The Enchanted Princess

They favour their elder son Hellmerich, who is arrogant and selfish, though they see him as brave and courageous, while the younger, Hans, who is good and kind-hearted, is considered by his parents as stupid.

One day, the cabinet-maker stops at an inn and overhears a conversation between two men saying that the princess has been kidnapped and placed under a spell by an evil sorcerer in his castle.

Whoever seeks to rescue her must complete three hard tasks, but if he succeeds he will be given the princess's hand in marriage and win the sorcerer's treasures.

The eldest son agrees and his father uses his last savings to buy him a horse, armour and a sword.

He rides through the forest surrounding the sorcerer's castle, trampling an anthill, killing some ducks near a pond, and destroying a beehive, leaving the bees homeless.

Seeing this task as the most foolish one yet, Hellmerich hastily chooses the figure on the right, which is a huge, fire-breathing dragon, as is the one on the left.

He takes the same path through the forest, thanking the birds for their beautiful singing, helping rebuild the anthill, picking a bunch of flowers with pollen for the bees, and sharing his breakfast with some ducks.

Suddenly, a long line of ants appear and pick up every single seed and place them back in the basket.

With the spell broken, the sorcerer and the two dragons die, and the beautiful princess takes Hans back to her palace to be her husband.

Hans' parents are invited to the wedding, and even though they have lost Hellmerich, they are very pleased for their son and give him their blessing, ashamed for thinking so little of him.