Once upon a time, there was a village where a young man named Hans lived. In everyone's eyes, Hans was a clumsy lad. His two older brothers were very intelligent and always able to answer questions without hesitation.
One day, the king announced that the princess wanted to get married and she was looking for the smartest man to be her husband. Hans' two older brothers both thought they had a great chance, so they prepared carefully. They dressed themselves handsomely and appropriately, and also memorized a great deal of complicated knowledge, ready to perform well in front of the princess. As for Hans, he looked scruffy. His father thought he had no hope at all in this state, but Hans still decided to give it a try.
Hans set off on his horse. Along the way, he picked up a dead crow. He thought it was an interesting item, so he took it with him. Then he found an old wooden shoe, and he took that too. Later on, he also found a tattered sack filled with dirt, and he didn't let this pass either. When his two older brothers saw him carrying these strange things, they all laughed at him and thought he was even more foolish.
When they arrived at the palace, Hans' two older brothers went in first. They talked endlessly about their knowledge in front of the princess, but the princess thought they were very dull. When it was Hans' turn to enter, he took out the things he had picked up along the way and told the princess about his experiences in a very simple and interesting way. The princess couldn't help but burst into laughter as she listened to Hans. She thought Hans was very genuine, different from those who only knew how to show off their knowledge.
In the end, the princess chose Hans to be her husband. Hans won the princess' heart with his honesty and simplicity. They held a grand wedding in the palace. Hans and the princess lived happily ever after, while Hans' two older brothers could only go home dejectedly. This story tells us that sometimes, honesty and simplicity can touch people's hearts more than a clever mind.
