d,

"Whence do you come, and what do you want?" and he marvelled at her
beauty, her royal garments, and the star on her forehead. Then she
answered,

"I am a king's daughter, and I seek my twelve brothers, and I will go
everywhere under the blue sky until I find them." And she showed him the
twelve shirts which belonged to them. Then Benjamin saw that it must be
his sister, and said,

"I am Benjamin, your youngest brother."

And she began weeping for joy, and Benjamin also, and they kissed and
cheered each other with great love. After a while he said,

"Dear sister, there is still a hindrance; we have sworn that any maiden
that we meet must die, as it was because of a maiden that we had to
leave our kingdom." Then she said,

"I will willingly die, if so I may benefit my twelve brothers."

"No," answered he, "you shall not die; sit down under this tub until the
eleven brothers come, and I agree with them about it." She did so; and
as night came on they returned from hunting, and supper was ready. And
as they were sitting at table and eating, they asked,

"What news?" And Benjamin said,

"Don't you know any?"

"No," answered they. So he said,

"You have been in the wood, and I have stayed at home, and yet I know
more than you."

"Tell us!" cried they. He answered,

"Promise me that the first maiden we see shall not be put to death."

"Yes, we promise," cried they all, "she shall have mercy; tell us now."
Then he said,

"Our sister is here," and lifted up the tub, and the king's daughter
came forth in her royal garments with her golden star on her forehead,
and she seemed so beautiful, delicate, and sweet, that they all
rejoiced, and fell on her neck and kissed her, and loved her with all
their hearts.

After this she remained with Benjamin in the house and helped him with
the work. The others went forth into the woods to catch wild animals,
does, birds, and pigeons, for food for them all, and their sister and
Benjamin took care that all was made ready for them. She fetched the
wood for cooking, and the vegetables, and watched the pots on the fire,
so that supper was always ready when the others came in. She kept also
great order in the house, and the beds were always beautifully white and
clean, and the brothers were contented, and lived in unity.

One day the two got ready a fine feast, and when they were all assembled
they sat down and ate and drank, and were full of joy. Now there was a
little ga