Three golden hairs of Old Man Know-all

Once upon a time a young king was lost in a deep forest and could not find the way home. He had a good luck discovering a little cottage where farmer and his wife lived. They let him sleep on the attic. In the middle of the night the king woke up. He glanced downstairs and saw just born farmers baby and three Fairy Godmothers above him.

The king heard one of them to foretell : „ And my gift to you is that you will marry the princess who was born tonight too.“ The king was very frightened and in the morning he suggested to the farmer to take his son to his court.

Poor farmer agreed. When the king came home he sent a servant for farmer’s son.

He commanded him to kill the baby but the servant was a good man so he put the baby into a wicker basket and let the basket drift by river stream. They lived happily together for many yers but one day the king who was hunting nearby visited their house. The king asked for fresh water. When he drank it he looked at Swimmer fishing by the river and said to his father :

„ Nice boy, how old is he ?“ „He is twenty Your Grace, the river brought him in a basket that it is why we call him Swimmer.“ The king recognised who is the boy and said : „Hey boy I have a task for you. You have to go to my castle to deliver a letter for the queen.“ Then he wrote down the order to kill the young Swimmer and sent it to the queen. Swimmer walked quickly to the castle and on his way he met old woman. She asked him where he is going and Swimmer showed her the kings’letter.

Old woman was the Fairy Godmother who foretold him to marry the princess. She knew what was written in the letter and she used her magic ability to change its content. Then the queen was very surprised with her husband’s will. He wanted their daughter to marry the boy who delivered this letter. So the princess married Swimmer. Later the king was furious and he decided to destroy Swimmer. He ordered him to leave away the castle and bring three golden hair of Old Man Know-all. No one knew where to look for him.

On his journey Swimmer met a place, where people were unhappy because their magic well dried up. Swimmer promised to ask wise Old Man Know-all in case he will find him Then he met unhappy people because their appletree stopped giving magic fruit.Again he promised to ask wise Old Man Know-all.

Swimmer did not know his journy is under protection of Fairy Godmother and was very glad when one day he could see amazing white and golden castle beyong wide river. Old boateman ferried him across the stream. The boatman complained about his hard job which he would like to hand over to another man.

Swimmer promised to ask wise Old Man Know-all how to do it. Then he entered the white-golden castle. Nobody was inside except little old woman. spinning. „What are you doing here ?“ she asked. „ I’m seeking for Old Big Had to get three of his golden hair“ Swimmer answered. „Old Man Know-all is my son - clear sun. And because I ’m your godmother I will help you. But you have to hide to be save from my son. “ She promised to ask about the well, appletree and boatman too.

Then wind blew and Old Man Know-all came home. After dinner Old Man Know-all put his head on mother’s lap and fell asleep. His mother pulled one his golden hair out and he woke up. „I was napping“ mother said and I dreamt about a well which dried up and poor people were without sweet water.“

„It is easy to help“ Old Man Know-all said „ on the bottom of the well sits a big frog. If these people kill it they will have water again.“ Then he fell asleep again. His mother pulled the second golden hair out and he woke up. „What was your dream now ?“ he asked. I dreamt about an appletree which does not bring any fruits for many years. „It is easy to help, in the roots lies a big snake poisoning them. People should kill it and they would have fruits again.“ Then Old Big Had fell asleap. His mother pulled the third golden hair out. „What now“ old Big Had shouted. „Oh I dreamt about a boatman who would like to hand his job over to another man.“ „It is easy to help.

He has to take a passenger and leave the boat earlier than him. This passenger will become the boatman from this moment.And now let me sleep. Next morning old woman gave three golden hair to Swimmer , they said good bye to each other and Swimmer went back home. When the boatman ferried him to the other side Swimmer told him how to get rid of his job.

Later he reached the place where the ill appletree was. When people killed the snake in its roots the tree came into leaves immediately. The king of this country was very happy about it. He gave to Swimmer twelve wonderful horses to thank him. Then Swimmer reached the place where the dried up well was. When people killed the frog and cleaned the well up a strong spring appeared. The king of this country was very happy about it and gave to Swimmer twelve big diamonds to thank him.

Swimmer got home, his princess radiated happiness but old king evied him the treasure which Swimmer brought home. He wanted the same wealth. That was why the old king left his castle and he never came back. Maybe he became a boatman who knows.....