“You have forgotten,” answered the wood-pigeon, “the proverb that runs, ‘mountain and mountain can never meet, but one living creature can always come across another.’” The boy laughed at this speech and went his way. By-and-by he reached the edge of a lake, and flying towards some rushes which grew near the shore he beheld a wild duck. Now, in the days that the king, his father, was alive, and he had everything to eat he could possibly wish for, the prince always had wild duck for his birthday dinner, so he quickly fitted an arrow to his bow and took a careful aim. “Do not shoot, I pray you, noble prince!” cried the wild duck; “I have two little sons at home; they will die of hunger if I am not there to bring them food.” And the prince had pity, and let fall his arrow and unstrung his bow. “Oh, prince! I will repay your deed of mercy,” exclaimed the grateful wild duck. “You poor thing! how can you repay me?” asked the prince. “You have forgotten,” answered the wild duck, “the proverb that runs, ‘mountain and mountain can never meet, but one living creature can always come across another.’” The boy laughed at this speech and went his way. He had not wandered far from the shores of the lake, when he noticed a stork standing on one leg, and again he raised his bow and prepared to take aim. “Do not shoot, I pray you, noble prince,” cried the stork; “I have two little sons at home; they will die of hunger if I am not there to bring them food.” Again the prince was filled with pity, and this time also he did not shoot. “Oh, prince, I will repay your deed of mercy,” cried the stork. “You poor stork! how can you repay me?” asked the prince. “You have forgotten,” answered the stork, “the proverb that runs, ‘mountain and mountain can never meet, but one living creature can always come across another.’” The boy laughed at hearing these words again, and walked slowly on. He had not gone far, when he fell in with two discharged soldiers. “Where are you going, little brother?” asked one. “I am seeking work,” answered the prince. “So are we,” replied the soldier. “We can all go together.” The boy was glad of company and they went on, and on, and on, through seven kingdoms, without finding anything they were able to do. At length they reached a palace, and there was the king standing on the steps. “You seem to be looking for something,” said he. “It is work we want,” they all answered. So the king told the soldiers that they might become his coachmen; but he made the boy his companion, and gave him rooms near his own. The soldiers were dreadfully angry when they heard this, for of course they did not know that the boy was really a prince; and they soon began to lay their heads together to plot his ruin. Then they went to the king.