respectfully, "Your health, sire!"

When the King heard these words he rode toward the bush, and all his
huntsmen followed him.

Here they perceived the wolves, and the King and his companions set up a
loud shout of joy. They threw their spears so well that only the old
wolf could escape; and the tailor was the last to be seen, because he
had hidden himself so well, but before the huntsmen could aim at him, he
had rolled himself, howling piteously, toward the King, saying,

"I beg your pardon, sire; I am really a tailor's apprentice, and only by
accident among the wolves."

Then they all began to laugh, and a huntsman cut him out of his skin. A
horse also was brought, that he might ride by the King's side and relate
his tale.

"Tailor," then said the King, very graciously, "you have caused me much
amusement, and if you like you may remain with me."

This speech pleased the little man right well, and he rode straight away
to the castle, where he lived in joy and luxury for some time, as the
King's court and private tailor.

But the old wolf, who had escaped with his life, felt raging anger
against all human beings, especially toward the tailor, who had been the
cause of the death of his wife and children, and he determined to
revenge himself.

So he lay continually on the watch, and any man who appeared in his
sight was a child of death. The whole land was full of grief and sorrow,
for hardly a day passed in which at least one human being did not meet
with a sorrowful end in the grip of the fierce old wolf.

But he said, "It is not yet enough; they must all come to it; and the
tailor shall suffer the most for bringing about the death of my wife and
children, because he could not hold his tongue."

Saying which he went to the castle, where the tailor was just looking
out of the window smoking a pipe.

"Fellow!" said the wolf, "you must die, or I can not rest."

Terror seized the little man, and he told the King what the wolf had
threatened.

"Wait, tailor," answered the King; "it is now high time that we should
catch this wretch, even if it costs me my only daughter. He has not even
respect for the court tailor; so what will such conduct lead to? And
besides, he is eating up all my subjects, which I can not allow; for if
I have no subjects, I can no longer be a king."

He spoke, and caused it to be proclaimed through the whole land that he
who brought the wolf alive should be his son-in-law.

The tail