A Fairy Tale about Salt
Once upon a time there was an old king who had three adult daughters. One day, he wanted to find out which of them he would leave his kingdom to.
He thus called for all three and asked each of them how much they loved him.
“Dearest father,” replied the oldest, “I love you the same way as I love my eyes and my heart. I love you more than the freedom and more than words can express. No daughter could love her father more than I love you.”
The old king was very pleased when he heard this.
The middle daughter said, “I love you more than I love the sun light. I love you more than heaven and everywhere on earth. I cannot love someone or something as much as I love you.”
The old king was very pleased with this reply, too. He finally turned to his youngest daughter and asked her to tell me how much she loved him.
“Dear father,” she answered, “I love you as much as people love salt.”
The old king was dismayed when he heard this. “As salt!” he exclaimed. “You say you love me like salt! The simplest spice in my kingdom! If you at least said saffron, which is costly, or sugar, which is sweet! But salt! It is the same as saying that you do not love me at all!”
Angered, the king showed his youngest daughter the door and forbade her to ever appear in front of his face again. He appointed the eldest daughter as his heir; then the middle daughter was outraged, went to sea and became a pirate queen.
The youngest daughter walked away saddened. When she had gone for many days she came to another castle. She was immediately employed in the kitchen and soon the reputation of her skill reached the young king's ear and she was appointed as chief cook. After a time the young king married and the wedding was celebrated with a fantastic feast that lasted for three days. Obviously, the neighbouring kingdoms’ rulers were invited and the old king was there. The youngest daughter then saw that the food her father was eating contained no salt. One fabulous course after the other was served and all the guests praised the excellence of the food – all but the old king, who could hardly get down a bite. Every single mouthful grew in his mouth and, although the food was delicious, it was almost inedible. In the end he could not stand it any longer and called for the cook. “What have you done with my food?” he exclaimed. “It tastes of nothing at all! Everything looks fantastic, but it tastes like slush and dust! As much as I chew, I have no taste and, as much I swallow down, it feels it does not satisfy me.”
“Dear Father,” the cook then replied. “You exiled me from your house when I told you I loved you as much as people love salt. That is why you got no salt in your food today. Just as this feast is pointless without salt, so my life is meaningless when I cannot live close to you.”
Whereupon the king took back his youngest daughter. Only now when he ate a meal without salt did he realise how important the salt was, and only then could he also understand that his youngest daughter loved him just as much as the two older ones. He was ashamed when he realised how stupid he had been, and wrote immediately that when the time came his youngest daughter should be his successor. He then retired as soon as he realised. His daughter was a good queen, who ruled with wisdom and care for many, many happy years.