KELOĞLAN AND THE GIANT
A long time ago, in a faraway village in Turkey, lived a little boy with his mother. His name was Keloglan and his house was a small hut on the edge of the village. Keloglan and his mother used to live there because they were very poor but mainly because the other villagers mocked them.
You see, Keloglan had a strange feature. He did not have a single hair on his head! Since he was born, no hair grew on his head! His mother tried everything but nothing happened! Quackery, herbs, potions! Nothing! The older Keloglan grew, the more the villagers mocked him. No matter how good and obedient he was; no matter how hard he worked in order to help his mother; nothing stopped the villagers from mocking him. Their comments were so harsh that Keloglan was forced to leave school.
His mother, fed up, decided to move to the end of the village. They seldom went to the village market to sell the herbs they gathered.
One day, his mother gave Keloglan some herbs to sell at the market. First thing in the morning Keloglan went to the market and tried to sell the herbs. At noon, he still hadn’t managed to sell anything. He was disappointed….Then he saw people gathering around an old man. The old man was looking for a brave person to send on a mission. He would give 1000 golden coins to whoever accepted the challenge.
Most people were hesitant because the old man didn’t explain what exactly needed to be done. Keloglan, however, bedazzled by the money, shouted:
-“I will go…I will go…”
He thought that in this way he would solve all of their problems. He went close to the old man and begged him to pick him. The old man doubted if Keloglan would succeed but since he had no choice, he said:
-“You will go to the woods. There you will see a river; you will follow the river and stop at a cave.
Keloglan was a little worried…he was not such a good swimmer…
-“I see you are a bit upset” the old man said. “Did you change your mind?”
-“No, no” said Keloglan “everything is just fine. I will manage it.”
-“In the cave you will find a big pot. You have to bring it to me…Then you will get your reward.”
So Keloglan set off, reached the woods, almost drowned in the river but at last he found the cave. A huge rock was blocking the entrance. He used all his strength and after several attempts he moved the rock.
All of a sudden a giant appeared and blocked his way. Keloglan saw the pot at the end of the cave.
“Please,” said Keloglan, “I want this old pot.”
-“ I will give it to you,” said the giant, “but first you have to answer a question. Be careful because if you don’t answer correctly, you will stay here for ever and be my servant!”
Keloglan was really scared now. He thought he would never see his mother again. He started to blame himself for getting in all this trouble.
-“Are you ready?” The giant asked.
-“Ready”, Keloglan whispered.
Suddenly, a beautiful peacock with long, shiny, colourful feathers appeared in front of him. Keloglan had never seen anything like that! It was as if it was made of precious stones and gold. Behind the peacock appeared a beautiful girl, so beautiful that Keloglan could not look at her…
Further down, there was an ugly man. A man with a disfigured face and body, so ugly that you couldn’t stand looking at him….
-“What is the most beautiful of all?” asked the giant.
Keloglan thought for a moment and then said:
-“What one’s heart really loves, that’s what is beautiful”.
-“Be careful”, said the giant. “Is that your final answer?” “Don’t forget that a mistake will cost you your life.”
-“What one’s heart really loves, that’s what is beautiful,” repeated Keloglan louder this time.
-“Well done! The giant said. No one else had replied correctly up to now. You can have the pot and go. But beware! This pot is valuable for you only.”
Keloglan grabbed the pot and rushed out of the cave. He followed the river and found the old man waiting for him. “Did you get it?” the old man asked. “Yes, I got it,” Keloglan replied. The old man took the pot and lifted the lid. It was empty!
-“You little brat, you fooled me…You didn’t go to the cave…you brought me an ordinary pot. There’s no money for you! Get out of my sight!” shouted the old man and threw the pot away.
Keloglan tried to persuade him but in vain. In the end he took the pot and went to his mother. He told her his adventure.
-“Don’t be sad my boy. The pot is useful…wait, I will make us some food,” said his mother.
When she lifted the lid, she saw golden coins and jewellery and every time they lifted the lid the pot was full of treasure! And that’s how Keloglan and his mother became rich and everyone in the village respected them from then on.
And they lived happily ever after!