The Salt Prince (Slovak: Soľ nad zlato, Czech: Sůl nad zlato, German: Der Salzprinz, Italian: Il Solto Prinzzo) is a Slovak fairy-tale movie based on a novel by Pavol Dobšinský. The movie's central lesson is that salt, as it is necessary for life, is more precious than gold and emeralds. Viewpoint Though ostensibly a fairy-tale, The Salt Prince makes several profound and idealistic observations about life and human nature. It also probes into Slovak cultural heritage and values. Plot The story tells a story about old king Pravoslav who wants to pass his throne on to one of his three daughters. The closest to his heart is his youngest, Maruška, but he wants to confirm his decision by reason not only by feelings, so he follows the advice of the court jester to decide according to their confessions of daughterly love towards him and of their bridegrooms. At the ceremony of confessions the oldest of the sisters, who loves money and power, pleases her father with the confession that she loves him more than gold. Her bridegroom promises power and order to his country. The younger one, who is obsessed with jewelry, confesses that she loves him more than even the most expensive jewels. Last, Maruška confesses that she loves him more than salt, because salt is a requisite for life. Her bridegroom, the Salt Prince, promises love to his daughter, prosperity, justice, and charity towards his people if he and Maruška reign. The king is offended by Maruška's confession, because salt is common – everybody, even the poor, have some. The Salt Prince tries to defend Maruška, but her father expels Maruška from his kingdom. Meanwhile, the King of Nature, the father of the Salt Prince, appears and places a curse upon Pravoslav's kingdom. From then on, every grain of salt within the kingdom would turn to gold, a good of supposed great worth. This event would not only influence the kingdom, but also the Salt Prince: because his ideas of good and of good will were taken so negatively, he disappears and is turned into a pillar of salt in the underworld. Maruška, expelled from the country of her father, undergoes a journey of finding her lost love, the Salt Prince. She finds the way to the underworld, the kingdom of the King of Nature. Meanwhile, Pravoslav and his other two daughters enjoy the gold they have, but