The king's son began, and dug and shoveled without leaving off,
but when after seven days he saw how little he had done,
and how all his work
was as good as nothing,
he fell into great sorrow and gave up all hope.
"You do not deserve that I should take any trouble about you;
but just go away and lie down to sleep, and I will do the work for you."
The next morning when he awoke and looked out of the window the
hill had gone.
The youth ran, full of joy, to the king, and told him that the
task was fulfilled,
and whether he liked it or not, the king had to hold to his
word and give him his daughter.
So the two set forth together, and it was not long before the trusty Fox came up with them.
"You have certainly got what is best,"
said he, "but
the Golden Horse also belongs to the maiden of the Golden Castle."
"How shall I get it?" asked the youth.
"That I will tell you," answered the fox;
"first
take the beautiful maiden to the king who sent you to the Golden Castle.
There
will be unheard-of rejoicing; they will 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 is going to buy gallows'-flesh? and the desire to sit at the edge of
a well it has never yet seized 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.