Ancilotto, King of Provino facts for kids

Ancilotto, King of Provino is an old Italian fairy tale. It was written by Giovanni Francesco Straparola in his book The Facetious Nights of Straparola. This story is known as Aarne-Thompson type 707. This type of tale often features magical items like "the dancing water, the singing apple, and the speaking bird." It is the oldest known version of this story. It even influenced other famous tales, like Princess Belle-Etoile by Madame d'Aulnoy. A similar story also appeared in Antoine Galland's Arabian Nights collection. This tale later spread and became The Three Little Birds in the collection by the Brothers Grimm.

The Story of Ancilotto

The Sisters' Promises

King Ancilotto once overheard three sisters talking. The oldest sister, Brunora, said that if she married the king's main helper, the majordomo, she could give the whole court a drink from just one glass of water. The second sister, Lionella, said that if she married the king's chamberlain, she could make enough fine clothes for everyone from one spindle of linen.

The youngest sister, Chiaretta, made the most amazing promise. She said if she married the king, she would have triplets. These children would have beautiful golden hair, a gold necklace, and a shining star on their forehead. The king was impressed and arranged for the sisters to marry as they had wished.

A Wicked Plan

The Queen mother (the king's mother) was not happy about Chiaretta marrying her son. She disliked her new daughter-in-law. Soon after, the king had to leave the palace for a while. While he was away, Chiaretta gave birth to two sons and one daughter, just as she had promised. They had golden hair, gold necklaces, and stars on their foreheads.

But Chiaretta's sisters and the Queen mother had a cruel plan. They secretly swapped the beautiful babies with three black puppies that had white stars. They then told the king that Chiaretta had given birth to puppies. The real babies were put into a box and thrown into the river.

The Miller's Discovery

Luckily, a kind miller named Marmiato found the box floating in the river. He and his wife, Gordiana, rescued the babies. They named the boys Acquirino and Fluvio, and the girl Serena. They raised the children as their own.

When King Ancilotto returned, he was very sad to hear the story about the puppies. Because his mother, the midwife, and Chiaretta's sisters all agreed on the story, he believed them. He ordered Chiaretta to be locked away in the dungeon.

Growing Up with Magic

Gordiana later had her own son, Borghino. The miller and his wife soon discovered something amazing about the three children they found. Whenever they cut the children's hair, precious gemstones would fall out! This made the family very rich, and they lived a good life.

As Acquirino, Fluvio, and Serena grew up, they learned that they were not the miller's birth children. They were foundlings, meaning they had been found. They decided to leave home and find out where they truly came from. They eventually arrived in King Ancilotto's land and met him. The king felt a strange connection to them. He even told his mother that he thought they looked like the children Chiaretta was supposed to have had.

The Magical Quests

The Queen mother was worried that the truth might come out. She sent the midwife to trick Serena. The midwife told Serena that she should ask her brothers to find the "dancing water." This water was very special. Acquirino and Fluvio went to find it. A wise dove warned them of the danger and then helped them fill a small bottle with the water. King Ancilotto saw them again, and the Queen mother heard they were still alive.

Next, the midwife tricked Serena into asking for the "singing apple." Acquirino and Fluvio went on another quest. On their journey, a kind host warned them about the dangers of getting the apple. He gave them a special robe covered in mirrors. This robe would trick the monster guarding the apple by showing it its own reflection. Fluvio used the robe and successfully picked the singing apple. The king saw them again, and the Queen mother learned they had survived once more.

Finally, the midwife tricked Serena into asking for a beautiful green bird. This bird could speak wise words day and night. When Acquirino and Fluvio found the garden with the bird, they saw many marble statues. Sadly, they were turned into statues themselves!

The Truth Revealed

Serena waited anxiously for her brothers. When they didn't return, she bravely set out to find them. She reached the magical garden and quietly caught the bird. The bird begged for its freedom. It then showed Serena how to turn her brothers back to life. Serena agreed to free the bird only if it helped them find their real mother and father.

The bird led them to King Ancilotto's palace. They arrived during a dinner and brought the dancing water, the singing apple, and the speaking bird. The king and his guests were amazed by the magical water and apple. Then, the bird spoke. It asked what punishment someone should receive for trying to harm two brothers and a sister. The Queen mother quickly said they should be burned to death, and everyone agreed.

The bird then told the whole story of Chiaretta's children. It explained how the Queen mother, the sisters, and the midwife had swapped the babies and thrown them into the river. The king was shocked and realized the truth. He immediately freed Chiaretta from the dungeon. He then ordered that his mother, Chiaretta's sisters, and the midwife be punished for their wicked deeds.

Other Similar Stories

This tale is very popular and has many versions around the world. Some other stories like it include:

• An oral Italian version called The Dancing Water, the Singing Apple, and the Speaking Bird.
• The Spanish story The Bird of Truth.
• The Russian tale The Wicked Sisters.
• From Romania, The Boys with the Golden Stars and A String of Pearls Twined with Golden Flowers.

See Also

• Aarne–Thompson–Uther Index
• Fairy tale