This German fairy tale, "The Three Feathers," tells the story of an aging king and his three sons. The king, growing old and weak, needed to choose an heir for his kingdom. He had three sons: the eldest was very clever, the middle son was also intelligent, but the youngest was quiet and often perceived as foolish, earning him the nickname "Dummling" (little dummy) from the people. To decide who would inherit the throne, the king devised a series of tests. For the first test, the king released three feathers into the air, instructing his sons to follow where each feather landed. The eldest son's feather flew west, the middle son's flew east, but Dummling's feather barely moved, landing right at his feet. His brothers laughed at him, but Dummling, noticing a trapdoor where his feather landed, opened it to reveal a long staircase leading deep underground. Following the stairs, he found a large, thick toad surrounded by many smaller toads. The big toad, speaking to him, asked what he needed. Dummling explained he needed the most beautiful carpet. The toad produced a magnificent carpet from a chest, which Dummling took back to his father. His brothers, meanwhile, had brought back plain, ugly carpets. The king, impressed by Dummling's beautiful carpet, declared him the winner. However, the older brothers were furious and demanded a second chance. The king agreed, repeating the feather test. Again, the older brothers' feathers flew far, while Dummling's landed at his feet, leading him back to the toad. This time, he requested the most beautiful ring. The toad provided a stunning golden ring adorned with precious jewels. His brothers, once more, brought back simple iron rings. The king, again, chose Dummling's ring as the most beautiful, but the brothers protested vehemently, demanding a third and final chance. For the third test, the king asked his sons to find the most beautiful wife. The feathers again led the older brothers far away, while Dummling returned to the toad. He asked for the most beautiful woman, and the toad gave him a hollow turnip. Confused, Dummling watched as the toad instructed one of the small toads to enter the turnip. Instantly, the turnip transformed into a magnificent carriage, and the small toad inside became a breathtakingly beautiful woman. Dummling, smitten, brought her back to the castle. His brothers, in contrast, had brought back two plain farmer's daughters. The king was captivated by Dummling's beautiful bride. Still, the older brothers, unwilling to accept defeat, proposed one last challenge: all the women must jump through a large ring hanging from the ceiling. The farmer's daughters, being agile, easily jumped through. But when the beautiful woman from the turnip jumped, she landed gracefully on her feet. With no further objections, the king finally crowned Dummling, who had proven his worth and wisdom despite being underestimated, as the new king.