Reading Notes: Twenty-Two Goblins, Part A

Brave, Wise, Clever

The giant fighting the brave man, illustration by Perham W. Nahl.

Source: Brave, Wise, Clever

A Brahman has a daughter named Moonlight who asks her family marry her to either a brave man, a wise man, or a clever man. Without consulting the other two, the father promises a clever man her hand, the brother promises a brave man her hand, and the mother promises a wise man her hand - all of them appointing the marriage on the seventh day.  So the day comes and all three men show up, and a giant kidnaps Moonlight.  All three men work together to save Moonlight.  And when they return, they fight over which one deserves to marry her.

If I were to rewrite this story, I would make it so that Moonlight had already found a man who wise, clever, and brave, without her family knowing.  And so on the day the of the wedding, he could show up, surprise everyone, and go with them to rescue her.  Then, each of the four men would go one at a time and try to save her, with only the man who is wise, clever, and brave succeeding.

Bibliography: "The Brave Man, the Wise Man, and the Clever Man. To which should the girl be given?" by translated Arthur W. Ryder.  Source: Twenty-Two Goblins