Clara has an old book of stories, and sometimes, when there is not much time, she reads a shorter version. This is a gentle retelling of The White Snake, a traditional fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.
The White Snake
A long time ago, there was a king who had a strange custom. Every day, after dinner, when the table had been cleared, a trusted servant had to bring him one final covered dish. No one knew what was inside it, for the king always ate it alone.
The servant grew curious. One evening, unable to resist, he took the dish to his room and carefully lifted the lid. Inside lay a small white snake. Hesitating only a moment, he tasted a piece.
At once, something remarkable happened. He began to understand the voices of animals.
The next morning, as he walked through the courtyard, he heard the ducks whispering about a lost ring. Listening carefully, he found it where they had dropped it and returned it to the queen. From that day on, the servant was trusted even more.
Later, he set out into the world. On his journey, he helped many creatures—a fish stranded on the shore, ants in need of food, and young birds in danger. He did not think much of it at the time.
At last, he came to a kingdom where a princess could only be won by solving three difficult tasks. Many had tried and failed.
For the first task, he had to gather a thousand pearls scattered in the grass. As he stood there, unsure how to begin, the ants he had once helped appeared and collected every pearl for him.
For the second task, he had to retrieve a key from the depths of the sea. The fish he had saved rose from the water and brought it to him.
For the final task, he had to choose the real princess among three identical figures. He hesitated, but then the birds he had once rescued flew down and revealed the truth.
And so, because of his kindness and the help he had given without expecting anything in return, he succeeded where others had failed. He married the princess, and in time, they lived in peace and happiness.
And that was the story Clara read that afternoon