Description

Faithful John.

Once upon a time,
there was an old king who lay on his deathbed,
feeling that his end was near.
He called for his favorite servant,
Faithful John,
and expressed his concern about his young son's future.
The king entrusted Faithful John with the task of guiding and protecting his son,
making him promise to teach the boy everything he needed to know.
Faithful John vowed to fulfill this duty faithfully,
even at the cost of his own life,
bringing comfort to the old king in his final moments.

After the king's passing,
Faithful John fulfilled his promise by informing the young king of his father's wishes.
He assured the young king that he would remain faithful and protect him,
just as he had done for his father.
Once the mourning period was over,
Faithful John took the young king on a tour of his inheritance,
showing him the magnificent palace and all its treasures.
However,
there was one room that Faithful John avoided opening—the chamber containing the dangerous picture.

Although the young king noticed Faithful John's reluctance to open the door,
he insisted on seeing every part of the palace,
including the mysterious room.
Despite Faithful John's warnings,
the young king became determined to enter the chamber,
believing that avoiding it would only lead to his destruction.
He refused to leave until Faithful John unlocked the door,
insisting that he must see what lay within with his own eyes.

Then,
Faithful John realized there was no avoiding it.
With a heavy heart and many sighs,
he searched for the key among the large bunch.
Opening the door,
he went in first,
hoping to shield the portrait from the king's view.
But his efforts were futile.
The king stood on tiptoe and caught sight of the portrait over his shoulder.
Upon seeing the magnificent maiden depicted,
adorned with gold and precious stones,
the king fainted.
Faithful John gently lifted him,
carried him to his bed,
and mournfully pondered the unfortunate turn of events.
After reviving him with wine,
the king expressed his deep affection for the princess and his determination to win her hand.
He implored Faithful John to assist him.

The loyal servant deliberated for some time on how to proceed,
knowing that gaining access to the king's daughter would be challenging.
Eventually,
he devised a plan and proposed it to the king.
He suggested crafting various golden items from the kingdom's vast treasures and presenting them to the princess,
accompanied by a visit from the king in disguise.

Following Faithful John's plan,
the king ordered the goldsmiths to fashion exquisite treasures day and night until the most splendid items were ready.
Once everything was prepared and loaded onto a ship,
Faithful John disguised himself as a merchant,
and the king followed suit to avoid detection.
They sailed across the sea until they reached the town where the princess resided.

Faithful John instructed the king to remain on the ship while he ventured ashore.
He approached the royal palace,
where he encountered a beautiful maiden drawing water from a well.
Introducing himself as a merchant,
he displayed the golden items to her delight.
The maiden,
who was the princess's maid,
eagerly led him to the palace,
where the king's daughter admired the treasures and expressed her desire to purchase them all.

However,
Faithful John humbly stated that he was only a servant of a wealthy merchant,
and the real treasures were on the ship.
Intrigued,
the princess insisted on seeing them herself.
Delighted,
Faithful John escorted her to the ship,
where the king awaited.
Upon seeing her,
the king was captivated by her beauty,
surpassing even the portrait's depiction.

As they toured the ship and admired the treasures,
the princess's curiosity was piqued.
Unbeknownst to her,
they sailed away from the shore.
When she realized they were at sea,
she panicked,
feeling betrayed and fearing for her safety.
However,
the king reassured her of his noble intentions and declared his love for her.

Meanwhile,
Faithful John,
seated at the ship's bow,
overheard three ravens discussing their fate.
He learned of the impending dangers and sacrifices required to secure the king's happiness.
Despite the risks to his own life,
Faithful John resolved to save his master,
even if it meant facing dire consequences.

Upon reaching land,
the events unfolded as predicted by the ravens.
Despite objections from others,
Faithful John's actions ultimately saved the king from certain doom.
Yet,
he was condemned and sentenced to death.
Before his execution,
he recounted his loyal service and the sacrifices made to protect his master.
As he spoke his final words,
he collapsed,
having fulfilled his duty unto death.

Deeply distressed,
the king and queen lamented their ingratitude and had the stone figure moved to their bedroom,
where it served as a constant reminder of their remorse.
Whenever the king gazed upon it,
he wept,
longing to bring his loyal servant back to life.

Time passed,
and the queen gave birth to twin sons,
who brought great joy to their parents.
One day,
while the queen was at church and the king was playing with his children,
he glanced at the stone figure once more,
expressing his sorrow at his inability to revive Faithful John.
To his astonishment,
the stone spoke,
offering a solution:
to bring it back to life,
the king must sacrifice what he held most dear.

Despite his horror at the suggestion of killing his own children,
the king remembered Faithful John's sacrifice and agreed.
With trembling hands,
he carried out the grim task,
and as the stone was anointed with their blood,
Faithful John was restored to life.
Grateful for the king's loyalty,
Faithful John miraculously revived the children,
who resumed playing as if nothing had happened.

Overjoyed,
the king hid Faithful John and the children when the queen returned,
revealing the miraculous turn of events.
Though initially shocked,
the queen recognized the debt they owed to Faithful John and consented to the sacrifice.
With their beloved servant restored and their family reunited,
they lived in happiness until the end of their days.
The end.

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