Once upon a time, in a quiet countryside village, there were three brothers who worked as woodcutters. The youngest, Askeladden, was kind and hardworking, yet his two older brothers often mocked him and treated him as if he were useless. One day, while chopping wood deep in the forest, Askeladden’s axe slipped from his hands and fell straight into a deep, bottomless hole. Determined not to lose the only tool he depended on, he tied a long rope around his waist and asked his brothers to lower him down. He had no idea that this single decision would change his entire life.
When Askeladden reached the bottom, he found himself in a strange underground kingdom that was bright, beautiful, and eerily silent. After walking for a long time, he spotted a grand castle and stepped inside. There he met the first princess, who was being held captive by a terrifying three headed monster. Askeladden fought the monster with all his courage and defeated it, freeing the princess. She gratefully gave him a golden ring and pointed him toward another castle where more danger awaited.
Following the princess’s directions, Askeladden reached the second castle. Inside, he found another princess guarded by a six headed monster even more fearsome than the last. The battle was long and exhausting, but Askeladden refused to give up. Through sheer determination, he defeated the monster and saved the second princess, who rewarded him with a precious keepsake and guided him to the third and final castle.
At the last castle, Askeladden discovered the most beautiful princess of all. She was imprisoned by a monstrous creature with nine heads, the most powerful enemy he had faced. The fight nearly cost him his life. This battle tested his strength, his bravery, and his will to survive. In the end, Askeladden struck down the monster and freed the princess. She gave him a magnificent ring and promised that she would marry him once they returned to the world above.
Askeladden then led all three princesses back to the hole and tied the rope around each one so his brothers could pull them up. But when it was finally his turn to climb, his brothers revealed their true nature. Out of jealousy and greed, they cut the rope and left Askeladden trapped underground, planning to claim credit for everything he had done and force the princesses into marriage.
Lost and heartbroken, Askeladden wandered through the dark underground world until he heard a group of trolls heading to a feast. He hid in a hollow tree and waited until they left behind a bottle of magical water that could heal any wound and restore strength. With this magical water, and a mystical tool he discovered in their castle, he traveled back up through the pit and returned to the surface.
When he arrived, he found that his brothers were pretending to be heroes and preparing to marry the princesses. Askeladden approached in a humble disguise, but the third princess immediately recognized the golden ring she had given him. She bravely stepped forward and revealed the truth, exposing the lies of his brothers.
Askeladden showed the gifts from all three princesses and explained the trials he had gone through. His brothers were punished for their betrayal, and Askeladden was celebrated as the true hero. He married the third princess, the other princesses found their own happiness, and Askeladden eventually became a wise and kind king. Their lives were filled with peace, justice, and joy for many years to come.