The Prince and the Bald Dwarfs

One day, Prince Anreeq set out for a leisurely walk in the land of Anreeqistan. As he wandered through the countryside, he noticed a strange sight. A large group of dwarfs was walking toward him, and every one of them looked deeply unhappy. What caught the prince’s attention most was that none of them wore the long, crooked hats that dwarfs were famous for. Instead, all their heads were completely bald, shining in the sunlight like peeled boiled eggs.

Among the group, one dwarf stood out. He was dressed in finer and more expensive clothes than the others. The prince approached him kindly and asked, “Who are you, and what trouble has brought you all here in such a miserable state?”

Hearing the prince’s compassionate words, the dwarf’s eyes filled with tears. “We are the dwarfs of the North,” he said. “I am their king. We are suffering from a terrible misfortune, as you can clearly see.”

The prince gently asked him to explain. The dwarf king said, “This morning, we went for a walk in the forest. On the way, we met a magician who looked very kind and noble. He invited us into his house and offered us candies from a box. Each of us ate one and thanked him. But the moment we did, something unbelievable happened.”

The king paused, then continued sadly, “Every single hair on our heads fell to the ground, and we became completely bald.” Saying this, he began to cry loudly. Seeing their king in tears, the other dwarfs also started crying so much that a small puddle formed on the ground.

The prince asked in surprise, “Did you not ask the magician to return your hair?”

“Of course we did,” the king replied. “But he demanded hundreds of gold coins in return. I do not even have fifty coins. Royal life is expensive, and I recently spent a lot repairing my palace. That is why we are now forced to go everywhere bald.”

Prince Anreeq reassured them, saying, “Do not worry. I will solve this problem for you.” He then decided to confront the magician himself.

The dwarf king warned him, “Prince, be very careful. The magician is clever. He may turn you bald, mute, or deaf as well.” The prince laughed quietly, for the dwarf king did not know his secret: magic spells had no effect on him, because long ago an old witch had protected him with a special mixture of flower fragrances.

Following the directions given by the dwarfs, the prince soon reached the magician’s house. The magician welcomed him warmly and invited him inside. He offered the prince the same candies, praising their wonderful taste. Knowing the truth, the prince still accepted one and ate it calmly. The magician watched closely, expecting the prince’s hair to fall—but nothing happened.

Suddenly, the prince jumped up and pretended to clap with excitement. He exclaimed that he could now understand the language of stars, hear grass growing, and speak all the languages of the world. Shocked and greedy, the magician believed him. Thinking the candies were powerful, he quickly ate several himself.

Moments later, the magician screamed as his own hair began falling out in clumps. Panicking, he searched for a spell to restore his hair and prepared a magical mixture. He asked the prince to help by pouring it over his head while he counted with his eyes closed.

As soon as the magician shut his eyes, the prince ran to the dwarfs. He told them to sit down, close their eyes, and count to ninety-nine. He then poured the mixture over their heads. Instantly, their hair grew back thick and healthy. The dwarfs rejoiced with happiness.

Just then, the furious magician arrived. But it was too late. The prince exposed his greed and returned only a few drops of the mixture. When the magician used it, only four long hairs grew on his head, making him look ridiculous.

The dwarfs were saved, and Prince Anreeq walked away smiling, having taught the magician a lesson he would never forget.

The dwarfs were saved, and Prince Anreeq walked away smiling, having taught the magician a lesson he would never forget.

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