11-the grateful beasts-第3章

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kingdom　on　to　this　hill　before　to…morrow　night。　　If　he　does　this

he　may　go　free；　if　not　he　shall　be　hung　as　you　have　said。'



At　these　words　the　Princess　burst　into　tears；　and　when　the　King

saw　this　he　ordered　her　to　be　shut　up　in　a　high　tower　and

carefully　guarded　till　the　dangerous　magician　should　either　have

left　the　kingdom　or　been　hung　on　the　nearest　tree。　



Ferko　wandered　out　into　the　fields　again；　and　sat　down　on　the

stump　of　a　tree　wondering　what　he　should　do　next。　　Suddenly　a　big

wolf　ran　up　to　him；　and　standing　still　said；　'I'm　very　glad　to

see　you　again；　my　kind　benefactor。　　What　are　you　thinking　about

all　alone　by　yourself？　　If　I　can　help　you　in　any　way　only　say　the

word；　for　I　would　like　to　give　you　a　proof　of　my　gratitude。'



Ferko　at　once　recognised　the　wolf　whose　broken　leg　he　had　healed；

and　told　him　what　he　had　to　do　the　following　day　if　he　wished　to

escape　with　his　life。　　'But　how　in　the　world；'　he　added；　'am　I　to

collect　all　the　wolves　of　the　kingdom　on　to　that　hill　over

there？'



'If　that's　all　you　want　done；'　answered　the　wolf；　'you　needn't

worry　yourself。　　I'll　undertake　the　task；　and　you'll　hear　from　me

again　before　sunset　to…morrow。　　Keep　your　spirits　up。'　　And　with

these　words　he　trotted　quickly　away。



Then　the　youth　rejoiced　greatly；　for　now　he　felt　that　his　life

was　safe；　but　he　grew　very　sad　when　he　thought　of　the　beautiful

Princess；　and　that　he　would　never　see　her　again　if　he　left　the

country。　　He　lay　down　once　more　on　the　grass　and　soon　fell　fast

asleep。



All　the　next　day　he　spent　wandering　about　the　fields；　and　toward

evening　the　wolf　came　running　to　him　in　a　great　hurry　and　said；

'I　have　collected　together　all　the　wolves　in　the　kingdom；　and

they　are　waiting　for　you　in　the　wood。　　Go　quickly　to　the　King；

and　tell　him　to　go　to　the　hill　that　he　may　see　the　wonder　you

have　done　with　his　own　eyes。　　Then　return　at　once　to　me　and　get

on　my　back；　and　I　will　help　you　to　drive　all　the　wolves

together。'



Then　Ferko　went　straight　to　the　palace　and　told　the　King　that　he

was　ready　to　perform　the　third　task　if　he　would　come　to　the　hill

and　see　it　done。　　Ferko　himself　returned　to　the　fields；　and

mounting　on　the　wolf's　back　he　rode　to　the　wood　close　by。



Quick　as　lightning　the　wolf　flew　round　the　wood；　and　in　a　minute

many　hundred　wolves　rose　up　before　him；　increasing　in　number

every　moment；　till　they　could　be　counted　by　thousands。　　He　drove

them　all　before　him　on　to　the　hill；　where　the　King　and　his　whole

Court　and　Ferko's　two　brothers　were　standing。　　Only　the　lovely

Princess　was　not　present；　for　she　was　shut　up　in　her　tower

weeping　bitterly。



The　wicked　brothers　stamped　and　foamed　with　rage　when　they　saw

the　failure　of　their　wicked　designs。　　But　the　King　was　overcome

by　a　sudden　terror　when　he　saw　the　enormous　pack　of　wolves

approaching　nearer　and　nearer；　and　calling　out　to　Ferko　he　said；

'Enough；　enough；　we　don't　want　any　more。'



But　the　wolf　on　whose　back　Ferko　sat；　said　to　its　rider；　'Go　on！

go　on！'　and　at　the　same　moment　many　more　wolves　ran　up　the　hill；

howling　horribly　and　showing　their　white　teeth。



The　King　in　his　terror　called　out；　'Stop　a　moment；　I　will　give

you　half　my　kingdom　if　you　will　drive　all　the　wolves　away。'　　But

Ferko　pretended　not　to　hear；　and　drove　some　more　thousands　before

him；　so　that　everyone　quaked　with　horror　and　fear。　



Then　the　King　raised　his　voice　again　and　called　out；　'Stop！　　you

shall　have　my　whole　kingdom；　if　you　will　only　drive　these　wolves

back　to　the　places　they　came　from。'



But　the　wolf　kept　on　encouraging　Ferko；　and　said；　'Go　on！　　go

on！'　So　he　led　the　wolves　on；　till　at　last　they　fell　on　the　King

and　on　the　wicked　brothers；　and　ate　them　and　the　whole　Court　up

in　a　moment。



Then　Ferko　went　straight　to　the　palace　and　set　the　Princess　free；

and　on　the　same　day　he　married　her　and　was　crowned　King　of　the

country。　　And　the　wolves　all　went　peacefully　back　to　their　own

homes；　and　Ferko　and　his　bride　lived　for　many　years　in　peace　and

happiness　together；　and　were　much　beloved　by　great　and　small　in

the　land。