Crimson Fairy Book

Chapter 3 I wish you good health
Long ago, there was a great king who whenever he sneezed, all his subjects had to say "Good health".Everyone said so, but a shepherd with wide eyes would not say it.

The king was very angry when he found out, so he sent someone to bring the shepherd to him.

The shepherd came and stood before the throne, where the king sat, looking very proud and domineering.The shepherds were not afraid of him at all.

"Say now 'Wish me good health!'" the king yelled.

"Wish me good health!" said the shepherd.

"Wish me—wish me good health, you scoundrel, you rascal!" cried the king in a rage.

"Wish me good health, good health, my lord," answered the Shepherd.

"It is my health—my own health," growled the king, his chest full of rage.

"Well, yes, mine, of course, my own," said the Shepherd, patting his chest lightly.

The king was mad with rage and did not know what to do, when a courtier interrupted: "Say it now, at this very moment: 'I wish you good health, Your Majesty'. If you do not say this, you will die. "

"No, I'm not saying that until I marry the princess," replied the shepherd.At this moment the princess was sitting on a little throne beside the king, and she was very sweet, like a little golden dove.She couldn't help laughing when she heard what the shepherd said.It cannot be denied that the young shepherd with wide eyes made the princess very happy.In fact, he did make her happier than any king's son she had ever met.

But the king was not as happy as she was, and he ordered the shepherd to be thrown into the hole where the white bear was kept.

The guards took him out and threw him into the white bear cave.The white bear hadn't eaten for two days and was very hungry.

As soon as the door of the cave was closed, the big bear rushed at the shepherd, but when he saw his big eyes, he was frightened.
wish you healthy
Thinking he was going to eat it, she curled up in a corner and stared at him.Although the big bear was very hungry, he didn't dare to touch him, so he had to suck his paw to resist the hunger.The shepherd knows that once he takes his eyes off the white bear, he will be a good meal for the bear.In order not to let himself fall asleep, he kept making up songs and singing, and passed the night like this.

The next morning, the court minister came to see the shepherd's bones, but was surprised to find that the shepherd was still alive and well.He took the shepherds to the king, who was furious and said, "Now that you know what it's like to be near death, will you now wish me good health?"

The shepherd replied: "I am not afraid of dying ten times! I will only say that if I marry the princess."

"Go, then, to your death!" cried the King, and ordered him to be thrown into the boar's den.The wild boars hadn't eaten for a week, and the shepherd had just been pushed into the den, and the wild boars all rushed at him to tear him to pieces.The shepherd took out a small flute from the sleeve of his coat and played a cheerful tune.Hearing this piece of music, the wild boar first walked away timidly, then stood up and danced happily.The wild boar looked so funny that the shepherd wanted to laugh out loud, but he didn't dare to stop playing, for fear that if he stopped playing, the wild boar would pounce on him and tear him to pieces.Here his big eyes didn't work, he couldn't stare at ten wild boars face to face at the same time, so he had to keep playing the tune.The wild boar danced slowly, as if in a minuet.Gradually, he blew faster and faster, and the wild boar had no time to twist and turn, and finally fell together, exhausted and out of breath.

At last the Shepherd laughed boldly, for a long time, and loudly.The minister of the court came early in the morning, expecting to see his bones, but saw him laughing with tears running down his cheeks.

As soon as the king had dressed, the shepherds were brought before him again.He was even more enraged at the thought that the boar had not torn the man to pieces.He said: "Okay, you have already tasted the taste of the narrow escape, now it is time to say wish me good health."

The shepherd interrupted and said, "Don't talk about nine deaths, I'm not afraid of a hundred deaths. I will only say that if I marry a princess."

"Go and die a hundred times, then!" growled the King, and ordered the Shepherd to be thrown into the scythe-laden cellar.

The guards dragged him into a dark dungeon.There is a deep well in the center of the dungeon, surrounded by sharp scythes, and there is a glimmer of light at the bottom of the well, through which people can see whether someone has been thrown into the well or has fallen to the bottom of the well.

When the shepherd was dragged into the dungeon, he asked the guards to leave him alone for a while, so that he could see the scythe in the dungeon, and perhaps he would resolve to say "good health to you" to the king.So the guard left him alone for a while, and he set up his long stick by the side of the well, and hung his cloak round it, and hung his hat on top of it.He hung the knapsack inside the cloak again, so it looked like someone was hiding inside.When he had arranged everything, he called the guards, and said he had thought it over, but he could not say what the king wished him to say.The guard came and threw his hat and cloak down the well with his knapsack and stick, and after checking that he had shut out the light at the bottom of the well, they went away, thinking that this time the shepherd was really doomed.However, he hid in a dark corner and kept laughing secretly.

The next morning, the court minister came early with a lantern. He was so surprised that the shepherd was still alive and well that he almost fell down.He brought the shepherds before the king, who was more furious than before, and shouted:

"Okay, now that you've died a hundred times, would you like to say 'good health'?"

The shepherd replied in the same way:

"I won't say unless the princess is my wife."

"You might have said it another way," said the King.Knowing that killing the shepherd was unlikely, he ordered the wagon to be ready, and having the shepherd aboard with him, sat by his side, he commanded the driver to drive to the Silver Forest.

When he got there, the king said, "Have you seen this silver forest? Well, if you will say I wish you good health, I will give it to you."

The shepherd felt hot and cold, but he still insisted: "I will only speak when the princess marries me."

The king was very annoyed, so he drove on a little further, and when he came to a splendid castle, everything here was made of gold, and the king said:
"Have you seen this golden castle? If you are willing to say 'I wish you good health' to me, I will give you both the Silver Forest and the Golden Castle."

The shepherd was astonished, dazzled and speechless, but still he said:
"No, I won't say unless I marry the princess."

The king was now very sad, and ordered to go on to the Diamond Pool, where he tried again.

"Have you seen this diamond pool? I would like to give it to you too. The Silver Forest, the Golden Castle, and this diamond pool are all for you. As long as you are willing to say 'I wish you good health,' you can have them."

The shepherd shut his big eyes tightly so that he would not be dazzled by the dazzling pool of diamonds.

He still insisted: "No, no, I can only say this after marrying a princess."

Seeing that all his efforts were in vain, the king gave in, saying:

"Well, well, it's all the same thing to me - I'm willing to give my daughter to you as a wife, but then you have to say to me from the bottom of your heart: 'I wish you good health!'"

"Of course I'm going to say it, why not? I'd have a reason to say it then."

On hearing this, the king was beyond belief.The princess was about to get married, and the king announced to the people of the whole country that a grand celebration would be held.Everyone was delighted to think that the princess had turned down so many royal suitors and ended up falling in love with the wide-eyed shepherd.

I have never seen such a grand wedding. Everyone ate, drank and danced.Even the sick were invited to dinner, and the little newborns were given presents.

The king's palace is even more joyful, the best band is playing music, the cook is cooking the most delicious food, and everyone is sitting at the table enjoying the delicious meal, and everyone is having a good time.

According to custom, the groom carries a large plate with a large pig's head on it.He put the plate before the king, and the king cut up the pig's head and gave each one a portion. It was so delicious and so strong that the king sneezed all the time.

"I wish you great health!" cried the shepherd in the presence of all the people, and the king was very happy, and he did not regret at all that he had given his daughter in marriage.

The old king soon died, and the shepherd succeeded to the throne.He was a very good king and never asked his people to say 'good health' against his will.Still, everyone wishes him good health because they all love him.

(End of this chapter)