Once there was a Queen who had no children. Every day she prayed for a son or a daughter. Finally, an angel appeared and said, "Be happy. You will have a son with a special power: whatever he wishes for, he shall have."
When the boy was born, the King was very happy. But the King’s cook was a wicked man. He knew about the boy’s magic power and wanted it for himself. One day, while the Queen was sleeping, the cook stole the child. He killed a chicken and put its blood on the Queen’s dress. He then told the King that wild animals had eaten the baby.
The King was so angry and sad that he put the Queen in a tall tower with no doors or windows. He wanted her to starve to death. But God sent two white doves to bring her food every day, and she stayed alive for seven years.
The cook took the boy to a secret place and raised him. When the boy grew older, the cook told him, "Wish for a beautiful palace and a garden." The boy wished, and it appeared instantly. Then the cook said, "Wish for a beautiful girl to be your companion." The boy wished, and a lovely girl appeared. They grew up together and loved each other very much.
The cook began to worry that the boy would find out the truth. He told the girl, "Tonight, kill the boy while he sleeps and bring me his heart. If you don't, I will kill you."
The girl was kind and could not kill the innocent boy. Instead, she killed a deer and took its heart to the cook. She told the boy what had happened.
The boy was very angry at the cook. He used his power and said, "You are a wicked man! I wish you would become a black dog with a gold collar, and you must eat burning coals." Suddenly, the cook turned into a dog.
The boy decided to go back to his father's kingdom. He asked the girl to come with him. Because she was shy about being in a strange land, he wished for her to become a beautiful flower—a pink—and he carried her in his pocket.
When he reached the King’s palace, he worked as a huntsman. He used his magic to bring the King hundreds of deer for a great feast. The King was impressed and invited the huntsman to sit at his table.
While they were eating, the boy wished that someone would talk about the Queen in the tower. The King’s servant asked, "Is the Queen still alive in the tower, or is she dead?"
The King said, "Do not speak of her! She let wild beasts eat my son."
The boy stood up and said, "Father, she is innocent! I am your son. The cook stole me and used chicken blood to blame my mother." He showed the King the black dog and turned him back into the cook. The King was shocked and ordered the cook to be thrown into prison.
Then the boy took the flower from his pocket and wished for it to become a girl again. She was the most beautiful maiden the King had ever seen. The King sent his servants to the tower to bring the Queen back. She was weak but happy to see her son alive. She lived for three more days and then died peacefully.
The King died soon after, and his son married the beautiful girl. They lived a long and happy life together.