The Three Feathers (Grimm)
Division into sections is editorial.
The first test: Simpleton finds the carpet and discovers the toad kingdom
An aging king had three sons and needed to choose his successor. Two sons were considered clever and wise, while the third was quiet and simple-minded.
There was once on a time a King who had three sons, of whom two were clever and wise, but the third did not speak much, and was simple, and was called the Simpleton.
To determine his heir, the king devised a test. He took his sons outside the castle and blew three feathers into the air, declaring that whoever brought back the most beautiful carpet would inherit the kingdom. The sons were to follow the direction their feathers flew. One feather went east, another west, but the third flew straight up and fell nearby.
The two elder brothers mocked Simpleton, who was forced to stay where his feather had fallen. Feeling sad, he noticed a trapdoor near the feather and discovered steps leading underground. There he found a door and heard a voice calling about a little green maiden. The door opened to reveal a great fat toad surrounded by smaller toads.
The second test: The magical ring from the underground realm
When Simpleton asked for the prettiest carpet in the world, the fat toad ordered a young toad to bring a great box. From it, she gave him a carpet so beautiful and fine that none on earth could have been woven like it. Meanwhile, his brothers lazily obtained coarse handkerchiefs from shepherds' wives, believing their simple brother would find nothing.
Why should we give ourselves a great deal of trouble to search? said they, and got some coarse handkerchiefs from the first shepherds' wives whom they met
When the king saw Simpleton's magnificent carpet, he declared the kingdom belonged to the youngest son. However, the elder brothers protested, claiming it was impossible for Simpleton to be king. They convinced their father to set a second test: whoever brought the most beautiful ring would inherit the kingdom. Again, the feathers were blown, and again Simpleton's fell near the underground entrance.
The third test: The toad transformed into a beautiful maiden
Simpleton returned to the fat toad and requested the most beautiful ring. She immediately had her great box brought and gave him a ring that sparkled with jewels, so beautiful that no goldsmith on earth could have made it. His brothers, meanwhile, knocked nails out of an old carriage-ring. When Simpleton presented his golden ring, the king again declared the kingdom belonged to him, but the brothers continued their protests.
The king established a third condition: whoever brought home the most beautiful woman would have the kingdom. The feathers were blown once more, and Simpleton again went to the fat toad. When he explained his need, she gave him a yellow turnip that had been hollowed out, to which six mice were harnessed.
She gave him a yellow turnip which had been hollowed out, to which six mice were harnessed. Then Simpleton said quite mournfully, What am I to do with that?
The toad instructed him to put one of her little toads into the turnip coach. As soon as he placed a small toad inside, a magical transformation occurred.
hardly was she seated inside it than she turned into a wonderfully beautiful maiden, and the turnip into a coach, and the six mice into horses.
The final trial: Victory through the jumping contest
Simpleton kissed the beautiful maiden and drove quickly to the king with his transformed coach and horses. His brothers brought the first peasant women they had encountered, having given themselves no trouble to seek beautiful girls. The king declared that after his death, the kingdom would belong to his youngest son, but the elder brothers protested once more.
They demanded a final test: the woman whose wife could leap through a ring hanging in the center of the hall should give her husband the preference. The brothers believed the strong peasant women could easily accomplish this, while the delicate maiden would jump herself to death. However, when the peasant women jumped, they were so stout that they fell and broke their arms and legs. The beautiful maiden then sprang through the ring as lightly as a deer, ending all opposition. Simpleton received the crown and ruled wisely for many years.