Sometimes, to forget his worries, he would go alone into the mountains, but when he saw how the birds flew towards their nests to look after their little ones, how the old she-bear played with her cubs and how the mare galloped with her colts in the fields, he began to wonder what would become of his kingdom when he would leave it without an heir. Little surprise that in this frame of mind, he lost his way in the mountains. Finally he came upon a spring and decided to rest.

“I can at least quench my thirst and rest awhile before thinking how I can find my way out of this place” he said to himself.

But the spring was filled with dried leaves and mud. Nevertheless it flowed between the rocks. The king got into the water and removed the leaves in such a way that the wind would not be able to blow them back into the stream. He cleaned the source and repaired the stone gully. Then he lay down in the grass to rest.

He had no sooner closed his eyes when he heard a sweet voice coming from the nearest tree.

“I thank you, kind king for cleaning our spring. As a recompense, my sisters and I will grant your wish if you tell us what you most desire.”

The king was rather afraid, and he turned and saw the nymph leaning against the tree.

“Nothing”, sighed the king, “and I respect the masters of water. You know that what I most desire, and nothing more, is to have an heir to whom I can entrust my kingdom when I die.”

“Don’t worry” replied the fairy nymph.” This summer you will have a son.” and with that she disappeared silently in the wind.

When the hot summer arrived, the people from all the corners of his kingdom were invited to the royal castle to admire the king’s son. The Queen placed him in the arms of his father and they both smiled at their son through their tears of joy.

When all the guests had gone to bed, and the queen slept in a deep sleep, the three nymphs of the spring leaned over the golden crib.

“What shall we give him?” they said. “We have already given him beauty, so let’s give him health and intelligence.” – But the eldest of the nymphs added a moment later “So that he doesn’t despise anyone because he is handsome, healthy and intelligent, it would be better if he had Donkey’s ears so that it will spoil his beauty a little.”

And so it was.

The ears grew and grew until they became really like a donkey’s ears. Therefore the king decided to ask his cleverest valet to comb and cut the prince’s hair in such a way that the ears couldn’t be seen. No one was allowed to touch the prince’s head except the king, the queen and the valet. The valet received a very handsome salary, but nevertheless the king threatened that if he revealed to anyone that the prince had Donkey’s ears, he would go straight to the executioner. “And you won’t be able to escape.”

For many years the valet kept the secret, but then it became a great burden to him. He was afraid of revealing the secret by talking in his sleep. He decided therefore to whisper his secret in a place where no one would hear. He followed a little stream and left the garden of the palace. He found a place where among the willows grew some reeds. No one was there, nor was there the least sound except the distant sound of birds. The valet lay down and fell into a deep sleep, as though he was drowned. He had a strange dream: He dreamed that a young and beautiful woman came to him and leaning towards his head, whispered: “Dig a deep trench in the ground and whisper your secret into the trench. Plant on the surface a carpet of herbs and your secret will remain forever buried”.

He did this and returned home. Unfortunately among the herbs he had sown, there were some young reed shoots. They grew well.

One day three shepherds with their flock came across the reeds and saw how good they were. They cut some to make flutes. They made them so well that they were able to use them the next day. BUT imagine their horror, when they began to play them three voices flowed out of the flutes and each voice sang “Our prince has donkey’s ears.”

It was not long before the king heard of this astonishing fact. He ordered his guards to bring the shepherds and their flutes to him AND his son’s valet and the executioner!

“Play the song you played this morning”, ordered the king. The shepherds trembled, but had no option but to obey.

“Our prince has donkey’s ears” sang the three flutes three times.

The valet dropped to his knees and swore that he had not betrayed the secret. Beside himself, the king did not stop to let the valet prove his innocence.

“Take this liar and let him receive the punishment he deserves!”

At these words, the prince jumped up and threw off the crown which hid his ears and, bowing before the king said:

“No, my father, No. I beg you to pardon my impertinence, but do not punish anyone unjustly. What does it matter if I do have donkey’s ears, it makes me remember that I must never speak or act stupidly like the poor donkey.”

No one took their eyes off the prince, and no one but he could see the oldest of the nymphs, who was in the shelter of the doorway. She spoke in a voice as clear as the waters of a spring. “You have acted well my prince, in defending the truth against the anger of the king. You are wise and shrewd, you know no vanity and that is why we are going to relieve you of your donkey’s ears, which afflict you so uselessly.”

When the prince shook his head, he was able to show that he had ears like everyone else.

What joy in the kingdom. The king immediately gave the crown to his son and invited the rulers of the surrounding kingdoms to a great banquet, including the most beautiful princesses from the nine neighbouring kingdoms.

The court minstrel immediately composed a song and taught it to the youngest singers of the court and all the fine people of the country, so that they would all know what a good king they would have in the future.