One hero that never left the storybooks was Făt-Frumos (“Handsome Son“), the greatest figure in Romanian folklore. In the world of fairy tales, Făt-Frumos is the ideal persona of a hero who preforms good deeds, help creatures in distress and faces all odds in his adventures. One popular story, “Youth Without Age and Life Without Death“, describes Făt-Frumos’ quest to gain immortality. The basis of this story can be found in much older myths such as the Japanese fable, “Urashima the Fisherman,” from 713 AD or even the Mesopotamian epic “Gilgamesh” from 2100 BC. Such tales never die.
The story begins with a pregnant Queen whose child, just before the birth, begins weeping uncontrollably. In order to stop the baby from crying, the King offers him kingdoms, princesses, and all the good things in the world. Nothing he says seems to stop the baby’s crying, so finally the King promises, “Be quiet, my son, and I’ll give you youth without age and life without death.” With that, the child finally quieted down and was born into the world. Făt-Frumos grew up to be quick-witted, wise and daring, and on his fifteenth birthday he finally asked his father to grant him the immortality that was promised to him. The King said that he had no power to fulfil his pledge, so Făt-Frumos made an oath that he would scour the world for the secret of immortality, or die trying. The King, Queen, and all the nobles begged him to stay as his parents were growing old and they would need him to rule the kingdom, but Făt-Frumos would not listen to their pleas.
On his adventures, Făt-Frumos acquires a talking, flying horse and fights his way past many horrible monsters (including a giant woodpecker) until they finally come to the palace of Youth without Age and Life without Death. The fairies that live in the palace take a liking to Făt-Frumos and ask him to stay with them forever, an offer to which he hastily agrees. Although the fairy kingdom was a paradise and he had achieved his goal of immortality, after time out of mind Făt-Frumos begins to long for his home and his parents. The fairies cried and told him not to go, but Făt-Frumos made a decision to leave the palace of eternity and find his parents. As he journeyed home Făt-Frumos grew steadily older and older, until his was a crooked, aged man with a long, white beard. No-longer handsome, he cried in despair when he came to find that his castle, where he grew up, was in ruins and long ago abandoned. Slowly, in sadness, the Făt-Frumos searched every room until he came to the place where he was born.
A thin, cracked voice greeted him, “You are most welcome! Had you been much later, I would have perished myself!” With that, Death gave Făt-Frumos one slap and he fell down dead, turning instantly to dust.
Romanian Traditions 