King Rose was once declared war on by another king. He gathered all his soldiers, but before he left, he inventoried all his possessions.
As he was there, thinking among his soldiers, an old grey man stood in front of him and asked:
- You want to win this war, don't you? You know what, I'll help you if you give me what you don't know.
The king ponders, for he has taken inventory of everything! After a little thought he says:
- All right, I'll give it to you, but let me win this war so that as few of my soldiers as possible die.
The enemy came, as many as the blade of grass in the meadow, but the soldiers of the Rose King defeated them. Hardly two or three of them fell. The king went home, very happy, and was met by the guards at the gate of the royal city:
- While our reigning king was there, he had a son.
The Rose King scowls at this, but then he wonders if the grey old man has forgotten about him.
Three years later, there was a big party at the royal palace. Suddenly, a side door opens, the grey old man comes in and says:
- Cool, I came for what you promised! - And in front of all the ministers, he picked up the boy and disappeared with him.
The king and queen mourned, they did not know where their little boy had gone, but we were to find out.
We see that the grey old man takes him to Fairyland, the land where he was king, and there the boy is named Roseboy. The old king's first wife died, leaving him with a little daughter called Tulip. The old fairy king reckoned that when they grew up, Pinky King Boy and Tulip Queen would be husband and wife. Yes, but the Fairy King had a second wife, and she had a daughter, and she wanted King Rose to marry her daughter.
Time passed, and Roseboy turned eighteen. Says the Fairy King's wife, who was a witch:
- Know this, I will not let Roseboy take your daughter! Let him take mine!
The King says:
- But woman, think, Roseboy loves my daughter!
- "I don't mind," says the Queen, "but I won't let him take it unless he grants me three wishes.
- What should be the first?
- The first is to go to your hometown and bring your mother's wedding ring. But don't bring it for her!
The king ponders. He goes out into the courtyard and tells the soldier with the horn to sound the alarm. The fairy soldiers gather. The king takes a piece of sausage, and as many as he counts, he takes a bite. There was still a small piece of sausage, still one short! Oh, where is that Muki? He called to the trumpeter:
- One more puff!
At the sound of a trumpet, a lame soldier comes out. The king shouts at him:
- Where have you been, Muki?!
- At the right corner of the morning star, my darling.
- Okay, Muki, you know why I called you? I'm gonna put you by the side of Prince Rose, and you're gonna help him out of trouble.
- At your command, my King. Now I know what it's about!
Muki goes to the King of Roses and says:
- Rose King boy, I was sent by the old king to help you. Get ready, because we're leaving. We have to get your mother's wedding ring.
Two trotters were saddled, each with six legs. When they were done with everything, they both got in the saddle. The two horses just leapt up in the air, they were like bullets in the air. When they reached the border of Prince Rose's hometown, Muki pulled the reins. Both horses lowered to the ground. What do they see? A large marshy reed bed. Says Muki:
- Now, Prince Rose, we'll leave the horses here.
He takes an oat strawberry, holds it up to the horse's mouth, pushes one horse all the way into it, and likewise the other horse into the other oat strawberry. Then he hangs the two cakes on a tree branch.
- Now we can go.
They go. After a kilometre, a beautiful town appears in front of them. Says Muki:
- You see, Prince Rose, this is your father's town. We have to get in here without being recognized. I'm gonna get a goat's hump, and I'm gonna be a nice cat. Then you take my tail and you'll be a cat. Then you just follow me.
And so it happened. A few minutes later, two beautiful cats ran down the main street of the town, staring at the people, the children. What is happening? The two cats run towards the royal palace. They run into the courtyard between the feet of the soldiers on guard, and hide there, waiting for dusk.
When it gets cold, Muki says to Roseboy:
- Stop whining! Follow me! Let's go upstairs.
Nine o'clock came. We see the two cats outside a room door. Says Muki:
- This is your mother's bedroom. We'll wait until she's asleep and then we'll go in.
When they went into the room, the Queen was lying down. Whispers Muki to Roseboy:
- Let's see if he has put his wedding ring down on the table.
It's not there. Where could it be? Where was he seen? On the Queen's finger. Fortunately, her arm was hanging off. Says Muki:
- I'll flush it. I'm afraid you'll find your mother's hand to kiss, she'll wake up and our lives will be over.
Muki went over, took the ring on the finger and pulled it off. Then they went back out to where they had left the oatmeal. When they got there, Muki whacked him over the head, turning him back into a man. He grabbed the other cat's tail, and it turned back into Rose Boy. He unhooked the two oatcakes, shook the two horses out of them. Then they both mounted their horses and rode back to Fairyland. They gave the ring to the old fairy king, who gave it to his wife.
- Well, woman, Roseboy has brought the ring.
- Yeah, because you added that bastard Muki. Well, I'll see how he holds up tomorrow.
In the morning, he goes to see Muki Roseboy as soon as he wakes up.
- 'Listen, Prince Rose,' he says, 'you've got two horses to ride today. One will be an old mare, the other a young colt. Treat the colt nicely, but the other one you spur and cane as best you can.
Less than half an hour later, they call Rose Boy. There's a mare horse, but she's snorting, scraping, kicking dust into the air. Says the old fairy king:
- Now, son, you've got to ride this horse.
Rose Prince sits up in the saddle, the horse starts to dance, scratch and whinny. He staggered on his two hind legs to throw his rider off, but Roseboy remembered not to spare him. He began to spur and cane, forcing him to gallop. He drove him until the foam just fell off him. When he got off, he was white with foam and the horse was shaking.
They brought the other one. He sat on that one, too, but he didn't stick it, he didn't spur it. He put his hand on her neck and patted her. Then the horse started to move. After a short gallop, he dismounted and brushed her.
In the afternoon the king says to his wife:
- Well, woman, the boy has ridden the horses.
- Meg, that's right, I did! He ruined me, he ironed me, he caned me, but I saw him caress your daughter. I know Muki taught her! Stop it, Muki, you'll get another nemulass! Know this, if tomorrow morning she doesn't bring her mother's nightgown that she was wearing when she was born, her life is over!
The King, coming down the corridor, finds himself face to face with Muki. Muki tells him:
- Sire King, the old witch needs something again. I know what it is.
- "What?" asks the king. "How do you know that?
- How do I know? I even know what you think. But do not grieve, my sovereign King, for I am about to depart with the King of Roses.
The two horses were already saddled and waiting for them. They were saddled up. The two horses took to the air again, and flew, flew, flew towards the town of Prince Rose's father. At the edge of the swamp, Muki again puts the two horses in a saddle bag and says to Prince Rose:
- Now we can't go into town in daylight because they know the ring was stolen by the two cats.
They waited until it was dark, then they turned into cats again, went into the city, into the royal palace, and hid there. They waited again for the lights to go out, then they went to the queen's bedchamber. Then Muki rang out:
- Now it gets more difficult, because the shirt is in the wardrobe and the key to the wardrobe is tied to a silk ribbon around her neck.
- "All right," said Roseboy, "but I won't let you take the key off.
- Well, you take it off, just be careful, because if you find him kissing her, we can't go out.
Roseboy climbs neatly onto the bed and begins to fiddle with the two cat paws to remove the key. But at this moment he was seized with a feeling of, be that as it may, he will kiss his mother, he thought to himself. Muki noticed this. She quickly bit the Roseboy's tail and began to chew on it. He hissed loudly, turned around, and then Muki grabbed the key and pulled RoseBoy off the bed. They quickly opened the wardrobe, found the nightgown, wrapped it up and ran out.
As they step out the door, they see two soldiers with bayonets coming towards them up the stairs.
- I saw the two cats who stole the ring the other day. They must be up to something bad again. If we can, we'll catch them.
Muki heard this speech and took hold of Roseboy.
- Come on, we're going up the canal. We'll go out on the roof, if we can escape there. So they did. They climb up, go along the roof, reach a chimney. Roseboy wants to go on, but Muki catches him.
- Stop, I have a feeling the old witch is not far away, they are coming with the king.
No sooner does Muki say this than the old witch arrives. She made a light so bright you could pick up a penny off the ground. She starts shouting from the air:
- There are two thieves on the roof! They must be caught!
Poor Muki retreated into the shade of the chimney. What will he find there? The chimney sweep had been there that day, he had forgotten a broom. He picks it up, turns it over. The old witch starts to wail:
- Oh, oh, oh, oh my back, oh my waist! "Help me," he says to his master, "that scoundrel Muki is killing me! Take the edge of my dress quickly!
The king takes it.
- Get after yourself!
The king drew the old witch away, and darkness fell again.
- "There," says Muki, "you see, if it hadn't been for this broom, we would have been caught. Now follow me.
They got down on the ground, away, out to the swamp, Muki unloaded the two horses from the saddlebags, they jumped on their backs, rode back to Fairyland. Muki took the pack to the old king.
- My King, we have obeyed your command.
The king took him to his wife.
- All three wishes granted, let Roseboy marry Tulip Girl.
- Know this, I'd rather kill him, but I won't let you!
Prince Rose was inside Tulip's house when they heard someone knocking on the window:
- Get ready, we have to get out of here!
Prince Rose goes to the window, sees Muki standing there.
- Get ready to escape!
Says Tulip:
- Surely the old witch wants to destroy us.
Muki ran home - she had an old mother - she tells her mother:
- My mother should get ready, because I want to go to a far country, and I'm taking you with me.
The old woman was getting ready. Muki went back to the two young people.
Tell Tulip:
- Don't you know anything?
- Of course," says the girl, "I am a fairy too.
He takes a wooden spoon, puts it on the table.
- When I am asked, you answer!
Then he takes out the lighter.
- When asked, answer!
He takes his comb and puts it in the doorway.
– A tied lesz az első szó!
Muki kinyitja az ablakot.
– Na, gyertek utánam!
Mind a hárman kimennek az ablakon, el a Muki lakására. Muki a kis házat felemeli, alátesz négy kereket. Akkor kinéz az ablakon, ott egy szép kis virágoskert.
– Ezt csak nem hagyom itt!
Kimegy, megfogja a kis kertnek az egyik szélét, összetekeri, mint egy tekercs papírt, beleteszi a zsebébe – jó nagy zsebe volt! Megtaszítja a kis házat, az aztán elkezdett az úton szaladni, mintha csak a ló húzta volna. Mennek, menekülnek a kis házikóval. A vén boszorkány egyet prüsszent otthon.
– Ejnye, ezek a gazok vajon megszöktek?
Odamegy a Tulipán szobájának az ajtajáig, s beszól:
– Mit csinálsz?
Erre a fésű felelt:
– Most fésülködöm.
Akkor otthagyta a szoba ajtaját, és visszament a szobájába. Egy kis idő múlva megint visszament és kérdezte:
– Most mit csinálsz?
A laskanyújtó felelt:
– Nyújtom a tésztát!
Ebbe is belenyugodott a vén boszorkány, de azért csak kételkedett. Egy tíz perc múlva megint beszólt:
– Most mit csinálsz?
Felelt a fakanál:
– Kavarom a kását.
A vénasszony megint lecsendesedett egy kicsit, de csak nem volt nyugta. Megint csak kérdi:
– Most mit csinálsz?
Erre már nem felelt senki. Próbálja kinyitni az ajtót, de nem lehetett. Kiált egyet, szaladnak a lakatosok, az ajtót kinyitják. Nagy a csodálkozás, a szoba üres.
– Tudtam – kiabált a vén boszorkány -, tudtam, hogy meg szöknek!
Jön az öreg király, kérdi:
– Mi baj?
– Nézz ide, saját leányod, nevelt fiad megszöktek! De megyek én utánuk, ahol utolérem, ott ölöm meg!
Hamar előkap egy lapátot, ráül, felemelkedik a levegőbe. Látja ezt az öreg király, ő is azonnal lóra ül, mentek a fiatalok után.
Mukiék a kis házikóval már közeledtek a tündérhatárszélhez. Mondja Rózsakirályfinak:
– Még egy jó félóra, s megszűnik a vén boszorkány hatalma, mert akkor már túl leszünk a tündérhatáron.
Alighogy ezt kimondja, egy nagy sötét felhő kerekedik, elkezd dörögni, csattogni. Akkora jegek hullottak a kis kunyhóra, mint egy-egy tojás.
– Itt a vén boszorkány! – kiáltja Muki. – Még csak öt perc!
Elérik a határt, a két első kerék a határon túl, a két hátulsó a határon belül. A vén boszorkány pedig a kunyhó felett van.
– Itt lesz végetek! – kiabálja a levegőből.
Muki szegény éppen a kereket kezdte emelgetni át a határon. Akkor jut eszébe a seprű. Kiáltja az anyjának:
– Hamar a seprűt!
Odaadja Mukinak a seprűt, megforgatja a levegőben vagy kétszer. A vén boszorkány elkezd jajgatni:
– Jaj a derekam, jaj, jaj!
De Muki most nem kímélte. Felhajította a seprűt a vén boszorkánnyal szembe, és az úgy megijedt, a lapátról lecsúszott, leesett a földre, és szörnyethalt. Akkor érkezett oda az öreg tündérkirály.
– Ó, Muki, köszönöm neked, hogy megmentettél ettől a csúf boszorkánytól. Most már én is mehetek veletek.
El is mentek az öreg Rózsakirályhoz, elmondták a történteket.
Megörült az öreg Rózsakirály, papot hívattak, összeeskették a fiatalokat.
Meghívták az egész ország népét. Én éppen akkor jöttem haza szabadságról mint katona. Odakeveredtem a vendégek közé, pedig az utam sietős volt. Kértem egy lovat és egy kicsi ennivalót. Adtak is. Egy tarisznyába tettek levest, egy fakanalat és egy darab csontot. A lovamnak a dereka viasz, a lába acél, kender a farka, sárgatök a feje, palacsinta a füle. Jövök be itt a hegyoldalon, jön szembe a szomszéd. Kérdi:
– Honnan jössz, szomszéd?
– Lakodalomból! – kiáltom.
– Nem hozol valamit? – kiáltja.
– Hozok egy kis levest!
– Adj egy kicsit – azt mondja -, olyan éhes vagyok!
Merítek egy kanállal, nyújtom feléje. A fejére találtam önteni.
Mind lement a haja. Odahajítom a csontot. A lábát találtam. Azóta is sántít.
Hát csak lovam lába megbotlik, az acéllába tüzet vetett, kenderfarka meggyulladt, viaszdereka elolvadt, a tökfeje elgurult. A két palacsintafülét megfogtam, megettem, nektek, gyerekek, nem adhatok egy falást sem. Aki nem hiszi, nézze meg a szomszédot!
Tiszta kopasz a feje!
(Ágnes Kovács: Folk tales for kindergarten children)
