state of being lost with ideals, after experiencing crash with reality is shown in the metaphor of the petrified Salt Prince. The ideal of selfless love is shown in the scene where Maruška, does not stop filling the dry well, even when she see no results stemming from her actions. The metaphor of reconciling mistakes is shown in the scene where Maruška collects the tears of the people hurt by her father's mistake on the meadow of forgetting (Oblivion) and uses them to revive the Salt Prince. The metaphor of the curse uttered upon those disregarding and nature, symbolized by Pravoslav's contempt towards salt and the son of the King of Nature (Underworld), shows the damage that man's domination can cause and its consequences when not controlled. Quotations "People strive only for gold and now they have it. You can not recognize true gifts of Mother Earth!" King of Nature (Underworld) "Not everywhere can be the waterwell, but it is important to try." Old wise woman (Mother of nymphs) "They fight and kill each other, lead wars, loot the insides of the mother Earth for silly vanity." King of Nature (Underworld) Reception The film received mixed reviews. Critics said it was overly sad and gloomy. In addition, this version was compared in Czechoslovakia in with the older Czech version of the story Byl jednou jeden král (Once Upon a Time There Was a King) from 1954 which was better received and considered a classic. This version of the film is still played at Christmas in Slovakia. Cast Karol Machata ... King Pravoslav Libuše Šafránková ... Princess Amelia Gábor Nagy ... Salt Prince Ladislav Chudík ... King of Nature (the Underworld) Zuzana Kocúriková ... Princess Vanda Dietlinde Turban ... Princess Barbora Ľubomír Paulovič ... Prince Kazimír Juraj Kukura ... King Norbert Diethard Kirschlechner ... Argonit Jozef Kroner ... clown Viera Strnisková ... Old wise woman (Mother of nymphs) Vlasta Fabiánová ... fostress Tibor Bogdan ... counsellor Anton Šulík ... Chef Ján Kramár ... leader of guards Juraj Paška ... marshal Anton Korenčí ... cashier Milan Kiš ... jeweller Ivan Krivosudský ... gardener Boris Farkaš ... foreign prince Jaroslav Rozsíval ... shopkeeper with salt Helena Húsková ... kingdom's tailor See also Water and Salt Cap-o'-Rushes The Goose-Girl at the Well The Dirty Shepherdess External links Trailer in Youtube (Slovak) Slovak site about movie Czech site about movie Slovak site about movie References