Oldal 298 [298]
238 GRIMM’S FAIRY TALES.
But at last, as there was no peace to be had, he let him
go. By the side of the wood sat the fox, begged him to spare
his life, and gave him good counsel, The young man was
kind, and said,
“ Be easy, little fox, I will do you no harm,”
‘¢'You shall not repent of it,” answered the fox, “and that
you may get there all the sooner, get up and sit on my tail.”
And no sooner had he done so than the fox began to run, and
off they went over stock and stone, so that the wind whistled
in their hair. When they reached the village the young man
got down, and, following the fox’s advice, went into the mean¬
looking tavern, without hesitating, and there he passed a quiet
night. The next morning, when he went out into the field,
the fox, who was sitting there already, said,
“ T will tell you further what you have to do. Go straight
on until you come to a castle, before which a great band of
soldiers lie, but do not trouble yourself about them, for they
will be all asleep and snoring ; pass through them and forward
into the castle, and go through all the rooms, until you come
to one where there is a golden bird hanging in a wooden cage.
Near at hand will stand empty a golden cage of state, but you
must beware of taking the bird out of his ugly cage and
putting him into the fine one; if you do so you will come to
harm.”
After he had finished saying this the fox stretched out his
tail again, and the king’s son sat him down upon it; then
away they went over stock and stone, so that the wind whistled
through their hair. And when the king’s son reached the
castle he found everything as the fox had said: and he at last
entered the room where the golden bird was hanging in a
wooden cage, while a golden one was standing by; the three
golden apples too were in the room, ‘Then, thinking it foolish
to let the beautiful bird stay in that mean and ugly cage, he
opened the door of it, took hold of it, and put it in the golden
one. In the same moment the bird uttered a piercing cry.
The soldiers awaked, rushed in, seized the king’s son and. put
him in prison. The next morning he was brought before a
judge, and, as he confessed everything, condemned to death.
But the king said he would spare his life on one condition,
that he should bring him the golden horse whose paces were