GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES - online book

130 Fairy Stories Adapted & Arranged for young people

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THE TWIN BROTHERS,
*49
box, went into the castle. Seeing the king's daughter entering, he followed her and gave a slight growl. She looked behind her, and recognizing the bear, called him into her chamber, and said : in Dear bear, what do you want ?"
"My master, who killed the dragon, is here," he replied, "and he has sent me to ask for some sweetmeats like those which the king eats."
The princess sent for the confectioner, and desired him to bake some sweetmeats, and take them with the bear to the door of the inn. As soon as they arrived, the bear first licked up the sugar drips which had dropped on his fur, then stood upright, took the dish, and carried it to his master.
" See now, landlord," cried the hunter, " I have bread, and meat, and vegetables, and sweetmeats, and I mean to have wine also, such as the king drinks !" So he called the lion to him, and said : " Dear lion, you drink till you are quite tipsy sometimes. Now go and fetch me some wine, such as the king drinks."
As the lion trotted through the streets all the people ran away from him. The sentinel when he saw him coming tried to stop the way, but the lion gave a little roar, and made him run for his life. Then the lion entered the castle, passed through the king's apartment, and knocked at the door of the princess's room with his tail. The princess, when she opened it and saw the lion, was at first rather frightened ; but presently she observed on his neck the gold necklace clasp, and knew it was the hunter's lion. She called him into her chamber and said: " Dear lion, what do you want ?"
"My master, who killed the dragon," he replied, "is here, and he has sent me to ask for some wine, such as the king drinks."
Then she sent for the king's cup-bearer, and told him to give the lion some of the king's wine.
" I will go with him," said the lion, " and see that he draws the right sort." So the lion went with the cup-bearer to the wine cellar, and when he saw him about to draw some of the ordinary wine which the king's vassals drank, the lion cried, " Stop! I will taste the wine first." So he drew himself a pint, and swallowed it down at a gulp. " No," he said, " that is not the right sort."
The cup-bearer saw he was found out; however, he went ovei to another cask that was kept for the king's marshal.