jesty turned round, and, seeing
a smile on the man's face, asked the cause of it.

"Oh nothing, your majesty, only some nonsense that came into my head."

The king said nothing, and asked no more questions, but he was
suspicious, and distrusted both servant and horses; so he hastened
back to the palace.

When there he said to George, "Give me some wine, but mind you only
pour out enough to fill the glass, for if you put in one drop too
much, so that it overflows, I shall certainly order my executioner to
cut off your head."

While he was speaking two birds flew near the window, one chasing the
other, who carried three golden hairs in his beak.

"Give them me," said one, "you know they are mine."

"Not at all, I picked them up myself."

"No matter, I saw them fall while the Maid with Locks of Gold was
combing out her hair. At least, give me two, then you can keep the
third for yourself."

"No, not a single one."

Thereupon one of the birds succeeded in seizing the hairs from the
other bird's beak, but in the struggle he let one fall, and it made a
sound as if a piece of metal had struck the ground. As for George, he
was completely taken off his guard, and the wine overflowed the glass.

The king was furious, and feeling convinced that his servant had
disobeyed him and had learnt the language of animals, he said, "You
scoundrel, you deserve death for having failed to do my bidding,
nevertheless, I will show you mercy upon one condition, that you bring
me the Maid with the Golden Locks, for I intend to marry her."

Alas, what was to be done? Poor fellow, he was willing to do anything
to save his life, even run the risk of losing it on a long journey. He
therefore promised to search for the Maid with the Golden Locks: but
he knew not where or how to find her.

When he had saddled and mounted his horse he allowed it to go its own
way, and it carried him to the outskirts of a dark forest, where some
shepherds had left a bush burning. The sparks of fire from the bush
endangered the lives of a large number of ants which had built their
nest close by, and the poor little things were hurrying away in all
directions, carrying their small white eggs with them.

"Help us in our distress, good George," they cried in a plaintive
voice; "do not leave us to perish, together with our children whom we
carry in these eggs."

George immediately dismounted, cut down the bush, and put out the
fire.

"Thank you, brave man: