Strona 121 z 626

But the false bride said to the prince, 'Dear husband, pray do me

one piece of kindness.' 'That I will,' said the prince. 'Then

tell one of your slaughterers to cut off the head of the horse I

rode upon, for it was very unruly, and plagued me sadly on the

road'; but the truth was, she was very much afraid lest Falada

should some day or other speak, and tell all she had done to the

princess. She carried her point, and the faithful Falada was

killed; but when the true princess heard of it, she wept, and

begged the man to nail up Falada's head against a large dark gate

of the city, through which she had to pass every morning and

evening, that there she might still see him sometimes. Then the

slaughterer said he would do as she wished; and cut off the head,

and nailed it up under the dark gate.

Early the next morning, as she and Curdken went out through the

gate, she said sorrowfully:

'Falada, Falada, there thou hangest!'

and the head answered: