047-第5章

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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　spoke　the　huntsman；　when　I；　tired　of　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　traveled　about　with　them　for　one　year；
and　had　at　length　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。　　But　the　young　king　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　hind；　and　said　to　his　men；
wait　here　until　I　return；　I　want　to　hunt　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　hind　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　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　yourself　if　you　are　cold。　　But　she　said；　no；
your　animals　will　bite　me。　　He　answered；　they　will　do　you　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　you　strike　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　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　traveled　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　traveled　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
hind　and　said　to　his　men；　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　hind；　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　someone　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　you　are　cold；　come　down；　little　old　mother；　and　warm
yourself。　　She　answered；　no；　your　animals　will　bite　me。　But　he　said；
they　will　not　hurt　you。　　Then　she　cried；　I　will　throw　down　a　wand　to
you；　and　if　you　smite　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　you。　　Then
she　cried；　what　do　you　want。　　You　shall　not　touch　me。　　But　he
replied；　if　you　do　not　come；　I　will　shoot　you。　　Said　she；　shoot　away；
I　do　not　fear　your　bullets。

Then　he　aimed；　and　fired　at　her；　but　the　witch　was　proof　against　all
leaden　bullets；　and　laughed　shrilly　and　cried；　you　shall　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　you　do　not　instantly　confess
where　my　brother　is；　I　will　seize