Part 2/10:
The story begins with a rich king whose belief in material wealth leads to his downfall. Wallowing in luxury—gambling with silver dice on a golden board—he squanders his riches until he is forced to mortgage his castles and cities, ending with only an old castle in the forest. His extravagance symbolizes the peril of valuing wealth above all else and neglecting spiritual riches, echoing a universal lesson: wealth is temporary, but virtue endures.
Living in destitution with his queen and three daughters, the family survives on potatoes, emphasizing humility and scarcity. The king’s reckless gambling and obsession with riches set the stage for moral reflection: materialism and greed lead to ruin, a lesson as relevant today as in folklore’s distant past.