one got out of his way, but when he went to the guard, they presented
their muskets, and would not let him go into the royal palace. But he
got up on his hind legs, and gave them a few boxes on the ears, right
and left, with his paws, so that the whole watch broke up, and then
he went straight to the King's daughter, placed himself behind her,
and growled a little. Then she looked behind her, knew the bear, and
bade him go into her room with her, and said, "Dear Bear, what dost thou
want?" He answered, "My master, who killed the dragon, is here, and I am
to ask for some confectionery, such as the King eats." Then she summoned
her confectioner, who had to bake confectionery such as the King ate,
and carry it to the door for the bear; then the bear first licked up the
comfits which had rolled down, and then he stood upright, took the dish,
and carried it to his master. "Behold, sir host," said the huntsman, "now
I have bread, meat, vegetables and confectionery, but I will drink wine
also, and such as the King drinks." He called his lion to him and said,
"Dear Lion, thou thyself likest to drink till thou art intoxicated, go and
fetch me some wine, such as is drunk by the King." Then the lion strode
through the streets, and the people fled from him, and when he came to the
watch, they wanted to bar the way against him, but he did but roar once,
and they all ran away. Then the lion went to the royal apartment, and
knocked at the door with his tail. Then the King's daughter came forth,
and was almost afraid of the lion, but she knew him by the golden clasp
of her necklace, and bade him go with her into her chamber, and said,
"Dear Lion, what wilt thou have?" He answered, "My master, who killed
the dragon, is here, and I am to ask for some wine such as is drunk by
the King." Then she bade the cup-bearer be called, who was to give the
lion some wine like that which was drunk by the King. The lion said, "I
will go with him, and see that I get the right wine." Then he went down
with the cup-bearer, and when they were below, the cup-bearer wanted to
draw him some of the common wine that was drunk by the King's servants,
but the lion said, "Stop, I will taste the wine first," and he drew
half a measure, and swallowed it down at one draught. "No," said he,
"that is not right." The cup-bearer looked at him askance, but went on,
and was about to give him some out of another barrel which was for the
King's marshal. The lion said, "Stop, let me taste the wine first," and
drew half a measure and drank it. "That is better, but still not right,"
said he. Then the cup-bearer grew angry and said, "How can a stupid
animal like you understand wine?" But the lion gave him a blow behind
the ears, which made him fall down by no means gently, and when he had
got up again, he conducted the lion quite silently into a little cellar
apart, where the King's wine lay, from which no one ever drank. The
lion first drew half a measure and tried the wine, and then he said,
That may possibly be the right sort, and bade the cup-bearer fill six
bottles of it. And now they went upstairs again, but when the lion came
out of the cellar into the open air, he reeled here and there, and was
rather drunk, and the cup-bearer was forced to carry the wine as far as
the door for him, and then the lion took the handle of the basket in his
mouth, and took it to his master. The huntsman said, "Behold, sir host,
here have I bread, meat, vegetables, confectionery and wine such as the
King has, and now I will dine with my animals," and he sat down and ate
and drank, and gave the hare, the fox, the wolf, the bear, and the lion
also to eat and to drink, and was joyful, for he saw that the King's
daughter still loved him. And when he had finished his dinner, he said,
"Sir host, now have I eaten and drunk, as the King eats and drinks, and
now I will go to the King's court and marry the King's daughter." Said
the host, "How can that be, when she already has a betrothed husband,
and when the wedding is to be solemnized to-day?" Then the huntsman drew
forth the handkerchief which the King's daughter had given him on the
dragon's hill, and in which were folded the monster's seven tongues,
and said, "That which I hold in my hand shall help me to do it." Then
the innkeeper looked at the handkerchief, and said, "Whatever I believe,
I do not believe that, and I am willing to stake my house and courtyard
on it." The huntsman, however, took a bag with a thousand gold pieces,
put it on the table, and said, "I stake that on it."

Now the King said to his daughter, at the royal table, "What did all the
wild animals want, which have been coming to thee, and going in and out
of my palace?" She replied, "I may not tell you, but send and have the
master of these animals brought, and you will do well." The King sent
a servant to the inn, and invited the stranger, and the servant came
just as the huntsman had laid his wager with the innkeeper. Then said he,
"Behold, sir host, now the King sends his servant and invites me, but I do
not go in this way." And he said to the servant, "I request the Lord King
to send me royal clothing, and a carriage with six horses, and servants
to attend me." When the King heard the answer, he said to his daughter,
"What shall I do?" She said, "Cause him to be fetched as he desires to
be, and you will do well." Then the King sent royal apparel, a carriage
with six horses, and servants to wait on him. When the huntsman saw them
coming, he said, "Behold, sir host, now I am fetched as I desired to be,"
and he put on the royal garments, took the handkerchief with the dragon's
tongues with him, and drove off to the King. When the King saw him coming,
he said to his daughter, "How shall I receive him?" She answered, "Go to
meet him and you will do well." Then the King went to meet him and led
him in, and his animals followed. The King gave him a seat near himself
and his daughter, and the marshal, as bridegroom, sat on the other side,
but no longer knew the huntsman. And now at this very moment, the seven
heads of the dragon were brought in as a spectacle, and the King said,
"The seven heads were cut off the dragon by the marshal, wherefore
to-day I give him my daughter to wife." The the huntsman stood up,
opened the seven mouths, and said, "Where are the seven tongues of the
dragon?" Then was the marshal terrified, and grew pale and knew not what
answer he should make, and at length in his anguish he said, "Dragons
have no tongues." The huntsman said, "Liars ought to have none, but
the dragon's tongues are the tokens of the victor," and he unfolded the
handkerchief, and there lay all seven inside it. And he put each tongue
in the mouth to which it belonged, and it fitted exactly. Then he took the
handkerchief on which the name of the princess was embroidered, and showed
it to the maiden, and asked to whom she had given it, and she replied,
"To him who killed the dragon." And then he called his animals, and
took the collar off each of them and the golden clasp from the lion, and
showed them to the maiden and asked to whom they belonged. She answered,
"The necklace and golden clasp were mine, but I divided them among the
animals who helped to conquer the dragon." Then spake the huntsman,
"When I, tired with the fight, was resting and sleeping, the marshal
came and cut off my head. Then he carried away the King's daughter,
and gave out that it was he who had killed the dragon, but that he lied
I prove with the tongues, the handkerchief, and the necklace." And then
he related how his animals had healed him by means of a wonderful root,
and how he had travelled about with them for one year, and had at length
again come there and had learnt the treachery of the marshal by the
inn-keeper's story. Then the King asked his daughter, "Is it true that
this man killed the dragon?" And she answered, "Yes, it is true. Now
can I reveal the wicked deed of the marshal, as it has come to light
without my connivance, for he wrung from me a promise to be silent. For
this reason, however, did I make the condition that the marriage should
not be solemnized for a year and a day." Then the King bade twelve
councillors be summoned who were to pronounce judgment on the marshal,
and they sentenced him to be torn to pieces by four bulls. The marshal was
therefore executed, but the King gave his daughter to the huntsman, and
named him his viceroy over the whole kingdom. The wedding was celebrated
with great joy, and the young King caused his father and his foster-father
to be brought, and loaded them with treasures. Neither did he forget the
inn-keeper, but sent for him and said, "Behold, sir host, I have married
the King's daughter, and your house and yard are mine." The host said,
"Yes, according to justice it is so." But the young King said, "It shall
be done according to mercy," and told him that he should keep his house
and yard, and gave him the thousand pieces of gold as well.

And now the young King and Queen were thoroughly happy, and lived in
gladness together. He often went out hunting because it was a delight to
him, and the faithful animals had to accompany him. In the neighborhood,
however, there was a forest of which it was reported that it was haunted,
and that whosoever did but enter it did not easily get out again. The
young King, however, had a great inclination to hunt in it, and let
the old King have no peace until he allowed him to do so. So he rode
forth with a great following, and when he came to the forest, he saw a
snow-white hart and said to his people, "Wait here until I return, I want
to chase that beautiful creature," and he rode into the forest after it,
followed only by his animals. The attendants halted and waited until
evening, but he did not return, so they rode home, and told the young
Queen that the young King had followed a white hart into the enchanted
forest, and had not come back again. Then she was in the greatest
concern about him. He, however, had still continued to ride on and on
after the beautiful wild animal, and had never been able to overtake it;
when he thought he was near enough to aim, he instantly saw it bound away
into the far distance, and at length it vanished altogether. And now he
perceived that he had penetrated deep into the forest, and blew his horn
but he received no answer, for his attendants could not hear it. And as
night, too, was falling, he saw that he could not get home that day,
so he dismounted from his horse, lighted himself a fire near a tree,
and resolved to spend the night by it. While he was sitting by the fire,
and his animals also were lying down beside him, it seemed to him that he
heard a human voice. He looked round, but could perceived nothing. Soon
afterwards, he again heard a groan as if from above, and then he looked
up, and saw an old woman sitting in the tree, who wailed unceasingly,
"Oh, oh, oh, how cold I am!" Said he, "Come down, and warm thyself if thou
art cold." But she said, "No, thy animals will bite me." He answered,
"They will do thee no harm, old mother, do come down." She, however,
was a witch, and said, "I will throw down a wand from the tree, and if
thou strikest them on the back with it, they will do me no harm." Then
she threw him a small wand, and he struck them with it, and instantly
they lay still and were turned into stone. And when the witch was safe
from the animals, she leapt down and touched him also with a wand,
and changed him to stone. Thereupon she laughed, and dragged him and
the animals into a vault, where many more such stones already lay.

As, however, the young King did not come back at all, the Queen's anguish
and care grew constantly greater. And it so happened that at this very
time the other brother who had turned to the east when they separated,
came into the kingdom. He had sought a situation, and had found none,
and had then travelled about here and there, and had made his animals
dance. Then it came into his mind that he would just go and look at the
knife that they had thrust in the trunk of a tree at their parting, that
he might learn how his brother was. When he got there his brother's side
of the knife was half rusted, and half bright. Then he was alarmed and
thought, "A great misfortune must have befallen my brother, but perhaps
I can still save him, for half the knife is still bright." He and his
animals travelled towards the west, and when he entered the gate of
the town, the guard came to meet him, and asked if he was to announce
him to his consort the young Queen, who had for a couple of days been
in the greatest sorrow about his staying away, and was afraid he had
been killed in the enchanted forest? The sentries, indeed, thought no
otherwise than that he was the young King himself, for he looked so
like him, and had wild animals running behind him. Then he saw that
they were speaking of his brother, and thought, "It will be better if
I pass myself off for him, and then I can rescue him more easily." So
he allowed himself to be escorted into the castle by the guard, and was
received with the greatest joy. The young Queen indeed thought that he was
her husband, and asked him why he had stayed away so long. He answered,
"I had lost myself in a forest, and could not find my way out again any
sooner." At night he was taken to the royal bed, but he laid a two-edged
sword between him and the young Queen; she did not know what that could
mean, but did not venture to ask.

He remained in the palace a couple of days, and in the meantime inquired
into everything which related to the enchanted forest, and at last he
said, "I must hunt there once more." The King and the young Queen wanted
to persuade him not to do it, but he stood out against them, and went
forth with a larger following. When he had got into the forest, it fared
with him as with his brother; he saw a white hart and said to his people,
"Stay here, and wait until I return, I want to chase the lovely wild
beast," and then he rode into the forest and his animals ran after him.
But he could not overtake the hart, and got so deep into the forest that
he was forced to pass the night there. And when he had lighted a fire,
he heard some one wailing above him, "Oh, oh, oh, how cold I am!" Then
he looked up, and the self-same witch was sitting in the tree. Said he,
"If thou art cold, come down, little old mother, and warm thyself." She
answered, "No, thy animals will bite me." But he said, "They will
not hurt thee." Then she cried, "I will throw down a wand to thee,
and if thou smitest them with it they will do me no harm." When the
huntsman heard that, he had no confidence in the old woman, and said,
"I will not strike my animals. Come down, or I will fetch thee." Then she
cried, "What dost thou want? Thou shalt not touch me." But he replied,
"If thou dost not come, I will shoot thee." Said she, "Shoot away, I do
not fear thy bullets!" Then he aimed, and fired at her, but the witch
was proof against all leaden bullets, and laughed, and yelled and cried,
"Thou shalt not hit me." The huntsman knew what to do, tore three silver
buttons off his coat, and loaded his gun with them, for against them
her arts were useless, and when he fired she fell down at once with
a scream. Then he set his foot on her and said, Old witch, if thou
dost not instantly confess where my brother is, I will seize thee with
both my hands and throw thee into the fire. She was in a great fright,
begged for mercy and said, He and his animals lie in a vault, turned
to stone. Then he compelled her to go thither with him, threatened her,
and said, Old sea-cat, now shalt thou make my brother and all the human
beings lying here, alive again, or thou shalt go into the fire! She took
a wand and touched the stones, and then his brother with his animals
came to life again, and many others, merchants, artizans, and shepherds,
arose, thanked him for their deliverance, and went to their homes. But
when the twin brothers saw each other again, they kissed each other and
rejoiced with all their hearts. Then they seized the witch, bound her
and laid her on the fire, and when she was burnt the forest opened of
its own accord, and was light and clear, and the King's palace could be
seen at about the distance of a three hours walk.

Thereupon the two brothers went home together, and on the way told each
other their histories. And when the youngest said that he was ruler
of the whole country in the King's stead, the other observed, "That I
remarked very well, for when I came to the town, and was taken for thee,
all royal honours were paid me; the young Queen looked on me as her
husband, and I had to eat at her side, and sleep in thy bed." When the
other heard that, he became so jealous and angry that he drew his sword,
and struck off his brother's head. But when he saw him lying there dead,
and saw his red blood flowing, he repented most violently: "My brother
delivered me," cried he, "and I have killed him for it," and he bewailed
him aloud. Then his hare came and offered to go and bring some of the root
of life, and bounded away and brought it while yet there was time, and
the dead man was brought to life again, and knew nothing about the wound.

After this they journeyed onwards, and the youngest said, "Thou lookest
like me, hast royal apparel on as I have, and the animals follow thee as
they do me; we will go in by opposite gates, and arrive at the same time
from the two sides in the aged King's presence." So they separated, and
at the same time came the watchmen from the one door and from the other,
and announced that the young King and the animals had returned from the
chase. The King said, "It is not possible, the gates lie quite a mile
apart." In the meantime, however, the two brothers entered the courtyard
of the palace from opposite sides, and both mounted the steps. Then the
King said to the daughter, "Say which is thy husband. Each of them looks
exactly like the other, I cannot tell." Then she was in great distress,
and could not tell; but at last she remembered the necklace which she
had given to the animals, and she sought for and found her little golden
clasp on the lion, and she cried in her delight, "He who is followed
by this lion is my true husband". Then the young King laughed and said,
"Yes, he is the right one," and they sat down together to table, and ate
and drank, and were merry. At night when the young King went to bed, his
wife said, "Why hast thou for these last nights always laid a two-edged
sword in our bed? I thought thou hadst a wish to kill me." Then he knew
how true his brother had been.


61 The Little Peasant

There was a certain village wherein no one lived but really rich peasants,
and just one poor one, whom they called the little peasant. He had not
even so much as a cow, and still less money to buy one, and yet he and
his wife did so wish to have one. One day he said to her, "Hark you,
I have a good thought, there is our gossip the carpenter, he shall make
us a wooden calf, and paint it brown, so that it look like any other,
and in time it will certainly get big and be a cow." The woman also
liked the idea, and their gossip the carpenter cut and planed the calf,
and painted it as it ought to be, and made it with its head hanging down
as if it were eating.

Next morning when the cows were being driven out, the little peasant
called the cow-herd and said, "Look, I have a little calf there, but it is
still small and has still to be carried." The cow-herd said, "All right,
and took it in his arms and carried it to the pasture, and set it among
the grass." The little calf always remained standing like one which was
eating, and the cow-herd said, "It will soon run alone, just look how it
eats already!" At night when he was going to drive the herd home again,
he said to the calf, "If thou canst stand there and eat thy fill, thou
canst also go on thy four legs; I don't care to drag thee home again in
my arms." But the little peasant stood at his door, and waited for his
little calf, and when the cow-herd drove the cows through the village,
and the calf was missing, he inquired where it was. The cow-herd answered,
"It is still standing out there eating. It would not stop and come with
us." But the little peasant said, "Oh, but I must have my beast back
again." Then they went back to the meadow together, but some one had
stolen the calf, and it was gone. The cow-herd said, "It must have run
away." The peasant, however, said, "Don't tell me that," and led the
cow-herd before the mayor, who for his carelessness condemned him to
give the peasant a cow for the calf which had run away.

And now the little peasant and his wife had the cow for which they had
so long wished, and they were heartily glad, but they had no food for
it, and could give it nothing to eat, so it soon had to be killed. They
salted the flesh, and the peasant went into the town and wanted to sell
the skin there, so that he might buy a new calf with the proceeds. On
the way he passed by a mill, and there sat a raven with broken wings,
and out of pity he took him and wrapped him in the skin. As, however,
the weather grew so bad and there was a storm of rain and wind, he could
go no farther, and turned back to the mill and begged for shelter. The
miller's wife was alone in the house, and said to the peasant, "Lay
thyself on the straw there", and gave him a slice of bread with cheese
on it. The peasant ate it, and lay down with his skin beside him,
and the woman thought, "He is tired and has gone to sleep." In the
meantime came the parson; the miller's wife received him well, and said,
"My husband is out, so we will have a feast." The peasant listened,
and when he heard about feasting he was vexed that he had been forced
to make shift with a slice of bread with cheese on it. Then the woman
served up four different things, roast meat, salad, cakes, and wine.

Just as they were about to sit down and eat, there was a knocking
outside. The woman said, "Oh, heavens! It is my husband!" She quickly
hid the roast meat inside the tiled stove, the wine under the pillow,
the salad on the bed, the cakes under it, and the parson in the cupboard
in the entrance. Then she opened the door for her husband, and said,
"Thank heaven, thou art back again! There is such a storm, it looks
as if the world were coming to an end." The miller saw the peasant
lying on the straw, and asked, "What is that fellow doing there?" "Ah,"
said the wife, "the poor knave came in the storm and rain, and begged
for shelter, so I gave him a bit of bread and cheese, and showed him
where the straw was." The man said, "I have no objection, but be quick
and get me something to eat." The woman said, "But I have nothing but
bread and cheese." "I am contented with anything," replied the husband,
"so far as I am concerned, bread and cheese will do," and looked at
the peasant and said, "Come and eat some more with me." The peasant
did not require to be invited twice, but got up and ate. After this
the miller saw the skin in which the raven was, lying on the ground,
and asked, "What hast thou there?" The peasant answered, "I have
a soothsayer inside it." "Can he foretell anything to me?" said the
miller. "Why not?" answered the peasant, "but he only says four things,
and the fifth he keeps to himself." The miller was curious, and said,
"Let him foretell something for once." Then the peasant pinched the
raven's head, so that he croaked and made a noise like krr, krr. The
miller said, "What did he say?" The peasant answered, "In the first
place, he says that there is some wine hidden under the pillow."
"Bless me!" cried the miller, and went there and found the wine. "Now
go on," said he. The peasant made the raven croak again, and said,
"In the second place, he says that there is some roast meat in the tiled
stove." "Upon my word!" cried the miller, and went thither, and found the
roast meat. The peasant made the raven prophesy still more, and said,
"Thirdly, he says that there is some salad on the bed." "That would be
a fine thing!" cried the miller, and went there and found the salad. At
last the peasant pinched the raven once more till he croaked, and said,
"Fourthly, he says that there are some cakes under the bed." "That would
be a fine thing!" cried the miller, and looked there, and found the cakes.

And now the two sat down to the table together, but the miller's wife was
frightened to death, and went to bed and took all the keys with her. The
miller would have liked much to know the fifth, but the little peasant
said, "First, we will quickly eat the four things, for the fifth is