Then he began to hold his bridal feast with the youngest
princess, and afterwards he ruled the land both well
and long. But he kept his fooling rods to himself,
and kept them so well that nothing was ever heard of
Peik and his tricks, but only of “Ourself the
King.”
There was once a King, and he had a daughter who was
so cross and crooked in her words that no one could
silence her, and so he gave it out that he who could
do it should marry the princess and have half the
kingdom, too. There were plenty of those who wanted
to try it, I can tell you, for it is not every day
that you can get a princess and half a kingdom.
The gate to the King’s palace did not stand still
a minute. They came in great crowds from the
East and the West, both riding and walking. But
there was not one of them who could silence the princess.
At last the king had it given out that those who tried,
and failed, should have both ears marked with the
big redhot iron with which he marked his sheep.
He was not going to have all that flurry and worry
for nothing.
Well, there were three brothers, who had heard about
the princess, and, as they did not fare very well
at home, they thought they had better set out to try
their luck and see if they could not win the princess
and half the kingdom. They were friends and good
fellows, all three of them, and they set off together.
When they had walked a bit of the way, Boots picked
up something.
“I’ve found—I’ve found
something!” he cried.
“What did you find!” asked the brothers.
“I found a dead crow,” said he.
“Ugh! Throw it away! What would you
do with that?” said the brothers, who always
thought they knew a great deal.
“Oh, I haven’t much to carry, I might
as well carry this,” said Boots.
So when they had walked on a bit, Boots again picked
up something.
“I’ve found—I’ve found
something!” he cried.
“What have you found now?” said the brothers.
“I found a willow twig,” said he.
“Dear, what do you want with that? Throw
it away!” said they.
“Oh, I haven’t much to carry, I might
as well carry that,” said Boots.
So when they had walked a bit, Boots picked up something
again. “Oh, lads, I’ve found—I’ve
found something!” he cried.
“Well, well, what did you find this time?”
asked the brothers.
“A piece of a broken saucer,” said he.
“Oh, what is the use of that? Throw it
away!” said they.
“Oh, I haven’t much to carry, I might
as well carry that,” said Boots.
And when they had walked a bit further, Boots stooped
down again and picked up something else.
“I’ve found—I’ve found
something, lads!” he cried.
“And what is it now?” said they.
“Two goat horns,” said Boots.
