048-第1章

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a　wild；　disorderly　way　of　living；　so　that　they　never　came　home　again。
The　youngest；　who　was　called　simpleton；　set　out　to　seek　his　brothers；
but　when　at　length　he　found　them　they　mocked　him　for　thinking　that　he
with　his　simplicity　could　get　through　the　world；　when　they　two　could
not　make　their　way；　and　yet　were　so　much　cleverer。

They　all　three　traveled　away　together；　and　came　to　an　ant…hill。　　The
two　elder　wanted　to　destroy　it；　to　see　the　little　ants　creeping　about
in　their　terror；　and　carrying　their　eggs　away；　but　simpleton　said；
leave　the　creatures　in　peace；　I　will　not　allow　you　to　disturb　them。

Then　they　went　onwards　and　came　to　a　lake；　on　which　a　great　number　of
ducks　were　swimming。　　The　two　brothers　wanted　to　catch　a　couple　and
roast　them；　but　simpleton　would　not　permit　it；　and　said；　leave　the
creatures　in　peace；　I　will　not　suffer　you　to　kill　them。

At　length　they　came　to　a　bee's　nest；　in　which　there　was　so　much　honey
that　it　ran　out　of　the　trunk　of　the　tree　where　it　was。　　The　two
wanted　to　make　a　fire　beneath　the　tree；　and　suffocate　the　bees　in
order　to　take　away　the　honey；　but　simpleton　again　stopped　them　and
said；　leave　the　creatures　in　peace；　I　will　not　allow　you　to　burn
them。

At　length　the　three　brothers　arrived　at　a　castle　where　stone　horses
were　standing　in　the　stables；　and　no　human　being　was　to　be　seen；　and
they　went　through　all　the　halls　until；　quite　at　the　end；　they　came　to
a　door　in　which　were　three　locks。　　In　the　middle　of　the　door；
however；　there　was　a　little　pane；　through　which　they　could　see　into
the　room。　　There　they　saw　a　little　grey　man；　who　was　sitting　at　a
table。　　They　called　him；　once；　twice；　but　he　did　not　hear；　at　last
they　called　him　for　the　third　time；　when　he　got　up；　opened　the　locks；
and　came　out。　　He　said　nothing；　however；　but　conducted　them　to　a
handsomely…spread　table；　and　when　they　had　eaten　and　drunk；　he　took
each　of　them　to　a　bedroom。

Next　morning　the　little　grey　man　came　to　the　eldest；　beckoned　to　him；
and　conducted　him　to　a　stone　table；　on　which　were　inscribed　three
tasks；　by　the　performance　of　which　the　castle　could　be　delivered　from
enchantment。

The　first　was　that　in　the　forest；　beneath　the　moss；　lay　the
princess's　pearls；　a　thousand　in　number；　which　must　be　picked　up；　and
if　by　sunset　one　single　pearl　was　missing；　he　who　had　looked　for　them
would　be　turned　into　stone。　　The　eldest　went　thither；　and　sought　the
whole　day；　but　when　it　came　to　an　end；　he　had　only　found　one　hundred；
and　what　was　written　on　the　table　came　true；　and　he　was　turned　into
stone。　Next　day；　the　second　brother　undertook　the　adventure；　but　it
did　not　fare　much　better　with　him　than　with　the　eldest；　he　did　not
find　more　than　two　hundred　pearls；　and　was　changed　to　stone。　　At　last
it　was　simpleton's　turn　to　seek　in　the　moss；　but　it　was　so　difficult
for　him　to　find　the　pearls；　and　he　got　on　so　slowly；　that　he　seated
himself　on　a　stone；　and　wept。　　And　while　he　was　thus　sitting；　the
king　of　the　ants　whose　life　he　had　once　saved；　came　with　five
thousand　ants；　and　before　long　the　little　creatures　had　got　all　the
pearls　together；　and　laid　them　in　a　heap。

The　second　task；　however；　was　to　fetch　out　of　the　lake　the　key　of　the
king's　daughter's　bed…chamber。　　When　simpleton　came　to　the　lake；　the
ducks　which　he　had　saved；　swam　up　to　him；　dived　down；　and　brought　the
key　out　of　the　water。

But　the　third　task　was　the　most　difficult；　from　amongst　the　three
sleeping　daughters　of　the　king　was　the　youngest　and　dearest　to　be
sought　out。　　They；　however；　resembled　each　other　exactly；　and　were
only　to　be　distinguished　by　their　having　eaten　different　sweetmeats
before　they　fell　asleep；　the　eldest　a　bit　of　sugar；　the　second　a
little　syrup；　and　the　youngest　a　spoonful　of　honey。

Then　the　queen　of　the　bees；　whom　simpleton　had　protected　from　the
fire；　came　and　tasted　the　lips　of　all　three；　and　at　last　she　remained
sitting　on　the　mouth　which　had　eaten　honey；　and　thus　the　king's　son
recognized　the　right　princess。　　Then　the　enchantment　was　at　an　end；
everything　was　delivered　from　sleep；　and　those　who　had　been　turned　to
stone　received　once　more　their　natural　forms。

Simpleton　married　the　youngest　and　sweetest　princess；　and　after　her
father's　death　became　king；　and　his　two　brothers　received　the　two
other　sisters。