The Enchanted Doe facts for kids

The Enchanted Doe is a classic Italian fairy tale. It was written by Giambattista Basile and first appeared in his famous 1634 book, the Pentamerone.

The King's Wish and Twin Sons

Once upon a time, a king really wanted to have a child. To try and make this happen, he was very kind and gave money to many beggars. But even after spending all his wealth, he still didn't have a child. Feeling sad, he locked himself away in a tower. He even used a crossbow to shoot at anyone who came close!

One day, a traveler came by. This pilgrim told the king a secret: if the queen ate the heart of a sea-dragon, she would have a child. The king followed this advice, and soon after, the queen gave birth to two identical twin boys.

A Mother's Jealousy and a Brother's Journey

The queen, however, grew jealous of her younger son, Canneloro. This was because the older twin, Fonzo, loved his brother Canneloro more than he loved her. One day, Fonzo was making bullets for hunting but stepped away for a moment. The queen found a hot bullet-mold and threw it at Canneloro, causing a bad injury. She was about to throw another when Fonzo returned.

Canneloro felt he had to leave. But Fonzo convinced him to create a way for them to stay connected. Canneloro stuck a dagger into the ground, and a fountain of water appeared. He told Fonzo that if the water was clear, he was well. If it was cloudy, he was in trouble. If it dried up, he was dead. He then stuck the dagger in the ground again, and a myrtle tree grew. This tree would be green if he was well, withered if he was sick, and dead if he died. After this, Canneloro left on his journey.

Canneloro's New Life and a Dangerous Hunt

Canneloro eventually arrived at a tournament, a competition where knights show their skills. He won the tournament and married the princess of that land, named Fenicia.

Some time later, Canneloro decided to go hunting. The king warned him about a dangerous shapeshifting ogre in the area. Despite the warning, Canneloro went hunting. The ogre changed its shape into a doe, a female deer. In the evening, the doe approached Canneloro's campfire. It spoke to him, asking to warm itself by the fire. It begged him to tie up his hunting dogs and his sword so it wouldn't be scared. Canneloro did as it asked. As soon as his defenses were down, the ogre captured him and trapped him in a deep pit.

Fonzo's Rescue Mission

Back home, Fonzo noticed that the myrtle tree had withered, and the fountain's water was cloudy. He knew his brother was in trouble. Fonzo immediately set out to find him, taking two special, enchanted dogs with him.

He arrived in the city where Canneloro had married. The city was in mourning, and Fonzo quickly learned what had happened to his brother. Fonzo went hunting, found the ogre, and bravely killed it. He then freed Canneloro from the pit. The two brothers returned to the city. Canneloro's wife, Fenicia, was able to recognize him by the scar the queen had given him long ago.