There was an old man in the world who once walked in the field. On his way home he caught a mouse. When he came home, he saw that the mouse had become a girl.
The little girl grew up to be a big girl, he said:
- I will only get married if I find a husband who is the most suitable.
The old man went to look for a husband who was the best. He went to the sun. The Sun's servant told him to wait until evening, for the Sun Lord was just there to illuminate the land.
Towards evening, Mr Sun came home on horseback. The old man tells him to marry his daughter, because she is the eldest.
The Sun said:
- I'm not the most advanced, the cloud is stronger than I am, because it covers me.
The old man went to the cloud and asked him to marry his daughter, because she was the eldest.
The cloud said:
- I'm not the first, the wind is before me, for it chases me to and fro.
The old man went to the wind. The wind said:
- I am not the most advanced, the old mountain of Mátra is better than I, for I cannot move it.
The old man went to the mountain of Mátra and asked him to marry his daughter, because she was the eldest.
He said the Mátra mountain:
- I'm not the strongest, I'm stronger than those little mice in my thorns, because I haven't been able to squeeze them yet.
The old man went to the king of the mice to marry his daughter, because she was the eldest.
The king of the mice took many mice in a carriage and went to fetch the girl. The girl turned back into a mouse, they married, and are still alive today, if not dead.
(Ágnes Kovács: Folk tales for kindergarten children)
