Grimm's Household Tales

Once upon a time there were two brothers, one rich and the other poor. The rich one was a goldsmith and evil-hearted. The poor one supported himself by making brooms and was good and honorable. The poor one had two children, who were twin brothers and as alike as two drops of water. The two boys went back and forth to the rich house and often got some of the scraps to eat. It happened once, when the poor man was going into the forest to gather brushwood, that he saw a bird that was quite golden and more beautiful than any he had ever come across. He picked up a small stone, threw it at the bird, and was lucky enough to hit it, but only one golden feather fell down, and the bird flew away. The man took the feather and carried it to his brother, who looked at it and said, “It is pure gold!” and gave him a great deal of money for it. The next day the man climbed into a birch tree and was about to cut off a couple of branches when the same bird flew out, and when the man searched, he found a nest, and inside it lay an egg that was made of gold. He took the egg home with him and carried it to his brother, who again said, “It is pure gold,” and gave him what it was worth. At last the goldsmith said, “I should indeed like to have the bird itself.” The poor man went into the forest for the third time and again saw the golden bird sitting in the tree, so he took a stone, brought it down, and carried it to his brother, who gave him a great heap of gold for it. “Now I can manage,” he thought, and he went contentedly home.

The goldsmith was crafty and cunning and knew very well what kind of bird it was. He called his wife and said, “Roast the golden bird for me, and take care that none of it is lost. I have a fancy to eat it all myself.” The bird, however, was no common one, but of such a wondrous kind that whoever ate its heart and liver found a piece of gold beneath his pillow every morning. The woman made the bird ready, put it on the spit, and let it roast. Now it happened that while it was at the fire, and the woman was forced to go out of the kitchen because of some other work, the two children of the poor broom maker ran in, stood by the spit, and turned it around once or twice. And as at that very moment two little bits of the bird fell into the dripping pan, one of the boys said, “Let us eat these two little bits; I am so hungry, and no one will ever miss them.” Then the two ate the pieces, but the woman came into the kitchen, saw that they were eating something, and said, “What have you been eating?” “Two little morsels that fell out of the bird,” they answered. “That must have been the heart and the liver,” said the woman, quite frightened. To keep her husband from missing them and becoming angry, she quickly killed a young rooster, took out its heart and liver, and put them beside the golden bird. When it was ready, she carried it to the goldsmith, who consumed it all alone and left none of it. Next morning, however, when he felt beneath his pillow and expected to bring out the piece of gold, he found no more gold pieces there than there had always been.

The two children did not know what a piece of good fortune had fallen to their lot. The next morning, when they got up, something fell rattling to the ground, and when they picked it up, there were two gold pieces! They took them to their father, who was astonished and said, “How can that have happened?” When they again found two the next morning, and so on every day, he went to his brother and told him the strange story. The goldsmith knew at once how it had come to pass, and that the children had eaten the heart and liver of the golden bird, and in order to take revenge, and because he was envious and hard-hearted, he said to the father, “Your children are in league with the Evil One. Do not take the gold, and do not allow them to stay any longer in your house, for he has them in his power and may ruin you too.” The father feared the Evil One, and painful as it was to him, he nevertheless led the twins out into the forest and left them there with a sad heart.

And now the two children ran about the forest and looked for the way home again, but could not find it and only lost themselves more and more. At length they met a huntsman, who asked, “Whose children are you?” “We are the poor broom maker’s boys,” they replied, and they told him that their father would not keep them any longer in the house because a piece of gold lay under their pillows every morning. “Come,” said the huntsman, “that is nothing so very bad, if at the same time you keep honest and are not lazy.” As the good man liked the children and had none of his own, he took them home with him and said, “I will be your father and bring you up until you are big.” They learned huntsmanship from him, and the piece of gold that each of them found when he woke up was kept for them by him in case they should need it in the future.

When they were grown up, their foster father took them into the forest with him one day and said, “Today you shall make your trial shot, so that I may release you from your apprenticeship and make you huntsmen.” They went with him to lie in wait and stayed there a long time, but no game appeared. The huntsman, however, looked up and saw a flock of wild geese flying in the shape of a triangle, and he said to one of them, “Shoot one down for me from each corner.” He did it and thus accomplished his trial shot. Soon after, another flock came flying by in the shape of the number two, and the huntsman told the other brother also to bring down one from each corner, and his trial shot was likewise successful. “Now,” said the foster father, “I declare your apprenticeship over; you are skilled huntsmen.” Then the two brothers went off together into the forest, talked it over with each other, and planned something. And in the evening, when they had sat down to supper, they said to their foster father, “We will not touch food or take one mouthful until you have granted us a request.” He said, “What, then, is your request?” They replied, “We have now finished learning, and we must prove ourselves in the world, so allow us to go away and travel.” Then the old man said joyfully, “You talk like brave huntsmen. What you desire has been my wish; go on your way, and all will go well with you.” Then they ate and drank joyfully together.

When the appointed day came, their foster father presented each of them with a good gun and a dog and let each of them take as many of the gold pieces saved up for him as he chose. Then he accompanied them part of the way, and when taking leave, he gave them a bright knife and said, “If ever you separate, stick this knife into a tree at the place where you part, and when one of you goes back, he will be able to see how his absent brother is faring, for the side of the knife that is turned in the direction in which he went will rust if he dies but will remain bright as long as he is alive.” The two brothers went still farther onward and came to a forest so large that it was impossible for them to get out of it in one day. So they spent the night in it and ate what they had put in their hunting pouches, but they walked all the second day as well and still did not get out. As they had nothing to eat, one of them said, “We must shoot something for ourselves, or we will suffer from hunger,” and he loaded his gun and looked about him. And when an old hare came running up toward them, he laid his gun on his shoulder, but the hare cried:

“Dear huntsman, just let me live, / Two little ones to you I’ll give.”

It sprang instantly into the thicket and brought two young ones. But the little creatures played so merrily and were so pretty that the huntsmen could not find it in their hearts to kill them. They therefore kept them with them, and the little hares followed on foot. Soon after this, a fox crept past; they were just about to shoot it, but the fox cried:

“Dear huntsman, just let me live, / Two little ones I’ll also give.”

He too brought two little foxes, and the huntsmen did not like to kill them either, but gave them to the hares for company, and they followed behind. It was not long before a wolf strode out of the thicket; the huntsmen got ready to shoot him, but the wolf cried:

“Dear huntsman, just let me live, / Two little ones I’ll likewise give.”

The huntsmen put the two wolves beside the other animals, and they followed behind them. Then a bear came who wanted to trot about a little longer, and he cried:

“Dear huntsman, just let me live, / Two little ones I, too, will give.”

The two young bears were added to the others, and there were already eight of them. At length, who came? A lion came and tossed his mane. But the huntsmen did not let themselves be frightened and aimed at him likewise, but the lion also said:

“Dear huntsman, just let me live, / Two little ones I, too, will give.”

And he brought his little ones to them, and now the huntsmen had two lions, two bears, two wolves, two foxes, and two hares, who followed them and served them. In the meantime, their hunger was not appeased by this, and they said to the foxes, “Listen, you cunning fellows, provide us with something to eat. You are crafty and shrewd.” They replied, “Not far from here lies a village from which we have already brought many a fowl; we will show you the way there.” So they went into the village, bought themselves something to eat, had some food given to their beasts, and then traveled onward. The foxes, however, knew their way very well about the district and where the poultry yards were, and they were able to guide the huntsmen.

Now they traveled about for a while but could find no employment where they could remain together, so they said, “There is nothing else we can do; we must part.” They divided the animals so that each of them had a lion, a bear, a wolf, a fox, and a hare. Then they took leave of each other, promised to love each other like brothers until their death, and stuck the knife that their foster father had given them into a tree, after which one went east and the other went west.

The younger brother, however, arrived with his animals in a town that was all hung with black crepe. He went into an inn and asked the host if he could accommodate his animals. The innkeeper gave him a stable where there was a hole in the wall, and the hare crept out and got himself the head of a cabbage, and the fox got himself a hen, and when he had devoured that, he took the rooster as well, but the wolf, the bear, and the lion could not get out because they were too big. Then the innkeeper had them taken to a place where a cow was just then lying on the grass, so that they might eat until they were satisfied. And when the huntsman had taken care of his animals, he asked the innkeeper why the town was hung with black crepe in this way. The host said, “Because our King’s only daughter is to die tomorrow.” The huntsman asked if she was “mortally ill.” “No,” answered the host, “she is vigorous and healthy; nevertheless, she must die!” “How is that?” asked the huntsman. “There is a high hill outside the town, on which a dragon lives who must have a pure virgin every year, or he lays the whole country waste. Now all the maidens have already been given to him, and there is no one left but the King’s daughter, yet there is no mercy for her; she must be given up to him, and that is to be done tomorrow.” The huntsman said, “Why is the dragon not killed?” “Ah,” replied the host, “so many knights have tried it, but it has cost all of them their lives. The King has promised that whoever conquers the dragon will have his daughter as his wife and will also govern the kingdom after the King’s own death.”

The huntsman said nothing more to this, but the next morning he took his animals and climbed the dragon’s hill with them. A little church stood at the top of it, and on the altar three full cups were standing, with the inscription, “Whoever empties the cups will become the strongest man on earth and will be able to wield the sword that is buried in front of the threshold of the door.” The huntsman did not drink but went out and looked for the sword in the ground, yet he was unable to move it from its place. Then he went in and emptied the cups, and now he was strong enough to take up the sword, and his hand could wield it quite easily. When the hour came when the maiden was to be delivered over to the dragon, the King, the marshal, and the courtiers accompanied her. From afar she saw the huntsman on the dragon’s hill and thought it was the dragon standing there waiting for her, and she did not want to go up to him, but at last, because otherwise the whole town would have been destroyed, she was forced to make the miserable journey. The King and the courtiers returned home full of grief; the King’s marshal, however, was to stand still and watch everything from a distance.

When the King’s daughter got to the top of the hill, it was not the dragon that stood there but the young huntsman, who comforted her, told her he would save her, led her into the church, and locked her in. It was not long before the seven-headed dragon came there with loud roaring. When he perceived the huntsman, he was astonished and said, “What business do you have here on the hill?” The huntsman answered, “I want to fight with you.” The dragon said, “Many knights have lost their lives here; I will soon make an end of you too,” and he breathed fire out of seven jaws. The fire would have set the dry grass alight, and the huntsman would have been suffocated in the heat and smoke, but the animals came running up and trampled out the fire. Then the dragon rushed at the huntsman, but he swung his sword until it sang through the air and struck off three of the dragon’s heads. Then the dragon grew furious and rose up in the air and spat out flames of fire over the huntsman and was about to plunge down on him, but the huntsman once more drew out his sword and again cut off three of the dragon’s heads. The monster became faint and sank down; nevertheless, it was just able to rush at the huntsman, but with his last strength he struck off its tail, and as he could fight no longer, he called his animals, who tore it to pieces. When the struggle was over, the huntsman unlocked the church and found the King’s daughter lying on the floor, for she had lost her senses from anguish and terror during the contest. He carried her out, and when she came to herself once more and opened her eyes, he showed her the dragon all cut to pieces and told her that she was now saved. She rejoiced and said, “Now you will be my dearest husband, for my father has promised me to the one who kills the dragon.” Then she took off her necklace of coral and divided it among the animals in order to reward them, and the lion received the golden clasp. Her handkerchief, however, which bore her name, she gave to the huntsman, who went and cut the tongues out of the dragon’s seven heads, wrapped them in the handkerchief, and kept them carefully.

When that was done, as he was so faint and weary from the fire and the battle, he said to the maiden, “We are both faint and weary; we will sleep for a while.” Then she said, “Yes,” and they lay down on the ground, and the huntsman said to the lion, “You are to keep watch, so that no one surprises us in our sleep,” and both fell asleep. The lion lay down beside them to watch, but he also was so weary from the fight that he called to the bear and said, “Lie down near me; I must sleep a little. If anything comes, wake me.” Then the bear lay down beside him, but he also was tired, and he called the wolf and said, “Lie down by me; I must sleep a little, but if anything comes, wake me.” Then the wolf lay down by him, but he was tired likewise, and he called the fox and said, “Lie down by me; I must sleep a little. If anything comes, wake me.” Then the fox lay down beside him, but he too was weary, and he called the hare and said, “Lie down near me; I must sleep a little, and if anything should come, wake me.” Then the hare sat down by him, but the poor hare was tired too and had no one whom he could call to keep watch, and he fell asleep. And now the King’s daughter, the huntsman, the lion, the bear, the wolf, the fox, and the hare were all sleeping a sound sleep. The marshal, however, who was to look on from a distance, took courage when he did not see the dragon flying away with the maiden, and finding that the whole hill had become quiet, he climbed it. There lay the dragon, hacked and hewn to pieces on the ground, and not far from it were the King’s daughter and a huntsman with his animals, and all of them were sunk in a sound sleep. And as he was wicked and godless, he took his sword, cut off the huntsman’s head, seized the maiden in his arms, and carried her down the hill. Then she woke up and was terrified, but the marshal said, “You are in my hands; you shall say that it was I who killed the dragon.” “I cannot do that,” she replied, “for it was a huntsman with his animals who did it.” Then he drew his sword and threatened to kill her if she did not obey him, and so he compelled her to promise it. Then he took her to the King, who did not know how to contain himself for joy when he saw his dear child alive once more, whom he had believed torn to pieces by the monster. The marshal said to him, “I have killed the dragon and saved the maiden and the whole kingdom as well; therefore I demand her as my wife, as was promised.” The King said to the maiden, “Is what he says true?” “Ah, yes,” she answered, “it must indeed be true, but I will not consent to have the wedding celebrated until after a year and a day,” for she thought that in that time she would hear something of her dear huntsman.

The animals, however, were still lying asleep beside their dead master on the dragon’s hill, and a great bumblebee came and landed on the hare’s nose, but the hare wiped it off with his paw and went on sleeping. The bumblebee came a second time, but the hare again rubbed it off and slept on. Then it came for the third time and stung his nose so that he woke up. As soon as the hare was awake, he roused the fox, and the fox roused the wolf, and the wolf the bear, and the bear the lion. And when the lion woke up and saw that the maiden was gone and his master was dead, he began to roar frightfully and cried, “Who has done that? Bear, why did you not wake me?” The bear asked the wolf, “Why did you not wake me?” and the wolf asked the fox, “Why did you not wake me?” and the fox asked the hare, “Why did you not wake me?” The poor hare alone did not know what answer to make, and the blame rested on him. Then they were just about to fall upon him, but he begged them and said, “Do not kill me; I will bring our master back to life. I know a mountain on which a root grows that, when placed in the mouth of anyone, cures him of all illness and every wound. But the mountain lies two hundred hours’ journey from here.” The lion said, “In twenty-four hours you must have run there and come back and brought the root with you.” Then the hare sprang away, and in twenty-four hours he was back and brought the root with him. The lion put the huntsman’s head on again, and the hare placed the root in his mouth, and immediately everything united again, and his heart beat, and life came back. Then the huntsman woke up and was alarmed when he did not see the maiden, and he thought, “She must have gone away while I was sleeping, in order to get rid of me.” The lion in his great haste had put his master’s head on the wrong way around, but the huntsman did not notice it because of his melancholy thoughts about the King’s daughter. But at noon, when he was going to eat something, he saw that his head was turned backward and could not understand it, and he asked the animals what had happened to him in his sleep. Then the lion told him that they, too, had all fallen asleep from weariness and, on waking, had found him dead with his head cut off, that the hare had brought the life-giving root, and that he, in his haste, had taken hold of the head the wrong way, but that he would repair his mistake. Then he tore the huntsman’s head off again, turned it around, and the hare healed it with the root.

The huntsman, however, was sad at heart, and he traveled about the world and made his animals dance before people. It so happened that exactly at the end of one year he came back to the same town where he had saved the King’s daughter from the dragon, and this time the town was festively hung with red cloth. Then he said to the host, “What does this mean? Last year the town was all hung with black crepe; what does the red cloth mean today?” The host answered, “Last year our King’s daughter was to have been delivered over to the dragon, but the marshal fought with it and killed it, and so tomorrow their wedding is to be solemnized, and that is why the town was then hung with black crepe for mourning and is today covered with red cloth for joy.”

The next day, when the wedding was to take place, the huntsman said to the innkeeper at midday, “Do you believe, sir host, that I, while here with you today, will eat bread from the King’s own table?” “No,” said the host, “I would bet a hundred pieces of gold that that will not come true.” The huntsman accepted the wager and set against it a purse with just the same number of gold pieces. Then he called the hare and said, “Go, my dear runner, and fetch me some of the bread that the King is eating.” Now the little hare was the lowest of the animals and could not pass this order on to any of the others, but had to go on his own legs. “Alas!” he thought, “if I bound through the streets alone like this, the butchers’ dogs will all be after me.” It happened as he expected, and the dogs came after him and wanted to make holes in his good skin. But he sprang away—have you never seen one run?—and sheltered himself in a sentry box without the soldier being aware of it. Then the dogs came and wanted to get him out, but the soldier did not understand a joke and struck them with the butt end of his gun until they ran away yelling and howling. As soon as the hare saw that the way was clear, he ran into the palace and straight to the King’s daughter, sat down under her chair, and scratched at her foot. Then she said, “Will you go away?” and thought it was her dog. The hare scratched her foot a second time, and she again said, “Will you go away?” and thought it was her dog. But the hare did not let itself be turned from its purpose and scratched her a third time. Then she peeped down and recognized the hare by its collar. She took him on her lap, carried him into her chamber, and said, “Dear Hare, what do you want?” He answered, “My master, who killed the dragon, is here and has sent me to ask for a loaf of bread like the one the King eats.” Then she was full of joy and had the baker summoned and ordered him to bring a loaf such as the King ate. The little hare said, “But the baker must carry it there for me too, so that the butchers’ dogs may do me no harm.” The baker carried it for him as far as the door of the inn, and then the hare got up on his hind legs, took the loaf in his front paws, and carried it to his master. Then the huntsman said, “Look, sir host, the hundred pieces of gold are mine.” The host was astonished, but the huntsman went on to say, “Yes, sir host, I have the bread, but now I will have some of the King’s roast meat too.”

The host said, “I should indeed like to see that,” but he would make no more wagers. The huntsman called the fox and said, “My little fox, go and fetch me some roast meat, such as the King eats.” The red fox knew the byways better and went by holes and corners without any dog seeing him, seated himself under the chair of the King’s daughter, and scratched her foot. Then she looked down and recognized the fox by its collar, took him with her into her chamber, and said, “Dear fox, what do you want?” He answered, “My master, who killed the dragon, is here and has sent me. I am to ask for some roast meat such as the King is eating.” Then she had the cook come, who was obliged to prepare a roast, the same as the King ate, and to carry it for the fox as far as the door. Then the fox took the dish, waved away with his tail the flies that had settled on the meat, and then carried it to his master. “Look, sir host,” said the huntsman, “bread and meat are here, but now I will also have proper vegetables with it, such as the King eats.” Then he called the wolf and said, “Dear Wolf, go there and fetch me vegetables such as the King eats.” Then the wolf went straight to the palace, because he feared no one, and when he got to the King’s daughter’s chamber, he tugged at the back of her dress, so that she was forced to look around. She recognized him by his collar, took him with her into her chamber, and said, “Dear Wolf, what do you want?” He answered, “My master, who killed the dragon, is here, and I am to ask for some vegetables, such as the King eats.” Then she had the cook come, and he had to prepare a dish of vegetables, such as the King ate, and carry it for the wolf as far as the door, and then the wolf took the dish from him and carried it to his master. “Look, sir host,” said the huntsman, “now I have bread and meat and vegetables, but I will also have some pastry such as the King eats.” He called the bear and said, “Dear Bear, you are fond of licking anything sweet; go and bring me some confectionery, such as the King eats.” Then the bear trotted to the palace, and everyone got out of his way, but when he came to the guard, they aimed their muskets at him and would not let him go into the royal palace. But he got up on his hind legs and gave them a few boxes on the ears, right and left, with his paws, so that the whole guard broke up, and then he went straight to the King’s daughter, placed himself behind her, and growled a little. Then she looked behind her, recognized the bear, told him to go into her room with her, and said, “Dear Bear, what do you want?” He answered, “My master, who killed the dragon, is here, and I am to ask for some confectionery, such as the King eats.” Then she summoned her confectioner, who had to bake confectionery such as the King ate and carry it to the door for the bear; then the bear first licked up the candies that had rolled down, and then he stood upright, took the dish, and carried it to his master. “Look, sir host,” said the huntsman, “now I have bread, meat, vegetables, and confectionery, but I will drink wine too, and such as the King drinks.” He called his lion to him and said, “Dear Lion, you yourself like to drink until you are intoxicated; go and fetch me some wine, such as the King drinks.” Then the lion strode through the streets, and the people fled from him, and when he came to the guard, they wanted to bar his way, but he roared just once, and they all ran away. Then the lion went to the royal chambers and knocked at the door with his tail. Then the King’s daughter came out and was almost afraid of the lion, but she recognized him by the golden clasp of her necklace and told him to go with her into her chamber, and she said, “Dear Lion, what do you want?” He answered, “My master, who killed the dragon, is here, and I am to ask for some wine such as the King drinks.” Then she had the cupbearer called, who was to give the lion some wine like the wine the King drank. The lion said, “I will go with him and see that I get the right wine.” Then he went down with the cupbearer, and when they were below, the cupbearer wanted to draw him some of the common wine that the King’s servants drank, but the lion said, “Stop; I will taste the wine first,” and he drew half a measure and swallowed it down in one gulp. “No,” he said, “that is not right.” The cupbearer looked at him askance but went on and was about to give him some from another barrel, which was for the King’s marshal. The lion said, “Stop; let me taste the wine first,” and he drew half a measure and drank it. “That is better, but still not right,” he said. Then the cupbearer grew angry and said, “How can a stupid animal like you understand wine?” But the lion gave him a blow behind the ears that made him fall down quite roughly, and when he got up again, he led the lion quite silently into a little cellar set apart, where the King’s own wine lay, from which no one ever drank. The lion first drew half a measure and tried the wine, and then he said, “That may possibly be the right sort,” and told the cupbearer to fill six bottles of it. And now they went upstairs again, but when the lion came out of the cellar into the open air, he reeled this way and that and was rather drunk, and the cupbearer was forced to carry the wine as far as the door for him, and then the lion took the handle of the basket in his mouth and took it to his master. The huntsman said, “Look, sir host, here I have bread, meat, vegetables, confectionery, and wine such as the King has, and now I will dine with my animals.” And he sat down and ate and drank, and he gave the hare, the fox, the wolf, the bear, and the lion food and drink as well, and he was joyful, for he saw that the King’s daughter still loved him. And when he had finished his dinner, he said, “Sir host, now I have eaten and drunk as the King eats and drinks, and now I will go to the King’s court and marry the King’s daughter.” The host said, “How can that be, when she already has a husband-to-be and the wedding is to be solemnized today?” Then the huntsman drew out the handkerchief that the King’s daughter had given him on the dragon’s hill, in which the monster’s seven tongues were folded, and said, “What I hold in my hand shall help me to do it.” Then the innkeeper looked at the handkerchief and said, “Whatever I may believe, I do not believe that, and I am willing to stake my house and courtyard on it.” The huntsman, however, took a bag with a thousand gold pieces, put it on the table, and said, “I stake that on it.”

Now the King said to his daughter at the royal table, “What did all the wild animals that have been coming to you and going in and out of my palace want?” She replied, “I may not tell you, but send for the master of these animals and have him brought, and you will do well.” The King sent a servant to the inn and invited the stranger, and the servant came just as the huntsman had laid his wager with the innkeeper. Then the huntsman said, “Look, sir host, now the King sends his servant and invites me, but I do not go in this way.” And he said to the servant, “I request the Lord King to send me royal clothing, and a carriage with six horses, and servants to attend me.” When the King heard the answer, he said to his daughter, “What shall I do?” She said, “Have him fetched as he wishes to be fetched, and you will do well.” Then the King sent royal apparel, a carriage with six horses, and servants to wait on him. When the huntsman saw them coming, he said, “Look, sir host, now I am fetched as I wished to be,” and he put on the royal garments, took the handkerchief with the dragon’s tongues with him, and drove off to the King. When the King saw him coming, he said to his daughter, “How shall I receive him?” She answered, “Go to meet him, and you will do well.” Then the King went to meet him and led him in, and his animals followed. The King gave him a seat near himself and his daughter, and the marshal, as the bridegroom, sat on the other side but did not recognize the huntsman. And now at this very moment the seven heads of the dragon were brought in as a spectacle, and the King said, “The seven heads were cut off the dragon by the marshal; therefore today I give him my daughter as his wife.” Then the huntsman stood up, opened the seven mouths, and said, “Where are the seven tongues of the dragon?” The marshal was terrified, grew pale, and did not know what answer to make, and at length in his anguish he said, “Dragons have no tongues.” The huntsman said, “Liars ought to have none, but the dragon’s tongues are the tokens of the victor,” and he unfolded the handkerchief, and there lay all seven inside it. And he put each tongue in the mouth to which it belonged, and it fit exactly. Then he took the handkerchief on which the name of the princess was embroidered and showed it to the maiden and asked to whom she had given it, and she replied, “To the one who killed the dragon.” And then he called his animals and took the collar off each of them and the golden clasp from the lion and showed them to the maiden and asked to whom they belonged. She answered, “The necklace and golden clasp were mine, but I divided them among the animals who helped to conquer the dragon.” Then the huntsman said, “When I, tired from the fight, was resting and sleeping, the marshal came and cut off my head. Then he carried away the King’s daughter and gave out that it was he who had killed the dragon, but I prove with the tongues, the handkerchief, and the necklace that he lied.” And then he related how his animals had healed him by means of a wonderful root, and how he had traveled about with them for one year and had at length come back there and learned of the marshal’s treachery from the innkeeper’s story. Then the King asked his daughter, “Is it true that this man killed the dragon?” And she answered, “Yes, it is true. Now I can reveal the marshal’s wicked deed, since it has come to light without my having a hand in it, for he wrung a promise from me to be silent. It was for this reason, however, that I made the condition that the marriage should not be solemnized for a year and a day.” Then the King had twelve councilors summoned to pronounce judgment on the marshal, and they sentenced him to be torn to pieces by four bulls. The marshal was therefore executed, but the King gave his daughter to the huntsman and named him his viceroy over the whole kingdom. The wedding was celebrated with great joy, and the young King had his father and his foster father brought and loaded them with treasures. Nor did he forget the innkeeper, but sent for him and said, “Look, sir host, I have married the King’s daughter, and your house and yard are mine.” The host said, “Yes, according to justice, it is so.” But the young King said, “It shall be done according to mercy,” and told him that he should keep his house and yard, and he gave him the thousand pieces of gold as well.

And now the young King and Queen were thoroughly happy and lived in gladness together. He often went out hunting because it was a delight to him, and the faithful animals had to accompany him. In the neighborhood, however, there was a forest that was reported to be haunted, and it was said that whoever entered it did not easily get out again. The young King, however, had a great inclination to hunt in it and gave the old King no peace until he allowed him to do so. So he rode out with a great following, and when he came to the forest, he saw a snow-white stag and said to his people, “Wait here until I return; I want to chase that beautiful creature,” and he rode into the forest after it, followed only by his animals. The attendants halted and waited until evening, but he did not return, so they rode home and told the young Queen that the young King had followed a white stag into the enchanted forest and had not come back. Then she was in the greatest concern about him. He, however, had continued to ride on and on after the beautiful wild animal and had never been able to overtake it; when he thought he was near enough to aim, he instantly saw it bound away into the far distance, and at length it vanished altogether. And now he perceived that he had penetrated deep into the forest, and he blew his horn but received no answer, for his attendants could not hear it. And as night, too, was falling, he saw that he could not get home that day, so he dismounted from his horse, lit a fire for himself near a tree, and resolved to spend the night by it. While he was sitting by the fire, with his animals lying down beside him, it seemed to him that he heard a human voice. He looked around but could perceive nothing. Soon afterward he again heard a groan as if from above, and then he looked up and saw an old woman sitting in the tree, who wailed unceasingly, “Oh, oh, oh, how cold I am!” He said, “Come down and warm yourself if you are cold.” But she said, “No, your animals will bite me.” He answered, “They will do you no harm, old mother; do come down.” She, however, was a witch, and she said, “I will throw down a wand from the tree, and if you strike them on the back with it, they will do me no harm.” Then she threw him a small wand, and he struck them with it, and instantly they lay still and were turned into stone. And when the witch was safe from the animals, she leaped down and touched him also with a wand and changed him to stone. Then she laughed and dragged him and the animals into a vault, where many more such stones already lay.

As the young King did not come back at all, however, the Queen’s anguish and worry grew constantly greater. And it so happened that at this very time the other brother, who had turned to the east when they separated, came into the kingdom. He had looked for work and had found none, and had then traveled about here and there and made his animals dance. Then it came into his mind that he would go and look at the knife that they had thrust into the trunk of a tree at their parting, so that he might learn how his brother was. When he got there, his brother’s side of the knife was half rusted and half bright. Then he was alarmed and thought, “A great misfortune must have befallen my brother, but perhaps I can still save him, for half the knife is still bright.” He and his animals traveled toward the west, and when he entered the gate of the town, the guard came to meet him and asked whether he should announce him to his consort, the young Queen, who for a couple of days had been in the greatest sorrow about his staying away and was afraid he had been killed in the enchanted forest. The sentries had no doubt that he was the young King himself, for he looked so like him and had wild animals running behind him. Then he saw that they were speaking of his brother and thought, “It will be better if I pass myself off as him, and then I can rescue him more easily.” So he allowed himself to be escorted into the castle by the guard and was received with the greatest joy. The young Queen indeed thought that he was her husband and asked him why he had stayed away so long. He answered, “I had lost myself in a forest and could not find my way out again any sooner.” At night he was taken to the royal bed, but he laid a two-edged sword between himself and the young Queen; she did not know what that could mean but did not venture to ask.

He remained in the palace a couple of days and in the meantime inquired into everything that related to the enchanted forest, and at last he said, “I must hunt there once more.” The King and the young Queen wanted to persuade him not to do it, but he stood firm against them and went out with a larger following. When he had gotten into the forest, it went with him as it had with his brother; he saw a white stag and said to his people, “Stay here and wait until I return; I want to chase the lovely wild beast,” and then he rode into the forest, and his animals ran after him. But he could not overtake the stag and got so deep into the forest that he was forced to spend the night there. And when he had lit a fire, he heard someone wailing above him, “Oh, oh, oh, how cold I am!” Then he looked up, and the very same witch was sitting in the tree. He said, “If you are cold, come down, little old mother, and warm yourself.” She answered, “No, your animals will bite me.” But he said, “They will not hurt you.” Then she cried, “I will throw down a wand to you, and if you strike them with it, they will do me no harm.” When the huntsman heard that, he had no confidence in the old woman and said, “I will not strike my animals. Come down, or I will fetch you.” Then she cried, “What do you want? You shall not touch me.” But he replied, “If you do not come, I will shoot you.” She said, “Shoot away; I do not fear your bullets!” Then he aimed and fired at her, but the witch was proof against all lead bullets, and she laughed and yelled and cried, “You shall not hit me.” The huntsman knew what to do; he tore three silver buttons off his coat and loaded his gun with them, for against them her arts were useless, and when he fired, she fell down at once with a scream. Then he set his foot on her and said, “Old witch, if you do not confess at once where my brother is, I will seize you with both my hands and throw you into the fire.” She was in a great fright, begged for mercy, and said, “He and his animals lie in a vault, turned to stone.” Then he compelled her to go there with him, threatened her, and said, “Old sea cat, now you shall make my brother and all the human beings lying here alive again, or you shall go into the fire!” She took a wand and touched the stones, and then his brother with his animals came to life again, and many others—merchants, artisans, and shepherds—got up, thanked him for their deliverance, and went to their homes. But when the twin brothers saw each other again, they kissed each other and rejoiced with all their hearts. Then they seized the witch, bound her, and laid her on the fire, and when she was burned, the forest opened of its own accord and was light and clear, and the King’s palace could be seen at about the distance of a three-hour walk.

Then the two brothers went home together and on the way told each other their stories. And when the younger one said that he was ruler of the whole country in the King’s place, the other observed, “I noticed that very well, for when I came to the town and was taken for you, all royal honors were paid to me; the young Queen looked on me as her husband, and I had to eat at her side and sleep in your bed.” When the other heard that, he became so jealous and angry that he drew his sword and struck off his brother’s head. But when he saw him lying there dead and saw his red blood flowing, he was overcome with violent remorse: “My brother saved me,” he cried, “and I have killed him for it,” and he wept aloud over him. Then his hare came and offered to go and bring some of the root of life, and bounded away and brought it while there was still time, and the dead man was brought to life again and knew nothing about the wound.

After this they journeyed onward, and the younger one said, “You look like me, you have royal clothing on as I do, and the animals follow you as they do me. We will go in by opposite gates and arrive at the same time from the two sides in the old King’s presence.” So they separated, and at the same time the watchmen came from the one gate and from the other and announced that the young King and the animals had returned from the hunt. The King said, “It is not possible; the gates lie a full mile apart.” In the meantime, however, the two brothers entered the courtyard of the palace from opposite sides, and both climbed the steps. Then the King said to his daughter, “Say which is your husband. Each of them looks exactly like the other; I cannot tell.” Then she was in great distress and could not tell, but at last she remembered the necklace that she had given to the animals, and she looked for her little golden clasp and found it on the lion, and she cried in her delight, “He who is followed by this lion is my true husband.” Then the young King laughed and said, “Yes, he is the right one,” and they sat down together at table and ate and drank and were merry. At night, when the young King went to bed, his wife said, “Why have you laid a two-edged sword in our bed every night for the last few nights? I thought you had a wish to kill me.” Then he knew how true his brother had been.