Stranica 75 [75]
FAITHFUL JOHN. 47
rately—the dishes, the bowls, the birds, the wild creatures, and
the wonderful beasts. Many hours were passed in looking at
them all, and in her pleasure the Princess never noticed that
the ship was moving onwards. When she had examined the
last, she thanked the merchant, and prepared to return home ;
but when she came to the ship’s side, she saw that they were on
the high seas, far from land, and speeding on under full sail.
“ Ah!” cried she, full of terror, “ I am betrayed and carried
off by this merchant. Oh that I had died rather than have
fallen into his power !”
But the King took hold of her hand, and said,
" No merchant am I, but a King, and no baser of birth
than thyself; it is because of my over-mastering love for thee
that 1 have carried thee off by cunning. ‘The first time I saw
thy picture I fell fainting to the earth.”
When the Princess of the Golden Palace heard. this she
became more trustful, and her heart inclined favourably to¬
wards him, so that she willingly consented to become his wife.
It happened, however, as they were still journeying on the
open sea, that Faithful John, as he sat in the forepart of the
ship and made music, caught sight of three ravens in the air
flying overhead. ‘Then he stopped playing, and listened to
. what they said one to another, for he understood them quite
. well ‘The first one cried,
‘* Ay, there goes the Princess of the Golden Palace.”
‘“ Yes,’ answered the second ; “ but he has not got her safe
yet." And the third said,
“He has her, though; she sits beside him in the ship.”
Then the first one spoke again,
‘What does that avail him? When they come on land
. a fox-red horse will spring towards them; then will the King
try to mount him ; and if he does, the horse will rise with him
into the air, so that he will never see his bride again.” The
. second raven asked,
“Is there no remedy?”
“Oh yes ; if another man mounts quickly, and takes the
pistol out of the holster and shoots the horse dead with it, he
will save the young King. But who knows that? and he that
knows it and does it will become stone from toe to knee.”
Then said the second,