THE　SEVEN　FOALS
  THERE　was　once　upon　a　time　a　couple　of　poor　folks　who　lived　in
  a　wretched　hut；　far　away　from　everyone　else；　in　a　wood。　They
  only　just　managed　to　live　from　hand　to　mouth；　and　had　great　difficulty
  in　doing　even　so　much　as　that；　but　they　had　three　sons；　and
  the　youngest　of　them　was　called　Cinderlad；　for　he　did　nothing　else
  but　lie　and　poke　about　among　the　ashes。
  One　day　the　eldest　lad　said　that　he　would　go　out　to　earn　his　living；
  he　soon　got　leave　to　do　that；　and　set　out　on　his　way　into　the　world。
  He　walked　on　and　on　for　the　whole　day；　and　when　night　was　beginning
  to　fall　he　came　to　a　royal　palace。　The　King　was　standing
  outside　on　the　steps；　and　asked　where　he　was　going。
  ‘Oh；　I　am　going　about　seeking　a　place；　my　father；'　said　the　youth。
  ‘Wilt　thou　serve　me；　and　watch　my　seven　foals？'　asked　the
  King。　‘If　thou　canst　watch　them　for　a　whole　day　and　tell　me　at
  night　what　they　eat　and　drink；　thou　shalt　have　the　Princess　and
  half　my　kingdom；　but　if　thou　canst　not；　I　will　cut　three　red　stripes
  on　thy　back。'
  The　youth　thought　that　it　was　very　easy　work　to　watch　the
  foals；　and　that　he　could　do　it　well　enough。
  Next　morning；　when　day　was　beginning　to　dawn；　the　King's
  Master　of　the　Horse　let　out　the　seven　foals；　and　they　ran　away；
  and　the　youth　after　them　just　as　it　chanced；　over　hill　and　dale；　through
  woods　end　bogs。　When　the　youth　had　run　thus　for　a　long　time　he
  began　to　be　tired；　and　when　he　had　held　on　a　little　longer　he　was
  heartily　weary　of　watching　at　all；　and　at　the　same　moment　he　came
  to　a　cleft　in　a　rock　where　an　old　woman　was　sitting　spinning　with
  her　distaff　in　her　hand。
  As　soon　as　she　caught　sight　of　the　youth；　who　was　running　after
  the　foals　till　the　perspiration　streamed　down　his　face；　she　cried：
  ‘Come　hither；　come　hither；　my　handsome　son；　and　let　me　comb
  your　hair　for　you。'
  The　lad　was　willing　enough；　so　he　sat　down　in　the　cleft　of　the
  rock　beside　the　old　hag；　and　laid　his　head　on　her　knees；　and　she
  combed　his　hair　all　day　while　he　lay　there　and　gave　himself　up　to
  idleness。
  When　evening　was　drawing　near；　the　youth　wanted　to　go。
  ‘I　may　just　as　well　go　straight　home　again；'　said　he；　‘for　it　is
  no　use　to　go　to　the　King's　palace。'
  ‘Wait　till　it　is　dusk；'　said　the　old　hag；　‘and　then　the　King's
  foals　will　pass　by　this　place　again；　and　you　can　run　home　with
  them；　no　one　will　ever　know　that　you　have　been　lying　here　all　day
  instead　of　watching　the　foals。'
  So　when　they　came　she　gave　the　lad　a　bottle　of　water　and　a　bit
  of　moss；　and　told　him　to　show　these　to　the　King　and　say　that　this
  was　what　his　seven　foals　ate　and　drank。
  ‘Hast　thou　watched　faithfully　and　well　the　whole　day　long？'
  said　the　King；　when　the　lad　came　into　his　presence　in　the　evening。
  ‘Yes；　that　I　have！'　said　the　youth。
  ‘Then　you　are　able　to　tell　me　what　it　is　that　my　seven　foals　eat
  and　drink；'　said　the　King。
  So　the　youth　produced　the　bottle　of　water　and　the　bit　of　moss
  which　he　had　got　from　the　old　woman；　saying：
  ‘Here　you　see　their　meat；　and　here　you　see　their　drink。'
  Then　the　King　knew　how　his　watching　had　been　done；　and　fell
  into　such　a　rage　that　he　ordered　his　people　to　chase　the　youth　back
  to　his　own　home　at　once；　but　first　they　were　to　cut　three　red
  stripes　in　his　back；　and　rub　salt　into　them。
  When　the　youth　reached　home　again；　anyone　can　imagine　what
  a　state　of　mind　he　was　in。　He　had　gone　out　once　to　seek　a　place；
  he　said；　but　never　would　he　do　such　a　thing　again。
  Next　day　the　second　son　said　that　he　would　now　go　out　into　the
  world　to　seek　his　fortune。　His　father　and　mother　said　‘No；'　and
  bade　him　look　at　his　brother's　back；　but　the　youth　would　not　give
  up　his　design；　and　stuck　to　it；　and　after　a　long；　long　time　he　got
  leave　to　go；　and　set　forth　on　his　way。　When　he　had　walked　all　day
  he　too　came　to　the　King's　palace；　and　the　King　was　standing　outside
  on　the　steps；　and　asked　where　he　was　going；　and　when　the　youth
  replied　that　he　was　going　about　in　search　of　a　place；　the　King　said
  that　he　might　enter　into　his　service　and　watch　his　seven　foals。　Then
  the　King　promised　him　the　same　punishment　and　the　same　reward
  that　he　had　promised　his　brother。
  The　youth　at　once　consented　to　this　and　entered　into　the　King's
  service；　for　he　thought　he　could　easily　watch　the　foals　and　inform
  the　King　what　they　ate　and　drank。
  In　the　grey　light　of　dawn　the　Master　of　the　Horse　let　out　the
  seven　foals；　and　off　they　went　again　over　hill　and　dale；　and　off　went
  the　lad　after　them。　But　all　went　with　him　as　it　had　gone　with　his
  brother。　When　he　had　run　after　the　foals　for　a　long；　long　time　and
  was　hot　and　tired；　he　passed　by　a　cleft　in　the　rock　where　an　old
  woman　was　sitting　spinning　with　a　distaff；　and　she　called　to　him：
  ‘Come　hither；　come　hither；　my　handsome　son；　and　let　me　comb
  your　hair。'
  The　youth　liked　the　thought　of　this；　let　the　foals　run　where
  they　chose；　and　seated　himself　in　the　cleft　of　the　rock　by　the　side
  of　the　old　hag。　So　there　he　sat　with　his　head　on　her　lap；　taking　his
  ease　the　livelong　day。
  The　foals　came　back　in　the　evening；　and　then　he　too　got　a　bit　of
  moss　and　a　bottle　of　water　from　the　old　hag；　which　things　he　was　to
  show　to　the　King。　But　when　the　King　asked　the　youth：　‘Canst
  thou　tell　me　what　my　seven　foals　eat　and　drink？'　and　the　youth
  showed　him　the　bit　of　moss　and　the　bottle　of　water；　and　said：　‘Yes
  here　may　you　behold　their　meat；　and　here　their　drink；'　the　King
  once　more　became　wroth；　and　commanded　that　three　red　stripes
  should　be　cut　on　the　lad's　back；　that　salt　should　be　strewn　upon
  them；　and　that　he　should　then　be　instantly　chased　back　to　his　own
  home。　So　when　the　youth　got　home　again　he　too　related　all
  that　had　happened　to　him；　and　he　too　said　that　he　had　gone　out　in
  search　of　a　place　once；　but　that　never　would　he　do　it　again。
  On　the　third　day　Cinderlad　wanted　to　set　out。　He　had　a　fancy
  to　try　to　watch　the　seven　foals　himself；　he　said。
  The　two　others　laughed　at　him；　and　mocked　him。　‘What　I
  when　all　went　so　ill　with　us；　do　you　suppose　that　you　are　going　to
  succeed？　You　look　like　succeedingyou　who　have　never　done
  anything　else　but　lie　and　poke　about　among　the　ashes！'　said　they。
  ‘Yes；　I　will　go　too；'　said　Cinderlad；　‘for　I　have　taken　it　into　my
  head。'
  The　two　brothers　laughed　at　him；　and　his　father　and　mother
  begged　him　not　to　go；　but　all　to　no　purpose；　and　Cinderlad　set　out
  on　his　way。　So　when　he　had　walked　the　whole　day；　he　too　came
  to　the　King's　palace　as　darkness　began　to　fall。
  There　stood　the　King　outside　on　the　steps；　and　he　asked　whither
  he　was　bound。
  ‘I　am　walking　about　in　search　of　a　place；'　said　Cinderlad。
  ‘From　whence　do　you　come；　then？'　inquired　the　King；　for　by
  this　time　he　wanted　to　know　a　little　more　about　the　men　before　he
  took　any　of　them　into　his　service。
  So　Cinderlad　told　him　whence　he　came；　and　that　he　was　brother
  to　the　two　who　had　watched　the　seven　foals　for　the　King；　and　then
  he　inquired　if　he　might　be　allowed　to　try　to　watch　them　on　the
  following　day。
  ‘Oh；　shame　on　them！'　said　the　King；　for　it　enraged　him　even　to
  think　of　them。　‘If　thou　art　brother　to　those　two；　thou　too　art　not
  good　for　much。　I　have　had　enough　of　such　fellows。'
  ‘Well；　but　as　I　have　come　here；　you　might　just　give　me　leave
  to　make　the　attempt；'　said　Cinderlad。
  ‘Oh；　very　well；　if　thou　art　absolutely　determined　to　have　thy
  back　flayed；　thou　may'st　have　thine　own　way　if　thou　wilt；'　said　the
  King。
  ‘I　would　much　rather　have　the　Princess；'　said　Cinderlad。
  Next　morning；　in　the　grey　light　of　dawn；　the　Master　of　the　Horse
  let　out　the　seven　foals　again；　and　off　they　set　over　hill　and　dale；
  through　woods　and　bogs；　and　off　went　Cinderlad　after　them。　When
  he　had　run　thus　for　a　long　time；　he　too　came　to　the　cleft　in　the　rock。
  There　the　old　hag　was　once　more　sitting　spinning　from　her　distaff；
  and　she　cried　to　Cinderlad；
  ‘Come　hither；　come　hither；　my　handsome　son；　and　let　me　comb
  your　hair　for　you。'
  ‘Come　to　me；　then；　come　to　me！'　said　Cinderlad；　as　he　passed
  by　jumping　and　running；　and　keeping　tight　hold　of　one　of　the　foals'
  tails。
  When　he　had　got　safely　past　the　cleft　in　the　rock；　the　youngest
  foal　said：
  ‘Get　on　my　back；　for　we　have　still　a　long　way　to　go。'　So　the
  lad　did　this。
  And　thus　they　journeyed　onwards　a　long；　long　way。
  ‘Dost　thou　see　anything　now？'　said　the　Foal。
  ‘No；'　said　Cinderlad。
  So　they　journeyed　onwards　a　good　bit　farther。
  ‘Dost　thou　see　anything　now？'　asked　the　Foal。
  ‘Oh；　no；'　said　the　lad。
  When　they　had　gone　thus　for　a　long；　long　way；　the　Foal　again
  asked：
  ‘Dost　thou　see　anything　now？'
  ‘Yes；　now　I　see　something　that　is　white；'　said　Cinderlad。　‘It
  looks　like　the　trunk　of　a　great　thick　birch　tree。'
  ‘Yes；　that　is　where　we　are　to　go　in；'　said　the　Foal。
  When　they　got　to　the　trunk；　the　eldest　foal