The Golden Stag (fairy tale) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Golden Stag |
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|---|---|
| Folk tale | |
| Name | The Golden Stag |
| Data | |
| Aarne-Thompson grouping | ATU 450, "Little Brother and Little Sister" |
| Mythology | Romanian |
| Country | Romania |
The Golden Stag (in Romanian: Cerbul de aur) is a classic Romanian fairy tale. It tells a magical story about a brother and sister, a golden stag, and a jealous rival.
Contents
Where the Story Comes From
This tale was first written down in the late 1800s by a Romanian storyteller named Dumitru Stăncescu. He heard the story from a man named Costache Georgescu.
The Golden Stag's Journey
The Adventure Begins
Once upon a time, an old woman told her husband to take his two children, a son and a daughter, into the woods and leave them there. The first time, the boy was playing in the ashes, and the children found their way back home. But the second time, the old man managed to leave them far away.
The children searched everywhere for water, but they couldn't find any. Finally, they came to the tracks of a fox where water was flowing. The sister warned her brother that if he drank from it, he would turn into a fox. He listened. They found more water at a bear's tracks, and again, she warned him. He still listened.
Then they found water at a stag's tracks. The sister warned him one more time, but he was too thirsty to wait. He drank the water and instantly turned into a beautiful golden stag.
A New Home in the Trees
The golden stag carefully carried his sister in a cradle on his antlers. He made a safe nest for her high up in a tree, where she grew up. She lived peacefully in the forest, protected by her golden stag brother.
A Prince and a Problem
One day, a prince was riding through the forest and saw the girl in the tree. He immediately fell in love with her. He promised a great reward to anyone who could convince the girl to come down and marry him.
An old woman saw the golden stag nearby. She didn't know how to talk to the magical animal. So, she tricked the girl into coming down by pretending to have trouble with her cooking fire. Once the girl was on the ground, the old woman quickly took her to the prince.
When the golden stag followed, his sister explained to the prince that the stag was her brother. The prince was kind and gave the golden stag a wonderful stable with plenty of food. Everyone was happy, except for another girl who had been the prince's favorite. She grew very jealous.
The Jealousy and the Rescue
The jealous girl tricked the prince's new wife into going into the forest. There, the prince's wife fell asleep. The jealous girl then dressed up like the prince's wife and tried to hide her face.
But the golden stag knew right away that it wasn't his sister. He showed the prince that something was wrong. The prince and his men followed the golden stag and found the real princess. The jealous girl faced a severe punishment for her actions. The prince, his wife, and the golden stag brother lived happily ever after.
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