er air. The white doe
ran by, a body of silver; like quicksilver she ran. And the huntsman,
the passion to slay rousing his blood, caught up arrow and bow, and
tried in vain with his maimed hands to notch the shaft upon the string.

The beautiful creature leapt lightly by, between the curtains of
moonbeam and mist; and as she went she sprang this way and that across
the narrow streamlet, till the pale shadows hid her altogether from his
sight. "Ah! ah!" cried the huntsman, "I would have given all my life to
be able to shoot then! I am the most miserable man alive; but to-morrow
I will be the happiest. What a thing is love, that it has known how to
conquer in me even my hunter's blood!"

In the morning the beautiful maiden returned; she came sadly. "I gave
you my word," said she: "here I am. If you have the arrow still with you
as it was last night, I will be your wife, because you have done what
never huntsman before was able to do--not to shoot at the white doe when
it went by."

The huntsman showed her the unused arrow; her beauty made him altogether
happy. He caught her in his arms, and kissed her till the sun grew high.
Then she brought food and set it before him; and taking his hand, "I
am your wife," said she, "and with all my heart my will is to serve you
faithfully. Only, if you value your happiness, do not shoot ever at the
white doe." Then she saw that there was blood on his hand, and her face
grew troubled. She saw how the other hand also was wounded. "How came
this?" she asked; "dear husband, you were not so hurt yesterday."

And the huntsman answered, "I did it for fear lest in the night I should
fail, and shoot at the white doe when it came."

Hearing that, his wife trembled and grew white. "You have tricked us
both," she said, "and have not truly mastered your desire. Now, if you
do not promise me on your life and your soul, or whatever is dearer,
never to shoot at a white doe, sorrow will surely come of it. Promise
me, and you shall certainly be happy!"

So the huntsman promised faithfully, saying, "On your life, which is
dearer to me than my own, I give you my word to keep that it shall be
so." Then she kissed him, and bound up his wounds with healing herbs;
and to look at her all that day, and for many days after, was better to
him than all the hunting the king's forests could provide.

For a whole year they lived together in perfect happiness, and two
children came to bless their union--a boy a