The next day the _cavalheiros_ went out to hunt the birds, and it was
the lad from the river who succeeded in slaying the birds. None of the
other _cavalheiros_ were at all successful. The two neighbouring
princes who were suitors for the hand of the youngest princess made a
contract. "We cannot let this stranger carry off all the honours,"
said one to the other. "You say that you killed the beast, and I will
say that it was I who killed the birds."

That night at the _festa_ one prince stood up before the king and told
his story of slaying the beast, and the other prince stood up and told
how he had killed the birds. The other _cavalheiros_ knew that it was
false, but when they looked around for the _cavalheiro_ who had done
the valiant deeds they could not find him. The lad from the river had
on his old clothes which he wore as a servant in the garden and stood
at the lower part of the banquet hall among the servants.

When the king had heard the stories of the two princes he was greatly
pleased with what they had done. "The one who killed the beast shall
have a princess for a bride," said he, "and the one who killed the
birds he too shall have a princess for his bride."

The youngest princess saw the lad from the river standing among the
servants and smiled into his eyes. The lad came and threw himself
before the king. "O my king," said he, "these stories to which you
have listened are false, as all these assembled _cavalheiros_ will
prove. It is I who killed the beast and all the birds. I claim a
princess as my bride."

All the assembled _cavalheiros_ recognized the lad in spite of his
changed appearance in his gardening clothes. "_Viva!_" they shouted.
"He speaks the truth. He is the valiant one of us who killed the beast
and the birds. To him belongs the reward."

The youngest princess had a heart filled with joy. The wedding feast
was celebrated the very next day. The river giant found out about it
and sent a necklace of pearls and diamonds as a wedding gift to the
bride of the lad whom he had brought up in his palace. The fisherman
and his wife, however, never knew the great good fortune which had
come to their son.

IX

THE BEAST SLAYER

Once upon a time there was a man and his wife who were very poor. The
man earned his living making wooden bowls and platters to sell and
worked early and late, but wooden bowls and platters were so very
cheap that he could barely support his family no matte