Aar Film, Berlin

Once upon a time there was a beautiful but haughty princess who mocked all the princes and kings who asked for her hand in marriage. She also mocked King Thrushbeard. Her father was so angry that he ordered her to marry the first beggar who knocked on the castle gate.

The miller lies to the king that his beautiful daughter can spin gold from straw. The king, eternally in debt, marries the miller's daughter and locks her in a chamber to spin gold. Of course, she does not succeed. One night, a little man appears and offers his services to the young queen. He is prepared to spin as much gold as she wants for her first-born child. The young queen happily agrees. When her first child is born, she begs the male to let her have the child. The male relents, but demands that the queen find out his name.

Once upon a time there was a Greek king, Kratos, who was very strict and kind-hearted. His gentle wife Arete, however, was loved by all the people. One day, the king was persuaded by his devious advisor to re-enact an ancient law, according to which the first child of the royal couple had to be a boy. When Arete gave birth to a girl, she was in great need. In order to present the king with an heir to the throne, she agreed to swap her daughter with the gardener's son...