The Three Dogs

Once there was a shepherd who had a son and a daughter. As he lay on his deathbed, he said, “I have nothing to leave you except three sheep and a house—divide them between you as you wish.” The brother asked his sister which one she wanted, and she chose the house.

“Then I’ll take the sheep and go out to seek my fortune,” he said.

During his travels, he came upon a man at a crossroads who had three dogs.

“Good day, my friend,” the man said. “I see you have three sheep. If you give them to me, I’ll give you my three dogs.”

The young man laughed. “What would I do with your dogs?”

“These are no ordinary dogs,” the stranger replied. “The smallest is named Salt—he will bring you food whenever you wish. The second is Pepper—he will tear to pieces anyone who tries to harm you. The largest is Mustard—so strong that he can bite through iron.”

Hearing this, the shepherd gladly exchanged his sheep for the dogs. From then on, Salt brought him delicious meals, and he travelled on in high spirits.

One day, he met a carriage draped in black. Inside sat a beautiful girl who was weeping. The coachman explained that a dragon living nearby devoured a maiden every year, and this year the victim chosen was the king’s daughter. The shepherd, saddened by her fate, decided to follow the carriage.

When they reached a hill, the princess stepped out and walked halfway up. Suddenly, a horrible creature—part snake, with huge wings and claws—came toward her. The shepherd shouted, “Pepper, help!” and the dog leaped onto the dragon. After a fierce fight, Pepper killed the monster and ate it, leaving only its two front teeth. The shepherd picked them up and put them in his pocket.

The princess begged him to return with her to the king, who would reward him, but the youth wished to keep travelling and promised to return in three years. They said goodbye.

On the way home, however, the coachman stopped the carriage. “You must tell your father that I killed the dragon,” he threatened, “or I will throw you into the river and everyone will think the dragon ate you.” Terrified, the princess agreed.

At the palace, the king wept with joy to see his daughter alive. Believing the coachman to be her rescuer, he said, “You shall be rewarded. You may marry her. She is still young, so the wedding must wait a year.”

The princess was heartbroken but kept her promise. When the year ended, she begged for another, and when that year passed, for one more. The king relented, not knowing that she hoped her true rescuer would return.

At last, the third year ended, and the wedding day arrived. The shepherd returned with his three dogs and asked why the whole kingdom was celebrating. When he learned the reason, he declared the coachman a liar—but no one believed him, and he was thrown into a dungeon for disturbing the festivities.

As he lay in his cell, he had an idea. “Mustard, come help me,” he called. Instantly, the great dog bit through the iron bars, freeing him.

Meanwhile, the king had just reached the church when the shepherd appeared. The coachman turned pale as chalk and fell to his knees, begging for mercy. The princess recognized the shepherd at once, even before he produced the dragon’s teeth from his pocket.

When the king saw the teeth, he knew the truth. The coachman was thrown into the dungeon, and the shepherd took his rightful place beside the princess. This time, she had no wish to delay the wedding—and they lived happily ever after.