# Anybody know the name of this kids story? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 1, 2011, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484 "2011-07-01T07:22:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/1 "2011-07-01T07:22:51Z")
I asked about this a few years ago and was told that there are a lot of stories like this. I should have asked for the name even just one story. Anyway, if you have read this, or a story just like this, and know the name, please share. When I was a kid I had this book. It was a bout a king who lost a war with another king, and now he was a king without a kingdom. As he is traveling he meets three people. One can turn into an elephant, one can turn into fire…and I can’t remember what the third can do. Or maybe there wasn’t a third one. Anyway, they travel to this kingdom where the king’s daughter will marry any man who can pass a test. The test being, there is a gigantic room full of food and barrels of wine. The suitor has to eat all of the food and drink all the wine. So the prince gets permission to lets his friends go in with him. The one who can turn into fire burns all of the food away. The other guy turns into an elephant and drinks all of the barrels of wine. And if there’s a third, I don’t remember what he does. Anyway at the end, he’s passed the test, gets the marry the princess, which makes him prince of the kingdom. A demotion I guess, but he at least he has a kingdom again. ---
**Author:** ![Rala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Rala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rala)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/2 "2011-07-01T07:46:33Z")
Sounds a little like [The Six Servants](http://www.grimmstories.com/en/grimm_fairy-tales/the_six_servants) by the Grimm brothers. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/3 "2011-07-01T15:45:35Z")
You’ll find a lot of stories like that in [Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lang%27s_Fairy_Books). ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/4 "2011-07-02T01:37:16Z")
Thanks for the links. Hopefully I’ll stumble upon the story that I am looking for :D. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/5 "2011-07-02T02:11:20Z")
Certain aspects sound like they are from the Norse myth during which Thor and Loki travel to the land of the giants. You can read it in its entirety [here](http://library.thinkquest.org/25326/Viking/thor.html) There isn’t any subtext of marrying a princess but there is an eating contest which in the myth Loki loses because he was unwittingly competing against fire who not only consumed all of the food but also took out the table and chairs. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/6 "2011-07-02T02:59:48Z")
I remember a variant of it as [The King With Six Friends.](http://www.amazon.com/King-Six-Friends-Jay-Williams/dp/0819303429) Does that look familiar? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/7 "2011-07-02T03:08:20Z")
> [@minlokwat](#): > > Certain aspects sound like they are from the Norse myth during which Thor and Loki travel to the land of the giants. > > You can read it in its entirety [here](http://library.thinkquest.org/25326/Viking/thor.html) > > There isn’t any subtext of marrying a princess but there is an eating contest which in the myth Loki loses because he was unwittingly competing against fire who not only consumed all of the food but also took out the table and chairs. Nope. I love Norse Mythology and I’ve read that story before. It’s a good story, but not the one I’m looking for. > [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > I remember a variant of it as [The King With Six Friends.](http://www.amazon.com/King-Six-Friends-Jay-Williams/dp/0819303429) > > Does that look familiar? Yes! That’s it! My memory is so crappy I only remembered three friends, but at lease I recognized the cover of the book. Thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/8 "2011-07-02T03:11:35Z")
YAY! First time I’ve won one of these threads! That book was one of my favorites, back when I was Small. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/9 "2011-07-02T03:14:29Z")
Did he have five Chinese brothers? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/10 "2011-07-02T03:17:25Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > YAY! First time I’ve won one of these threads! That book was one of my favorites, back when I was Small. Congratulations. You can pick up your no-prize on the way out. 🆒 > [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Did he have five Chinese brothers? Nope, afraid not. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/11 "2011-07-02T03:18:52Z")
Holy crap! Look at the price for a new book. $94.13 :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-know-the-name-of-this-kids-story/587484/12 "2011-07-02T03:20:33Z")
Yeah, but used ones can be had for only $4.90, free shipping. I swear sometimes that Antique Booksellers pick their prices by drawing numbers out of a hat…