The huntsman, however, was sad at heart, and travelled about the world,
and made his animals dance before people. It came to pass that
precisely at the end of one year he came back to the same town where he
had delivered the King’s daughter from the dragon, and this time the
town was gaily hung with red cloth. Then he said to the host, “What
does this mean? Last year the town was all hung with black crape, what
means the red cloth to-day?” The host answered, “Last year our King’s
daughter was to have been delivered over to the dragon, but the marshal
fought with it and killed it, and so to-morrow their wedding is to be
solemnized, and that is why the town was then hung with black crape for
mourning, and is to-day covered with red cloth for joy?”
Next day when the wedding was to take place, the huntsman said at
mid-day to the inn-keeper, “Do you believe, sir host, that I while with
you here to-day shall eat bread from the King’s own table?” “Nay,” said
the host, “I would bet a hundred pieces of gold that that will not come
true.” The huntsman accepted the wager, and set against it a purse with
just the same number of gold pieces. Then he called the hare and said,
“Go, my dear runner, and fetch me some of the bread which the King is
eating.” Now the little hare was the lowest of the animals, and could
not transfer this order to any the others, but had to get on his legs
himself. “Alas!” thought he, “if I bound through the streets thus
alone, the butchers’ dogs will all be after me.” It happened as he
expected, and the dogs came after him and wanted to make holes in his
good skin. But he sprang away, have you have never seen one running?
and sheltered himself in a sentry-box without the soldier being aware
of it. Then the dogs came and wanted to have him out, but the soldier
did not understand a jest, and struck them with the butt-end of his
gun, till they ran away yelling and howling. As soon as the hare saw
that the way was clear, he ran into the palace and straight to the
King’s daughter, sat down under her chair, and scratched at her foot.
Then she said, “Wilt thou get away?” and thought it was her dog. The
hare scratched her foot for the second time, and she again said, “Wilt
thou get away?” and thought it was her dog. But the hare did not let
itself be turned from its purpose, and scratched her for the third
time. Then she peeped down, and knew the hare by its collar. She took
him on her lap, carried him into her chamber, and said, “Dear Hare,
what dost thou want?” He answered, “My master, who killed the dragon,
is here, and has sent me to ask for a loaf of bread like that which the
King eats.” Then she was full of joy and had the baker summoned, and
ordered him to bring a loaf such as was eaten by the King. The little
hare said, “But the baker must likewise carry it thither for me, that
the butchers’ dogs may do no harm to me.” The baker carried if for him
as far as the door of the inn, and then the hare got on his hind legs,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account