How the Beggar Boy turned into Count Piro facts for kids

How the Beggar Boy turned into Count Piro is a fun fairy tale from Italy. It was first written down by Laura Gonzenbach in her book Sicilianische Märchen. Later, Andrew Lang included it in his famous collection, The Crimson Fairy Book. This story is a type of tale where a clever animal, like a cat or a fox, helps the main character become successful. Other well-known stories like this include Puss in Boots.

The Story of Count Piro

The story begins with a kind, poor boy whose father left him a special pear tree. This tree grew delicious pears all year round!

The Clever Fox Appears

One day, a smart fox came along and convinced the boy to give him some pears. The fox promised it would bring the boy good luck, and the kind boy agreed. The fox then took a basket of these rare pears to the king. The king was very surprised to see fresh pears at that time of year!

The next day, the fox did the same thing. This time, it also asked the king for his daughter, the princess, to marry its master, "Count Piro." The fox said Count Piro was so rich he didn't need any money or gifts from the king.

A New Suit and a Quiet Count

The fox was very tricky! It went to a tailor and convinced him to make a fancy suit for the boy, promising to pay the next day. Dressed in his new clothes, the boy went to the castle. He was very quiet, but the fox quickly explained that "Count Piro" was just deep in thought about important matters.

The Wedding and the Journey

The fox brought more pears to the king and soon arranged the wedding. After the boy and the princess were married, the king, the princess, and the new "Count Piro" set off on a journey.

Tricking the Ogre's Workers

As they traveled, the fox saw shepherds, pig herders, and horse herders. These animals belonged to a scary ogre! The fox told each worker that if they said the animals belonged to the ogre, the king's men would kill the animals, and the ogre would kill them. Instead, the fox told them to say the animals belonged to "Count Piro." The king was very impressed by how much wealth "Count Piro" seemed to have!

Outsmarting the Ogre

Finally, they arrived at the ogre's huge castle. The fox quickly told the ogre and ogress (the female ogre) that the king had sent men to kill them. The fox suggested they hide in the oven until the king's group passed by. The ogre and ogress believed the fox and climbed into the oven. The fox then trapped them inside! Later that night, after the princess and her new husband were asleep, the fox burned the ogre and ogress to death.

A Happy Ending

The boy, now known as Count Piro, lived a long and happy life filled with wealth and good fortune. When his clever friend, the fox, eventually passed away, Count Piro made sure to give him a proper and respectful funeral.

Inspiration for Theater

The story of the Beggar Boy and the Fox has inspired many people! For example, a circus group called The Fox & Beggar Theater, based in Asheville, North Carolina, uses this tale as their inspiration. They love the fox's amazing creativity and the boy's kind heart, seeing them as the perfect combination to achieve incredible things.