The Son of Seven Queens

Watercolor illustration of a kind, elderly man with a long, flowing white beard, presenting himself to a sad, crowned King in a grand throne room. The King, seated on a gold-leaf throne, is surrounded by seven beautiful Queens, all looking melancholic. Soft, dappled sunlight streams through stained-glass windows, casting long shadows on the polished marble floor. The man’s beard has individual strands visible, and his clothes are slightly worn, adding to his humbleness. The King’s crown glints, but his face is etched with worry lines. The Queens are dressed in rich velvet gowns in muted jewel tones, their faces pale and tear-streaked. The overall color palette is warm and inviting, but subtly tinged with sadness. Texture: The throne’s velvet cushion is slightly worn, and the marble floor reflects the light unevenly. Artistic style: loose watercolor with soft blending and a focus on capturing the natural flow of the paint.

Once upon a time, there was a King who had seven Queens, but no children. This made him very sad, especially because when he died, there would be no one to take over the kingdom.

One day, a kind old man came to the King and said, “Your wishes have been heard! One of your seven Queens will have a son!”

The King was so happy! He told everyone to get ready for a big party when the baby came. It was going to be the best party ever!

Watercolor illustration of the seven Queens in a lush palace garden during late afternoon. They are dressed in vibrant robes of emerald green, sapphire blue, and ruby red, contrasted by the pastel hues of blossoming roses and lavender. They are indulging in various treats like cakes and fruits arranged on a white linen tablecloth spread across a stone table, but their expressions are tinged with sadness. A gentle breeze rustles the leaves of the overhanging willow trees, casting dancing shadows on the scene. Texture: The soft texture of the linen, the smooth surfaces of the fruits, and the rough bark of the willow tree are all captured in detail. The color palette is vibrant and cheerful, but with a subtle undercurrent of melancholy reflected in the Queens’ downcast eyes. Artistic style: watercolor with delicate blending to convey the softness of the light and the natural textures of the garden. Emphasis on the interplay of light and shadow.

The seven Queens lived in a beautiful palace. They had lots of helpers and ate yummy treats all day long!

The King loved to go hunting. One day, before he left, the seven Queens sent him a message. “Please, dear King, don’t hunt to the north today. We had bad dreams, and we’re worried something bad might happen to you.”

The King wanted to make them happy, so he said he wouldn’t go north. He went south instead, but he couldn’t find any animals. He tried east and west, but still no luck! He really wanted to catch something, so he forgot his promise and went north.

At first, he still didn’t see any animals. But then, a white deer with golden horns and silver feet ran past him into the woods! It was so fast he barely saw it. But he really, really wanted to catch it! He told his helpers to surround the woods so the deer couldn’t escape. Then, they slowly moved closer and closer until the King could see the deer hiding in the middle.

Watercolor illustration of the King on horseback in a dense, green forest at midday. Sunlight filters through the thick canopy, creating dappled shadows on the forest floor. He is chasing a majestic white deer with golden antlers and silver hooves. The deer is leaping over a fallen, moss-covered log. The King’s face is set in grim determination, his brow furrowed. His horse is a powerful steed, its muscles straining with effort. The deer is ethereal and graceful, its coat gleaming in the sunlight. Texture: The rough bark of the trees, the soft moss on the log, and the smooth coat of the deer are all meticulously rendered. Color palette: Dominantly green with highlights of gold and silver, creating a sense of magical realism. Artistic style: Watercolor with a focus on capturing the textures of the forest and the dynamic movement of the chase.

He got closer and closer, ready to grab it! But the deer jumped super high, right over the King’s head, and ran towards the mountains! The King didn’t care about anything else. He rode his horse as fast as he could, leaving his helpers far behind. He kept chasing the deer until he ended up in a narrow valley with no way out. He stopped his horse.

In front of him was a tiny, old house. The King was tired from the chase, so he went inside to ask for some water. An old woman was sitting there, spinning yarn. She told her daughter to get the King some water. A beautiful girl came out from another room. She had white skin and golden hair. The King was amazed! He couldn’t believe someone so beautiful could live in such a small house.

Watercolor illustration of a young, beautiful woman with fair skin and golden hair, offering a wooden cup of water to the King in a small, rustic cottage bathed in the warm glow of a crackling fireplace. She has an ethereal glow about her, her eyes filled with compassion. The cottage is sparsely furnished with a simple wooden table and chairs. The King is seated on a stool, his face haggard and weary. The woman’s dress is simple and homespun, but her presence radiates a sense of peace. Texture: The rough texture of the wooden walls, the smooth surface of the cup, and the warmth of the fireplace are all palpable. The overall color palette is warm and inviting, with soft, diffused lighting that creates a sense of intimacy and comfort. Artistic style: Watercolor with soft, gentle brushstrokes to create a dreamlike quality. Emphasis on capturing the emotional connection between the two characters.

She gave the King water, and when he looked into her eyes, he knew! She was the white deer with the golden horns and silver feet!

Her beauty made him forget everything. He got on his knees and begged her to come back with him and be his wife. But she just laughed and said seven Queens were enough for any King! But he kept begging and promising her anything she wanted. Finally, she said, “Give me the eyes of your seven Queens, and then maybe I’ll believe you!”

The King was so enchanted by the white deer’s magic that he went home right away. He had the eyes of his seven Queens taken out! Then, he threw the poor, blind Queens into a dark, smelly jail where they couldn’t escape. He took the eyes to the girl in the valley.

But the white deer just laughed cruelly when she saw the eyes. She put them on a string like a necklace and gave it to her mother. “Wear this, Mom,” she said, “while I’m at the King’s palace!”

Then, she went back to the palace with the King and became his new wife. He gave her the seven Queens’ fancy clothes and jewels, their palace to live in, and their helpers to take care of her. She had everything a witch could ever want!

Soon after the seven Queens lost their eyes and were put in jail, the youngest Queen had a baby boy! He was very handsome. The other Queens were jealous at first, but the little boy was so helpful that they all started to think of him as their own son.

As soon as he could walk, he started digging at the mud wall of the jail. In no time, he made a hole big enough to crawl through. He disappeared and came back an hour later with yummy treats, which he shared with the seven blind Queens.

Watercolor illustration of a dungeon scene with seven blind Queens huddled together, looking distressed. The dungeon is cold and damp, with rough stone walls and a dirt floor. A single shaft of light penetrates from a small grate high above. A young boy, the son, is secretly digging a small hole in the mud wall with his hands, his face determined. The Queens’ faces are etched with fear and despair. Their robes are tattered and stained. Texture: The rough texture of the stone walls, the dampness of the dirt floor, and the worn fabric of the robes are all vividly portrayed. The color palette is dark and somber, with shades of gray and brown dominating the scene. Artistic style: Watercolor with loose, expressive brushstrokes to convey the sense of confinement and desperation. Emphasis on capturing the emotional distress of the characters.

As he got older, he made the hole bigger. He would sneak out two or three times a day to play with the other kids in town. No one knew who he was, but everyone liked him. He was funny, cheerful, and always doing tricks. People gave him cookies, snacks, and treats. He brought everything back to his seven mothers, as he called the blind Queens. He helped them survive in the jail, even though everyone thought they had died long ago.

One day, when he was a big kid, he took his bow and arrow and went hunting. He walked past the palace where the white deer lived like a queen. He saw some pigeons flying around the towers and shot one. The pigeon fell right past the window where the white Queen was sitting. She looked out to see what happened. When she saw the handsome young boy with his bow, she knew by her magic that he was the King’s son!

Watercolor illustration of a handsome young boy with a bow and arrow, standing beneath the palace window during twilight. The sky is a blend of deep blues and purples, and a few stars are beginning to appear. A dead pigeon lies on the ground, its feathers ruffled. The white deer Queen is peering out from the window with a jealous expression, her antlers partially visible in the dim light. The palace window is ornate and gothic. The boy’s face is filled with youthful confidence. Texture: The rough texture of the palace stones, the delicate feathers of the pigeon, and the smooth surface of the windowpane are all rendered with detail. The color palette is a mix of cool blues and purples with warmer tones highlighting the Queen’s jealous expression. Artistic style: Watercolor with a focus on capturing the atmospheric quality of twilight and the subtle nuances of the characters’ emotions.

She was so jealous and angry that she wanted to hurt him right away. She sent a servant to bring him to her and asked if he would sell her the pigeon he had shot.

“No,” said the brave boy, “the pigeon is for my seven blind mothers who live in the smelly jail. They would die if I didn’t bring them food!”

“Poor things!” said the tricky white witch. “Wouldn’t you like to get their eyes back? Give me the pigeon, and I promise to show you where to find them!”

The boy was so happy to hear this! He gave her the pigeon right away. Then, the white Queen told him to go find her mother and ask for the eyes, which she wore as a necklace.

“She will give them to you,” said the cruel Queen, “if you show her this piece of broken pottery. I wrote on it what I want done.”

She gave the boy a piece of pottery with these words written on it: “Kill the person who brings this right away and spill their blood like water!”

The son of seven Queens couldn’t read, so he took the message and happily went to find the white Queen’s mother.

On the way, he passed through a town where everyone looked sad. He asked them what was wrong. They told him that the King’s only daughter didn’t want to get married. So when her father died, there would be no one to be the new ruler. They were worried she was crazy because she said she would only marry someone who was the son of seven mothers! No one had ever heard of such a thing! The King was desperate. He ordered everyone who came into the city to be brought to the Princess. The boy was in a hurry to find his mothers’ eyes, but he was taken to the Princess anyway.

As soon as the Princess saw him, she blushed and said to the King, “Father, this is the one I choose!”

Everyone was so happy! It was the best news ever!

Watercolor illustration of the son of seven Queens, now a young man with a confident stance, exchanging a piece of finely crafted pottery with a wise-looking Princess in a royal chamber bathed in the golden light of chandeliers. The King and his court look on in the background, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. The royal chamber is richly decorated with tapestries and ornate furniture. The pottery is intricately designed. The Princess’s face is intelligent and kind. Texture: The smooth texture of the pottery, the rich fabric of the tapestries, and the polished surface of the furniture are all meticulously depicted. The overall color palette is warm and inviting, with a sense of grandeur and sophistication. Artistic style: Watercolor with a focus on capturing the details of the royal chamber and the character’s expressions. A subtle use of dry brush technique enhances the tapestry texture.

The people cheered and celebrated. But the son of seven Queens said he wouldn’t marry the Princess until he got his mothers’ eyes back. When the beautiful Princess heard his story, she asked to see the piece of pottery. She was very smart and knew how to read. She saw the evil message but didn’t say anything. She took another piece of pottery that looked the same and wrote on it: “Take care of this boy and give him everything he wants.” Then, she gave it back to the son of seven Queens, who didn’t know the difference. He left to find the eyes.

Soon, he arrived at the house in the valley where the white witch’s mother lived. She was a scary old woman who grumbled when she read the message, especially when the boy asked for the necklace of eyes. But she took it off and gave it to him. “There are only thirteen of them now,” she said, “I lost one last week!”

The boy was just happy to get any eyes at all. He hurried back to his seven mothers and gave two eyes to each of the six older Queens. But to the youngest Queen, he gave only one eye. “Dearest little mother!” he said, “I will always be your other eye!”

Then, he went to marry the Princess, as he had promised. But when he walked by the white Queen’s palace, he saw some pigeons on the roof. He shot one, and it fell past the window. The white deer looked out and saw the King’s son, alive and well!

She screamed with anger and hate. She sent for the boy and asked how he had come back so soon. When she heard how he had brought back the thirteen eyes and given them to the seven blind Queens, she could barely control her anger. But she pretended to be happy for him and told him that if he gave her this pigeon too, she would do even more for him! She would give him the Jogi’s amazing cow. Its milk flowed all day long and made a pond as big as a kingdom!

The boy was excited by the idea and gave her the pigeon. Then, she told him to go ask her mother for the cow and gave him a piece of pottery that said, “Kill this boy without fail and spill his blood like water!”

But on the way, the son of seven Queens stopped to see the Princess to tell her why he was late. She read the message on the pottery and gave him another one instead. This one said, “Give this boy everything he asks for, because his blood is like your blood!”

When the old woman read this, she couldn’t refuse. She told the boy how to find the Jogi’s cow and warned him not to be afraid of the eighteen thousand monsters that guarded it. She told him to leave before she got too angry that her daughter was giving away so many good things.

The boy did as he was told. He traveled until he came to a white pond guarded by the eighteen thousand monsters. They were scary to look at, but he bravely whistled a tune as he walked through them, not looking to the left or right. Soon, he found the Jogi’s cow. It was tall, white, and beautiful. The Jogi, who was the king of all the monsters, was milking her day and night. Milk flowed from her and filled the white tank.

Watercolor illustration of the son of seven Queens leading a large, white Jogi cow with a never-ending stream of milk pouring from its udders under a bright midday sun. He is walking past a field of eighteen thousand cartoonish monsters, who are bowing down to him in reverence. The Jogi cow is taller than the monsters, highlighting its importance. The sky is a brilliant blue with fluffy white clouds. The monsters are colorful and whimsical, each with a unique design. The son is wearing simple clothes, his face filled with determination. The milk creates a flowing river amidst the bowing monsters. Texture: The soft fur of the cow, the smooth flow of the milk, and the varied textures of the monsters are all rendered with detail. The overall color palette is bright and cheerful, with a sense of whimsy and wonder. Artistic style: Watercolor with bold, vibrant colors and a playful style. Emphasis on creating a sense of scale and the contrast between the cow and the monsters.

The Jogi saw the boy and shouted, “What do you want here?”

The boy answered, as the old woman had told him, “I want your skin because King Indra is making a new drum and says your skin is strong!”

The Jogi started to shake and tremble. No monster dares to disobey King Indra! He fell at the boy’s feet and cried, “If you spare me, I will give you anything I have, even my beautiful white cow!”

The son of seven Queens pretended to think about it. Then, he agreed, saying that it wouldn’t be hard to find another strong skin like the Jogi’s. He led the wonderful cow home. The seven Queens were happy to have such an amazing animal. They worked all day making cheese and selling milk, but they couldn’t use even half of the milk the cow gave. They became richer and richer every day.

Seeing that they were doing well, the son of seven Queens went to marry the Princess with a happy heart. But when he walked by the white deer’s palace, he couldn’t help but shoot some pigeons that were on the wall. One fell dead under the window where the white Queen was sitting. She looked out and saw the boy, healthy and strong. She turned even whiter with anger and hate.

She sent for him to ask how he had come back so soon. When she heard how kindly her mother had treated him, she almost had a fit. But she hid her feelings and smiled sweetly. She said she was happy to have helped him and that if he gave her this third pigeon, she would do even more for him! She would give him the million-fold rice, which ripens in one night!

The boy was thrilled at the idea. He gave up the pigeon and went on his adventure. He had a piece of pottery that said, “Don’t fail this time! Kill the boy and spill his blood like water!”

But when he stopped to see the Princess, she asked to see the pottery, as usual. She replaced it with another one that said, “Give this boy everything he needs, because his blood is like your blood!”

When the old woman saw this and heard that the boy wanted the million-fold rice, she became very angry. But she was scared of her daughter and controlled herself. She told the boy to find the field guarded by eighteen million monsters. She warned him not to look back after he picked the tallest rice stalk in the middle.

So the son of seven Queens left. He soon came to the field where the million-fold rice grew, guarded by eighteen million monsters. He walked bravely, not looking to the left or right, until he reached the middle and picked the tallest stalk. But as he turned to go home, a thousand sweet voices rose behind him, crying, “Pick me too! Oh, please pick me too!” He looked back, and suddenly, there was nothing left of him but a pile of ashes!

As time passed and the boy didn’t return, the old woman became worried. She remembered the message, “His blood is like your blood!” She went to see what had happened.

Watercolor illustration of the old woman with a stern face creating the boy out of ashes, using her blood as life force in a dimly lit, ancient cave. The cave walls are covered in strange symbols. The resurrected boy opens his eyes wide, his expression a mixture of wonder and fear. The old woman’s face is lined with wrinkles and her eyes gleam with power. The ashes swirl around the boy’s emerging form. Texture: The rough texture of the cave walls, the powdery texture of the ashes, and the raw energy of the life force are all vividly portrayed. The color palette is dark and earthy, with flashes of red representing the blood. Artistic style: Watercolor with dramatic lighting and expressive brushstrokes to convey the mystical and transformative nature of the scene. A sense of ethereal glow surrounds the boy and the old woman.

She found the pile of ashes and knew what it was. She took some water and mixed it with the ashes, making it into the shape of a man. Then, she put a drop of blood from her finger into its mouth and blew on it. The son of seven Queens jumped up as if nothing had happened!

“Don’t disobey me again!” grumbled the old woman. “Or next time, I’ll leave you there! Now leave before I change my mind!”

The son of seven Queens happily returned to his seven mothers. They used the million-fold rice and soon became the richest people in the kingdom. They celebrated their son’s marriage to the clever Princess with a big party. The bride was so smart that she wanted to introduce her husband to his father and punish the wicked white witch.

She made her husband build a palace exactly like the one where the seven Queens had lived and where the white witch now lived in luxury. When everything was ready, she told her husband to have a big party for the King. The King had heard a lot about the mysterious son of seven Queens and his amazing wealth. He was happy to accept the invitation. But he was shocked when he entered the palace and found that it was exactly like his own! And when his host, dressed in fancy clothes, led him to the private room where the seven Queens sat on royal thrones, dressed as he had last seen them, he was speechless. Then, the Princess came forward, kneeled at his feet, and told him the whole story.

Watercolor illustration of the King, shocked and remorseful under the bright light of the full moon streaming through the windows, recognizing his seven Queens on royal thrones in a grand palace mirroring his own. The son of seven Queens and the Princess stand beside the Queens, their faces filled with compassion and forgiveness, revealing the deception of the white deer Queen. The two palaces stand opposite each other, connected by a bridge of light. The atmosphere is heavy with emotion. The Queens are radiant and regal. The white deer Queen cowers in the shadows. Texture: The smooth texture of the thrones, the rich fabric of the royal robes, and the ethereal quality of the moonlight are all meticulously rendered. The overall color palette is rich and vibrant, with a sense of resolution and hope. Artistic style: Watercolor with a focus on capturing the emotional intensity of the scene and the symbolic significance of the two palaces mirroring each other. A subtle use of washes creates depth and atmosphere.

The King woke up from his magical sleep. He became very angry at the wicked white deer who had tricked him for so long. He couldn’t control himself! So she was put to death, and her grave was plowed over. The seven Queens returned to their own beautiful palace, and everyone lived happily ever after!

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The Soothsayer's Son

The Singing Donkey

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