A woman and her husband lived in a kingdom governed by a fair king.

The woman was sad all the time because she didn’t have any children. She always prayed to have a baby boy or girl.

God answered her prayers and she gave birth to a girl. The girl grew up and became very beautiful.

One day, while her father was hunting in the forest, he saw the strong lion that belonged to the big monster of the forest. He shot it through the head and killed it.

When the monster found out what had happened to his lion, he became very angry and said: “I will know who killed my lion.”

Then he looked at his crow and asked him: “Who killed my beautiful strong lion?”

The crow answered: “A man killed it and I can take you to his house.”

The monster said: “I will disguise myself as a cat and I will turn you into an old woman and let you carry me.”

The monster turned itself into a cat and transferred the crow into an old woman. The crow took the monster to the man’s house. The monster said to the crow: “Go back home now and I will take revenge on the man who killed my lion.”

The monster entered the house but did not find the man and his wife. There was only their little daughter.

The monster said: “I will have my revenge on the girl.” And he transferred the girl into a stone and ran away.

When the husband and the wife returned home, they couldn"t find their beautiful daughter but they saw a stone which looked like her. They knew then about the monster’s deed and started to cry.

Meanwhile, the king and his son, the prince, were checking on their people and saw the parents crying. The king asked them why they were crying.

“The evil monster transformed our daughter into a stone,” replied the parents.

The prince said: “I will take revenge on the monster for you.”

The king said: “No, son. Hr is big, you can’t kill it.”

“I insist, father,” replied the prince.

The king never refused anything to his only son. As for the parents, they thanked the prince and wished him luck.

The prince prepared his luggage and crossed the forest searching for the evil monster.

While he was walking, he saw a cave and decided to rest in it. He saw an old woman inside, so he asked her: “Can I spend the night here in your cave ?”

“You’re most welcome,” replied the old woman.

The prince was so tired that he fell into a deep sleep, and when he woke up in the morning, the old woman was still asleep. He cut some wood and made a fire to prepare breakfast.

When the old woman woke up, she found everything ready, so she thanked the prince and told him: “You are a good person. I will fulfill all your desires.”

After they had breakfast, the old woman asked the prince: “What are you doing in this deserted forest ?”

“I came to kill the monster,” replied the prince.

The old woman said: “You can’t kill it.”

“Why,” replied the prince.

The old woman said: “Because you don’t have the magical sword and the flying horse.”

“I can kill it with my mighty sword and fast horse,” replied the prince.

The old woman nodded and said: “The magical sword can cut the monster into pieces, and the flying horse can fly as high as the monster.”

“Where can I find the horse and the sword?” asked the prince.

The old woman answered: “They are at the house of the deadly snake which has many treasures.” “But beware, for the snake transfers everyone who touches it into a stone,” added the old woman.

The prince thanked the old woman and left the cave after she showed him the way o the deadly snake’s house.

When the prince entered the snake’s house, the snake twisted around his neck and tried to kill him, but the prince was strong and courageous. He drew his dagger and stabbed the snake.

After that, he looked around him and saw the valuable treasures, among them the sword and the horse. He took them and left.

Soon after, the prince encountered the monster on his path. The prince drew the magical sword and flew up high on the horse’s back, then attacked the monster and stabbed the monster’s eye saying: “If you don’t transfer the girl into her normal form again, I will kill you!”

The monster obeyed but even so the prince killed it to get rid of its evil once and for all, then he returned home with the beautiful girl.

The prince’s parents were happy to see their son again, and the girl’s parents were delighted to have their only daughter back.

The hunter could think of nothing more valuable to him than his daughter and so he offered her hand in marriage to the prince in thanks for his bravery.

In the end, the prince and the hunter’s daughter got married and lived happily ever after.