Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Argentina, there resided a king and queen who were bestowed with a daughter of exceptional beauty and intelligence. Her name was Rhianna. Her unparalleled allure and intellect attracted suitors from various realms who sought her hand in marriage. Overwhelmed by the multitude of options, Rhianna faced a daunting task. However, amidst the contenders, five remarkably handsome princes emerged as finalists. In order to determine the most suitable match, she devised a test for them.
She concealed her right hand behind her back, formed a fist, and extended only one finger for the five princes to ascertain. The initial prince, hailing from Persia, assumed it to be the thumb. Unfortunately, he was mistaken. The subsequent prince, originating from Babylonia, believed it to be the index finger. Once again, his guess did not match. The graceful princess proceeded to the following prince, who came from London, in hopes of finding the right answer. The third prince conjectured that it was the middle finger. This infuriated the princess, prompting her to slap him across his face. “You wretch! How dare you point at me with your filthy finger?”
Princess Rhianna issued a warning, “Do it again and I will break your neck!” She then proceeded to the fourth prince, who hailed from Lebanon. Due to excessive nervousness, the prince collapsed, resulting in disappointment on the princess’ face. Nonetheless, she decided to test the last prince. This made everyone in the palace feel both nervous and excited, as he was the final prince to be assessed. The princess expressed her thoughts, stating, “Hmm let’s see if you will pass my test.” The fifth prince, who had journeyed from Pakistan, guessed that the pinky finger was the answer. Finally, this guess matched the unfolded finger of the princess.
The anticipation of their upcoming marriage brought her immense joy, and they soon exchanged vows, blissfully content. However, duty called the prince away to battle in a distant war. Prior to his departure, he reassured his wife that he would return unscathed, symbolically intertwining their pinky fingers as a binding promise. A decade elapsed without any tidings of his fate – she was left pondering whether he still walked among the living or had succumbed to death’s grip. Despite this lingering uncertainty, her radiant beauty remained undiminished, attracting numerous suitors who sought her hand in marriage. Yet resolute in her conviction that her husband would eventually reappear and reject these advances, she steadfastly declined each proposal.
However, Princess Rhianna reached a point where she could no longer reject the suitors. As a result, she made a decision to marry someone who would intertwine their pinky finger with hers. Unexpectedly, a beggar showed up at the palace one day and despite the ministers’ efforts to remove him, Princess Rhianna welcomed him in. She believed that everyone deserved the chance to undergo her test. Surprisingly, it turned out that the beggar was actually the prince himself. The princess was ecstatic to discover her husband standing before her. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when one night while they were sleeping, the princess woke up suddenly only to find herself alone. In reality, the prince had lost his life during his journey back from the battlefield.
Even in the form of a ghost, he returned to fulfill the promise he had made to his wife, prompting his inevitable return. Ultimately, the princess discovered her husband’s lifeless body and as she reflected upon their shared moments, tears streamed from her eyes. With her sole source of happiness now gone, she resolved to take her own life. Princess Rhianna perished alongside her husband, intertwining their pinky fingers as a symbol of their vow. Since that time, this gesture of promise became widely embraced throughout the kingdom of Argentina and was adopted by all inhabitants within the palace.
