The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales (Pantheon Books) - Jacob Grimm [123]
But the youngest brother was not dead. By good fortune the well was dry, and he fell upon soft moss without being hurt, but he could not get out again. Even in this strait the faithful Fox did not leave him: it came and leapt down to him, and upbraided him for having forgotten its advice. “But yet I cannot give up,” he said; “I will help you up again into daylight.” He bade him grasp his tail and keep tight hold of it; and then he pulled him up.
“You are not out of all danger yet,” said the Fox. “Your brothers were not sure of your death, and have surrounded the wood with watchers, who are to kill you if you let yourself be seen.” But a poor man was sitting upon the road, with whom the youth changed clothes, and in this way he got to the King’s palace.
No one knew him, but the Bird began to sing, the Horse began to eat, and the beautiful maiden left off weeping. The King, astonished, asked: “What does this mean?” Then the maiden said: “I do not know, but I have been so sorrowful and now I am so happy! I feel as if my true bridegroom had come.” She told him all that had happened, although the other brothers had threatened her with death if she were to betray anything.
The King commanded that all people who were in his castle should be brought before him; and amongst them came the youth in his ragged clothes; but the maiden knew him at once and fell upon his neck. The wicked brothers were seized and put to death, but he was married to the beautiful maiden and declared heir to the King.
But what happened to the poor Fox? Long afterwards the King’s son was once again walking in the wood, when the Fox met him and said: “You have everything now that you can wish for, but there is never an end to my misery, and yet it is in your power to free me,” and again he asked him with tears to shoot him dead and to chop off his head and feet. So he did it, and scarcely was it done when the Fox was changed into a man, and was no other than the brother of the beautiful princess, who at last was freed from the magic charm which had been laid upon him. And now they had all the happiness they wanted as long as they lived.
The Dog and the Sparrow
A SHEEP-DOG had not a good master, but, on the contrary, one who let him suffer hunger. As he could stay no longer with him, he went quite sadly away. On the road he met a sparrow who said: “Brother dog, why are you so sad?” The dog replied: “I am hungry, and have nothing to eat.” Then said the sparrow: “Dear brother, come into the town with me, and I will satisfy your hunger.” So they went into the town together, and when they came in front of a butcher’s shop the sparrow said to the dog: “Stay there, and I will pick a bit of meat down for you,” and he alighted on the stall, looked about him to see that no one was observing him, and pecked and pulled and tore so long at a piece which lay on the edge, that it slipped down. Then the dog seized it, ran into a corner, and devoured it. The sparrow said: “Now come with me to another shop, and then I will get you one more piece that you may be satisfied.” When the dog had devoured the second piece as well, the sparrow asked: “Brother dog, have you now had enough?” “Yes, I have had meat enough,” he answered, “but I have had no bread yet.” Said the sparrow: “You shall have that also, come with me.” Then he took him to a baker’s shop, and pecked at a couple of little buns till they rolled down, and as the dog wanted still more, he led him to another stall, and again got bread for him. When that was consumed, the sparrow said: “Brother dog, have you now had enough?” “Yes,” he replied, “now we will walk awhile outside the town.”
Then they both went out on to the highway. The weather was warm, however, and when they had walked a little way the dog said: “I am tired, and would like to sleep.” “Well,