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