The three sons of Fortune

A father once called his three sons before him, and he gave to the

first a cock, to the second a scythe, and to the third a cat.  I am

already aged, said he, my death is nigh, and I have wished to provide

for you before my end, money I have not, and what I now give you

seems of little worth, but all depends on your making a sensible use

of it.  Only seek out a country where such things are still unknown,

and your fortune is made.

After the father's death the eldest went away with his cock, but

wherever he came the cock was already known, in the towns he saw him

from a long distance, sitting upon the steeples and turning round

with the wind, and in the villages he heard more than one crowing, no

one would show any wonder at the creature, so that it did not look as

if he would make his fortune by it.

At last, however, it happened that he came to an island where the

people knew nothing about cocks, and did not even understand how to

divide their time.  They certainly knew when it was morning or

evening, but at night, if they did not sleep through it, not one of

them knew how to find out the time.

Look. Said he, what a proud creature.  It has a ruby-red crown upon

its head, and wears spurs like a knight, it calls you three times

during the night, at fixed hours, and when it calls for the last

time, the sun soon rises.  But if it crows by broad daylight, then

take notice, for there will certainly be a change of weather.

The people were well pleased, for a whole night they did not sleep,

and listened with great delight as the cock at two, four, and six

o'clock, loudly and clearly proclaimed the time.  They asked if the

creature were for sale, and how much he wanted for it.  About as much

gold as an ass can carry, answered he.  A ridiculously small price

for such a precious creature. They cried unanimously, and willingly

gave him what he had asked.

When he came home with his wealth his brothers were astonished, and

the second said, well, I will go forth and see whether I cannot get

rid of my scythe as profitably.  But it did not look as if he would,

for laborers met him everywhere, and they had scythes upon their

shoulders as well as he.

At last, however, he chanced upon an island where the people knew

nothing of scythes.  When the corn was ripe there, they took cannon

out to the fields and shot it down.  Now this was rather an uncertain

affair, many shot right over it, others hit the ears instead of the

stems, and shot them away, whereby much was lost, and besides all

this, it made a terrible noise.  So the man set to work and mowed it

down so quietly and quickly that the people opened their mouths with

astonishment.  They agreed to give him what he wanted for the scythe,

and he received a horse laden with as much gold as it could carry.

And now the third brother wanted to take his cat to the right man. He

fared just like the others, so long as he stayed on the mainland

there was nothing to be done.  Every place had cats, and there were

so many of them that new-born kittens were generally drowned in the

ponds.

At last he sailed over to an island, and it luckily happened that no

cats had ever yet been seen there, and that the mice had got the

upper hand so much that they danced upon the tables and benches

whether the master were at home or not.  The people complained

bitterly of the plague, the king himself in his palace did not know

how to protect himself against them, mice squeaked in every corner,

and gnawed whatever they could lay hold of with their teeth.

But now the cat began her chase, and soon cleared a couple of rooms,

and the people begged the king to buy the wonderful beast for the

country.  The king willingly gave what was asked, which was a mule

laden with gold, and the third brother came home with the greatest

treasure of all.

The cat made herself merry with the mice in the royal palace, and

killed so many that they could not be counted.  At last she grew warm

with the work and thirsty, so she stood still, lifted up her head and

cried, mew. Mew.

When they heard this strange cry, the king and all his people were

frightened, and in their terror ran all at once out of the palace.

Then the king took counsel what was best to be done, at last it was

determined to send a herald to the cat, and demand that she should

leave the palace, or if not, she was to expect that force would be

used against her.  The councillors said, rather will we let ourselves

be plagued with the mice, for to that misfortune we are accustomed,

than give up our lives to such a monster as this.  A noble youth,

therefore, was sent to ask the cat whether she would peaceably quit

the castle.  But the cat, whose thirst had become still greater,

merely answered, mew. Mew.  The youth understood her to say, "Most

certainly not. Most certainly not." And took this answer to the king.

Then, said the councillors, she shall yield to force. Cannon were

brought out, and the palace was soon in flames.  When the fire

reached the room where the cat was sitting, she sprang safely out of

the window, but the besiegers did not leave off until the whole

palace was shot down to the ground.

Slowly,the Siamese cat walked around in search of the third son and a few steps on and the cat saw the dead corpse on the floor and wondered what had happened.A few hours later the cat had wondered into the far north of the beloved village and was confused at the sight it saw.The cock was there walking around and pecking at some old seeds on the floor.The vicious cat's instincts told it to jump at the cock but it realised that they were family since the king gave the cock to the first son and the cat to the third.So they were family.Right.Surely.Far beyond this craziness the second son lurked in a graveyard waiting to attack the hidden fourth son...