Once upon a time, there was a retired soldier who left the army without a job or any special skills and had to live by wandering around and begging.He wore an old raincoat and a pair of army boots, which looked quite worn out.
One day, he was walking alone in a field and unknowingly walked into a forest.He didn’t know where he was going when he suddenly saw a well-dressed man sitting on a fallen tree trunk, draped in green hunter’s clothes, looking clean and decent.
The soldier greeted him politely and then sat down on the grass next to him to rest.He looked at the other man’s shoes and said, “That’s a nice pair of shoes you’ve got there, very well made.”Then pointing to his own cowhide boots, “For someone who walks around like me, shoes break down quickly.But I’ve been wearing these for a long time, and although they’re a bit worn out, they can still carry me over the mountains.”
The two talked for a while, and the soldier stood up and prepared to continue on his way when he said, “I’m starving, Brother Pretty Boots (that’s what he called the man), do you know where this road leads to?”The man laughed and said, “I’m not really sure, I’m actually lost in these woods.”When the soldier heard this, he laughed and said, “Then we are both equally unlucky, why don’t we walk together and take care of each other.”
So they walked on together until it was dark.At this time, they saw a little light from afar, and the soldier said, “There is light over there, maybe we can find something to eat.”They went nearer and saw that it was a stone house.The soldier knocked on the door and a grandmother opened it.
The soldier said, “Granny, we haven’t eaten anything all day, can you let us stay the night and give us something to eat?”The grandmother sighed and said, “You can’t stay here too long, this is the home of the robbers.If they come back, you may not survive.”The soldier, however, said, “I haven’t eaten for two days, what’s the difference between dying here and starving outside?I’m going in.”
The man called “Pretty Boots” was reluctant to go inside, but the soldier dragged him in with him.Seeing their pity, the grandmother let them hide behind the stove, saying that when the robbers had finished eating and fallen asleep, she would secretly bring them some leftovers to eat.
Soon after they sat down, a dozen robbers rushed in through the door, and as soon as they entered, they sat down at the table and shouted, “Hurry up with the food!”The grandmother had to bring out a large plate of roast meat, the bandits began to devour it.
The soldier hiding in the back smelled the aroma and couldn’t help but say, “I can’t help it, I want to go and have a bite.”The “pretty boots” beside him hurriedly stopped him: “Don’t go, they will kill you!”But the soldier couldn’t help but cough a little too loudly.
When the robbers heard the sound, they immediately put down their knives and forks, stood up and looked around, and found the two men hiding behind the stove.They shouted, “You two guys, who sent you?Wait to be hanged!”
The soldier wasn’t scared at all and said, “I’m just starving and want a bite to eat.Eat and do with me what you will.”The bandits were stunned by his boldness and froze for a moment.The leader of the bandits said, “Fine, since you’re not afraid, I’ll give you food, and you’ll have to die afterward.”
The soldier said, “Fine, then I’ll eat first.”After saying this he sat down at the table and ate the roasted meat with great generosity.He also turned around and shouted, “Brother Pretty Boots, you also come to eat ah, do not eat for nothing.”But the “pretty boots” did not dare to move.
The bandits thought the soldier was too strange, actually not afraid of death, but also dared to eat with them.After eating, the soldier said, “I’m full, let’s have some more to drink.”The leader of the robbers was in a good mood that day, so he asked the grandmother to bring a bottle of good wine from the cellar.
The soldier opened the bottle, raised his glass and said, “Come on, pretty boots brother, here’s to our health!”Then he raised his glass to the robbers and said, “Here’s to a long life!Open your mouths and raise your right hands!”Then he took a sip himself.
A strange thing happened – all the bandits were suddenly motionless, their mouths open and their hands raised, as if by magic.
“Pretty Boots” whispered, “I know you know some strange tricks, but we should go now.”The soldier laughed and said, “There’s no hurry, since we won, we need some loot!”He and Boots ate and drank until they were full, and then they were ready to leave.
The next morning, the soldier asked the grandmother, “We are going to the castle, which is the nearest road?”The grandmother gave them directions.When they got out of the forest and came to the town, the soldier told the soldiers in the town, “I’ve found a den of robbers, so come with me and clean them up!”
They surrounded the stone house, and the soldier took out his flask, took another swig, and then waved the flask at the motionless robbers, shouting, “May you live a long life!”The bandits then regained their ability to move, but were immediately subdued and tied up hand and foot.
The soldiers threw them one by one onto a crate and said, “Take them all to jail!”At this point, “Pretty Boots” quietly called out to one of the soldiers, as if to explain some task.
On the way, the soldier said to “Pretty Boots”, “We have captured the enemy and eaten well, now we just need to follow the procession and walk slowly.”When they arrived at the castle, they found a crowd of people at the gates, all holding green branches and cheering.
The soldier asked curiously, “What’s going on here?”The soldier asked curiously, “What’s going on here?” The “pretty boots” said, “Don’t you know?Today is the day the king is coming back, and everyone is here to greet him.”The soldier was surprised and said, “Where is the king?””The Boots laughed and took off his green hunting coat, revealing a yellow robe inside.
Only then did the soldier realize that the “Pretty Boots Brothers” who had traveled with him along the way were actually the king himself!
He immediately knelt down and apologized, “I’m sorry, Your Majesty, I didn’t know you were the king, I don’t know the rules.”But the king picked him up and said with a smile, “You are a brave man, I will take good care of you.In the future, if you want to eat that kind of roasted meat, you can come to the royal kitchen anytime.But before you drink, you must ask me oh.”
The truth behind the story.
This story is ostensibly a fairy tale full of adventure, but it actually hides a lot of themes about human nature, fate and identity.
First of all, the soldier starts out as a helpless and poor man, but he doesn’t become apathetic or negative because of his difficult life.On the contrary, he is brave, frank, optimistic, and even keeps his cool and humor when facing death.
Secondly, the “Boots Brothers” in the story is actually a king disguised as an ordinary man.He deliberately wears ordinary hunter’s clothes and mixes with ordinary people in order to observe the real life of the people and see who is really trustworthy.By going through dangers with the soldiers, he saw the soldiers’ courage, sincerity, and unassuming attitude.
In the end, the soldier was appreciated by the king not because of his noble birth or his great background, but because he dared to face difficulties, was not afraid of power, and was kind-hearted and respectful to others.
What does this story tell us?
1.True courage is not the absence of fear, but the choice to go forward despite fear.
The soldier was not a born hero, he was just an ordinary man, but instead of backing down when he faced the robbers, he used his wisdom and courage to defuse the crisis.
2.Outward appearance doesn’t mean everything, it’s the heart and behavior that count
Although the king was dressed in ordinary clothes, his behavior showed his wisdom and heart; and although the soldier was dressed in rags, his honesty and bravery made him win the king’s trust.
3.Chance is always reserved for those who are prepared.
Although the soldier was poor, he always kept a positive mindset and dared to try, and eventually seized the opportunity to change his fate.
4.Don’t judge a book by its cover.
If the soldier didn’t trust the “pretty boots” because he wore them well, or if he had an inferiority complex because he was poor, he wouldn’t have had the amazing experience he had later.He didn’t change his attitude because of the other person’s status, and this quality of treating others as equals is the most precious thing.
5.Kindness and integrity will eventually bring good fortune.
The soldier helped others and respected them along the way, and even in the face of robbers, he did not lose the bottom line of being a human being, which eventually paid off.
Summary.
Although this fairy tale has a simple plot, the values it conveys are very profound.It tells us that a person’s fate is not entirely determined by his birth, but depends on his attitude, behavior and choices.No matter what kind of circumstances we are in, as long as we remain kind, brave and honest, we will definitely have the chance to have a turnaround in life.
I hope this easy-to-read version will help you better understand the meaning of this story.If you have any other fairy tales you would like me to rewrite, let me know that too!
