they were to kill
him. They hid themselves in the wood through which the Prince had to
pass on his way to the palace, and there fell on him, and, having beaten
him to death, they carried off the golden horse and the golden bird. But
nothing they could do would persuade the golden mermaid to go with them
or move from the spot, for ever since she had left the sea, she had so
attached herself to her Prince that she asked nothing else than to live
or die with him.

For many weeks the poor mermaid sat and watched over the dead body of
her lover, weeping salt tears over his loss, when suddenly one day their
old friend the wolf appeared and said, 'Cover the Prince's body with all
the leaves and flowers you can find in the wood.' The maiden did as he
told her, and then the wolf breathed over the flowery grave, and, lo and
behold! the Prince lay there sleeping as peacefully as a child. 'Now you
may wake him if you like,' said the wolf, and the mermaid bent over him
and gently kissed the wounds his brothers had made on his forehead, and
the Prince awoke, and you may imagine how delighted he was to find his
beautiful mermaid beside him, though he felt a little depressed when
he thought of the loss of the golden bird and the golden horse. After
a time the wolf, who had likewise fallen on the Prince's neck, advised
them to continue their journey, and once more the Prince and his lovely
bride mounted on the faithful beast's back.

The King's joy was great when he embraced his youngest son, for he
had long since despaired of his return. He received the wolf and the
beautiful golden mermaid most cordially too, and the Prince was made
to tell his adventures all over from the beginning. The poor old father
grew very sad when he heard of the shameful conduct of his elder sons,
and had them called before him. They turned as white as death when they
saw their brother, whom they thought they had murdered, standing beside
them alive and well, and so startled were they that when the King asked
them why they had behaved so wickedly to their brother they could think
of no lie, but confessed at once that they had slain the young Prince
in order to obtain possession of the golden horse and the golden bird.
Their father's wrath knew no bounds, and he ordered them both to be
banished, but he could not do enough to honour his youngest son, and his
marriage with the beautiful mermaid was celebrated with much pomp and
magnificence. When the festivitie