So the night passed. In the first dawn of morning the Beg again set out, taking the Fox along. He went again to the same high plain, tied his horse to the same tree, and went forward to hunt, leaving the Fox to guard the horse. After his departure the Fox remained alone for a time. But he soon had company, for a Bear came along, intending to devour the horse. But the Fox stopped him and begged him to spare the horse, advising him to stay till the Beg returned, for he was a good master and would feed them both at his house. The Bear joyfully accepted this proposal, and lay down beside the Fox to await the worthy Beg's return. When the Beg came back from hunting he was not a little surprised to see the Bear lying peacefully with the Fox beside the horse, and he quickly raised his musket to him. But the Fox sprang forward and began to beseech the Beg to spare the Bear and take him home with him. The Bear, he said, would keep him company in guarding the horse, and would rush to the Beg's aid in every need and danger. At these entreaties the Beg laid down his gun, threw across his horse the two deer which he had killed, and returned home in high good-humor, accompanied by the Fox and the Bear. The following day the Beg went hunting again and left his horse on the same high plain. This day a Wolf joined the company and was taken home with the others. On the fourth day a Mouse and a Mole presented themselves and were accepted in the family, and at last came the bird Kumrikusha, [1] which was so large that it could easily have carried away the horse and his rider through the air. All these animals were fed by the Beg at his own house. One day the Fox said to the Bear, "Up, Master Petz! Bring me here a log! I will sit upon it and give orders, and you must all execute them." Upon this the Bear betook himself to the forest and dragged home the trunk of a mighty tree. Then Reinecke climbed upon it and uttered the following discourse: "All right! Well, then! See here, now, worthy companions and friends! We must marry our Beg." "Good!" replied the others; "but how shall we begin? For we don't know where to find a maiden for him." "The Emperor has a daughter," replied Reinecke; "let us marry our Beg to her. Kumrikusha, do you begin. Set off at once for the imperial castle, lie in wait for the young lady when she takes her walk, seize her and bring her here." Kumrikusha, nothing loath, set out at once, alighted near the imperial castle, and watched for the Emperor's little daughter. Just at nightfall she came out of the castle to walk, accompanied by her waiting-woman. In a trice Kumrikusha was upon the spot, seized the Princess, set her upon his back, and flew homeward.