THE　GOOSE…GIRL
  ONCE　upon　a　time　an　old　queen；　whose　husband　had
  been　dead　for　many　years；　had　a　beautiful　daughter。
  When　she　grew　up　she　was　betrothed　to　a　prince　who　lived
  a　great　way　off。　Now；　when　the　time　drew　near　for　her
  to　be　married　and　to　depart　into　a　foreign　kingdom；　her
  old　mother　gave　her　much　costly　baggage；　and　many
  ornaments；　gold　and　silver；　trinkets　and　knicknacks；　and；
  in　fact；　everything　that　belonged　to　a　royal　trousseau；　for
  she　loved　her　daughter　very　dearly。　She　gave　her　a　waiting…
  maid　also；　who　was　to　ride　with　her　and　hand　her　over
  to　the　bridegroom；　and　she　provided　each　of　them　with　a
  horse　for　the　journey。　Now　the　Princess's　horse　was
  called　Falada；　and　could　speak。
  When　the　hour　for　departure　drew　near　the　old　mother
  went　to　her　bedroom；　and　taking　a　small　knife　she　cut　her
  fingers　till　they　bled；　then　she　held　a　white　rag　under
  them；　and　letting　three　drops　of　blood　fall　into　it；　she
  gave　it　to　her　daughter；　and　said：　〃Dear　child；　take　great
  care　of　this　rag：　it　may　be　of　use　to　you　on　the　journey。〃
  So　they　took　a　sad　farewell　of　each　other；　and　the
  Princess　stuck　the　rag　in　front　of　her　dress；　mounted　her
  horse；　and　set　forth　on　the　journey　to　her　bridegroom's
  kingdom。　After　they　had　ridden　for　about　an　hour　the
  Princess　began　to　feel　very　thirsty；　and　said　to　her　waiting…
  maid：　〃Pray　get　down　and　fetch　me　some　water　in
  my　golden　cup　out　of　yonder　stream：　I　would　like　a
  drink。〃　〃If　you're　thirsty；〃　said　the　maid；　〃dismount
  yourself；　and　lie　down　by　the　water　and　drink；　I　don't　mean
  to　be　your　servant　any　longer。〃　The　Princess　was　so
  thirsty　that　she　got　down；　bent　over　the　stream；　and
  drank；　for　she　wasn't　allowed　to　drink　out　of　the　golden
  goblet。　As　she　drank　she　murmured：　〃Oh！　heaven；　what
  am　I　to　do？〃　and　the　three　drops　of　blood　replied：
  〃If　your　mother　only　knew；
  Her　heart　would　surely　break　in　two。〃
  But　the　Princess　was　meek；　and　said　nothing　about　her
  maid's　rude　behavior；　and　quietly　mounted　her　horse
  again。　They　rode　on　their　way　for　several　miles；　but　the
  day　was　hot；　and　the　sun's　rays　smote　fiercely　on　them；
  so　that　the　Princess　was　soon　overcome　by　thirst　again。
  And　as　they　passed　a　brook　she　called　once　more　to　her
  waiting…maid：　〃Pray　get　down　and　give　me　a　drink　from
  my　golden　cup；〃　for　she　had　long　ago　forgotten　her　maid's
  rude　words。　But　the　waiting…maid　replied；　more　haughtily
  even　than　before：　〃If　you　want　a　drink；　you　can　dismount
  and　get　it；　I　don't　mean　to　be　your　servant。〃　Then　the
  Princess　was　compelled　by　her　thirst　to　get　down；　and
  bending　over　the　flowing　water　she　cried　and　said：　〃Oh！
  heaven；　what　am　I　to　do？〃　and　the　three　drops　of　blood
  replied：
  〃If　your　mother　only　knew；
  Her　heart　would　surely　break　in　two。〃
  And　as　she　drank　thus；　and　leaned　right　over　the　water；
  the　rag　containing　the　three　drops　of　blood　fell　from　her
  bosom　and　floated　down　the　stream；　and　she　in　her　anxiety
  never　even　noticed　her　loss。　But　the　waiting…maid
  had　observed　it　with　delight；　as　she　knew　it　gave　her
  power　over　the　bride；　for　in　losing　the　drops　of　blood　the
  Princess　had　become　weak　and　powerless。　When　she
  wished　to　get　on　her　horse　Falada　again；　the　waiting…
  maid　called　out：　〃I　mean　to　ride　Falada：　you　must　mount
  my　beast〃；　and　this　too　she　had　to　submit　to。　Then　the
  waiting…maid　commanded　her　harshly　to　take　off　her
  royal　robes；　and　to　put　on　her　common　ones；　and　finally
  she　made　her　swear　by　heaven　not　to　say　a　word　about
  the　matter　when　they　reached　the　palace；　and　if　she
  hadn't　taken　this　oath　she　would　have　been　killed　on　the
  spot。　But　Falada　observed　everything；　and　laid　it　all　to
  heart。
  The　waiting…maid　now　mounted　Falada；　and　the　real
  bride　the　worse　horse；　and　so　they　continued　their　journey
  till　at　length　they　arrived　at　the　palace　yard。　There　was
  great　rejoicing　over　the　arrival；　and　the　Prince　sprang
  forward　to　meet　them；　and　taking　the　waiting…maid　for
  his　bride；　he　lifted　her　down　from　her　horse　and　led　her
  upstairs　to　the　royal　chamber。　In　the　meantime　the　real
  Princess　was　left　standing　below　in　the　courtyard。　The
  old　King；　who　was　looking　out　of　his　window；　beheld　her
  in　this　plight；　and　it　struck　him　how　sweet　and　gentle；
  even　beautiful；　she　looked。　He　went　at　once　to　the　royal
  chamber；　and　asked　the　bride　who　it　was　she　had　brought
  with　her　and　had　left　thus　standing　in　the　court　below。
  〃Oh！〃　replied　the　bride；　〃I　brought　her　with　me　to　keep
  me　company　on　the　journey；　give　the　girl　something　to　do；
  that　she　may　not　be　idle。〃　But　the　old　King　had　no　work
  for　her；　and　couldn't　think　of　anything；　so　he　said；　〃I've
  a　small　boy　who　looks　after　the　geese；　she'd　better　help
  him。〃　The　youth's　name　was　Curdken；　and　the　real　bride
  was　made　to　assist　him　in　herding　geese。
  Soon　after　this　the　false　bride　said　to　the　Prince：
  〃Dearest　husband；　I　pray　you　grant　me　a　favor。〃　He
  answered：　〃That　I　will。〃　〃Then　let　the　slaughterer　cut
  off　the　head　of　the　horse　I　rode　here　upon；　because　it
  behaved　very　badly　on　the　journey。〃　But　the　truth　was　she
  was　afraid　lest　the　horse　should　speak　and　tell　how　she
  had　treated　the　Princess。　She　carried　her　point；　and　the
  faithful　Falada　was　doomed　to　die。　When　the　news　came
  to　the　ears　of　the　real　Princess　she　went　to　the　slaughterer；
  and　secretly　promised　him　a　piece　of　gold　if　he　would　do
  something　for　her。　There　was　in　the　town　a　large　dark
  gate；　through　which　she　had　to　pass　night　and　morning
  with　the　geese；　would　he　〃kindly　hang　up　Falada's　head
  there；　that　she　might　see　it　once　again？〃　The　slaughterer
  said　he　would　do　as　she　desired；　chopped　off　the　head；　and
  nailed　it　firmly　over　the　gateway。
  Early　next　morning；　as　she　and　Curdken　were　driving
  their　flock　through　the　gate；　she　said　as　she　passed　under：
  〃Oh！　Falada；　'tis　you　hang　there〃；
  and　the　head　replied：
  〃　'Tis　you；　pass　under；　Princess　fair：
  If　your　mother　only　knew；
  Her　heart　would　surely　break　in　two。〃
  Then　she　left　the　tower　and　drove　the　geese　into　a　field。
  And　when　they　had　reached　the　common　where　the　geese
  fed　she　sat　down　and　unloosed　her　hair；　which　was　of　pure
  gold。　Curdken　loved　to　see　it　glitter　in　the　sun；　and　wanted
  much　to　pull　some　hair　out。　Then　she　spoke：
  〃Wind；　wind；　gently　sway；
  Blow　Curdken's　hat　away；
  Let　him　chase　o'er　field　and　wold
  Till　my　locks　of　ruddy　gold；
  Now　astray　and　hanging　down；
  Be　combed　and　plaited　in　a　crown。〃
  Then　a　gust　of　wind　blew　Curdken's　hat　away；　and　he
  had　to　chase　it　over　hill　and　dale。　When　he　returned　from
  the　pursuit　she　had　finished　her　combing　and　curling；　and
  his　chance　of　getting　any　hair　was　gone。　Curdken　was
  very　angry；　and　wouldn't　speak　to　her。　So　they　herded
  the　geese　till　evening　and　then　went　home。
  The　next　morning；　as　they　passed　under　the　gate；　the
  girl　said：
  〃Oh！　Falada；　'tis　you　hang　there〃；
  and　the　head　replied：
  〃　'Tis　you；　pass　under；　Princess　fair：
  If　your　mother　only　knew；
  Her　heart　would　surely　break　in　two。〃
  Then　she　went　on　her　way　till　she　came　to　the　common；
  where　she　sat　down　and　began　to　comb　out　her　hair；　then
  Curdken　ran　up　to　her　and　wanted　to　grasp　some　of　the
  hair　from　her　head；　but　she　called　out　hastily：
  〃Wind；　wind；　gently　sway；
  Blow　Curdken's　hat　away；
  Let　him　chase　o'er　field　and　wold
  Till　my　locks　of　ruddy　gold；
  Now　astray　and　hanging　down；
  Be　combed　and　plaited　in　a　crown。〃
  Then　a　puff　of　wind　came　and　blew　Curdken's　hat　far
  away；　so　that　he　had　to　run　after　it；　and　when　he　returned
  she　had　long　finished　putting　up　her　golden　locks；　and　he
  couldn't　get　any　hair；　so　they　watched　the　geese　till　it　was
  dark。
  But　that　evening　when　they　got　home　Curdken　went　to
  the　old　King；　and　said：　〃I　refuse　to　herd　geese　any　longer
  with　that　girl。〃　〃For　what　reason？〃　asked　the　old　King。
  〃Because　she　does　nothing　but　annoy　me　all　day　long；〃
  replied　Curdken；　and　he　proceeded　to　relate　all　her
  iniquities；　and　said：　〃Every　morning　as　we　drive　the　flock
  through　the　dark　gate　she　says　to　a　horse's　head　that
  hangs　on　the　wall：
  〃‘Oh！　Falada；　'tis　you　hang　there'；
  and　the　head　replies：
  〃‘'Tis　you；　pass　under；　Princess　fair：
  If　your　mother　only　knew；
  Her　heart　would　surely　break　in　two。'〃
  And　Curdken　went　on　to　tell　what　passed　on　the　common
  where　the　geese　fed；　and　how　he　had　always　to　chase
  his　hat。
  The　old　King　bade　him　go　and　drive　forth　his　flock　as
  usual　next　day；　and　when　morning　came　he　himself　took
  up　his　position　behind　the　dark　gate；　and　heard　how　the
  goose…girl　greeted　Falada。　Then　he　followed　her　through
  the　field；　and　hid　himself　behind　a　bush　on　the　common。
  He　soon　saw　with　his　own　eyes　how　the　goose…boy　and　the
  goose…girl　looked　after　the　geese；　and　how　after　a　time　the
  maiden　sat　down　and　loosed　her　hair；　that　glittered　lik