st was
his wife and children. One day the king looked out of the window and
saw the palace opposite furnished in a magnificent manner. "Who lives
there?" he asked, but no one could answer him. He looked again and saw
the brothers and sister, the former with the apples in their hands, and
the latter with the star on her brow. "Gracious! if I did not know that
my wife had given birth to three puppies, I should say that those were
my children," exclaimed the king. Another day he stood by the window and
enjoyed the Dancing Water and the Singing Apple, but the bird was
silent. After the king had heard all the music, the bird said: "What
does your Majesty think of it?" The king was astonished at hearing the
Speaking Bird, and answered: "What should I think? It is marvellous."
"There is something more marvellous," said the bird; "just wait." Then
the bird told his mistress to call her brothers, and said: "There is the
king; let us invite him to dinner on Sunday. Shall we not?" "Yes, yes,"
they all said. So the king was invited and accepted, and on Sunday the
bird had a grand dinner prepared and the king came. When he saw the
young people, he clapped his hands and said: "I cannot persuade myself;
they seem my children."

He went over the palace and was astonished at its richness. Then they
went to dinner, and while they were eating the king said: "Bird, every
one is talking; you alone are silent." "Ah! your Majesty, I am ill; but
next Sunday I shall be well and able to talk, and will come and dine at
your palace with this lady and these gentlemen." The next Sunday the
bird directed his mistress and her brothers to put on their finest
clothes; so they dressed in royal style and took the bird with them. The
king showed them through his palace and treated them with the greatest
ceremony: the aunts were nearly dead with fear. When they had seated
themselves at the table, the king said: "Come, bird, you promised me you
would speak; have you nothing to say?" Then the bird began and related
all that had happened from the time the king had listened at the door
until his poor wife had been sent to the tread-mill; then the bird
added: "These are your children, and your wife was sent to the mill, and
is dying." When the king heard all this, he hastened to embrace his
children, and then went to find his poor wife, who was reduced to skin
and bones and was at the point of death. He knelt before her and begged
her pardon, and then summoned h