The Shepherd Boy and The Sage Goose
Once upon a time, in a small Hungarian village surrounded by vast green fields and overlooking a charming rocky hill, lived a timid young shepherd boy named Mihaly. Mihaly, unlike his boisterous colleagues, was of a quiet nature, always engrossed in daydreaming and playing his little wooden flute. The melody that he played was no less enchanting than that of a virtuoso, narrating stories of faraway lands. One day, after his daily chores, he stumbled upon an extraordinarily large egg nestled near the riverbanks.
On his father's advice, Mihaly incubated the egg by taking it home and keeping it warm near the fireplace. Weeks passed; his anticipation soared, especially when the egg started shaking, indicating a sign of life within. The egg cracked and out came a small, grey, feathered creature, unlike anything Mihaly had ever seen. It was a little gosling of an unknown breed, with a glow in its eyes that made Mihaly feel an unusual bond with it.
The gosling grew rapidly and was fondly called 'Bence,' meaning 'Strong and Brave.' Bence turned out to be a Greenland white-fronted goose, a breed unheard of in Hungary. The young boy and the goose became inseparable.
As an adolescent, Mihaly found himself teased by his fellow villagers for his peculiar friendship with Bence. Things took a drastic turn when Bence succumbed to an unknown illness. Fearing the worst, Mihaly approached the village's wise woman. Reluctantly, she bestowed upon him a magical elixir, inherited from her ancestors, which could cure Bence. However, there was a catch – Mihaly had to promise he would continue growing, interacting, and learning from his feathered friend. The young boy, realizing the magnitude of his commitments, agreed.
True to his promise, Mihaly did everything to contribute to Bence's recovery - right from feeding him the magical elixir to nursing him back to health. Moreover, the duo became more participative in village affairs, earning the awe and respect of the villagers who had once ridiculed them.
When a severe drought hit the village years later, it was Bence who led the villagers to a hidden underground spring under the rocky hill. Mihaly was hailed as a hero and was crowned the village leader. The villagers no longer viewed Bence with skepticism, but as a symbol of wisdom and fortitude.
Over the years, Mihaly and Bence's enduring friendship and wisdom became legendary. They led the village through countless trials and reaped immense prosperity and peace. When Bence passed away of old age, he was honored as 'Bence, the Sage Goose of the Hungarian Plains.' Mihaly, consumed with grief, played his flute one last time, crafting a requiem to his lifelong friend and confidante.
Even after several centuries, the villagers still narrate the tale of the shepherd boy and his sage goose. Every year, they celebrate 'Bence Day', remembering the unique friendship that shaped their village, and simultaneously reminding the new generation of the values of friendship, bravery, and wisdom.
However, unknown to all, the rocky hill that sheltered the life-saving spring concealed a bigger secret: it was the dormant, magical goose from where Bence's mysterious egg had rolled off, waiting patiently to roll off another, and possibly, create another legend altogether.