GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES - online book

130 Fairy Stories Adapted & Arranged for young people

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THE PEASANTS CLEVER DA TIGHTER. 367
anger, and said : " You have been false to me, and have bees plotting with a peasant to insult me ; now go home to where you came from, to your peasant's home; you shall not be my wife any longer."
He told her, however, to take with her from the castle whatever she loved best in the world, and that should be her farewell gift from him. " Dear husband," she replied, " if you wish it, I will do so."
Then she threw her arms round his neck, kissed him, and said she was ready to wish him good-bye, if he would take one parting cup with her. Some wine, into which she had poured a sleeping draught, was brought, and the king drank a large cupful off at once. In a few minutes he sunk into a deep sleep, and then the queen, after covering him with a beautiful white linen cloth, called a servant, and desired him to carry the king out and place him in a carriage that stood at the door. The queen then got in and drove the king to her father's little cottage, and on arriving there he was laid on the bed. The king slept for many hours, but at last he awoke, and finding himself alone, exclaimed," Where am I ?" and called his servants, but none were there. At last his wife came in and approached the bed, and said : " Dear lord and king, you told me to take with me from the castle whatever was best and dearest; now I have nothing in the world better or dearer than you, therefore I have brought you with me."
The tears, on hearing this, stood in the king's eyes. " Dearest wife," he said, " from this hour we belong to each other; you shall never leave me more."
So he took her back to the royal castle, she was again his dear wife, from whom nothing but death could divide him.
There lived once a poor wood-cutter, who worked hard from morning till night, and at last contrived to lay by a good sum of money. He had an only son; so he called the boy to him one day, and said : " My son, you are my orjy child, and the money I have saved by the sweat of my brow will bs yours; therefore, I