Part 27 (2/2)

The next morning the king said to him:

”Thy life is forfeit, but thou shalt find grace if thou canst level that mountain that lies before my windows, and over which I am not able to see; and if this is done within eight days thou shalt have my daughter for a reward.”

So the king's son set to work and dug and shoveled away without ceasing, but when, on the seventh day, he saw how little he had accomplished, and that all his work was as nothing, he fell into great sadness and gave up all hope. But on the evening of the seventh day the fox appeared and said:

”You do not deserve that I should help you, but go now and lie down to sleep and I will do the work for you.”

The next morning when he awoke and looked out of the window the mountain had disappeared. The young man hastened full of joy to the king and told him that his behest was fulfilled, and, whether the king liked it or not, he had to keep his word and let his daughter go.

So they both went away together, and it was not long before the faithful fox came up to them.

”Well, you have got the best first,” said he, ”but you must know that the golden horse belongs to the princess of the golden castle.”

”But how shall I get it?” asked the young man.

”I am going to tell you,” answered the fox. ”First, go to the king who sent you to the golden castle and take to him the beautiful princess.

There will then be very great rejoicing. He will willingly give you the golden horse, and they will lead him out to you; then mount him without delay and stretch out your hand to each of them to take leave, and last of all to the princess, and when you have her by the hand swing her upon the horse behind you and off you go! n.o.body will be able to overtake you, for that horse goes swifter than the wind.”

And so it was all happily done, and the king's son carried off the beautiful princess on the golden horse. The fox did not stay behind, and he said to the young man:

”Now, I will help you to get the golden bird. When you draw near the castle where the bird is let the lady alight, and I will take her under my care; then you must ride the golden horse into the castle yard, and there will be great rejoicing to see it, and they will bring out to you the golden bird; as soon as you have the cage in your hand you must start off back to us, and then you shall carry the lady away.”

The plan was successfully carried out, and when the young man returned with the treasure the fox said:

”Now, what will you give me for my reward?”

”What would you like?” asked the young man.

”When we are pa.s.sing through the wood I desire that you should slay me, and cut my head and feet off.”

”That were a strange sign of grat.i.tude,” said the king's son, ”and I could not possibly do such a thing.”

Then said the fox:

”If you will not do it, I must leave you; but before I go let me give you some good advice. Beware of two things; buy no gallows-meat, and sit at no brookside.” With that the fox ran off into the wood.

The young man thought to himself, ”that is a wonderful animal, with most singular ideas. How should any one buy gallows-meat? and I am sure I have no particular fancy for sitting by a brookside.”

So he rode on with the beautiful princess, and their way led them through the village where his two brothers had stayed. There they heard great outcry and noise, and when he asked what it was all about, they told him that two people were going to be hanged. And when he drew near he saw that it was his two brothers, who had done all sorts of evil tricks, and had wasted all their goods. He asked if there were no means of setting them free.

”Oh, yes! if you will buy them off,” answered the people; ”but why should you spend your money in redeeming such worthless men?”

But he persisted in doing so; and when they were let go they all went on their journey together.

After a while they came to the wood where the fox had met them first, and there it seemed so cool and sheltered from the sun's burning rays that the two brothers said:

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