Stranica 302 [302]
242 GRIMM’S FAIRY TALES.
were going to be hanged. And when he drew near he saw
that it was his two brothers, who had done all sorts of evil
tricks, and had wasted all their goods. He asked if there
were no means of setting them free.
“Oh yes ! if you will buy them off,’ answered the people;
“but why should you spend your money in redeeming such
worthless men ? ”
But he persisted in doing so; and when they were let
go they all went on their journey together.
After a while they came to the wood where the fox had
met them first, and there it seemed so cool and sheltered from
the sun’s burning rays that the two brothers said,
" Let us rest here for a little by the brook, and eat and
drink to refresh ourselves,” |
The young man consented, quite forgetting the fox’s warn¬
ing, and he seated himself by the brook-side, suspecting no
evil. But the two brothers thrust him backwards into the
brook, seized the princess, the horse, and the bird, and went
home to their father.
“Ts not this the golden bird that we bring?” said they ;
‘and we have also the golden. horse, and the princess of the
golden castle.”
Then there was great rejoicing in the royal castle, but the
horse did not feed, the bird did not chirp, and the: princess
sat still and wept.
The youngest brother, however, had not perished. ‘The
brook was, by good fortune, dry, and he fell on soft moss
without receiving any hurt, but he could not get up again.
But in his need the faithful fox was not lacking ; he came up
running, and reproached him for having forgotten his advice. ,
“But I cannot forsake you all the same,” said he; “ I
"will help you back again into daylight.” So he told the young
man to grasp his tail, and hold on to it fast, and so he drew
him up again.
“Still you are not quite out of all danger,” said the fox ;
“your brothers, not being certain of your death, have sur¬
rounded the wood with sentinels, who are to put you to death.
if you let yourself be seen."
. A poor beggar-man was sitting by the path, and the young
man changed clothes with him, and went clad in that wise