EYLÜL , ŞERİF REMZİ SECONDARY SCHOOL
Keloğlan and the Sultan
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a clever boy named Keloğlan who lived happily with his mother. Their house was very old and about to fall apart. One day, Keloğlan’s mother said:
“My bald-headed son, my dear boy, love is free, my child. Take these gold coins, sell them at the market, and let’s repair our house before it collapses.”
Keloğlan took the gold coins left by his late father and set off. He traveled through valleys, hills, and plains. Along the way, he came across a crowd. When he entered the crowd, he saw that the villagers were beating a poor cat. Keloğlan immediately intervened:
“Good people, what harm could this cat have done to you? Take some of my gold and let the poor cat go,” he said.
He gave them some coins and rescued the cat, then continued on his way. After traveling a little further, he saw another group beating a dog. Keloğlan again gave some gold to save the dog, and the cat, dog, and Keloğlan continued on their journey together.
As they neared the city, Keloğlan saw another crowd. Forest guards were beating a snake. Feeling pity, Keloğlan gave them some more gold to save the snake too.
The snake, grateful to Keloğlan, said:
“Keloğlan, I am the son of the King of the Snakes. I ran away from the palace after a fight with my father. While sleeping in a tree hollow, the guards found me. Without you, they would have killed me. If you can take me back to my father's palace, I would be very grateful.”
Keloğlan, along with the cat, dog, and snake, went to the Snake King’s palace. The young snake told the King everything. The Snake King wanted to reward Keloğlan for his kindness.
He said:
“Kind-hearted Keloğlan, ask me for whatever you wish.”
The young snake whispered into Keloğlan’s ear to ask for the magic seal hidden under the king’s tongue.
Keloğlan said:
“I would like your magic seal.”
The Snake King replied:
“The seal is my most valuable possession. But your saving my only son is even more precious. I will give it to you.”
He gifted the magic seal to Keloğlan, telling him that with it, he could have anything he wished.
Keloğlan, with the cat, the dog, and the magic seal in his pocket, returned home.
When Keloğlan’s mother saw him returning with a cat and a dog instead of gold, she got very upset and said:
“My bald-headed boy, my dear boy, did I give you those coins to buy a cat and a dog? Our house is falling apart!”
Keloğlan calmly said:
“My dear mother, don’t worry. Please go and ask the Sultan for his daughter’s hand in marriage for me.”
His mother replied:
“My dear boy, we are poor people. How can the Sultan ever give his daughter to us?”
But Keloğlan insisted so much that his mother, not wanting to break his heart, went to the palace and asked for the Sultan’s daughter.
The Sultan said:
“My daughter is used to living in a palace. If you can build a palace identical to mine, then I will give you my daughter.”
His mother returned and told Keloğlan the Sultan’s condition.
Keloğlan said:
“Is that all? A palace? That’s easy!”
He pulled out the magic seal and commanded it to build a palace. That very night, thousands of snakes gathered and built a magnificent palace. When the Sultan saw it, he was astonished.
"A word once given cannot be taken back," said the Sultan, and he gave his daughter to Keloğlan.
Keloğlan and the Sultan’s daughter married with a grand celebration that lasted for forty days and forty nights. Keloğlan hid the magic seal inside a vase at home.
One day, when Keloğlan went to the market, a man disguised as a fabric seller, who knew about the magic seal, came to the house. He offered beautiful fabrics and said he would accept old items instead of money. Keloğlan’s wife, not knowing better, agreed and unknowingly gave away the vase containing the magic seal along with some old belongings.
As soon as the man got the seal, he crossed to the other side of the river and ordered the seal to move Keloğlan’s palace there. When the Sultan learned the palace was gone, he took his daughter back, and Keloğlan returned to his poor, old life.
Keloğlan, along with his cat and dog, was very sad.
The cat said:
“We must do something. If we could cross the river, I could steal back the seal.”
The dog said:
“I can swim. I can carry you on my back across the river.”
They crossed the river and arrived at the thief’s house. Seeing the window open, the cat climbed the tree and sneaked inside. She brushed her tail under the man's nose. When the man sneezed, the seal fell out from under his tongue. The cat grabbed the seal and jumped out the window.
As they were crossing back over the river on the dog's back, the seal fell into the water and a fish swallowed it.
The dog said:
“Leave this to me.”
Keloğlan, the cat, and the dog went to the fish market. The dog sniffed all the fish until he found the one that had swallowed the seal. Keloğlan bought the fish, took it home, and retrieved the seal.
He commanded the seal to restore his palace and reunite him with the Sultan’s daughter.
Thus, Keloğlan lived happily ever after with his wife, his mother, the cat, and the dog.
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