*Hungarian fairy tales : The Prince Who Would Seek Immortality*

*Summarized by Jane*

*Once upon a time, there was a king who loved his son so much that he chose his tutors and governors very carefully. He thought the prince was wiser and cleverer than any son ever was before. When he grew up, the King sent him to travel so that he might see the ways of other people, and find that they were often as good as his own.When he got back, the prince changed from a happy man to become a sad and thoughtful man.The King was worried and tried to understand the reason. Finally, the prince told him because he wanted to find the land of immortality. Next day, he left his fatherland.*

*One day, he met a huge tree and the King of Eagles. The King of Eagles invited him a night with his family. After knowing his dream, the King of Eagles wanted him to get married with his daughter to become one of his family’s member because he and his family could live six hundred years more until the huge tree was rooted up.The prince refused his kindness because his dream was to live in immortality.*

*One evening,he reached the top of a high mountain. He saw a bald head King digging up spadefuls of earth and throwing them in a basket busily. After the basket was full, he took it away and returned with an empty one to fill it again. The King invited him to spend a night with his family. Like the King of Eagles, he also wanted the prince to get married with his daughter because he and his family could live eight hundred years more until he leveled this great mountain. The Prince refused him with the same reason.*

*He continued his journey until he arrived at a Queen’s palace. Like the King of Eagles and the bald head King, after knowing his dream, the Queen told him to get married with her because she and her family could live a thousand year more until she worn out the needles in sewing in a room. The prince again refused her with the same reason.*

*Finally, the Prince came to the Immortality City and got married with the Queen there. One thousand years passed, the Prince had the feeling like it was just six months. He dreamed to meet his parents again. The Queen told him his parents passed away long time but she couldn’t persuade him to stay. She gave him a silver flask and the water which could make a person die and a golden flask and the water which could make a person alive. On the way back home, he saved the lives of the King of Eagles, the bald head King and the Queen of the previous palace because a thousand year had passed. After finding that his parents passed away and lied at the bottom of a great sulphur lake. He couldn’t save his parent’s lives. Meanwhile the prince didn’t know where he should go, the Death appeared and wanted to take him with him. The Queen his wife had been watching him so far. She bet with the Death to bring him back with her. She won and saved him.*