*Once upon a time, there was a King who whenever sneezed, everybody in his kingdom had to say”To your good health!’. There was only a shepherd who didn’t say that. The King heard about him. He sent for the shepherd to appear before him and ordered the shepherd to say that. But the shepherd didn’t obey him to say that. After for a while, The shepherd told the King that if the King wanted him to say that, The king must allow him and the princess to get married. The King was very angry and ordered to lock him with a white bear which didn’t eat for two days and was very hungry a day and night. When the bear met the shepherd, it was very afraid of the look of his eyes. It turned into a corner of the pit. After a day and a night, The King found the shepherd who was still fine. He ordered him to say ”To your good health!” The shepherd still didn’t obey him and told him he would do that if the King allowed him and his daughter to get married. The King was very angry and ordered the shepherd to be thrown into the den with the wild boars which had not been fed for a week for a night. When the boars met the shepherd, the shepherd played the flute to make them dance whole night. The next day, The King found the shepherd who was still fine. Again he ordered the shepherd to say ”To your good health!. The shepherd still didn’t obey him and again told him he would do that if the King allowed him and his daughter to get married. The King was very angry and again ordered to throw the shepherd into a deep well with sharp scythes all round it. Before the guards threw him into the well, the shepherd told the guards to let him alone a little while and he might change and obey the King’s order. He stuck up his long stick near the well, hung his cloak around the stick and put his hat on the top. He also hung his knapsack up inside the cloak so that it might seem to have some body within it. Then he called the guards. The guard threw the effigy he made into the well.The next day, the King was extremely angry to find the shepherd who was still fine. He cried when ordered the shepherd to say ”To your good health!. The shepherd just obeyed if the princess was his wife. The King offered him a silver wood then a golden castle and a diamond pond. All he refused and just wanted to get married with the princess. The King told him he would let him get married to the princess if he truly and really said “To your good health.”. The Shepherd finally said that then he and the princess got married. After the King passed away, The shepherd became the King of the kingdom, everybody in the kingdom loved him so much. Even he didn’t order them to say “To your good health” But they loved him so much and they usually said that.*
*Author: Tuyet Huynh*
*Contact: tuyethuynh11112021@gmail.com*