A fost odat\u0103 ca niciodat\u0103. A fost odat\u0103, \u00eentr-o anume \u0163ar\u0103, \u00eentr-o anume \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103\u0163ie, un \u00eemp\u0103rat. \u015ei avea acel \u00eemp\u0103rat slujitori f\u0103r\u0103 num\u0103r. Dar nu slujitori de r\u00e2nd, ci me\u015fteri de toate felurile: \u015fi t\u00e2mplari, \u015fi olari, \u015fi croitori. Pentru c\u0103 \u00eemp\u0103ratului \u00eei pl\u0103cea s\u0103 poarte cele mai frumoase \u015fi mai bine cusute haine, astfel ca nimeni s\u0103 nu-l poat\u0103 \u00eentrece, \u015fi-i mai pl\u0103cea ca oalele de la curtea sa s\u0103 fie c\u00e2t mai frumos \u00eempodobite, iar palatul s\u0103u s\u0103 fie \u00eenfrumuse\u0163at cu cele mai m\u0103iestrite sculpturi \u00een lemn.
\nLa palatul \u00eemp\u0103ratului se aflau me\u015fteri c\u00e2t\u0103 frunz\u0103 \u015fi iarb\u0103.
\n\u00cen fiecare diminea\u0163\u0103 ace\u015ftia se adunau cu to\u0163ii \u00een fa\u0163a u\u015fii \u015fi a\u015fteptau s\u0103 ias\u0103 \u00eemp\u0103ratul, ca s\u0103 le spun\u0103 fiec\u0103ruia ce anume are de f\u0103cut \u00een ziua aceea.
\n\u00centr-una din zile se \u00eent\u00e2mpl\u0103 s\u0103 se \u00eent\u00e2lneasc\u0103 la u\u015fa \u00eemp\u0103ratului un me\u015fter aurar cu un t\u00e2mplar. De cum s-au \u00eent\u00e2lnit au \u015fi \u00eenceput s\u0103 se certe:
\ncare dintre ei \u00ee\u015fi cunoa\u015fte mai bine meseria \u015fi a cui munc\u0103 este mai grea?
\nMe\u015fterul aurar i-a zis:
\n– Meseria ta e mai pu\u0163in \u00eensemnat\u0103 dec\u00e2t a mea, tu stai aplecat deasupra lemnului \u015fi sculptezi doar obiecte din lemn. Pe c\u00e2nd munca mea e cu totul altceva: tot ce fac eu este numai \u015fi numai din aur curat, \u0163i-e mai mare dragul s\u0103 vezi ce lucruri ies din m\u00e2na mea.
\nDar t\u00e2mplarul i-a r\u0103spuns:
\n– Nu-i mare scofal\u0103 s\u0103 me\u015ftere\u015fti un obiect scump, de vreme ce aurul, prin el \u00eens\u0103\u015fi, este la mare pre\u0163. Dar ia f\u0103, dintr-o simpl\u0103 bucat\u0103 de lemn, un obiect care s\u0103-i uimeasc\u0103 pe to\u0163i cei din jur. Dac\u0103 izbute\u015fti o s\u0103 te socot \u015fi eu un me\u015fter adev\u0103rat.
\nS-au certat ei c\u00e2t s-au certat, ba, erau gata s\u0103 se \u015fi \u00eencaiere, c\u00e2nd tocmai atunci intr\u0103 \u00eemp\u0103ratul. Auzind sfada celor doi, el sur\u00e2se \u015fi le porunci:
\n– Fiecare din voi va face c\u00e2te un obiect cu totul neobi\u015fnuit: unul \u2014 din aur, cel\u0103lalt \u2014 din lemn. Cand o s\u0103 le v\u0103d, eu o s\u0103 hot\u0103r\u0103sc cine dintre voi e me\u015fter mai iscusit.<\/p>\n
\u00cemp\u0103ratului nu i te puteai \u00eempotrivi, dac\u0103 \u0163ineai la via\u0163\u0103. Astfel c\u0103 cei doi me\u015fteri plecar\u0103 din palat duc\u00e2ndu-se fiecare la casa lui; \u015fi unul \u015fi cel\u0103lalt nu se g\u00e2ndea dec\u00e2t cum s\u0103 fac\u0103 \u015fi s\u0103 dreag\u0103, ca s\u0103-l \u00eentreac\u0103 \u00een me\u015fte\u015fug pe tovar\u0103\u015ful s\u0103u. \u00cemp\u0103ratul le d\u0103duse un r\u0103gaz de o s\u0103pt\u0103m\u00e2n\u0103.
\nPeste o s\u0103pt\u0103m\u00een\u0103, am\u00e2ndoi me\u015fterii au venit la palat, s-au a\u015fezat la r\u00e2nd al\u0103turi de ceilal\u0163i \u015fi au a\u015fteptat s\u0103 intre \u00eemp\u0103ratul. Fiecare din ei \u0163inea \u00een m\u00e2n\u0103 o leg\u0103tur\u0103. \u00cemp\u0103ratul intr\u0103 \u015fi zise:
\n– Ei, ia s\u0103 vedem, voinicilor, ce a me\u015fterit fiecare din voi. \u015ei z\u00e2mbi pe sub musta\u0163\u0103. D\u0103duse porunc\u0103 s\u0103 fie chema\u0163i \u00een sala cea mare at\u00e2t \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa, c\u00e2t \u015fi \u0163areviciul, fiul s\u0103u. Ca s\u0103 vad\u0103 \u015fi ei me\u015fte\u015fugul vostru.
\n\u00cemp\u0103ratul \u015fi \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa se a\u015fezar\u0103 pe o banc\u0103 iar fiul r\u0103mase \u00een picioare. Primul se \u00eenf\u0103\u0163i\u015f\u0103 me\u015fterul aurar.
\n– Porunce\u015fte, m\u0103ria ta, s\u0103 se aduc\u0103 un cazan mare cu ap\u0103.
\nA fost adus un cazan mare \u015fi umplut cu ap\u0103.
\nMe\u015fterul \u00ee\u015fi desf\u0103cu bocceaua, scoase din ea o ra\u0163\u0103 de aur \u015fi-i d\u0103du drumul \u00een ap\u0103. Ra\u0163a \u00eencepu s\u0103 \u00eenoate, de ziceai c\u0103-i vie: \u00ee\u015fi \u00eentorcea capul \u00een toate p\u0103r\u0163ile, m\u0103c\u0103ia, \u015fi-\u015fi cur\u0103\u0163a penele cu ciocul.
\n\u00cemp\u0103ratul r\u0103mase cu gura c\u0103scat\u0103, iar \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa strig\u0103:
\n– Nu \u00eencape nici o indoial\u0103 c\u0103 ra\u0163a e vie, nu e f\u0103cut\u0103 din aur! Se vede c\u0103 a \u00eenvelit \u00een aur o ra\u0163\u0103 vie!
\nMe\u015fterul se sup\u0103r\u0103:
\n– Cum s\u0103 fie vie? Dac\u0103-mi porunci\u0163i o desfac \u00een p\u0103r\u0163ile din care e f\u0103cut\u0103 \u015fi pe urm\u0103 o prind din nou \u00een \u015furuburi.
\nScoase ra\u0163a din cazan, \u00eei desprinse mai \u00eent\u00e2i aripile, apoi capul \u015fi, la sf\u00e2r\u015fit, o desf\u0103cu \u00een buc\u0103\u0163ile din care era alc\u0103tuit\u0103. A\u015fez\u0103 toate p\u0103r\u0163ile pe mas\u0103 \u015fi \u00eencepu dup\u0103 aceea s\u0103 le \u00een\u015furubeze la loc. O \u00eentocmi cum a fost, \u015fi \u00eei d\u0103du drumul pe ap\u0103. \u015ei ra\u0163a \u00eencepu s\u0103 pluteasc\u0103, ba chiar mai bine dec\u00e2t prima dat\u0103. To\u0163i curtenii \u00eencepur\u0103 s\u0103 bat\u0103 din palme:
\n– \u0102sta me\u015fter adev\u0103rat, nimic de zis! A f\u0103cut un lucru minunat! Niciodat\u0103 p\u00e2n\u0103 acum n-am v\u0103zut a\u015fa ceva!
\n\u00cemp\u0103ratul se \u00eentoarse c\u0103tre t\u00e2mplar:
\n– Ei, acuma arat\u0103-ne \u015fi tu ce-ai me\u015fterit.
\nT\u00e2mplarul f\u0103cu o \u00eenchin\u0103ciune:
\n– \u00cen\u0103l\u0163imea ta, porunce\u015fte s\u0103 fie deschis\u0103 ferestruica de la odaia asta.
\nFerestruica fu deschis\u0103. T\u00e2mplarul \u00ee\u015fi desf\u0103cu bocceaua \u015fi scoase din ea o pajur\u0103 de lemn. \u015ei era at\u00e2t de bine f\u0103cut\u0103 pajura cu pricina, c\u0103 n-o puteai deosebi de una vie. Iar t\u00e2mplarul zise:
\n– Ra\u0163a de aur poate \u00eenota numai pe ap\u0103, pe c\u00e2nd pajura mea se poate \u00een\u0103l\u0163a p\u00een\u0103 la nori.
\n\u015ei t\u00e2mplarul \u00eenc\u0103lec\u0103 pajura \u015fi r\u0103suci un arc. Pajura se \u00een\u0103l\u0163\u0103 \u00eentr-o clip\u0103, \u00ee\u015fi lu\u0103 zborul din sala cea mare a palatului \u015fi \u00eencepu s\u0103 pluteasc\u0103 afar\u0103, prin v\u0103zduh. To\u0163i cei de fa\u0163\u0103 d\u0103dur\u0103 buzna la fereastr\u0103: se uitau cu gura c\u0103scat\u0103 cum t\u00e2mplarul d\u0103dea ocol, c\u00e2nd dintr-o parte c\u00e2nd din alta, zbur\u00e2nd deasupra cur\u0163ii palatului. De r\u0103sucea arcul spre st\u00e2nga \u2014 pajura pornea s\u0103 coboare spre p\u0103m\u00e2nt, de \u00eel r\u0103sucea spre dreapta \u2014 se \u00een\u0103l\u0163a din nou. \u00cemp\u0103ratul privea pe fereastr\u0103 \u015fi nu-\u015fi putea lua ochii de la pajur\u0103 \u2014 de uimit ce era, coroana \u00eei alunec\u0103 p\u00e2n\u0103 pe ceaf\u0103. To\u0163i cei din jur r\u0103m\u0103seser\u0103 f\u0103r\u0103 suflare. Nu mai v\u0103zuse nimeni p\u00e2n\u0103 atunci at\u00e2ta m\u0103iestrie.
\nDup\u0103 ce se roti o vreme prin aer, t\u00e2mplarul intr\u0103 din nou \u00een sala cea mare. Puse pajura \u00eentr-un ungher \u015fi veni l\u00e2ng\u0103 \u00eemp\u0103rat.
\n– Spune, m\u0103rite \u00eemp\u0103rate, e\u015fti mul\u0163umit de me\u015fte\u015fugul meu?
\n– Nu g\u0103sesc cuvinte s\u0103-\u0163i spun c\u00e2t de mul\u0163umit sunt, a r\u0103spuns \u00eemp\u0103ratul. Cum ai putut avea at\u00e2ta dib\u0103cie? \u015ei cum \u0163i-a dat prin minte s\u0103 me\u015ftere\u015fti un asemenea arc?
\nT\u00e2mplarul se preg\u0103tea s\u0103 r\u0103spund\u0103 la \u00eentreb\u0103rile \u00eemp\u0103ratului dar tocmai atunci \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa \u00eencepu s\u0103 se vaite \u015fi s\u0103 \u0163ipe:
\n– \u00cencotro? incotro? Ah, prinde\u0163i-l, opri\u0163i-l!
\nAuzind-o, to\u0163i cei de fa\u0163\u0103 s-au \u00eentors \u015fi ce s\u0103 vad\u0103? \u00een timp ce \u00eemp\u0103ratul \u00eei punea \u00eentreb\u0103ri t\u00e2mplarului, t\u00e2n\u0103rul \u0163arevici \u00eenc\u0103lecase pajura, r\u0103sucise arcul \u015fi, ie\u015find pe fereastr\u0103, zburase \u00een curte.
\n– Vino \u00eenapoi! Unde pleci? Ai s\u0103 te pr\u0103bu\u015fe\u015fti! strigau \u00een urma lui \u00eemp\u0103ratul \u015fi \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa.<\/p>\n
Tareviciul \u00eens\u0103 \u00ee\u015fi flutur\u0103 m\u00e2na \u015fi zbur\u0103 peste zidul de argint ce \u00eemprejmuia palatul. Apoi r\u0103suci arcul spre dreapta \u2014 \u015fi pajura se \u00een\u0103l\u0163\u0103 dincolo de nori \u015fi se pierdu din vedere.
\n\u200b \u00cemp\u0103r\u0103teasa le\u015fin\u0103, iar \u00eemp\u0103ratul se n\u0103pusti la t\u00e2mplar:
\n– Se vede c\u0103 \u00eentr-adins ai n\u0103scocit ma\u015fin\u0103ria asta, zise el, ca s\u0103-l pierzi pe singurul nostru fecior. Hei, str\u0103jeri! Lua-\u0163i-l \u015fi aruncati-l \u00een temnit\u0103. Iar dac\u0103 peste dou\u0103 s\u0103pt\u0103m\u00e2ni \u0163areviciul nu se \u00eentoarce, t\u00e2mplarul s\u0103 fie sp\u00e2nzurat.
\nStr\u0103jerii \u00eel \u00een\u015ff\u0103car\u0103 pe t\u00e2mplar \u015fi-l aruncar\u0103 \u00een hrubele \u00eentunecate ale temni\u0163ei. \u00cen vremea asta \u0163areviciul zbura cu pajura de lemn departe, tot mai departe.
\n\u015ei era grozav de mul\u0163umit \u0163areviciul. C\u00e2t vedeai cu ochii zare liber\u0103 \u015fi larg\u0103 de jur \u00eemprejur. V\u00e2ntul \u00eei \u015fuiera pe la urechi, zulufii i se \u00eenvolburau, undeva dedesubt alergau de colo-colo norii, iar el se sim\u0163ea aidoma unei p\u0103s\u0103ri cu aripile \u00eentinse. Putea porni \u00een orice parte a cerului, dup\u0103 dorin\u0163\u0103.
\nSpre sear\u0103 ajunse \u00eentr-o \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103\u0163ie necunoscut\u0103 \u015fi cobor\u00ee la marginea unui ora\u015f. C\u00e2nd, ce s\u0103 vad\u0103? Chiar acolo se afla o izb\u0103 mic\u0103, mic\u0103 de tot.
\nTareviciul b\u0103tu la u\u015f\u0103. Ie\u015fi \u00een prag o b\u0103trinic\u0103..
\n– \u00ceng\u0103duie-mi, bunico, s\u0103 r\u0103m\u00e2n aici peste noapte. Nu sunt de prin partea locului, nu cunosc pe nimeni \u015fi n-am la cine s\u0103 trag.
\n– Cum s\u0103 nu-\u0163i \u00eeng\u0103dui, fiule? Intr\u0103, c\u0103 loc este destul. Doar tr\u0103iesc singur\u0103 aici.
\nTareviciul demont\u0103 pajura, \u00eenod\u0103 bocceaua la loc \u015fi intr\u0103 \u00een izba b\u0103tr\u00e2nei.
\nB\u0103tr\u00e2na \u00eei puse \u00eendat\u0103 s\u0103 m\u0103n\u00e2nce de cin\u0103, iar \u0163areviciul \u00eencepu s-o \u00eentrebe: cum se nume\u015fte ora\u015ful, cine locuie\u015fte \u00een el \u015fi ce lucruri neobi\u015fnuite se afl\u0103 \u00een acel ora\u015f. \u015ei iat\u0103 ce r\u0103spuns i-a dat b\u0103tr\u00e2na:
\n– Este \u00een \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103\u0163ia noastr\u0103, fiule, un lucru foarte ciudat. Chiar \u00een inima ora\u015fului se \u00eenal\u0163\u0103 palatul \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103tesc, iar l\u00e2ng\u0103 palat se afl\u0103 un turn \u00eenalt-\u00eenalt. Turnul e ferecat cu treizeci de lac\u0103te, iar poarta lui o p\u0103zesc treizeci de paznici. Nimeni nu e l\u0103sat s\u0103 intre \u00een acel turn. Se zice c\u0103 \u00een el ar tr\u0103i fata \u00eemp\u0103ratului. C\u0103 \u00eendat\u0103 ce s-a n\u0103scut, a fost z\u0103vor\u00e2t\u0103 \u00een turn \u00eempreun\u0103 cu doica ei, pentru ca nimeni s\u0103 n-o poat\u0103 vedea vreodat\u0103. \u00cemp\u0103ratul \u015fi \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasa se tem ca nu cumva copila s\u0103 se \u00eendr\u0103gosteasc\u0103 de cineva, \u015fi astfel, s\u0103 fie nevoi\u0163i s-o lase s\u0103 plece pe meleaguri str\u0103ine. Pentru c\u0103 ar fi tare \u00eendurera\u0163i dac\u0103 s-ar desp\u0103r\u0163i de ea: e singura lor odrasl\u0103. \u015ei a\u015fa se face c\u0103 fata tr\u0103ie\u015fte \u00een turnul acela ca \u00eentr-o temni\u0163\u0103.
\n– Dar spune-mi, oare o fi frumoas\u0103 \u0163arevna asta? \u00eentreb\u0103 \u0163areviciul.
\n– Nu \u015ftiu, fiule, eu n-am v\u0103zut-o, dar oamenii povestesc cum c\u0103 frumoas\u0103 ca ea, nu se mai afl\u0103 alta pe lume.
\n\u015ei \u0163areviciul \u00ee\u015fi puse \u00een g\u00e2nd s\u0103 se furi\u015feze p\u00e2n\u0103 \u00een turnul ferecat. Se culc\u0103, dar \u00een loc s\u0103 doarm\u0103, chibzui \u00eendelung cum ar putea face s-o vad\u0103 pe \u0163arevn\u0103.
\nA doua zi, \u00eendat\u0103 ce se l\u0103s\u0103 \u00eentunericul, \u00eenc\u0103lec\u0103 pajura sa de lemn, se \u00een\u0103l\u0163\u0103 p\u00e2n\u0103 deasupra norilor \u015fi zbur\u0103 \u00eenspre turn, spre acea parte a lui, unde \u015ftia c\u0103 se afl\u0103 o ferestruic\u0103.
\nAjunse acolo \u015fi b\u0103tu \u00een geam.
\n\u0162arevna r\u0103mase tare mirat\u0103. \u00cen fa\u0163a ei se afla un voinic nespus de frumos.
\n– Spune-mi cine e\u015fti, vrednicule voinic? \u00eentreb\u0103 ea.
\n– Deschide fereastra \u015fi o s\u0103-\u0163i spun \u00eendat\u0103 cine sunt.
\nCopila deschise fereastra \u015fi pajura de lemn intr\u0103 zbur\u00e2nd \u00een odaie. \u0162areviciul cobor\u00ee, \u00eei d\u0103du bine\u0163e \u015fi-i povesti copilei cine era \u015fi cum ajunsese acolo.
\n\u015ei r\u0103maser\u0103 a\u015fa, privindu-se fermeca\u0163i, f\u0103r\u0103 s\u0103-\u015fi poat\u0103 lua ochii unul de la cel\u0103lalt.
\n\u0162areviciul o \u00eentreb\u0103 dac\u0103 s-ar \u00eenvoi s\u0103-l ia de b\u0103rbat.
\n– Eu n-am nimic \u00eempotriv\u0103, zise \u0163arevna, dar m\u0103 tem c\u0103 t\u0103icu\u0163ul \u015fi m\u0103icu\u0163a mea n-or s\u0103 m\u0103 lase.
\nD\u0103daca cea rea \u00eens\u0103, care era pus\u0103 s-o p\u0103zeasc\u0103 pe \u0163arevn\u0103, sim\u0163i c\u0103 se punea ceva la cale. Alerg\u0103 \u00eentr-un suflet la palat \u015fi d\u0103du totul \u00een vileag, c\u0103 a\u015fa \u015fi a\u015fa, venise cineva \u00een zbor la \u0163arevn\u0103, iar voinicul cu pricina se ascunde \u00een casa unei b\u0103tr\u00e2ne.
\nVenir\u0103 tot atunci str\u0103jile, \u00eel \u00een\u015ff\u0103car\u0103 pe \u0163arevici \u015fi \u00eel t\u00e2r\u00e2r\u0103 la palat. Acolo, pe tron \u2014 \u00eemp\u0103ratul \u015fedea, m\u00e2nios era, cu toiagu-i de lemn \u00een podele izbea.
\n– Cum ai cutezat, a\u015fa \u015fi pe dincolo, tu, un t\u00e2lhar de drumul mare, s\u0103 nesocote\u015fti porunca mea \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103teasc\u0103 \u015fi s\u0103 intri \u00een turn? Am s\u0103 poruncesc s\u0103 fii sp\u00e2nzurat chiar m\u00e2ine!
\n\u00cel duser\u0103 pe \u0163arevici la temni\u0163\u0103, \u00eel l\u0103sar\u0103 singur acolo \u015fi-l z\u0103vor\u00e2r\u0103 cu ni\u015fte lac\u0103te zdravene.
\n\u00cen zorii zilei \u00eei m\u00e2nar\u0103 \u00een pia\u0163\u0103 pe to\u0163i or\u0103\u015fenii. Fuseser\u0103 \u00een\u015ftiin\u0163a\u0163i c\u0103 va fi sp\u00e2nzurat nelegiuitul voinic \u2014 ce se furi\u015fase \u00een turnul \u0163arevnei.
\n\u015ei iat\u0103 c\u0103 sosi c\u0103l\u0103ul, fu \u00een\u0103l\u0163at\u0103 sp\u00e2nzur\u0103toarea \u015fi venir\u0103, ca s\u0103 fie de fa\u0163\u0103 la execu\u0163ie, \u00eensu\u015fi \u00eemp\u0103ratul cu imp\u0103r\u0103teasa.
\n\u00cel aduser\u0103 \u00een pia\u0163\u0103 \u015fi pe \u0163arevici. Acesta se \u00eentoarse c\u0103tre \u00eemp\u0103rat \u015fi rosti:
\n– \u00cen\u0103l\u0163imea ta, \u00eeng\u0103duie s\u0103-mi spun ultima dorin\u0163\u0103.
\n\u0162arul se \u00eencrunt\u0103, dar n-avu \u00eencotro, nu-l putu refuza.
\n– Fie, vorbe\u015fte.
\n– D\u0103 porunc\u0103 unui sol, s\u0103 trag\u0103 o fug\u0103 p\u00e2n\u0103 la casa b\u0103tr\u00e2nei la care am stat \u015fi s\u0103-mi aduc\u0103 o leg\u0103tur\u0103 ce-am l\u0103sat acolo.
\n\u00cemp\u0103ratul nu se putu \u00eempotrivi \u015fi trimise un sol. Leg\u0103tura cerut\u0103 a fost adus\u0103.
\n\u00centre timp, \u0163areviciul fusese condus l\u00e2ng\u0103 sp\u00eenzur\u0103toare \u015fi urcat pe o mic\u0103 scar\u0103. Chiar atunci solul \u00eei \u00eenm\u00e2n\u0103 bocceaua. \u0162areviciul o desf\u0103cu, se s\u0103lt\u0103 pe pajura de lemn \u015fi ia-l de unde nu-i. Se \u00een\u0103l\u0163\u0103 deasupra sp\u00e2nzur\u0103torii, deasupra \u00eemp\u0103ratului, deasupra \u00eentregii mul\u021bimi.
\n\u00cemp\u0103ratul se v\u0103ic\u0103rea:
\n– Pune\u0163i m\u00e2na pe el! \u0162ine\u0163i-l! Are s\u0103 scape!
\nIar \u0163areviciul \u00ee\u015fi \u00eendrept\u0103 pajura spre turn, zbur\u0103 p\u00e2n\u0103 \u00een dreptul ferestrei cunoscute, o prinse \u00eentr-o \u00eembr\u0103\u0163i\u015fare pe \u0163arevn\u0103 \u015fi o a\u015fez\u0103 \u00een fa\u0163a lui, pe pajura de lemn.
\n– Ei, f\u0103cu el, de-acum nu trebuie s\u0103 ne mai temem, nici eu, nici tu, de nici o poter\u0103.
\n\u015ei pajura \u00eei purt\u0103, \u00een goana mare, p\u00e2n\u0103 \u00een \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103\u0163ia \u0163areviciului.
\nAcolo, bietul t\u00e2mplar z\u0103cea \u00een hrubele temni\u0163ei, dar nu-\u015fi lua ochii de la cer: oare nu cumva s-o \u00eentoarce \u0163areviciul? Nu de alta, dar m\u00e2ine, se \u00eemplinesc dou\u0103 s\u0103pt\u0103mini \u015fi dac\u0103 feciorul \u00eemp\u0103ratului nu se \u00eentoarce, el, t\u00e2mplarul, o s\u0103 stea at\u00e2rnat cu funia de g\u00e2t.
\nC\u00e2nd, deodat\u0103, ce s\u0103 vad\u0103? Sus, \u00een v\u0103zduh, zbura pajura lui de lemn, dar \u00eel purta nu numai pe \u0163arevici ci \u015fi o preafrumoas\u0103 copil\u0103.
\nPajura se l\u0103s\u0103 din zbor, \u00een mijlocul cur\u0163ii palatului \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103tesc. \u0162areviciul \u00ee\u015fi ajut\u0103 mireasa s\u0103 coboare \u015fi porni cu ea spre tat\u0103l \u015fi mama sa. Le povesti pe unde a colindat timp de dou\u0103 s\u0103pt\u0103m\u00e2ni. Ace\u015ftia, cuprin\u015fi de bucurie, \u00eel iertar\u0103 pentru durerea ce le-o pricinuise, iar pe t\u00e2mplar \u00eel eliberar\u0103 din temni\u0163\u0103.
\n\u00cemp\u0103ratul f\u0103cu un osp\u0103\u0163 de pomin\u0103. Iar nunta au s\u0103rb\u0103torit-o cu to\u0163ii trei luni \u00eencheiate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A fost odat\u0103 ca niciodat\u0103. A fost odat\u0103, \u00eentr-o anume \u0163ar\u0103, \u00eentr-o anume \u00eemp\u0103r\u0103\u0163ie, un \u00eemp\u0103rat. \u015ei avea acel \u00eemp\u0103rat slujitori f\u0103r\u0103 num\u0103r. Dar nu slujitori de r\u00e2nd, ci me\u015fteri … <\/p>\n