, should cut off my head and
tail. You are that perfect resemblance; and, accordingly, you have ended
the enchantment. I need not add, that I already love you more than my
life. Let us therefore hasten to the palace of the king your father, and
obtain his approbation to our marriage."

The prince and princess accordingly set out side by side, in a car of
still greater splendour than before, and reached the palace just as the
two brothers had arrived with two beautiful princesses. The king,
hearing that each of his sons had succeeded in finding what he had
required, again began to think of some new expedient to delay the time
of his resigning his crown; but when the whole court were with the king
assembled to pass judgment, the princess who accompanied the youngest,
perceiving his thoughts by his countenance, stepped majestically
forward, and thus addressed him: "What pity that your majesty, who is so
capable of governing, should think of resigning the crown! I am
fortunate enough to have six kingdoms in my possession; permit me to
bestow one on each of the eldest princes, and to enjoy the remaining
four in the society of the youngest. And may it please your majesty to
keep your own kingdom, and make no decision concerning the beauty of
three princesses, who, without such a proof of your majesty's
preference, will no doubt live happily together!" The air resounded with
the applauses of the assembly. The young prince and princess embraced
the king, and next their brothers and sisters; the three weddings
immediately took place; and the kingdoms were divided as the princess
had proposed.

CHAPTER IX

THE GOLDEN GOOSE

There was a man who had three sons, the youngest of whom was considered
very silly, and everybody used to mock him and make fun of him. The
eldest son wanted to go and cut wood in the forest, and before he left
home his mother prepared beautiful pancakes and a bottle of wine for him
to take with him, so that he might not suffer from hunger or thirst.

As he entered the forest he met a gray old man, who bade him
"Good-morning," and said: "Give me a little piece of cake out of your
basket and a drop of wine out of your bottle, for I am very hungry and
thirsty."

But the clever son replied: "What, give you my cake and my wine! Why, if
I did, I should have none for myself. Not I, indeed, so take yourself
off!" and he left the man standing and went on.

The young man began cutting down a tree, but