The Three Princes

By Peter Halder

The Three Princes combines a pair of exciting, breath-taking, action filled fairy tale adventures. The Princes are three brothers who sail the seas in search of adventure which they find. In a far off land, the King’s three daughters are kidnaped by three giants, one with 8 heads, one with 9 and one with 10. In bizarre circumstances, the youngest Prince, assisted by a Fairy, battles all three to rescue the Princesses. In the second tale, The Prince and The Ice Girl, a beautiful damsel is seized by an Ice Giant and held captive in an ice bubble. A young Prince travels to the Land of Ice, meeting strange adventures on the way, and battles the Ice Giant to rescue the girl. Both tales are filled with strange events, thrills, magic and happy endings.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Proglen
• Release date: Sep 21, 2014
• ISBN: 9786167817569

Peter Halder

Peter Halder is the pen name of Burnett Alexander Halder. He was born in Guyana, formerly British Guyana, and educated there, the United Kingdom and the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. Peter worked as a journalist and later joined the Government Service. He served in District Administration, Licence Revenue and Foreign Affairs. As a diplomat, he was Deputy Head of Mission, Guyana Embassy, Washington D.C., U.S.A. and subsequently appointed High Commissioner to Canada. He resigned and accepted an appointment as a Consultant with the Government of Fiji. He later became a Consultant with the Fiji Embassy to the U.S.A. and after, with the Fiji Permanent Mission to the United Nations. Peter received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Guyana Cultural Association of New York, USA and Editor’s Awards from The National Library of Poetry, Maryland, USA. His first book, The Cat of Muritaro, was published in 2012. He has a blogsite at www.peterhalder.wordpress.com/ at which his nostalgias, articles, short stories, and poems can be read. He is now retired and lives with his family in Virginia, U.S.A.

Book preview

THE THREE PRINCES

Hylas, Xanax and Zidan

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful island called the Friendly Island. It was ruled by a wise King named Faragan. The King had a most beautiful wife, Queen Lovina.

Both the King and the Queen were very much loved by the people of the Friendly Island.

The Royal couple had three children. All were boys.

The people called them The Three Princes. Prince Hylas was the eldest. Prince Xanax was the second oldest. And Prince Zidan was the youngest.

The Three Princes found life on the island very dull. They yearned for travel and adventure as most young men do.

After talking about it to each other often and for a long time, they decided to speak to their parents. And, off they went.

Prince Hylas as the eldest spoke for the three. He explained their yearning and added Travel is a kind of education. We can learn a lot by seeing how other people live. We can find new things that we can bring back to help our people.

We also hope to find beautiful Princesses whom we may marry for there are no Princesses in our fair land, said Prince Zidan.

King Faragan and Queen Lovina listened very carefully and looked at each other when their sons were finished.

Surprise was on their faces. They had never thought for one second that their sons would ever leave the Palace, much less the island.

King Faragan had a different fear. He feared for their safety. The Princes hardly ever left the Palace and never knew hardship. They never had to face problems. They knew only good and not evil. They were well educated in the Palace by private teachers and trained in the use of weapons. Training was one thing and facing the real situation was another. But, he supposed that children had to grow up at some time and boys became men when they were faced with the tests of life and did well. As future rulers, they must not only be educated but be wise as well and wisdom was a mix of education and experience.

However, sad though he was, the King realized that there was little he could say or do to change the minds of the Princes. Their minds were clearly made up.

I do agree, he said with tears in his eyes, that there is a lot you can learn from seeing how other people live. I do agree that you may find new plants and tools that you may bring back to help improve the lives of our people. I also agree that it is time that you begin to think of your future brides and they must be of your choosing. So, with sadness in my heart, I will agree to your wishes and do all I can to help you.

The Three Princes rushed to the thrones and embraced their father and then their mother.

Thank you father, thank you very much. You are very wise. It is a wise and good parent who listens with his heart and his head to his children. We each of us have our own lives to live and you and mother cannot live it for us, said Prince Hylas.

That being said, how can I help you in your adventure? asked the King.

The Three Princes asked for a ship, a captain and crew, food and water and a small amount of gold and silver in the event they needed to buy things.

The King granted them their wish but warned them not to spend the money foolishly for there may come a time in their adventure when they will really need it. They were also advised that they would need fresh food and fresh water from time to time and to be on the lookout for islands where such may be found.

I have one final thing to tell you as your King first and father second, he added, you are Princes and you must act like Princes in whatever you do. You must always be kind, helpful, honest and mannerly and you must also aid any woman in distress, be she a Princess or a simple maid or an old woman.

The Three Princes gave the King their word of honour.

It took many months to complete all the preparations for the travel.

The Three Princes were not happy over the time it took. Patience was not always to be found in the young.

At last, the ship was ready, the captain and crew were chosen and food and water stored on board.

The King held a Royal Ball at the Palace the night before the Princes sailed. He, the Queen, and all the guests wished the Princes safe travel and wonderful adventures.

The King and Queen, the Royal Household and the people of the island were at the harbor to see the Princes off and to cheer them on.

It was a bright, sunny day when the ship sailed from the harbor.

A flock of birds flew over the ship as it set sail. In it were seven white gulls.

That is a good sign for the boys, observed the King.

The Three Princes sailed for many days without seeing land.

In due time, they sighted small islands and landed on them for fresh fruit and water. No one lived on the islands.

Weeks turned into months before land was again sighted.

Land ahoy, shouted a sailor standing at the port side of the ship. His voice was filled with excitement.

The Three Princes joined him and saw a large land mass on the horizon.

Land of Good Fortune

As the ship drew nearer, they saw many houses and people. They were filled with anticipation.

The ship entered a narrow inlet.

My brothers and I will go ashore, Prince Hylas told the captain, you and the crew wait here for us. We do not know how long we will be ashore but make sure you never leave here without us.

I and my crew will wait here for you until we grow grey beards, the captain replied.

The Three Princes armed themselves, put a few pieces of gold and silver in their pockets and went ashore.

After several hours of walking and, feeling tired and hungry, they came to a small town.

They soon found an inn where they ate a meal.

Prince Hylas spoke with the