A rich farmer had three sons, the eldest being very bossy and rude and the second one blindly following him. They bullied the youngest, Janko, who was a good-hearted, honest fellow. Their father had one eye that always wept. The two elder ones couldn’t find the secret of the weeping eye, but Janko learnt that his father’s Magic Grape-Vine that gave a bucket of wine every hour had been stolen. The brothers set off to search for it, carrying their bags of food. The two elder ones tricked Janko into going on alone, promising to meet after a year at a crossroad. They sat down to eat, when a little lame vixen came and begged for food. They chased it away so far that they lost their way! The same little vixen came and asked Janko for food. Janko shared his meal and the little vixen said she would help him find the Grape-Vine!
Janko’s Mistakes
Janko told the little vixen about his search and she told him to hold her tail. She transported him to a kingdom far away. “The Grape-Vine is in the King’s garden, protected by twelve guards, who sleep with their eyes open. Just go past them. You will see two spades: pick up the wooden one and dig up the Vine. Don’t touch the golden spade!” Janko, in his excitement, used the golden spade! The guards awoke and took him to the King, who agreed to give him the Vine if he brought the Golden Apple Tree. So, with the little vixen’s help, Janko reached the garden of the Golden Apple Tree, protected by twelve guards. The vixen told him to use the wooden rod to shake down apples, but Janko used the golden rod and the guards awoke! Once more, he was captured and the King asked him to bring the Golden Horse.
The Golden Horse
The little vixen took Janko to the stable of the Golden Horse. “Tie it with a rope, not the golden bridle!” warned the vixen. But Janko used the golden bridle and was caught! The King told him to bring the Golden Maid who had never seen the sun. The vixen took him to the maiden’s chamber, guarded by attendants and a witch hovering over her Golden Cradle. “Lock the doors, after you have taken the cradle with her in it!” warned the vixen. This time Janko obeyed the vixen and got away safely. But he had fallen in love with the maiden and wished to take her home on the Golden Horse. So, the vixen changed into the maiden and hid the real one. The vixen-maiden was exchanged for the horse and then vanished, returning to Janko as the little vixen! In the same way, the vixen helped him get the Apple Tree and the Grape-Vine too.
Janko Returns
When Janko was on his way home, he found his brothers being thrashed at the crossroad, for they had become thieves and were caught. He saved them and took them home. His father was delighted to have the Grape-Vine and also all the other gifts. The Golden Maiden married Janko. But his brothers were very jealous of him. One day, they threw him into a pit and he became unconscious. The little vixen, however, came by immediately. She had been a pretty girl enchanted by a wicked witch who said she would be set free only when she helped someone who had been good to her. Since Janko had shared his meal with her, she had broken the spell by helping him. She brought Janko back to his house. The two elder brothers had thought him dead, and when they saw him returning, they were so frightened that they ran away, never to return.
