Aslanzate and Zanpolate

There was a wealthy shipowner who had no children. He spent all his money on doctors and healers to have a child, but there was nothing to do, everything was ineffective. He became very poor, he was reduced to begging from door to door.

– Woman, he said, we cannot continue to live like this. Let's go to a poor country where no one knows us.

They go to a distant country, arrive in a village, where they see that they cannot survive either. They go to the king's city. No sooner have they arrived than the woman is seized with the pains of childbirth. They quickly take refuge under the ramparts of the king's castle.

– Man, said the woman, it is not appropriate for you to attend my birth, my pain is getting worse, leave me alone, I will be more peaceful.

The man walks away. As soon as she leaves, three angels come and whirl around the woman's head. She gives birth, they take the child, wrap him in a swaddling cloth and place him on his mother's breast. The angels say:

 " Before we leave, let us bless the child.”

The first angel says: "I bless the child: may he become king of the East and the West."

The second angel says: "I bless the child: that no one can overcome him."

The third angel said:

 " I bless the child: that no one can pierce his heart.”

Having thus spoken, they fly up to heaven.

The guardian of the king's palace, having heard these blessings, rushes to the king and repeats everything to him. The king's heart breaks when he learns that this infant is going to stand before his own son, that he is going to seize his royalty. He calls the father and the mother, he gives them a bag of gold the weight of the child and grabs the baby. He hands him over to his men and orders them to take him very far away and kill him.

The king's men leave, but they take pity on the child, they do not kill him, they throw him into a ravine and return home.

The child was lucky. A lioness who had lost her cub approaches him, puts an udder in his mouth, nurses him as long as necessary.

One day when the king and his men were hunting in the forest, they saw a lion and they stopped. The lion flees, the men approach its lair, they see, sitting on the ground, a child as strong as a bear. They inform the king who orders them to take him to the palace to become his son's companion. They named him Aslanzate, because he was certain that the lioness had nursed and protected him.

The king's son, Joseph, loved the child like a brother. They grew up together and became beautiful young people.

But soon the king's son weakened. No doctor was able to cure him. Only an old healer guessed her illness. She says : " the king's son must marry the sister of the forty demons, only she can cure him, otherwise he will die. “ 

The king didn't know what to do. He calls Aslanzate. This one is coming; he stands before the king.

 » Aslanzate, son, said the king, you see in what state my son is. Take as many soldiers as you want and go get the sister of the forty demons for your brother. “ 

 " Long live the king ! said Aslanzate, I have no need of soldiers, I will go with Joseph and I will do what is necessary, I promise. “ 

Aslanzate and Joseph set off. They walk, they walk, they arrive in a desolate mountain, they see at the top a thin thread of smoke rising, they head towards this mountain and arrive in the house of the forty demons.

The demons smell their scent and are surprised. How is it that human beings arrived in their territory, where the eagle did not arrive with its wings, nor the serpent with its belly? They consult their book and learn that their visitor is Aslanzate. They are silent, terrified. Then they bring them in and party for three days and three nights. Finally, Aslanzate says:

 » I came to get your sister to marry her to Joseph. “ 

The demons look grim, but fear prevents them from protesting. They accept ; they prepare their sister's trousseau. All that's missing is a pair of shoes, they say; you have to go get them from an old witch who lives in the mountain opposite. Who is going to go? Only Aslanzate can go there!

The demons imagined that Aslanzate would be lost, that they would kill him and that Joseph would become their slave.

(Let Aslanzate go get the shoes, let's get back to Joseph and the sister of demons!)

The engaged couple visits the property. They arrive in front of a room whose door is double locked. Someone inside begs them to open. The girl opens the door, they enter, they see a man sitting, his hands and feet tied, a sheep carcass to his right, a sheep carcass to his left, and, in front of him, a jug of water. But this man cannot eat or drink. He begs them. He says :

 " Pity ! give me a little piece of meat to eat and a little water to drink! “ 

Joseph takes pity on him, he hands him a piece of meat, he gives him a drink. Scarcely has the man eaten and drunk, his bonds fall; he gets up, he gives Joseph a big blow, who is unwell and collapses, then he takes the girl and disappears.

This being was Zanpolate.

In the evening, the demons return home, they find neither Zanpolate nor their sister, they become furious, they are mad with rage, they would like to kill Joseph, but they don't touch it, they wait for Aslanzate to come back...

(Let them wait. Let's go see Aslanzate!)

This one arrived at the mountain opposite. He enters the witch's house, he sees a baby hanging there by the arms on a beam, and who cries, who screams to tear his throat.

 " I implore you on your knees, Aslanzate, said the old woman, you see the state of this child, it was my cruel husband who hung him up there to prevent me from breastfeeding him, and so that I could only do the work of the house. If you love your god, take him down so I can nurse him. I would die for you, Aslanzate! “ 

Aslanzate climbs on a stepladder, the old woman immediately gets up, she grabs Aslanzate's knees with all her might, she undoes her belt and prepares to fasten it.

Ah! says Aslanzate, the old woman wants my ruin, hey! He stretches out his arm, he grabs her hair, he throws her on the ground, he crushes her, he takes the shoes, he goes back to Joseph, he sees that he is sick, the young girl has disappeared, the demons are afflicted.

He sets off, he walks a long time, God only knows how long.

He arrives in an unknown country, in an unknown city. He sees an old woman outside his door trying to speak, she opens her mouth and says: " water " .

You realize, in this town there was no more water. There was a spring, but it was guarded by a dragon who demanded a young virgin girl in exchange for a little water. As soon as he had eaten it, he turned off the water. That day, it was the king's daughter who was going to be sacrificed, she was tied to a tree.

Aslanzate takes his sword and goes to the source.

 " I beg you, brave young man, said the king's daughter, why are you putting your young life in danger? Get away before it's too late, the dragon will soon come out, it will swallow you, get away, unfortunate!

Aslanzate draws his sword, he waits, the dragon comes out. As soon as he opens his mouth, the young man cuts off his head, cuts it up and throws the pieces away. Then he runs to free the young girl. The girl dips her hands in the blood, she hugs Aslanzate's waist.

The whole town gathers in front of the king's palace to find out who is the valiant hero who killed the dragon. One says: it's me. Another says: No it's me. But the king's daughter calls them liars. She runs, holding the young man's hand; she brings him before the king.

 " Father, she says, this is he who slew the dragon and delivered me. I imbued his waist with the blood of the dragon, look!

The king is overjoyed, he brings the young man into his palace, he celebrates him. He says : "  Brave boy, what do you want? I give it to you. Do you want half of my kingdom? “ 

 " Long live the king, says Aslanzate, I don't want anything, I just want to be king of your country for a month. “ 

The king comes down from his throne, puts the crown on his head. Aslanzate, according to the prediction of the angel, becomes king of the West.

Immediately crowned, the new king orders that from each village a man goes through the mountains in search of Zanpolate. Throughout the country, emboldened by the courage of their sovereign, volunteers are rising as one.

A month later, he returns the throne and the crown, he puts on the hat which makes him invisible, he climbs the mountains, he finds the house of Zanpolate, he sees Joseph's bride. They think together, how to know where Zanpolate hides his soul, how to catch and kill him? Joseph's fiancée had discovered Zanpolate's secret, she said that his soul is found in three sparrows which are locked in a box. This box is in the stomach of a hunting dog which is itself in the belly of a wild bull. So, first you have to kill this wild bull, then the hunting dog, finally the three sparrows. Only then will Zanpolate no longer have any power.

Now it's time to find the wild bull. Now, Zanpolate had told the young girl that this bull wandered night and day in the mountain, he had no home, he did not sleep, he only came down from the mountain once a week to drink water and immediately returned to the mountain. So we can only see it then.

Aslanzate goes near the source, he hides. A few days later, he sees a wild bull, tongue hanging out to the ground, coming like a hurricane, bending down to drink. Aslanzate draws his bow and pierces it right through with his arrow. Then he opens his stomach with his sword, he cuts off the head of the hunting dog, he takes out the box, he opens it, he manages to kill two of the sparrows, but the third flies to Zanpolate. Aslanzate arrives, he grabs her and cuts off her head. Zanpolate dies.

Aslanzate takes Joseph's bride to the forty devils, he sees Joseph emaciated, dirty and ragged, as he worked day and night in the stables and took out the manure. When the demons see Aslanzate, they throw themselves at his feet, they beg him to save their lives, they make great preparations for their sister's departure.

Aslanzate, Joseph and the girl set off. They arrive in the land-of-three-demons, near a stream. They pitch a tent, they eat, they drink, they rejoice, they sleep. In the morning, when they opened their eyes, they saw that a dragon snake was coiled all around their tent, its tail touching its head. They tremble; Aslanzate is also afraid. The dragon serpent says: » Aslanzate, go find the king of China, listen to his story and that of Queen Khoul. What has she done to China? What did China do to him? come back and tell me. If you don't come, I will kill the boy and the girl. Go ! “ 

Aslanzate straddles his sea horse, he sets off. Whether he trotted long or not, only he knows, and God. He arrives at the edge of an immense sea. His horse neighs. The other sea horses approach and promise to take Aslanzate across. They make it cross. From the mountains, Aslanzate goes on foot, he no longer rides on horseback. He walks, he walks, he arrives near a large tree in the shade of which he would like to rest for a moment. He sees a large snake coiled around the trunk, and which tries to crawl to the top, to the nest of an eagle whose young it wants to devour.

Aslanzate draws his sword, cuts the snake and throws the pieces away. Shortly after, having felt sleepy, he fell asleep. The eagle arrives and sees blood all around its nest; Is it possible that her babies were killed? He flies towards the sleeper to put out his eyes, but the little ones make their mother understand that it was he who delivered them from the snake. Then the eagle spreads its great wings above him and waits for him to wake up. Aslanzate opens his eyes, he sees an eagle above him, like a parasol. He is surprised. The eagle says:

 " you saved my little ones from the evil serpent. Tell me what you want, I'll give it to you. “ 

•  » I don't want anything, eagle. But since my road is hard, full of stones and rocks, take me on your wings wherever I desire. “ 
•  » Promise! » said the eagle.

For forty days, Aslanzate feeds the eagle with the sheep's tail, strengthens it, takes care of it, then climbs on its back and flies to China. He descends in front of the king's palace. The eagle leaves one of its feathers next to him and says: » If one day you are in trouble, burn the tip of the wing, I will come to your aid. “ 

And he flies away.

Aslanzate goes to the King of China, he tells him his story and presents his request.

 " GOOD, said the king, I will tell you my story, but at the cost of your life. This story must not be heard outside the walls of this palace. If it is leaked, you will be beheaded. Go find out how many heads have already fallen. You agree ? “ Yes I agree. » I am the king of China, the most powerful and richest in the world. My soldiers, my servants, my women are innumerable. Among my women, the most beautiful and my favorite was t Khul. Aslanzate, do you see that cage hanging on the wall? I'm going to ask the little pigeon inside, he'll answer. All right ?

• Gra, gra, gra, said the youngster, shaking his head.
•  » The number of my Arabian horses was incalculable. I had hired a caretaker to feed them, give them water, brush them, etc. but as the days went by, my horses became weaker and weaker. What was this mystery? One night, I put on the guard's clothes and went to see what was happening...

Suddenly I saw Queen Khoul enter with a black man, surrounded by black servants. They got on the horses, went out to eat, drink, party, and returned at dawn. It's true ?

 » gra, gra, replied the pigeon.

 "  You realize, what bad luck, these things did not date from yesterday. One day, Queen Khoul and gave birth to a black child. I couldn't bear it, I had the child's head cut off. Khoul became enraged and in her fury she hit me with her cane, and turned me into a donkey. » I then carried so much wood and water that I was left with nothing but skin and bones. I don't know if she took pity or what, she hit me with her cane again and turned me into a puppy. I collected bread crumbs and small pieces of bones to eat. It's true ? » gra, gra (that’s true too) « 

So that this affair does not spread, the king makes a sign. Immediately the executioners enter to cut off Aslanzate's head. This one quickly puts on the hat which makes invisible, and disappears.

He burns the tip of the eagle's wing; the eagle arrives and carries him to the seashore. Then the sea horses carry him to the other shore, where his horse was waiting for him.

He goes to find Joseph and his bride, seated in the tent surrounded by the serpent-dragon.

Aslanzate sits, he tells the story of the King of China and Queen Khoul. He has barely finished his story when the dragon-snake tears apart, a marvelous young girl comes out of it, beautiful enough to eat. She was the daughter of the King of China and Queen Khoul.

Aslanzate and Joseph set off, they go home. Joseph marries the sister of the forty demons, Aslanzate marries the daughter of the king of China. They celebrate for seven days and seven nights, they eat, they drink, they rejoice.

They got their wishes. May yours also come true!

In this long winter vigil, three apples fell from the sky, one for the storyteller and the other two for the listeners.