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