Translation:Collection of Slavic Folk Tales/XIX
XIX
THE LAUGHING EYE AND THE WEEPING EYE OR THE LAME FOX
(SERBIAN TALE)
A man had three sons, two very clever and the other very foolish. This man always laughed with his right eye and wept with his left. This intrigued his sons; they resolved to go one by one to ask him why his right eye laughed and his left eye wept.
The eldest entered his father's room and asked the question. The father didn't answer, flew into a terrible rage, and lunged at his son with a knife. The young man fled and went to his brothers, who asked about the outcome of the talk.
"Go see for yourselves if you're smarter than me."
The second entered the room and was received as badly as the first; he fled like his brother and sent the youngest, the fool.
He entered the room and said to his father:
"My brothers wouldn't tell me what you said; tell me why your right eye always laughs and your left eye weeps."
The father burst into fury, grabbed his knife; but the fool didn't move; he knew well he had nothing to fear from his father.
"Well done, you are my true son; the others are cowards. I'll satisfy your curiosity. My right eye laughs because I'm pleased to have sons like you; my left eye weeps because I was robbed of a precious treasure. I had in my garden a vine that gave me a barrel of wine every hour. It was stolen, and I can't find it; that's why I weep."
The fool told his brothers the reason for their father's grief, and they decided to search for the vine. Arriving at a crossroads, the two elders took one path, and the fool followed another.
"Thank God, we're rid of that idiot," cried the two elders; "let's stay together and have lunch."
And they began to eat.
Suddenly, a lame fox approached them and asked for food. They attacked it with sticks: the fox fled, limping on three legs. It took the path the youngest had followed; it found him, also eating lunch, and asked for a piece of bread. The fool shared his food with this unexpected guest.
"Where are you going, brother?" asked the fox to its benefactor once it was full.
He told the story of his father and the marvelous vine.
"Very well," said the fox; "I know where it is; follow me."
They arrived at the gate of a large garden.
"You'll find the vine you're looking for here; but it's hard to get to. Pay close attention to what I'm going to tell you. Before reaching the vine, you'll have to pass twelve posts, each with twelve guards. If these guards look at you, you can pass without worry, it means they're asleep; but if their eyes are closed, beware, it means they're awake. Once near the vine, you'll find two shovels, one wooden, one iron; don't take the iron one; it would make noise, wake the guards, and you'd be lost."
The young man safely crossed the garden, reached the vine that poured a barrel of wine every hour. But he found it too hard to dig the earth with a wooden shovel; he took an iron one, it made noise; the guards rushed in, seized Young Fool, and handed him over to their master.
"How," the master asked, "did you slip past my guards and try to steal my vine?"
"This vine isn't yours, but my father's; if you don't give it to me now, I'll come back and end up taking it."
"I can only give it to you if you bring me a golden apple from the golden apple tree that blooms in twenty-four hours and bears golden fruit."
Young Fool went to find his fox and explained the matter.
"You see," said the fox; "you didn't follow my advice. Still, I'll help you get the golden apple. You'll find it in a garden I'll show you; near the apple tree are two poles, one gold, one wood. Take the wooden pole, and you'll reach the apple."
Young Fool, after crossing the garden and escaping the guards as before, reached the apple tree; he was so dazzled by the golden fruit that he forgot the fox's advice. He grabbed the golden pole and struck the branch… The guards woke up and took him to their lord.
Young Fool told his story.
"I'll give you the golden apple," said the lord, "if you get me a horse that can circle the world in twenty-four hours."
The fox was very angry.
"If you had listened to me, you'd already be at your father's. Still, I'll help you again. You'll find this horse in a forest I'll show you: it has two halters, one gold, one hemp. Take it by the hemp halter, or the horse will neigh and wake its guards. Then, woe to you!"
Young Fool reached the horse. He was dazzled seeing it.
"How," he said to himself, "would I put a hemp halter on such a fine animal! No way…"
At once, the horse neighed; the guards seized our hero and took him before their lord.
"I'll give you the golden horse," said the lord, "if you bring me a golden maiden who has never seen the sun or the moon."
"Very well; but if you want me to bring you the golden maiden, you must lend me your golden horse: I'll ride it to find her."
"But who guarantees you'll return?"
"I swear on my father's head that I'll bring you the maiden or the horse."
And off he went. The fox, ever kind, led him to the entrance of a great cave. There he found the golden maiden and took her on his horse.
"Don't you regret," said the fox, "giving such a beautiful maiden for a golden horse! But you can't do otherwise, for you swore on your father's head. Still, I might be able to replace the girl."
Indeed, at that moment, the fox turned into a golden maiden. Young Fool brought her to the lord, who was delighted. He regained his father's vine, married the beautiful golden-haired maiden, and lived long and happily with her.