Original subtitles

ASHLAD AND THE GOOD HELPERS

Who is that knocking on my door?

Good evening, Mister Peter. It's only us!

I see you brought your brother along. Didn't you hear the town crier just now?

He said the clock has struck nine. What do you two want this late?

You promised to tell us a story as soon as you returned from your travels.

- Well, true, but. . . - Oh, won't you tell us a story, please?

Well, I'm working on one right now.

An old peasant woman told me this one. Once upon a time there was a king.

He had heard of a ship, which sailed just as fast on land as at sea.

- Could the ship fly in the air, too? - In the air? Why, yes, I think so.

And to whomever could build one, -

- the king promised his daughter's hand and half of the kingdom.

- Half of the kingdom! - And the entire princess!

Oh, yes! Many attempts were made. But most of them failed miserably.

One day, Peter and Paul decided to try. They went into the forest.

They chopped and spliced, but still there was no ship.

They soon grew tired, and so they went back home.

When they came home, Ashlad wanted to try.

He asked for some food for the long walk.

So you want food?

You're just raking and poking in the ashes all day. You get nothing!

But maybe I'll gain the princess and half the kingdom.

Did you hear that?

So you're going to gain the princess?

And half the kingdom? You'll fare no better in the forest than us.

All we cut and carved turned into troughs.

And our food turned to mud. It's best you keep poking the ashes.

I'll try my luck just the same.

- Well, good luck to you! - You're going to need it!

What a strange looking old man?

Poor man, all crooked and wretched.

- Good day. - Good day. Where are you headed?

I'll build a ship that goes as fast on land as at sea, and in the air too.

Whoever can build that shall have the king's daughter and half the kingdom.

A better reply than the two others. They said ''to carve troughs.''

That's what they got. What do you carry?

It's supposed to be my supper.

- It's two oatcakes and some stale beer. - A better reply than the two others.

They said ''mud'', and mud it became.

Share with me, and I'll help you.

- You can have as much as you like. - Bless you for your kindness, lad.

I'll tell you what to do. Do you see that old oak tree over there?

Cut a chip off of it, and then put it back from the tree from where it came.

And then you can go to sleep.

Ashlad did as the old man said.

In his dreams, he thought he heard the sounds of chopping and carpenting.

But he could not awake before the old man woke him.

Son, time to wake up and have a look at your ship.

What? Ship? What a grand ship!

And the beautiful sail! Is she really mine?

Yes, that's your ship. Now hop on board, and take aboard everyone you meet.

I'll keep that in mind. And thank you very much!

Goodbye, goodbye!

Goodbye and bless you!

Away we go! Away we go through the forest!

Oh, what a splendid ship. I can't wait to show the king and the princess!

Wow! We're rising up in the air.

If only my brothers could see me!

I'll head straight for the castle.

What's that? Is there someone sitting in the quarry?

The old man told me to take aboard everyone I meet. I'll ask him.

Oh my word! What's the matter with him? Is that a rock he's eating?

Hello! Why do you eat rock?

I'm so hungry for meat that I can never get enough of it.

I have to resort to eating bare rock.

- I would like to come along. - And you are welcome aboard!

Many thanks. Could I take my dinner with me?

- It's a bit heavy, but it should go. - Yes, let's try, shall we?

- Do you see anything? - Yes. Someone on the mountain side.

He's jumping without going anywhere.

He seems to have heavy weights around his ankle.

Let's see who the man is. Hold tight, let's sail towards him.

Who are you? What's the point in jumping on one leg with that weight?

Otherwise I'd fly. I'd reach the end of the world in less than five minutes.

Now that's really something. Would you like to join us on my ship?

Yes please, if there's room on board?

Hold on, and away we go!

So where are you headed?

To the royal castle to gain the king's daughter and half the kingdom.

- Do you see something? - There's a man on the beach.

- He's holding his hand over his mouth. - We'd better check what the matter is.

Who are you? And why do you sit like that?

I have seven summers and fifteen winters inside of me, -

- so I have every reason to hold my mouth.

Should all of them escape, they'd destroy the entire world in an instant.

That's terrible. But you are welcome aboard my ship.

Well, I'd be happy to join you.

They didn't have very far to go.

They sailed on for just a little while, before arriving at the castle.

Ashlad headed for the courtyard, where the king stood to receive them.

This is your ship, your Majesty. It sails on land and sea and in the air!

- So now the princess is mine! - No, not just yet.

I have three hundred barrels of meat that I want to be rid of.

If you can manage that by tomorrow, you shall have her.

I'll give it a try. But ma y I bring one of my friends along?

You can take all three, and another three hundred, if you like.

The king could surely go ahead and laugh. But Ashlad invited his friend -

- who ate bare rock and always was hungry for meat.

When the doors were opened the next morning, the king was in for a surprise.

The hungry one had eaten the lot. Two smoked hams were all that remained.

He has actually eaten up all my meat! I've never seen anything like it.

Now the princess is mine.

No, wait. First you must fetch water for the princess' tea.

Water from the end of the world. In two minutes!

I'll give it a try. But may I send one of my friends?

Send all three of them, if you like. Here's the bucket.

You've got two minutes.

Now's the time to show them what a great runner you are.

Oh, no! Goodness! Here he comes already!

There is a queue for water for your daughter. Had to wait, nearly late.

Here's your water. This time the princess must surely be mine.

Well... I have three hundred chunks of wood for drying grain.

If you're man enough to sit inside and burn all the wood, -

- then you shall have her!

- May I take one of my friends with me? - All three, if you like!

With any luck, the three of them will all perish!

Ashlad invited the one with fifteen winters and seven summers inside him -

- and the other two as well. It was as hot as the inside of a kiln.

And the king ordered the doors be shut and padlocked.

Nice and warm in here.

- Let out a few winters. - Winters coming up.

No! It's too cold! You'd better throw in a few summers.

Summers coming up.

Good. That's a pleasant temperature.

Let's get some sleep, and give the king a nice surprise in the morning.

Here they come to see if we have burned to ashes.

Let out a few more winters, but make the last one hit him right in the face!

Very well! Open the doors, so I can see them lying there all burned.

Help! No, stop!

It's so cold! Stop, stop, please!

That'll do! Throw in a couple of summers! He's had enough!

Do I get your daughter's hand now?

Yes, take her and keep her, -

- and take the kingdom too!

The king didn't dare refuse him any longer. They had a wedding, -

- during which they fired their muskets. And as they grabbed handfuls of -

- gunpowder, they mistook me for a bullet!

Then they shot me all the way here, so I could tell you two what had happened.

Is that true?

As sure as the moon is made out of cheese.

And click-clack-clover, now the story's over.

As for you two, it's straight home and straight to bed.