Seite 100 von 626

Then the King and Queen flew home to their children and cried:

'Children, rejoice, eat and drink to your heart's content, we

have won the battle!' But the young wrens said: 'We will not eat

yet, the bear must come to the nest, and beg for pardon and say

that we are honourable children, before we will do that.' Then

the willow-wren flew to the bear's hole and cried: 'Growler, you

are to come to the nest to my children, and beg their pardon, or

else every rib of your body shall be broken.' So the bear crept

thither in the greatest fear, and begged their pardon. And now at

last the young wrens were satisfied, and sat down together and

ate and drank, and made merry till quite late into the night.

THE FROG-PRINCE