The Four Skillful Brothers

A poor man had four sons who, upon coming of age, each set out to learn a trade. The eldest became a thief, the second an astronomer, the third a huntsman, and the fourth a tailor. After perfecting their skills, they returned home and their father set them a test: whoever could bring the finest shirt would inherit the family house.

The thief stole a fine shirt from the castle. The huntsman killed a great bear and used its fur for a shirt. The tailor sewed a magnificent garment. But the astronomer warned them that their skills must be used together, not separately.

Soon, the king's daughter was kidnapped by a dragon. The brothers offered to rescue her. From a distant hill, the astronomer watched through his telescope and saw the princess in a rocky gorge.

The huntsman shot the dragon from afar. As the beast fell, the thief dashed in and snatched the princess before the dragon's body crushed her. The tailor then stitched the huntsman's wounds and the princess's injuries.

But when they returned, the king could not decide which brother deserved the reward. Each had been essential—the astronomer to find her, the huntsman to kill the dragon, the thief to save her, and the tailor to heal them.

The brothers refused to compete, saying their success came from working together. The king, impressed by their unity, divided the kingdom into four parts, giving each brother a quarter. The princess, grateful to all four, chose to remain unmarried and ruled with them as advisors.

Thus the brothers lived together in peace, their skills combined for the good of the realm. And when danger threatened, they stood as one, proving that cooperation is greater than any individual talent.