DRATEWKA THE SHOEMAKER

There once lived a poor shoemaker, called Dratewka. Day by day he repaired shoes. Looking for work he walked from town to town and from village to village.

One day he found a damaged ant hill in a forest. He helped the ants repair it. In return, the ant queen promised to help him when he gets in trouble.

When he was walking on a meadow he saw a destroyed beehive in which bees used to live. He fixed it and the bee queen promised to help him whenever he needs help.

Once sitting next to a pond, Dratewka threw bread to feed wild ducks. The oldest drake thanked him from all his heart and said he would surely one day repay him for his kindness.

In the end the boy reached the castle in whose tower an evil witch imprisoned a beautiful girl. She could only be freed by her future husband. Many daredevils came, but none could solve the riddles and fulfil all the hard requirements set up by the witch. Those who tried and failed lost their heads. 

Dratewka, however, decided to try. As his first trial he was ordered to separate scattered poppy seeds from sand. Poor Dratewka was already

thinking of his tragic end, when a group of ants rushed in and started working. By midnight the task was accomplished and the witch was

very surprised.. 

The witch threw a golden key to the pond and told Dratewka to recover it as his next task. At this point, the old drake turned up. He asked all fish and ducks to help search for the key. Soon one fish found it and told the drake, who picked it and took to the shore. The witch could not believe her eyes.

Now the witch took Dratewka to the top of the tower. She made him face nine girls, all dressed in the same clothes and with heads completely covered. She told the shoemaker to make a guess and pick the girl who was to be his wife and who was locked in the tower. Then the bees came flying in and showed him the right girl. .

The witch got furious, turned into a huge bird and flew away never to be seen again. The shoemaker and the beautiful girl got married and gave a huge wedding party. They decided to stay in the witch’s castle and lived in it happily ever after.