पृष्ठ 340 / 626

When night came she wanted to go home; and the king's son

followed here as before, that he might see into what house she

went: but she sprang away from him all at once into the garden

behind her father's house. In this garden stood a fine large

pear-tree full of ripe fruit; and Ashputtel, not knowing where to

hide herself, jumped up into it without being seen. Then the

king's son lost sight of her, and could not find out where she

was gone, but waited till her father came home, and said to him,

'The unknown lady who danced with me has slipped away, and I

think she must have sprung into the pear-tree.' The father

thought to himself, 'Can it be Ashputtel?' So he had an axe

brought; and they cut down the tree, but found no one upon it.

And when they came back into the kitchen, there lay Ashputtel

among the ashes; for she had slipped down on the other side of

the tree, and carried her beautiful clothes back to the bird at

the hazel-tree, and then put on her little grey frock.