Section 1
Once upon a time, there lived a king who had seven sons. His affection for them was so immense that he could never be separated from all of them simultaneously. There always had to be one by his side. As the sons grew older, six of them embarked on a quest to win the hearts of princesses. However, the youngest son was kept at home by their father, who instructed the others to bring back a princess for him to marry. The king adorned the six brothers with exquisite garments that sparkled from afar, and each of them had a magnificent horse worth a considerable fortune. With these preparations, they began their journey.
Having visited numerous royal palaces and encountered princesses of various realms, the brothers finally arrived at a king's domain where he had six exceptionally beautiful daughters, captivated by their charm, each brother initiated a courtship with one of the six sisters, once they had won their hearts, they set off on their journey back home, completely forgetting to bring a princess for Ashiepattle, the brother who remained behind and They were so engrossed in their love affairs with their newfound sweethearts that they overlooked their obligation to fulfill their father's request.
While they were traveling a considerable distance, they came near the foot of a steep mountain where a gigantic castle stood. The moment the giant caught sight of them, he emerged from his abode and transformed both the princes and princesses into solid stone statues. However, the king patiently waited and waited for his six sons to return, but to his dismay, they never arrived."I am very sorrowful," the king lamented, "and I fear I will never find joy again. If it weren't for your presence, Ashiepattle, I would no longer wish to live. The loss of your brothers has left me in deep sadness." Ashiepattle, however, shared his thoughts, saying, "I have been considering asking for permission to set out and find them." The king swiftly responded, "No, I cannot allow you to go. I cannot bear the thought of losing you as well." Despite the king's initial reluctance, Ashiepattle persisted in his plea, begging and praying until the king finally granted him permission to embark on his quest. With all the other horses taken by his six brothers and their entourage, the only steed available for Ashiepattle was an aged and worn-out horse. Nevertheless, Ashiepattle paid no heed to the horse's condition and mounted the dilapidated mare without complaint.
"Farewell, father," Ashiepattle bid the king farewell. "I will undoubtedly return, and who knows, perhaps I will bring my six brothers back with me as well," he exclaimed with hope in his voice, before setting off on his journey.
As Ashiepattle continued his journey, he encountered a raven lying in the middle of the road, struggling to move its wings and unable to clear the path, the raven appeared weak and starving, unable to find the strength to move out of Ashiepattle's way.
"Oh, dear friend," pleaded the raven, "if you provide me with something to eat, I promise to assist you when you're in dire need." Hearing the raven's plea, the prince responded, "I have very little food with me, and it seems unlikely that you can offer much help, but I see your desperate need, so I will give you a little." With compassion, the prince shared some of his meager provisions with the hungry raven.
