he two runaways
travelled till sunrise, when they hid themselves in a cave on the side
of a hill. They had nothing to eat, but were too tired to think of that
till they had had a good sleep, though when they woke up they began to
wonder how they should get any food.

'Oh, it will be all right!' said Melior; 'there are blackberries in
plenty and acorns and hazel-nuts, and there is a stream just below the
cave--do you not hear it? It will all be much nicer than anything in the
palace.'

But William did not seem to agree with her, and wished to seek out some
man who would give him something he liked better than nuts and acorns.
This, however, Melior would not hear of; they would certainly be
followed and betrayed, she said, and, to please her, William ate the
fruit and stayed in the cave, wondering what would happen on the morrow.

Luckily for themselves, they did not have to wait so long before they
got a good supper. Their friend the werwolf had spied them from afar,
and was ready to come to their rescue. During that day he had hidden
himself under a clump of bushes close to the highway, and by-and-by he
saw a man approaching, carrying a very fat wallet over his shoulder. The
wolf bounded out of his cover, growling fiercely, which so frightened
the man that he dropped the wallet and ran into the wood. Then the wolf
picked up the wallet, which contained a loaf of bread and some meat
ready cooked, and galloped away with it to William.

They felt quite strong and hearty again when they had finished their
supper, and quite ready to continue their journey. As it was night, and
the country was very lonely, they walked on two feet, but when morning
came, or they saw signs that men were about, they speedily dropped on
all fours. And all the way the werwolf followed them, and saw that they
never lacked for food.

Meanwhile the preparations for Melior's marriage to the prince of Greece
were going on blithely in the palace, and none thought of asking for the
bride. At last, when everything was finished, the emperor bade the high
chamberlain fetch the princess.

'She is not in her room, your Majesty,' said the chamberlain, when he
re-entered the hall; but the emperor only thought that his daughter was
timid, and answered that he would go and bring her himself.

Like the chamberlain, he found the outer room empty and passed on to the
door of the inner one, which was locked. He shook and thumped and yelled
with anger, till Ale