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The Water of Life

Englische und Amerikanische Flagge als Symbol für die aktuelle Sprachwahl
Deutsche Flagge - Wechsel zur Auflistung aller Märchen auf Deutsch
Ein Kind, das einem alten Mann/König einen Krug Wasser reicht.

The youngest king's son manages to find the water of life and saves sick father. But the brothers do not want a happy ending. Does it succeed?

Der Froschkönig oder der eiserne Heinrich
Katze und Maus in Gesellschaft
Marienkind
Von einem, der auszog, das Fürchten zu lernen
Der Wolf und die sieben jungen Geißlein
Der treue Johannes
Der gute Handel
Der wunderliche Spielmann
Die zwölf Brüder
Das Lumpengesindel
Brüderchen und Schwesterchen
Rapunzel
Die drei Männlein im Walde
Die drei Spinnerinnen
Hänsel und Gretel
Die drei Schlangenblätter
Die weiße Schlange
Strohhalm, Kohle und Bohne
Von dem Fischer und seiner Frau
Das tapfere Schneiderlein
Aschenputtel
Das Rätsel
Von dem Mäuschen, Vögelchen und der Bratwurst
Frau Holle
Die sieben Raben
Rotkäppchen
Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten
Der singende Knochen
Der Teufel mit den drei goldenen Haaren
Läuschen und Flöhchen
Das Mädchen ohne Hände
Der gescheite Hans
Die drei Sprachen
Die kluge Else
Der Schneider im Himmel
Tischchen deck dich, Goldesel und Knüppel aus dem Sack
Daumesdick
Die Hochzeit der Frau Füchsin
Die Wichtelmänner
Der Räuberbräutigam
Herr Korbes
Der Herr Gevatter
Frau Trude
Der Gevatter Tod
Daumerlings Wanderschaft
Fitchers Vogel
Von dem Machandelboom
Der alte Sultan
Die sechs Schwäne
Dornröschen
Fundevogel
König Drosselbart
Schneewittchen
Der Ranzen, das Hütlein und das Hörnlein
Rumpelstilzchen
Der liebste Roland
Der goldene Vogel
Der Hund und der Sperling
Der Frieder und das Katherlieschen
Die zwei Brüder
Das Bürle
Die Bienenkönigin
Die drei Federn
Die goldene Gans
Allerleirauh
Häsichenbraut
Die zwölf Jäger
Von dem Sommer- und Wintergarten
Jorinde und Joringel
Die drei Glückskinder
Sechse kommen durch die ganze Welt
Der Wolf und der Mensch
Der Wolf und der Fuchs
Der Fuchs und die Frau Gevatterin
Der Fuchs und die Katze
Die Nelke
Das kluge Gretel
Der alte Großvater und der Enkel
Die Wassernixe
Von dem Tode des Hühnchens
Bruder Lustig
Der Spielhansl
Hans im Glück
Hans heiratet
Die Goldkinder
Der Fuchs und die Gänse
Der Arme und der Reiche
Das singende, springende Löweneckerchen
Die Gänsemagd
Der junge Riese
Das Erdmännchen
Der König vom goldenen Berg
Die Rabe
Die kluge Bauerntochter
Der alte Hildebrand
Die drei Vögelchen
Das Wasser des Lebens
Doktor Allwissend
Der Geist im Glas
Des Teufels rußiger Bruder
Der Bärenhäuter
Der Zaunkönig und der Bär
Der süße Brei
Die klugen Leute
Märchen von der Unke
Der arme Müllerbursch und das Kätzchen
Die beiden Wanderer
Hans mein Igel
Das Totenhemdchen
Der Jude im Dorn
Der gelernte Jäger
Der Dreschflegel vom Himmel
Die beiden Königskinder
Vom klugen Schneiderlein
Die klare Sonne bringts an den Tag
Das blaue Licht
Das eigensinnige Kind
Die drei Feldscherer
Die sieben Schwaben
Die drei Handwerksburschen
Der Königssohn, der sich vor nichts fürchtet
Der Krautesel
Die Alte im Wald
Die drei Brüder
Der Teufel und seine Großmutter
Ferdinand getreu und Ferdinand ungetreu
Der Eisenofen
Die faule Spinnerin
Die vier kunstreichen Brüder
Einäuglein, Zweiäuglein und Dreiäuglein
Die schöne Katrinelje und Pif Paf Poltrie
Der Fuchs und das Pferd
Die zertanzten Schuhe
Die sechs Diener
Die weiße und die schwarze Braut
Der Eisenhans
Die drei schwarzen Prinzessinnen
Knoist und seine drei Söhne
Das Mädchen von Brakel
Das Hausgesinde
Das Lämmchen und Fischchen
Simeliberg
Auf Reisen gehen
Das Eselein
Der undankbare Sohn
Die Rübe
Das junggeglühte Männlein
Des Herrn und des Teufels Getier
Der Hahnenbalken
Die alte Bettelfrau
Die drei Faulen
Das Hirtenbüblein
Die Sterntaler
Der gestohlene Heller
Die Brautschau
Die Schlickerlinge
Der Sperling und seine vier Kinder
Das Märchen vom Schlaraffenland
Das Dietmarsische Lügenmärchen
Rätselmärchen
Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot
Der kluge Knecht
Der gläserne Sarg
Der faule Heinz
Der Vogel Greif
Der starke Hans
Das Bürle im Himmel
Die hagere Liese
Das Waldhaus
Lieb und Leid teilen
Der Zaunkönig
Die Scholle
Rohrdommel und Wiedehopf
Die Eule
Der Mond
Die Lebenszeit
Die Boten des Todes
Meister Pfriem
Die Gänsehirtin am Brunnen
Die ungleichen Kinder Evas
Die Nixe im Teich
Die Geschenke des kleinen Volkes
Der Riese und der Schneider
Der Nagel
Der arme Junge im Grab
Die wahre Braut
Der Hase und der Igel
Spindel, Weberschiffchen und Nadel
Der Bauer und der Teufel
Die Brosamen auf dem Tisch
Das Meerhäschen
Der Meisterdieb
Der Trommler
Die Kornähre
Der Grabhügel
Oll Rinkrank
Die Kristallkugel
Jungfrau Maleen
Die Stiefel von Büffelleder
Der goldene Schlüssel

Once upon a time there was a king who was ill, and no one believed that he would escape with his life. But he had three sons who were saddened by this and went down to the castle garden and wept. An old man met them and asked them about their sorrow. They told him that their father was so ill that he would probably die, for nothing would help him. Then the old man said, "I know another remedy, that is the water of life, if he drinks of it, he will be well again: but it is hard to find. The eldest said, 'I will find it,' and went to the sick king and asked him to allow him to go out to look for the water of life, for that alone could heal him. No," said the king, "the danger is too great, I would rather die. But he begged until the king agreed. The prince thought in his heart, 'If I bring the water, I will be the dearest to my father and inherit the kingdom.

So he set off, and when he had ridden away for a while, there was a dwarf standing on the path, who called him and said, 'Where out so fast?' 'Silly boy,' said the prince proudly, 'you don't need to know that,' and rode on. But the little man had become angry and had made an evil wish. Soon after, the prince came to a mountain gorge, and the further he rode, the narrower the mountains became, and at last the way became so narrow that he could not go a step further; it was not possible to turn the horse or get out of the saddle, and he sat there like a prisoner. The sick king waited for him for a long time, but he did not come. Then the second son said, 'Father, let me go out and seek the water,' thinking to himself, 'If my brother is dead, the kingdom is mine.' At first the king did not want to let him go either, but at last he gave in. So the prince went on the same way his brother had gone, and met the dwarf, who stopped him and asked where he was going in such a hurry. Little squirt,' said the prince, 'you don't need to know,' and rode off without looking back. But the dwarf cursed him, and he, like the other, fell into a mountain ravine and could not go forward or backward. But this is what happens to the arrogant.
When the second son also stayed away, the youngest offered to go and fetch the water, and the king finally had to let him go. When he met the dwarf and he asked where he was going in such a hurry, he stopped, gave him an answer and said 'I am looking for the water of life, because my father is sick to death. Do you know where to find it? No' said the prince. Because you have behaved as you should, not boisterously like your false brothers, I will give you information and tell you how to get to the water of life. It springs from a well in the courtyard of a cursed castle, but you will not enter it unless I give you an iron rod and two loaves of bread. Strike the iron gate of the castle three times with the rod, and it will burst open: inside lie two lions who open their jaws, but if you throw a loaf of bread into each of them, they will be quiet, and then hurry and fetch some of the water of life before it strikes twelve, otherwise the gate will strike again and you will be locked in. The prince thanked him, took the rod and the bread, and went on his way. And when he arrived, everything was as the dwarf had said. The gate burst open at the third stroke of the rod, and when he had appeased the lions with the bread, he entered the castle and came into a large beautiful hall: in it sat cursed princes, from whom he pulled the rings off their fingers, then there lay a sword and a loaf of bread, which he took away. And further he came into a room, in it stood a beautiful virgin, who rejoiced when she saw him, kissed him and said he had redeemed her, and should have her whole kingdom, and if he came again in a year, their wedding should be celebrated. Then she also told him where the well with the water of life was, but he had to hurry and draw from it before it struck twelve. So he went on and finally came to a room where there was a beautiful, freshly made bed, and because he was tired, he wanted to rest a little first. So he lay down and fell asleep: when he awoke, it was three quarters of twelve. Then he jumped up, quite frightened, ran to the well and drew from it with a cup that was standing next to it, and hurried to get away. Just as he was going out to the iron gate, twelve o'clock struck, and the gate slammed shut so violently that it took a piece off his heel.

But he was glad that he had obtained the water of life, went home and passed the dwarf again. When the dwarf saw the sword and the bread, he said, "With this you have won great goods, with the sword you can beat whole armies, but the bread will never be enough. The prince did not want to come home to his father without his brothers, so he said, "Dear dwarf, can't you tell me where my two brothers are? they left earlier than I did for the water of life and have not returned. They are locked between two mountains," said the dwarf, "and I have cursed them there because they were so wanton. Then the prince begged until the dwarf let them go again, but he warned him and said 'beware of them, they have an evil heart'.

When his brothers came, he rejoiced and told them how he had fared, that he had found the water of life and had taken a cup full with him and had redeemed a beautiful princess, who wanted to wait for him for a year, then the wedding would be held and he would get a great kingdom. After that they rode away together and came into a country where there was famine and war, and the king thought he would have to perish, so great was the need. Then the prince went to him and gave him bread, with which he fed and satisfied his whole kingdom; and then the prince also gave him the sword, with which he defeated the armies of his enemies and could now live in peace and quiet. Then the prince took back his bread and sword, and the three brothers rode on. But they still came to two countries where there was famine and war, and there the prince gave his bread and sword to the kings each time, and had now saved three kingdoms. And after that they got on a ship and sailed across the sea. During the voyage the two eldest said among themselves 'the youngest has found the water of life and we have not, for this our father will give him the kingdom that is ours and he will take away our fortune'. Then they became vengeful and agreed with each other that they would destroy him. They waited until he was fast asleep, then they poured out the water of life from the cup and took it for themselves, but to him they poured bitter sea water.
When they arrived home, the youngest brought his cup to the sick king so that he could drink from it and get well. But no sooner had he drunk a little of the bitter sea water than he became even more ill than before. And as he lamented, the two eldest sons came and accused the youngest of trying to poison him, and they brought him the true water of life and gave it to him. No sooner had he drunk it than he felt his illness disappear and he became strong and healthy as in his younger days. Then the two went to the youngest and mocked him, saying, "You have found the water of life, but you have had the trouble and we the reward; you should have been wiser and kept your eyes open, we took it from you while you were asleep on the sea, and over the year one of us will take the beautiful king's daughter. But beware that you do not reveal anything about it, the father does not believe you, and if you say a single word, you shall lose your life on top of it, but if you keep silent, it shall be given to you.

The old king was angry with his youngest son and believed that he had tried to kill him. So he had the court assembled and pronounced the sentence on him that he should be shot secretly. When the prince rode out to hunt and did not suspect any harm, the king's hunter had to go with him. Outside, when they were all alone in the forest, and the huntsman looked so sad, the prince said to him, 'Dear huntsman, what is wrong with you? The huntsman said, 'I can't tell you, but I should. Then the prince said, "Tell me what it is, and I will forgive you. Ah,' said the huntsman, 'I am to shoot you to death, the king has ordered me to do it.' Then the prince was frightened and said: 'Dear hunter, let me live, I will give you my royal dress, give me your bad one in return. The hunter said, "I will do that gladly, I could not have shot at you. So they exchanged clothes, and the hunter went home, but the prince went further into the forest.

About a time there came to the old king three chariots with gold and precious stones for his youngest son: but they were sent by the three kings, who had slain the enemies with the prince's sword and fed their country with his bread, and who wanted to show their gratitude. Then the old king thought, 'Should my son have been innocent?' and said to his people, 'If he were still alive, how sorry I am that I let him be killed. He is still alive,' said the hunter, 'I could not bring myself to carry out your order,' and told the king how it had happened. Then a stone fell from the king's heart, and he sent word to all the kingdoms that his son might return and be received into grace.

But the king's daughter had a road made in front of her castle, all golden and shining, and told her people whoever came riding straight to her on it would be the right one, and they should let him in, but whoever came next to it would not be the right one, and they should not let him in either. When the time was almost up, the eldest thought he would hurry and go to the king's daughter and pretend to be her savior, so that he would get her as his wife and the kingdom next to her. So he rode away, and when he came before the castle and saw the beautiful golden road, he thought, "That would be a pity if you rode along it," and turned away and rode along to the right. But when he came to the gate, the people told him that he was not the right one and that he should go away again. Soon the second prince set out, and when he came to the golden road, and the horse had set foot on it, he thought, 'It would be a pity, it might be a bit of a waste,' and turned away and rode off to the left. But when he came to the gate, the people said he was not the right one, he should go away again. When the year was over, the third wanted to ride out of the forest to his beloved and forget his sorrow with her. So he set off, thinking of her all the time, and would have liked to be with her already, but he did not see the golden road at all. Then his horse rode over the middle of it, and when he came to the gate, it was opened, and the king's daughter received him with joy and said that he was her savior and the lord of the kingdom, and the wedding was held with great happiness. And when it was over, she told him that his father had sent for him and forgiven him. Then he rode up and told him everything, how his brothers had betrayed him and yet he had kept silent about it. The old king wanted to punish them, but they had put to sea and sailed away and did not come back again for the rest of their lives.

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