NameThatStoryFilter: Following the King's (?) flute

July 5, 2010 7:24 PM

I'm trying to remember a story that involves finding a castle/king, and following the sound of a flute to get there.

In this story (as I remember it), the king is out in the middle of a large forest. To find him, one must simply follow the tune of his flute. However, if you follow one of the numerous other flutes that can be heard in the forest, you will meet an untimely end. In the course of the journey to find the king, each person is allowed one companion. Most adventurers choose to bring a mighty knight to defend against the dangers of the other flutes. Our hero, however, brings a poor musician _ a flute player, in fact. At the end of the story, it is revealed that (aha!) the simple companion is indeed the king's son, and thus the hero has become intimately acquainted with the royal song.

Anyone recognize this story?

posted by niles to writing & language (4 answers total)

Was it With You All The Way?
posted by iconomy at 7:32 PM on July 5, 2010

Weird. I thought I distinctly remembered it being in a compilation of short stories, rather than a children's book, but that looks like the right story. I wonder what book that compilation was, then...
Thanks, iconomy.
posted by niles at 9:53 PM on July 5, 2010

..And evidently my phone can't mark best answers. That will be coming as soon as my desktop decides to let me access the entire internet, rather than bits and pieces.
posted by niles at 9:56 PM on July 5, 2010

It's definitely possible that it was in a compilation, it's a really short story to have a book of its own!
posted by iconomy at 10:30 AM on July 6, 2010