Prince Bayaya: the Story of a Magic Horse

Name: Prince Bayaya: the Story of a Magic Horse
Author: Parker Fillmore

In a distant kingdom, a queen gives birth to twin sons while the king is away at war. The elder son, more adventurous, longs for freedom, while the younger, favored by their mother, is content indoors. When the king returns, the queen misrepresents the elder as the younger, leading to the elder being overlooked as the heir. Seeking adventure, the elder prince confides in his talking horse, who advises him to seek his fortune alone. After gaining his father's reluctant permission, he sets off, promising to return within a year. The horse leads him to a hidden stable and instructs him to pretend to be mute and serve a nearby king. The prince, now known as Bayaya, quickly earns the king's favor and becomes close to his three beautiful daughters. However, the kingdom faces a dire threat from three dragons, each more fearsome than the last, which the king had promised his daughters to in exchange for peace. As the king mourns, Bayaya seeks the horse's counsel, who reveals that he brought Bayaya to rescue the princesses. The horse provides Bayaya with magical suits of armor and a sword to confront the dragons. He defeats the nine-headed dragon on the first day, the eighteen-headed dragon on the second, and the twenty-seven-headed dragon on the third, each time returning to the castle without revealing his identity. The princesses, grateful yet curious about their savior, hope to meet him. Meanwhile, the king prepares for war against a neighboring kingdom, promising the hands of his daughters to the nobles who assist him. Bayaya, tasked with protecting the princesses, cleverly disguises his true intentions and aids the king in battle, winning a decisive victory while remaining anonymous. To determine which noble will marry each princess, the king devises a plan involving golden apples thrown from a balcony. Bayaya, still in disguise, ensures the apples roll to other nobles, except for Slavena, the youngest, whose apple he accepts. Disappointed, she retreats to her chamber, believing she must marry Bayaya instead of the knight who saved her. That night, Bayaya visits Slavena in disguise, revealing his true identity as the knight and the dumb youth who served her family. Overjoyed, she presents him to the king as her bridegroom. The king and guests celebrate, and Bayaya eventually returns to his parents, who thought him lost. He later ascends to the throne, ruling happily with Slavena by his side.

By Parker Fillmore · First published 1925 · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Fairy Tale · 4,626 words

First lines

While the king of a distant country was off at the wars, his wife, the queen, gave birth to twin sons. There was great rejoicing throughout the court and immediately messengers were despatched to the king to carry him news of the happy event.

Both boys were well and vigorous and shot up like little trees. The one who was about a moment the older was the hardier of the two. Even as a toddling child he was forever playing in the courtyard and struggling to climb on the back of a horse that had been given him because it was just his own age.

What this Textopian page supports

Prince Bayaya: the Story of a Magic Horse is listed on Textopian as a short story by Parker Fillmore, dated 1925 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Parker Fillmore
Date: 1925 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Fairy Tale, Children's Literature, Romance
Length: 4,626 words
Structure: 1 section, 98 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Prince Bayaya: the Story of a Magic Horse by Parker Fillmore
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering Prince Bayaya: the Story of a Magic Horse?
How does this short story by Parker Fillmore fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Fantasy — The story features magical elements, including a talking horse and dragons, which are central to the plot.
Adventure — The prince embarks on a journey to seek adventure and faces various challenges, including battling dragons.
Fairy Tale — The narrative structure and themes of royalty, magic, and moral lessons align with traditional fairy tale conventions.
Children's Literature — The story is suitable for a younger audience, featuring simple language and moral lessons.