Once upon a time, a prince resolved to marry a princess renowned for her rare and extraordinary beauty. Though she was a wealthy heiress, the young woman was known for dressing very simply, in modest gowns. Yet she had one particular love: delicate scarves. Whenever she wrapped herself in one, she would transform into a bird and take flight.
The prince often wondered what kind of scarf he might give her—one so light and generous that her wings would grow broad and effortless, giving her greater freedom and allowing her to fly farther than ever before.
Unable to solve such a riddle, the prince journeyed deep into an ancient forest to seek the counsel of a sorceress. For a long time he made his way through the dense undergrowth, seeing no sunlight at all. But on the third day, he finally came upon a little log cottage hidden in the woods.
The sorceress was surprised by such an unusual visitor, but she listened carefully to the young man and said:
“If you wish for a scarf lighter than silk, it must be woven from the fragrance of flowers.”
“But how could such a scarf ever be made?” the prince asked in astonishment.
“I will help you,” the sorceress replied. “I can see that you truly love this girl. Tell me, which flower would you choose to give her?”
The prince thought for a moment.
“Violets,” he said. “I know how dearly she loves them.”
The sorceress summoned all the birds of her forest and commanded them to fly over every meadow, to search among the tall grass for the tiny, fragrant violets, and to lay them across the great meadow before her cottage.
The birds chirped merrily and flew away.
They did not return until sunset, and each one carried a violet blossom in its tiny beak.
The prince stood speechless before the sight that greeted him.
In the golden-pink rays of the setting sun, the meadow was covered with a vast carpet of violet flowers, spread like a royal tapestry over the grass. The fragrance of violets mingled with the warm scent of herbs that had basked all day in the sun, and the intoxicating perfume was stronger than any wine.
The prince stood enchanted.
Then the sorceress emerged from her little cottage.
“I shall unite your love for the princess with the fragrance of this carpet of flowers,” she said, “and bind this most delicate of materials with the wisdom I have gathered through the years. From it will come a great and weightless scarf—one that can become strong, magnificent wings for your beloved.”
And just as the last ray of sunlight slipped away from the meadow, and a delicate veil of twilight descended upon people and birds alike, a scarf of wondrous beauty appeared in the prince’s hands.
The birds, which had silently watched the enchantment unfold, suddenly broke into a joyful chorus and flew away together into the fading light.
The prince thanked the sorceress and began his journey home.
He was frightened to walk alone through the dark forest, but tucked beneath his cloak was the extraordinary gift, and its warmth gave him courage.
When he emerged from the forest, the prince went straight to the young woman. He told her of his love and presented her with the wondrous scarf.
She wrapped it around herself—and in an instant, she soared into the sky and disappeared from his sight.
The prince waited.
And waited.
But the beautiful princess did not return. Somewhere beyond distant seas and foreign lands, she was wandering beneath the open sky.
The sun was already sinking toward the horizon, and still there was no sign of her.
The prince began to worry.
And then, suddenly, she appeared before him once more—the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.
The sun had already set, yet the palace was as bright as day, for the princess herself seemed to glow with light.
She looked at him and said:
“You have given me an extraordinary gift. With it, I have discovered a freedom I never knew existed. I have seen wonders of the world I had never even heard of.
“Of course I will marry you. For while I was flying above the earth and gazing upon the world, the scarf whispered to me in the voices of birds all that I needed to know about your love, your faithfulness, and your courage.”
And some time later, they celebrated their wedding as befitted royalty—with all the grandeur of a royal feast.
The princess still flies with her magical scarf to this day.
But at sunset, she always comes home.
