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PRINCE AND PRINCESS IN THE FOREST 257
who was tired and frightened, ' the wild beasts will eat us.' And she began to cry.
' Cheer up, mother,' answered her son, ' I have a feeling that luck is coming to us.' And at the next turning they came to a little house, in the window of which a light was burning.
' Didn't I tell you so ? ' cried the prince. ' Stay here a moment and I will go and see if I can get food and shelter for the night.' And away he ran as fast as he could go, for by this time they were very hungry, as they had brought very little food with them and had eaten up every scrap ! When one takes a long journey on foot one does not like to have too much to carry.
The prince entered the house and looked about him, going from one room to the other, but seeing nobody and finding nothing to eat. At last, as he was going sorrowfully away, he caught sight of a sword and shirt of mail hanging on the wall in an inner room, with a piece of paper fastened under them. On the paper was some writing, which said that whoever wore the coat and carried the sword would be safe from all danger.
The prince was so delighted at the sight thai; he forgot how hungry he was, and instantly slipped on the coat of chain armour under his tunic, and hid the sword under his cloak, for he did not mean to say anything about what he had found. Then he wrent back to his mother, who was waiting impatiently for him.
' What have you been doing all this time ? ' she asked angrily. ' I thought you had been killed by robbers!'
' Oh, just looking round,' he answered ; ' but though I searched everywhere I could find nothing to eat.'
' I am very much afraid that it is a robbers' den,' said the queen. ' We had better go on, hungry though we are.'
' No, it isn't; but still, we had better not stay here,' replied the prince, ' especially as there is nothing to eat. Perhaps we shall find another house.'
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