"The Nine-Seeded Apple" is a delightful and enchanting Armenian folk tale that unfolds through the engaging storytelling of Mrs. Kartoon Mauradian. This timeless story is filled with rich cultural elements and vivid imagery, making it a truly immersive experience for all who hear it.
Let's Read;
There was once a king who had no children. He was very sad
about this but could do nothing to change matters. One day he
and his vizier went for a walk and met a dervish. "Hello, Your
Majesty," the dervish said. The king was very much surprised for he was in disguise and thought that no one could recognize him.
"How did you know that I was the king?" he asked."Oh, I know that you are the king and that you are very sad because you don't have children," the dervish replied. "Perhaps I can help you. In this apple, there are nine seeds. Give three seeds to your wife, and she will have three sons; give three seeds to your favorite mare and she will have three colts; plant the other
three in front of your palace, and three trees will grow, one for
each son. I will do all this for you, but when your youngest son
is seven years old, I will come to the palace and ask you to
give me one of your sons. If you promise me this, I will give you
this magic apple."
The king thought that this was a good bargain, so he accepted the apple and with his vizier started back to his palace. He cut open the apple and gave three seeds to his wife, three seeds to his favorite mare, and planted the other three seeds. Soon three sons were born to the queen, three colts were born to the favorite mare, and three trees appeared in front of the palace. The king did not tell his wife about his meeting with the dervish, and the queen did not know of the bargain her husband had made. When the first son was fifteen years old, the second son ten years old, and the youngest son seven years old, the trees had grown proportionally. Whenever the boys did not feel well, the trees looked sickly too. One day the dervish came to the palace and asked to see the king, "Your Majesty, I said that when your youngest son was seven years old, I would come to claim one of your boys. I am here now, and you must do as you promised." The king was very sad, but what could he do? He could not break his promise. So he went to his wife and told her about the bargain he had made many years ago. She, too, became very sad. "What shall we do? Which of the boys shall we give?" "Oh, surely, not our eldest!" the queen said. "No, not our eldest." "Nor our second son," the queen said. "No, not our second son, either." "Not our youngest! He is so young!" "But he is the only one left. We must give him to the dervish!" the king said. So the young seven-year-old prince was given to the dervish. The dervish took the boy, and together they started. When they were quite a distance from the palace, the dervish beat the boy and knocked him down. Then he sat on his horse and rode on.
The little colt, which the prince had left at home, sensing that his master was in danger, had left the stable and was following the boy. When he saw his master on the ground, he licked his face and helped him to get up. Then the boy sat on the colt's back, and they started again, following the cruel dervish. On the road, the boy met another dervish who was a good one. He said to the young prince, "My son, for fifteen years your master, the dervish, will put you to studying, and he will imprison your colt. After many years, he will ask you to bring him a big book. But don't go after it. Finally, he will become angry and will get it himself. When this happens, hit the door through which he passes, and the knife which is above it will fall on him and kill him."
The youth thanked the good dervish and told his colt to go where they must. The colt took him to a cave where he knew the dervish was waiting for them. The big rock at the mouth of the cave rolled away, and the colt and rider entered. The dervish was inside. To the colt, he said, "Go to your place!" and the colt quietly went to one corner and stood there. To the boy, he said, "You will stay in this cave and study and learn for fifteen years. After that time, I will return."
Meanwhile, in the palace garden, the smallest tree looked sickly indeed! After fifteen years, the dervish returned. He stayed at the cave for several days; then, one day, he asked the young prince to bring him the big book. The boy remembered what the good dervish had told him many years before, so he replied, "Which big book? I don't know which one you want!"
"That one, that one there!" the dervish said, pointing to the book he wanted.
"That one?" the youth asked, and he purposely went to the wrong one.
The dervish became angry and went to get the book himself.
At that moment, the prince quickly hit the door through which the dervish had passed, and a big knife fell and killed him.
The prince then decided to move one of the rocks on the floor to see what was underneath, and he saw a great river with many dead bodies floating in it. He knew that if he had not killed the dervish, his body would have been in this river one day, too."That one, that one there!" the dervish said, pointing to the book he wanted.
"That one?" the youth asked, and he purposely went to the wrong one.
The dervish became angry and went to get the book himself.
At that moment, the prince quickly hit the door through which the dervish had passed, and a big knife fell and killed him.
The prince then decided to move one of the rocks on the floor to see what was underneath, and he saw a great river with many dead bodies floating in it. He knew that if he had not killed the dervish, his body would have been in this river one day, too.
The boy went among the rocks forming the outer part of the cave and found many keys as well as silver and gold pieces. Nearby, he saw a golden river which led to a lower world. When he reached that world, he washed his face and hands in the water because he had not washed for fifteen years. But when he did this, his whole body became golden! He looked around and finally found and freed his colt. He washed the animal in the golden water as well. Taking along a large sack of gold, he mounted his horse, and together they climbed to the world above.
Meanwhile, the oldest prince, seeing that the tree of his youngest brother was bent and sickly, decided to set out and help him. Soon the tree of the first brother became bent, too. Then the second brother set out to find his two brothers. And soon his tree was also bent. But when the youngest brother reached the world above, the third tree straightened up, and his parents knew that he, at least, was safe again. Finally, the two brothers found their younger brother, and they were all happy. But while they were on their way back to the palace, a cruel giant suddenly appeared in front of them and said, "I will not let you pass unless you do as I ask. A very strong man has taken my wife to that mountain, and I am afraid to go there for he is stronger than I am. If one of you will go up the mountain, kill the man, and bring my wife down, I will let you go free."
That night, at least, was safe again.
Finally, the two brothers found their younger brother, and they were all happy. But while they were on their way back to the palace, a cruel giant suddenly appeared in front of them and said, "I will not let you pass unless you do as I ask. A very strong man has taken my wife to that mountain, and I am afraid to go there for he is stronger than I am. If one of you will go up the mountain, kill the man, and bring my wife down, I will let you go free." So, the youngest brother went up to the mountain, killed the strong man, and returned with the giant's wife, who was not his wife at all but a beautiful princess. Then the youngest prince killed the giant, too, and with his brothers went to the giant's cave and took all of his gold. The youngest brother liked the princess and decided to marry her. But just then, he discovered that his little colt had disappeared. The colt returned to the palace, and when the king saw it, he knew that his youngest son could not be far away.
The colt, meanwhile, went directly to the stable to tell the other horses about their masters. Then he led the way to where the three brothers and the princess were waiting. They all sat on their horses and returned home. After that, the trees always stood
straight and tall.
*****
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