y morning and evening she went out and gathered roots, nuts,
and berries for herself, and tender young grass for the fawn. And he
fed from her hand, and played round her and seemed quite happy. In the
evening, when sister was tired, she said her prayers and then laid her
head on the fawn's back and fell sound asleep with it as a pillow. And
if brother had but kept his natural form, really it would have been a
most delightful kind of life.

They had been living for some time in the forest in this way, when it
came to pass that the King of that country had a great hunt through the
woods. Then the whole forest rang with such a blowing of horns, baying
of dogs, and joyful cries of huntsmen, that the little Roe heard it and
longed to join in too.

'Ah!' said he to sister, 'do let me go off to the hunt! I can't keep
still any longer.'

And he begged and prayed till at last she consented.

'But,' said she, 'mind you come back in the evening. I shall lock
my door fast for fear of those wild huntsmen; so, to make sure of my
knowing you, knock at the door and say, "My sister dear, open; I'm
here." If you don't speak I shan't open the door.'

So off sprang the little Roe, and he felt quite well and happy in the
free open air.

The King and his huntsmen soon saw the beautiful creature and started in
pursuit, but they could not come up with it, and whenever they thought
they were sure to catch it, it bounded off to one side into the bushes
and disappeared. When night came on it ran home, and knocking at the
door of the little house cried:

'My sister dear, open; I'm here.' The door opened, and he ran in and
rested all night on his soft mossy bed.

Next morning the hunt began again, and as soon as the little Roe heard
the horns and the 'Ho! ho! 'of the huntsmen, he could not rest another
moment, and said:

'Sister, open the door, I must get out.'

So sister opened the door and said, 'Now mind and get back by nightfall,
and say your little rhyme.'

As soon as the King and his huntsmen saw the Roe with the golden collar
they all rode off after it, but it was far too quick and nimble for
them. This went on all day, but as evening came on the huntsmen had
gradually encircled the Roe, and one of them wounded it slightly in the
foot, so that it limped and ran off slowly.

Then the huntsman stole after it as far as the little house, and heard
it call out, 'My sister dear, open; I'm here,' and he saw the door open
and close i