It is told — O wise and noble King — that in times long past, in an age wrapped in the veils of wonder, there lived a young prince named Prince Darim. He was noble in form and spirit, gentle-hearted, and gifted with both wisdom and curiosity. Unlike other princes, he longed not only for power, but for stories, truth, and the mysteries of the world.
His father, a great and mighty king, ruled over a vast realm. But the king was stern and believed a prince should concern himself only with rule and command, not with roaming among commoners or attending the tales of wandering poets and sages.
“Ruling,” he would say, “is the work of kings. Tales are for idle men.”
Yet Prince Darim paid little heed. He often slipped away from the palace, donned humble garments, and wandered among the people, listening to their woes, learning their customs, and sitting with storytellers, scholars, and the wise.
One day, while walking through a busy market street, he came upon a pitiful sight: a sickly, bony donkey tied to a post outside a roadside inn. Passersby mocked the beast or struck it in cruelty, while the poor animal hung its head, its eyes dull with sorrow.
Intrigued, Prince Darim approached the donkey’s owner and asked:
— “Why does this creature look so sorrowful?”
The man replied:
— “O my lord, this donkey is a strange one! I bought him years ago, and he was strong and tireless. But over the past year, he changed. He refuses food, shuns company, weeps at night like a human, and sighs as if his heart were broken!”
The prince was moved. There was something in the donkey’s eyes — something strangely human — that stirred his soul. Without a second thought, he bought the donkey and brought him to the palace.
He ordered that the animal be well-fed, cleaned, and placed in a peaceful garden within the royal grounds. Each night, Darim would sit beside the donkey, speaking to him softly.
Then, on one moonlit night, a miracle occurred.
The donkey lifted its head, stared into the prince’s eyes, and spoke in a faint, trembling voice:
— “Kind prince… I thank you. Know that I am not truly a donkey, but a cursed prince.”
Darim's heart pounded in his chest.
— “Who are you?” he asked. “And what has befallen you?”
The donkey sighed and said:
— “My name is Prince Nazim, heir to the Kingdom of Blossoms. I fell in love with a maiden named Layla — daughter of a powerful sorcerer. But I refused to marry her by force, and her father, in vengeance, cast a terrible spell upon me. He turned me into this beast and said: ‘You shall remain thus until a prince pities you, shows you kindness, and loves you without knowing your truth.’”
Tears filled Darim’s eyes. He said:
— “By the heavens, I shall not rest until I free you from this curse.”
Darim searched ancient scrolls, questioned mystics and wise women, and journeyed far until he found an old enchantress known as Mother Hala, who dwelled in a cave atop a high mountain.
He told her the tale, and she nodded gravely.
— “Yes,” she said, “I know this curse. It can only be broken on the night of the full moon, with a special incantation. And the donkey must be kissed upon the brow by a prince with a pure heart.”
That night, under the silver light of the moon, Darim brought Nazim to the cave. Mother Hala chanted ancient words, and Darim stepped forward, kissed the donkey’s forehead…
And at once, the donkey began to tremble. A warm light enveloped him, and before Darim’s eyes, the beast transformed — slowly — into a tall, handsome young man.
Prince Nazim stood once more, clothed in light and gratitude.
They embraced like brothers. Nazim said:
— “You, O Darim, have done what no one else dared. You freed me, not with magic, but with mercy.”
Nazim invited Darim to his kingdom, where they stayed together for many moons, sharing knowledge, wisdom, and tales of old
When Darim returned to his father’s court, he told him all that had happened. The king, deeply moved and ashamed of his former harshness, embraced his son and said:
— “You have proven that a true prince rules not only by sword or scepter, but by compassion.”
And thus, Prince Darim was named crown prince. He ruled justly and wisely for many years, and each evening, he would sit among the people and tell them the tale of:
"The Donkey and the Prince" — so they might remember that kindness unlocks what cruelty never could.
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