas held his ground bravely, but was only worried by the dragon's constant flame between his eyes. When he could stand the smothering fire no longer, he noticed three flying ravens above his head.
Nicholas immediately recognized them as the wives of the three dragons who had been kidnapped, tortured and turned into ravens by the monsters. So he cried out to them.
The three ravens hurried to the bridge. Two of them teased the brothers, one of them took a dip in the water under the bridge, filled his mouth and flew back to Nicholas, whose legs were barely able to cope with the exhaustion.
Suddenly he threw the water from his wings at him, and made him drink it from his mouth in a rush, and Nicholas recovered so that with a single bait cut he cut off all twenty-four heads of the victorious dragon. Then he led the golden-haired steed to his worried brothers. He let one loose on its saddle-bar and the bright sun rose in the dark land.
There was joy and rejoicing. They could hardly wait to welcome the three brothers home. The king made them his sons-in-law. He gave his crown, together with his most beautiful daughter, to the valiant Nicholas, who became such a king that his fame spread throughout the world.
So the dark country became a light country.
(Vilmos Radó: Hungarian Children's and Folk Tales, First Collection - Singer and Wolfner Publishing; Budapest, Andrássy út 10, VI.)
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