A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

Overview

After his brothers cut off his feet, the prince meets a man blinded by his own brothers. They agree to support one another: one supplies sight, the other movement. The blind man knows a huge scorpion whose blood cures disease. At its house he places the prince behind the door and hides behind the stove. The returning creature is enraged because it detects the intrusion.

The prince waits until it is close and strikes with his sword, severing all three heads in one blow. Applying the hot blood restores his feet and the companion’s sight. They then part, and the prince becomes a shepherd before the recognition scene at the church. The account supplies size, three heads, a dwelling and curative blood, but no stinging episode, venom description or zoological identification. Its death and the two recoveries form a single episode before the prince’s later return.

Huge three-headed creatureOccupies a houseKilled by single sword strokeBlood restores feet and sight
01

Origins & earliest records

Roumanian Fairy Tales, collected by Mite Kremnitz, adapted and arranged by J. M. Percival (New York: Henry Holt, 1885), The Wonderful Bird, pp. 16–29.

02

Records & interpretation

Complete selected English tale and original hosted title/preface transcription. Preface assigns tale 2 to P. Ispirescu’s collection.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Roumanian Fairy Tales: The Wonderful Bird, pp. 16–29

    Mite Kremnitz, collector; J. M. Percival, adapter and arranger · 1885

    Preface assigns tale 2 to P. Ispirescu’s collection. Complete selected English witness; original Romanian and intermediate source editions not collated.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Primary historical English adaptationKremnitz/Percival 1885: The Wonderful BirdResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

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