There was once a man about to set out on a long journey. On parting, he asked his three daughters what he should bring back for them. The eldest wished for pearls, the second for diamonds, but the third said, "Dear father, I should like a singing, soaring lark." The father promised to try and set out.
When it was time to return, he had pearls and diamonds for the two eldest, but he had sought in vain for the lark for his youngest, his favorite child. He was very unhappy.
His road lay through a forest, and in its midst stood a splendid castle. Near the castle was a tree, and at its very top, he saw the singing, soaring lark. Delighted, he called his servant to climb and catch it.
As the servant approached, a lion leapt from beneath the tree, roared mightily, and said, "He who tries to steal my singing, soaring lark, I will devour." The man begged for mercy, offering a large ransom.
The lion said, "Nothing can save thee unless thou wilt promise to give me what first meets thee on thy return home. Do that, and I will grant thee thy life and the bird for thy daughter."
The man hesitated, fearing it would be his youngest daughter who always ran to greet him. His servant, terrified, persuaded him it might just as easily be a cat or dog. The man allowed himself to be persuaded, took the lark, and made the promise.
When he reached home, the first to meet him was indeed his youngest, dearest daughter. She was overjoyed at the lark. The father, weeping, told her of his terrible promise to the savage lion.
She consoled him, saying, "Your promise must be fulfilled. I will go and soften the lion, so I may return safely."
The next morning, she went fearlessly into the forest. The lion was an enchanted prince. By day, he and his people were lions; by night, they resumed human form. She was kindly received at the castle. That night, the lion became a handsome man, and they were married with great magnificence. They lived happily, awake at night and asleep by day.
One day, the prince told her of a feast at her father's house for her eldest sister's wedding. She wished to go and was conducted there by lions. Her family, who thought her dead, rejoiced. She told them of her handsome husband and good life, stayed for the feast, and returned.
When her second sister was to marry, she was invited again. This time, she insisted the prince come with her. He warned it was dangerous: if a ray from a candle fell on him, he would be turned into a dove and fly with doves for seven years. She promised to guard him from all light.
They went together with their little child. She had a strong, thick chamber built where he could hide when candles were lit. But the door, made of green wood, warped and left a tiny, unnoticed crack.
During the wedding procession, a hair's breadth of light from a torch fell through the crack onto the prince. Instantly, he was transformed into a white dove.
The dove said to her, "For seven years I must fly about the world. At every seventh step you take, I will let fall a drop of red blood and a white feather to show you the way. If you follow, you can release me." Then he flew away, and she followed the trail of blood and feathers.
She journeyed tirelessly for almost seven years. One day, the trail stopped, and the dove vanished. Thinking no man could help her, she sought aid from the sun, the moon, and the winds.
The sun gave her a casket for her sorest need. The moon gave her an egg for great need. The night wind consulted the other winds and learned from the south wind that the white dove had flown to the Red Sea. There, the seven years being over, he had become a lion again and was fighting a dragon, who was an enchanted princess.
The night wind advised her: Go to the Red Sea. On the right bank, count the tall reeds, break the eleventh, and strike the dragon with it. Then the lion could subdue it, and both would regain human form. Then, she should see a griffin by the sea. She and her beloved must swing onto its back to fly home. He gave her a nut to drop over the sea's center; it would instantly grow into a tall nut-tree for the griffin to rest on, or they would fall.
She went and did as instructed. She struck the dragon with the eleventh reed. The lion overcame it, and both regained human shapes. But the princess, freed from enchantment, seized the prince, mounted the griffin, and carried him off.
The poor maiden, forsaken again, sat and wept. Then she took courage, vowing to search until she found him. After a long journey, she came to a castle where the prince and the princess lived together, soon to celebrate their wedding.
Remembering the sun's gift, she opened the casket. Inside was a dress as brilliant as the sun. She put it on and went to the castle. All were astonished, especially the bride, who coveted the dress for her wedding. The maiden said it was not for sale for money or land, but for flesh and blood: she wanted to sleep one night in the bridegroom's chamber.
The bride, desperate for the dress, finally agreed but ordered a page to give the prince a sleeping draught. That night, the maiden sat by the sleeping prince and told him of her seven-year quest, her journeys to the sun, moon, and winds, and how she helped him against the dragon. But he slept soundly, hearing only wind in the trees. At daybreak, she had to leave, giving up the dress.
Saddened, she went to a meadow, wept, and remembered the moon's egg. She opened it. Out came a clucking hen with twelve golden chicks. They chirped and ran about, a beautiful sight. She drove them before her until the bride looked out the window. Enchanted, the bride asked to buy them. The maiden again asked to sleep in the bridegroom's chamber.
The bride agreed, intending to cheat her again. But that evening, the prince asked his page about murmuring he'd heard the previous night. The page confessed about the sleeping draught and the poor girl. The prince told him to pour the next draught by the bedside.
That night, when the maiden began to tell her story, the prince recognized her voice. He sprang up, crying, "Now I am truly released! The strange princess bewitched me into forgetting you. God has delivered me from the spell just in time."
They fled the castle secretly that night, fearing the princess's sorcerer father. They mounted the griffin, which bore them across the Red Sea. Over the center, she dropped the nut. A tall nut-tree grew instantly from the water for the griffin to rest on. Then it carried them home, where they found their child, now grown tall and beautiful. They lived happily ever after.