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THE TWIN BROTHERS. |
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state; even the young princess mistook me for her husband, and made me sit by her side."
But as he spoke, his brother became so fierce with jealousy and anger, that he drew his sword, and cut off his brother's head. Then, as he saw him lie dead at his feet, his anger was quelled in a moment, and he repented bitterly, crying, "Oh, my brother is dead, and it is I who have killed him;" and kneeling by his side, he mourned with loud cries and tears.
In a moment the hare appeared, and begged to be allowed to fetch the life-giving root, which she knew would cure him. She was not away long, and when she returned, the head was replaced, and fastened with the healing power of the plant, and the brother restored to life, while not even a sign of the wound remained to be noticed.
The brothers now walked on most lovingly together, ami the one who had married the king's daughter said, " I see that you have kingly clothes, as I have, your animals are the same as mine. Let us enter the castle at two opposite doors, and approach the old king from two sides together."
So they separated; and as the king sat with his daughter in the royal apartment a sentinel approached him from two distant entrances at the same time, and informed him that the prince, with his animals, had arrived.
" That is impossible," cried the king; " one of you must be wrong; for the gates at which you watch are quite a quarter of a mile apart."
But while the king spoke, the two young men entered at opposite ends of the room, and both came forward and stood before the king.
With a bewildered look the king turned to his daughter, and said, "Which is your husband? for they are both so exactly alike, I cannot tell."
She was herself very much frightened, and could not speak; at last she thought of the necklace that she had given to the animals, and, looking earnestly among them, she saw the glitter of the golden clasp on the lion's neck. "See," she cried, in a happy voice, " he whom that lion follows is my husband."
The prince laughed, and said, " Yes; you are right; and this is my twin brother." |
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