“The Legend of the King’s Three Sons.” Icelandic Fairy Tales, Mrs. A. W. Hall, London: Frederick Warne and Company, 1897, pp. 11-34.

Tale Summary

A king adopts a beautiful girl for his daughter. When she grows up, all three of his sons want her hand in marriage. He sets out a test to determine who will wed the girl, Isolde. Whoever brings back the most unusual thing from foreign lands will win the honor. The eldest brother brings a telescope that can be used to see anything in the world. The middle brother brings a shield that will defend against anything and also can fly and carry people on it. The youngest brother brings an apple that can cure all sickness. When the brothers reconvene, Isolde is sick. Through their joint efforts, they cure the princess and the king can’t decide which to wed Isolde. The middle brother is determined the winner of an archery contest and wins Isolde. The youngest goes to another kingdom and marries the queen. During his absence, the queen (his mother) dies and the king is seduced by another woman, who sets a test for the youngest brother. He must find a tent that can hold 800 people, water that can cure all illnesses, and a man like no other on earth. The youngest brother’s wife owns the tent, she helps him get the water, and her half-brother is a monstrous man named Randver who agrees to attend the meeting of the queen and youngest brother. At this meeting, Randver kills the stepmother queen who turns into an evil giantess, and the king is restored to health and sense by the magic water.