e for him?" asked number two. "Oh! yes, if
someone else mounts quickly and shoots the horse dead with the pistol
that is sticking in the holster, then the young King is saved. But who's
to do that? And anyone who knows it and tells him will be turned into
stone from his feet to his knees." Then spake number two: "I know more
than that: even if the horse is slain, the young King will still not
keep his bride: when they enter the palace together they will find a
ready-made wedding shirt in a cupboard, which looks as though it were
woven of gold and silver, but is really made of nothing but sulphur and
tar: when the King puts it on it will burn him to his marrow and bones."
Number three asked: "Is there no way of escape, then?" "Oh! yes,"
answered number two: "If someone seizes the shirt with gloved hands and
throws it into the fire, and lets it burn, then the young King is saved.
But what's the good? Anyone knowing this and telling it will have half
his body turned into stone, from his knees to his heart." Then number
three spake: "I know yet more: though the bridal shirt too be burnt, the
King hasn't even then secured his bride: when the dance is held after
the wedding, and the young Queen is dancing, she will suddenly grow
deadly white, and drop down like one dead, and unless some one lifts her
up and draws three drops of blood from her right side, and spits them
out again, she will die. But if anyone who knows this betrays it, he
will be turned into stone from the crown of his head to the soles of his
feet." When the ravens had thus conversed they fled onward, but Trusty
John had taken it all in, and was sad and depressed from that time
forward; for if he were silent to his master concerning what he had
heard, he would involve him in misfortune; but if he took him into his
confidence, then he himself would forfeit his life. At last he said: "I
will stand by my master, though it should be my ruin."

Now when they drew near the land it came to pass just as the ravens had
predicted, and a splendid chestnut horse bounded forward. "Capital!"
said the King; "this animal shall carry me to my palace," and was about
to mount, but Trusty John was too sharp for him, and, springing up
quickly, seized the pistol out of the holster and shot the horse dead.
Then the other servants of the King, who at no time looked favorably on
Trusty John, cried out: "What a sin to kill the beautiful beast that was
to bear the King to his palace!" Bu