046-第2部分

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gladly　give　you　the　golden　horse；　and　will　bring　it　out　to　you。
Mount　it　as　soon　as　possible；　and　offer　your　hand　to　all　in　farewell；
last　of　all　to　the　beautiful　maiden。　　And　as　soon　as　you　have　taken
her　hand　swing　her　up　on　to　the　horse；　and　gallop　away；　and　no　one
will　be　able　to　bring　you　back；　for　the　horse　runs　faster　than　the
wind。

All　was　carried　out　successfully；　and　the　king's　son　carried　off　the
beautiful　princess　on　the　golden　horse。

The　fox　did　not　remain　behind；　and　he　said　to　the　youth；　now　I　will
help　you　to　get　the　golden　bird。　　When　you　come　near　to　the　castle
where　the　golden　bird　is　to　be　found；　let　the　maiden　get　down；　and　I
will　take　her　into　my　care。　　Then　ride　with　the　golden　horse　into　the
castle…yard；　there　will　be　great　rejoicing　at　the　sight；　and　they
will　bring　out　the　golden　bird　for　you。　　As　soon　as　you　have　the　cage
in　your　hand　gallop　back　to　us；　and　take　the　maiden　away　again。

When　the　plan　had　succeeded；　and　the　king's　son　was　about　to　ride
home　with　his　treasures；　the　fox　said；　now　you　shall　reward　me　for　my
help。　　What　do　you　require　for　it；　asked　the　youth。　　When　you　get
into　the　wood　yonder；　shoot　me　dead；　and　chop　off　my　head　and　feet。

That　would　be　fine　gratitude；　said　the　king's　son。　　I　cannot　possibly
do　that　for　you。

The　fox　said；　if　you　will　not　do　it　I　must　leave　you；　but　before　I　go
away　I　will　give　you　a　piece　of　good　advice。　　Be　careful　about　two
things。　　Buy　no　gallows'…flesh；　and　do　not　sit　at　the　edge　of　any
well。　　And　then　he　ran　into　the　wood。

The　youth　thought；　that　is　a　wonderful　beast；　he　has　strange　whims；
who　on　earth　would　want　to　buy　gallows'…flesh。　　As　for　the　desire　to
sit　at　the　edge　of　a　well　it　has　never　yet　occurred　to　me。

He　rode　on　with　the　beautiful　maiden；　and　his　road　took　him　again
through　the　village　in　which　his　two　brothers　had　remained。　There　was
a　great　stir　and　noise；　and；　when　he　asked　what　was　going　on；　he　was
told　that　two　men　were　going　to　be　hanged。　　As　he　came　nearer　to　the
place　he　saw　that　they　were　his　brothers；　who　had　been　playing　all
kinds　of　wicked　pranks；　and　had　squandered　all　their　wealth。　　He
inquired　whether　they　could　not　be　set　free。　　If　you　will　pay　for
them；　answered　the　people；　but　why　should　you　waste　your　money　on
wicked　men；　and　buy　them　free。　He　did　not　think　twice　about　it；　but
paid　for　them；　and　when　they　were　set　free　they　all　went　on　their　way
together。

They　came　to　the　wood　where　the　fox　had　first　met　them；　and　as　it　was
a　hot　day；　but　cool　and　pleasant　within　the　wood；　the　two　brothers
said；　let　us　rest　a　little　by　the　well；　and　eat　and　drink。　　He
agreed；　and　whilst　they　were　talking　he　forgot　himself；　and　sat　down
upon　the　edge　of　the　well　without　thinking　of　any　evil。　　But　the　two
brothers　threw　him　backwards　into　the　well；　took　the　maiden；　the
horse；　and　the　bird；　and　went　home　to　their　father。　　Here　we　bring
you　not　only　the　golden　bird；　said　they；　we　have　won　the　golden　horse
also；　and　the　maiden　from　the　golden　castle。　　Then　was　there　great
joy；　but　the　horse　would　not　eat；　the　bird　would　not　sing；　and　the
maiden　sat　and　wept。

But　the　youngest　brother　was　not　dead。　　By　good　fortune　the　well　was
dry；　and　he　fell　upon　soft　moss　without　being　hurt；　but　he　could　not
get　out　again。　　Even　in　this　strait　the　faithful　fox　did　not　leave
him；　it　came　and　leapt　down　to　him；　and　upbraided　him　for　having
forgotten　its　advice。　　But　yet　I　cannot　give　up；　he　said；　I　will　help
you　up　again　into　daylight。　　He　bade　him　grasp　his　tail　and　keep
tight　hold　of　it；　and　then　he　pulled　him　up。　You　are　not　out　of　all
danger　yet；　said　the　fox。　　Your　brothers　were　not　sure　of　your　death；
and　have　surrounded　the　wood　with　watchers；　who　are　to　kill　you　if
you　let　yourself　be　seen。　　But　a　poor　man　was　sitting　upon　the　road；
with　whom　the　youth　changed　clothes；　and　in　this　way　he　got　to　the
king's　palace。

No　one　knew　him；　but　the　bird　began　to　sing；　the　horse　began　to　eat；
and　the　beautiful　maiden　left　off　weeping。　　The　king；　astonished；
asked；　what　does　this　mean。　　Then　the　maiden　said；　I　do　not　know；　but
I　have　been　so　sorrowful　and　now　I　am　so　happy。　　I　feel　as　if　my　true
bridegroom　had　come。　　She　told　him　all　that　had　happened；　although
the　other　brothers　had　threatened　her　with　death　if　she　were　to
betray　anything。

The　king　commanded　that　all　people　who　were　in　his　castle　should　be
brought　before　him；　and　amongst　them　came　the　youth　in　his　ragged
clothes；　but　the　maiden　knew　him　at　once　and　fell　upon　his　neck。　　The
wicked　brothers　were　seized　and　put　to　death；　but　he　was　married　to
the　beautiful　maiden　and　declared　heir　to　the　king。

But　what　happened　to　the　poor　fox。　　Long　afterwards　the　king's　son
was　once　again　walking　in　the　wood；　when　the　fox　met　him　and　said；
you　have　everything　now　that　you　can　wish　for；　but　there　is　never　an
end　to　my　misery；　and　yet　it　is　in　your　power　to　free　me；　and　again
he　asked　him　with　tears　to　shoot　him　dead　and　chop　off　his　head　and
feet。　　So　he　did　it；　and　scarcely　was　it　done　when　the　fox　was
changed　into　a　man；　and　was　no　other　than　the　brother　of　the
beautiful　princess；　who　at　last　was　freed　from　the　magic　charm　which
had　been　laid　upon　him。　　And　now　they　had　all　the　happiness　they
wanted　as　long　as　they　lived。