Tale 8: Undine and the Three Princes (Brock)

(real tale:The Princes And The Water-Sprite)


"Since you did so well telling that adventure tale, Misty, I'm gonna return the favor by teaching you a tale I learned from one of your sisters." Brock begins before playing "Arran's Lullaby" on the harp to focus his thoughts.

When all is quiet, he begins. "There was once a king who had three sons, who he loved very much. The eldest was Prince Altair, after the brightest star the king could see on the night he was born. The middle one was Prince Dolan, after the dark sky on the night he was born. The youngest one was Prince Haru--since he was born in the daytime, unlike his brothers."

Hm...Daisy didn't give the princes names... Misty muses.

"When Prince Haru came of age, the king asked the queen what her most burning desire was, and she replied that she wished to have Prince Haru be the one to succeed his father." Brock continues. The king knew well that the eldest son would inherit the kingdom when he died, as was common in that region. If something were to happen to Prince Altair before then, Prince Dolan would succeed him. If something happened to both princes before then, only then would Prince Haru be able to rule."

Ash swallows hard. "Did the queen try to kill them?"

"The king was very afraid that would happen, Ash." Brock replies. So he told Atair and Dolan that they were to go into hiding for seven years--then they could claim the kingdom that was rightfully theirs."

"Why seven years?" Misty is confused.

"Seven is seen as Arceus' number, and symbolizes perfection." Ash explains as Brock plays a tense interlude.

"When Prince Haru heard why his brothers were leaving, he begged to come with them as a sign of support." Brock continues. "They left early the next morning, and traveled until they came to a lake in the middle of a forest."

Pikachu is the most excited at hearing the Ballad of the Goddess again. "It turned out that the great water spirit Undine lived in the lake." Brock continues over the song. "She would only help those that answered a question for her--what were the good fairies like?"

"And then?" Ash is interested.

"Prince Haru came to the lake, and Undine asked him what the good fairies were like." Brock continues over a playful chord. "but when Prince Haru answered that the good fairies were like the dawn, she took him down beneath the lake. Prince Dolan grew concerned for his little brother after a while, and went to the lake himself. He answered Undine's challenge incorrectly as wall."

"But what about Altair?" Misty asks. "What did he do?"

"He too was worried for his brothers, and went to the lake himself." Brock replies before playing a flowing melody. "Undine met him in disguise as a hunter, but Altair saw right through her disguise."

"Pika pika pi?" Pikachu asks.

"Altair then proceeded to answer Undine's question correctly." Brock concludes over a soft melody. "The good fairies were like those pure of heart, pure of thought, and pure of deed. Undine was touched at Altair's answer, so she set his brothers free, and agreed to protect them for their seven years in exile. When seven years had passed, the three princes inherited their rightful kingdom, but they gave Undine the pool in the royal garden as thanks for her help."

The Pokemon's applause is the loudest as Brock takes a bow...