loss of the lock
of hair, she became weak and helpless. When, then, the Princess was
going to mount her horse again, the maid said, "No, Falada belongs to
me; you must get upon this horse:" and she was forced to yield. Then
the servant bade her take off her royal clothes, and put on her common
ones instead; and, lastly, she made the Princess promise and swear by
the open sky that she would say nought of what had passed at the King's
palace; for if she had not sworn she would have been murdered. But
Falada, the horse, observed all that passed with great attention.

[Illustration]

Then the servant mounted upon Falada, and the rightful Princess upon
a sorry hack; and in that way they traveled on till they came to the
King's palace. On their arrival there were great rejoicings, and the
young Prince, running towards them, lifted the servant off her horse,
supposing that she was the true bride; and she was led up the steps in
state, while the real Princess had to stop below. Just then the old King
chanced to look out of his window and saw her standing in the court,
and he remarked how delicate and beautiful she was; and, going to the
royal apartments, he inquired there of the bride who it was she had
brought with her and left below in the courtyard.

[Illustration]

"Only a girl whom I brought with me for company," said the bride. "Give
the wench some work to do, that she may not grow idle."

The old King, however, had no work for her, and knew of nothing; until
at last he said, "Ah! there is a boy who keeps the geese: she can help
him." This youth was called Conrad, and the true bride was set to keep
geese with him.

Soon after this, the false bride said to her betrothed, "Dearest, will
you grant me a favor?"

"Yes," said he; "with the greatest pleasure."

"Then let the butcher be summoned, that he may cut off the head of the
horse on which I rode hither, for it has angered me on the way." In
reality she feared lest the horse might tell how she had used the
rightful Princess, and she was glad when it was decided that Falada
should die.

This came to the ears of the Princess, and she promised secretly to the
butcher to give him a piece of gold if he would show her a kindness,
which was, that he would nail the head of Falada over a certain large
and gloomy arch, through which she had to pass daily with the geese, so
that then she might still see her old steed as she had been accustomed.
The butcher promised, and,