Suddenly a windstorm passed through and blew his hat off. He chased it but by the time caught up with it he was deep in the forest and was lost. Joka walked for hours staggering among rocks trying to find his way home when suddenly he fell into a hole. He looked around and realized he was in a cave. He ventured inside thinking he might find something to eat when he come across a midget. He had long and white beard that was sweeping the ground. The old man greeted him and said. 'I'm the treasure keeper and I'm in this cave for a very long time, I was cursed to mind the treasure and never leave this cave for the rest of my life.. You are the first man that I've seen for many many years. How is the world outside? He asked. Joka told him about his life and how he got lost in the forest chasing his hat. They've talked, ate and drunk together till morning and the midget become found of Joka and said 'Thank you for the good time and for my appreciation I would like you to have some of this treasure', pointing to the pile of gold, diamonds and rare jewels. But Joka had no idea of the value of gold or diamond. He had no interest to take any of it until he saw something shaped like an egg. Thinking they were eggs indeed he filled his shirt with them. Joka thanked the old man for his kindness and left the cave to continue on his journey.
Not far from the cave he saw a little creek. It was the same creek that was running next to his house. He started to walk by the shore whistling happily, thinking he have found the way home. He walked for hours and the little creek become a river and Joka found himself in a town. He never been in a town so he walked around amazed when he found an Inn. Being exhausted from site seeing he asked the inn keeper for a place to rest. The owner showed him into the nicest room with the most comfortable bed. Joka fall asleep but soon woke up because the bed was strange to him.. at home he got use to sleeping on the floor. So, he made himself comfortable on the floor and fall into a deep sleep. Meanwhile the inn keeper was talking with his wife about the Coal Prince from the neighboring country how he goes into different towns dressing up as common man to help poor people. The inn keeper was wondering if Joka was that prince in incognito and he asked his wife to check on him. She carefully peaced in Joka's room and found him sleeping on the floor and something very bright and shiny peaking out of his shirt. She thought "he must be the prince! No one else has that kind of wealth and finds our most comfortable bed uncomfortable". She run to her husband with the news "that man sleeping upstairs is definitely the Coal Prince!".
The inn keeper felt proud and privileged that the prince chose his humble establishment to rest. Trying to make a good impression on the Coal Prince he ordered a carriage for the morning to take the prince to the palace and bought the finest clothes for him replacing the ragged ones. He also sent a messenger to tell the king the good news that the Coal Prince is arriving to his palace as a guest. In the morning Joka was looking for his old clothes but couldn't find it, so he had no other choice but to put on the ones that the inn keeper left in his room. Than he went downstairs to have some breakfast. He looked astonishing in the fine clothes, nobody could tell he wasn't a prince. The inn keeper could hardly recognize him. After he finished eating the inn keeper told him that a carriage is waiting for him to take him home. Joka thanked his kindness and said.. I don't have much to give you in return for your service but here is an egg for a down payment and I'll return to pay the rest. The inn keeper and his wife was speechless for receiving such a rare and expensive diamond.. they've just become very wealthy! Still in shock they throw themselves on the ground crying and thanking Joka for his generosity.. Meanwhile Joka was wondering.. what was wrong with these people? Everyone went insane in this town?
Joka set in the carriage thinking this time he's really going home but instead he found himself in front of a castle. There was a big reception waiting for him and the king himself greeted him. Joka got scared and was about to run away when he saw the king's daughter Rozanna. She was the most beautiful girl he has ever seen and could not take his eyes of her and just stood there like a statue staring at her beauty. He instantly fall in love with her. The king noticed his attraction to his daughter and thought happily.. "My treasury is almost empty, if he marries my daughter his riches will help me out of debt".
The king showed him into the reception room where they served the best food and wine, but Joka didn't eat anything. Instead he asked the king if he could go into the kitchen to cook something that he use to at home. Joka made some bocholy (gypsy bread) then he started to cook the main course.. one row sour crout, one row meat and repeated the rows until the pot was full.. he finished it with hot spice and a thick saute on top and set down to eat. The king become curious what could this food be?.. he tasted it and it was to his liking.. but started to wonder.. how can a noble man, a prince dirty his hands with cooking? And he begin to doubt Joka's identity. He told his daughter about his suspicion. Rozanna asked his father to take Joka to the chapel and said "if he is a prince he'll know exactly what to do during the ceremony". The king agreed. He thought it was a good plan. But what the king didn't know is that Rozanna fall in love with the handsome Gypsy boy and she told Joka when they go to the chapel to do exactly as her father does.
The next day they entered the church and Joka didn't take his hat off as everyone else did. The king whispered to him. "Take your hat off!" Joka replied "Take your hat off" - Joka wasn't just doing what the king did but what he said he said the same as well - Whilst the king thought Joka was paying respect to him and he only takes his hat off after him. Joka kept following precisely what the king did. When the king stood up, so did he. When he sat down, so did he. When the king accidentally dropped his prayer book, so did he and when the king discreetly let go a wind so did he.
Joka's manner satisfied the king and come to a conclusion that he must be the Coal Prince. Only a blue-blooded gentleman can exhibit such good manners. After church Rozanna and Joka went to the palace's garden to take a walk and Joka told her everything about himself.. then he showed the eggs he brought from the cave with him. Rozanna looked at them and enlightened Joka what rare and expensive diamonds he is carrying.. she said "Joka you are the most wealthy man even among kings". Rozanna warned him not to tell anyone what he just told her and said "if you do tell you won't be able to marry me because of your common blood". Joka only heard the part when she said "marry me" and felt giddy from happiness and straight away proposed to her. Rozanna excepted the proposal and the very next day they were married.
Rozanna taught Joka to read and write and everything that a prince has to know. Joka was very bright and he mastered all knowledge and elegance in a few short month whilst Rozanna learned everything about Roma culture and tradition in fascination. Rozanna and Joka was happily married and a year past when Joka started to worry about "home"... "my parents don't know if I'm dead or alive, in my happiness I forgot all about my family". Joka told Rozanna his concern and said "I'm going to visit them and bring them here to leave with us".
Early in the morning Joka left the palace. As he was traveling through the forest a fallen tree was blocking the road and the horses couldn't go any further. He got out of the carriage to investigate and just then robbers jumped out the bushes and took everything even his clothes. Joka was standing in his underwear in the middle of the forest and he had no other choice but to continue on as he was in his under garment. It was evening when he arrived to his house. Joka's father was standing front of it smoking his pipe as he always did. "Nothing has changed since I have left" thought Joka smiling. He greeted his father.. "I'm back" he said but his father didn't respond for a while. He just stared at him like he would of seen a ghost. Then he embraced Joka. "My son! He cried "I thought you were dead! Is it really you? he couldn't believe his own eyes. The whole family started to celebrate his return. Whilst they were eating and drinking Joka began to tell his adventure from the time he lost the hat till he married the princess. "What? You are a prince?" they laughed "I think you not only lost your clothes but your mind as well".
Joka didn't say a word.. he had no proof of anything, neither he could go back to the palace without his carriage and money and also the shame of being robbed.
Meanwhile Rozanna was waiting for Joka's return "A month past since he left he should be home by now". she worried "I'll go and find him". She dressed up as a priest and went from town to town asking if anyone seen a carriage passing through. Nobody saw or heard anything. Rozanna come to a forest and in the middle of the forest set down on a fallen tree to get some rest when she noticed a trail. Rozanna followed the trail and it lead her to a ruin and front of it Joka's carriage. From the ruins the sound of celebration echoed. The thieves noticed the priest standing outside and they invited him to join. Rozanna joined in the celebration and said "my children, do you have anything to confess? It'll relief your souls from eternal condemnation". The thefts confessed one by one and Rozanna found out what happened to her husband. She sneaked some sleeping portion into the wine and waited till everyone was deep asleep. Then she took back everything they've stole. "Now I'll have to find that little creek Joka told me about and it should take me to his house". It didn't take long to find it. Joka's father saw the priest coming toward the house and he panicked "oh my goodness a priest is not a good sign, it means bad luck when he comes to the house!". Joka's father was shaking from fear when the priest come up to him and asked "I'm looking for Joka does he leave here?" Joka's father replied "please leave my son in peace, he had enough trouble. He isn't quite himself, he thinks he is a prince." "If you let me talk to him he'll get better" assured Rozanna the old man. "Well father, if you think you can help, come in, but I worn you he won’t talk to anyone". They went inside and Joka's father called out "Wake up son! A priest come to see you". "I don't want to talk to anyone!" replied Joka. Then Rozanna whispered to Joka "it's me, Rozanna!" Joka jumped up hugging and kissing her whilst his parents stood there worried and confused.. they thought their son lost his already demented mind kissing a priest. Rozanna took her priest clothes off and explained everything to Joka's family whilst Joka changed into his fine clothes. The parents could not believe their eyes when their son transformed into a prince front of them. Then Joka opened the chest of treasure that Rozanna got back from the robbers and give it to his parents. He asked them to come and leave with him in the palace but the parents refused.. "we got use to here and wouldn't be comfortable leaving in a palace" they explained.
Joka built them a comfortable house right there and returned with Rozanna to leave in the palace. A year later Rozanna give birth to a son David. He was a very lazy boy he just played games all day and didn't want to do anything else. His father tried to talk to him many times. "David! Why don't you do something? What's going to be of you if you don't help? You....! Good for nothing lazy boy!" David did not listen or care. He just turned around and continued to play games...
