A long time ago, a King fell very ill. No one thought he would live. His three sons were very sad. In the palace garden, they met a little man who told them, "There is only one thing that can save your father: the Water of Life. But it is very hard to find."
The eldest son said, "I will find it!" He thought that if he saved his father, he would become the next King. As he rode through a valley, he met a dwarf. "Where are you going so fast?" the dwarf asked. "It’s none of your business, you ugly creature!" the prince shouted and rode on. But the dwarf was magic. He put a spell on the prince, and the mountain path became so narrow that the prince could not move forward or backward. He was trapped.
When the eldest son did not return, the second son set out. He was also rude to the dwarf, and he ended up trapped in the mountains just like his brother.
Finally, the youngest son went to look for the water. When he met the dwarf, he spoke kindly. "I am looking for the Water of Life for my sick father," he said. "Can you help me?"
Because the prince was polite, the dwarf gave him advice and two magic items: an iron stick and two small loaves of bread. "Go to the enchanted castle," the dwarf said. "Hit the iron door three times with the stick. Inside, there are two hungry lions. Throw them the bread, and they will let you pass. But hurry! You must get the water and leave before the clock strikes twelve, or the door will close forever."
The prince followed the instructions. He entered the castle, passed the lions, and found a beautiful princess. She thanked him for breaking a spell on her and promised to marry him in one year. She showed him the well with the Water of Life. The prince was tired and lay down for a moment, but he accidentally fell asleep. He woke up at 11:45! He ran to the well, filled his cup, and rushed to the door. Just as he jumped out, the clock struck twelve, and the heavy door shut so fast it cut off a piece of his heel.
On his way home, he saw the dwarf again. The prince begged the dwarf to free his brothers. The dwarf agreed but warned him, "Be careful. They have bad hearts."
The three brothers rode home together. On the way, the youngest prince used a magic sword and bread he found in the castle to help three countries that were suffering from war and hunger.
While the youngest brother was sleeping, the two older brothers were jealous. They stole the Water of Life from his cup and replaced it with bitter sea water. When they got home, the youngest son gave the cup to the King. The King drank it and became even sicker. Then the older brothers brought the real Water of Life. The King drank it and was immediately healthy again.
The older brothers lied and told the King that the youngest son had tried to poison him. The King was so angry that he ordered a hunter to take the prince into the forest and kill him. But the hunter felt sorry for the prince and let him go. They swapped clothes, and the prince hid in the forest.
A few months later, gifts of gold and jewels arrived from the three kings the youngest son had helped. The old King realized his son was a hero and said, "I wish my son were still alive! I was wrong about him." The hunter then confessed that the prince was safe. The King was overjoyed and told everyone that his son could come home.
Meanwhile, the princess was waiting. she had built a road of pure gold to her castle. She told her guards, "Only the man who rides straight up the golden road is my true love. Anyone who rides on the side of the road is a liar."
The two older brothers each tried to visit her, but they were afraid of damaging the gold, so they rode on the grass at the side. The guards sent them away. Finally, the youngest brother came. He was thinking so much about the princess that he didn't even notice the road was gold. He rode straight to the gate.
The princess welcomed him with joy. They went back to his father's palace, and the prince told the King the truth about his brothers. The wicked brothers ran away and were never seen again. The prince and the princess had a wonderful wedding, and even the little dwarf in the red cloak came to celebrate with them.