go home again," said the _King_, "the _Princesses_ are
beyond your reach, I should say; and besides, I have spent so much
money on outfits that I have nothing left to-day. You had better come
back another time."

"If I go, I must go to-day," said the soldier. "Money I do not want; I
only need a drop in my flask and some food in my wallet," he said;
"but it must be a good walletful--as much meat and bacon as I can
carry."

Yes, that he might have if that was all he wanted.

So he set off, and he had not gone many miles before he overtook the
captain and the lieutenant.

"Where are you going?" asked the captain, when he saw the man in
uniform.

"I'm going to try if I can find the _Princesses_," answered the
soldier.

"So are we," said the captain, "and since your errand is the same, you
may keep company with us, for if we don't find them, you are not
likely to find them either, my lad," said he.

When they had gone awhile the soldier left the high road, and took a
path into the forest.

"Where are you going?" said the captain; "it is best to follow the
high road."

"That may be," said the soldier, "but this is my way."

He kept to the path, and when the others saw this they turned round
and followed him. Away they went further and further, far across big
moors and along narrow valleys.

And at last it became lighter, and when they had got out of the forest
altogether they came to a long bridge, which they had to cross. But on
that bridge a bear stood on guard. He rose on his hind legs and came
towards them, as if he wanted to eat them.

"What shall we do now?" said the captain.

"They say that the bear is fond of meat," said the soldier, and then
he threw a fore quarter to him, and so they got past. But when they
reached the other end of the bridge, they saw a lion, which came
roaring towards them with open jaws as if he wanted to swallow them.

"I think we had better turn right-about, we shall never be able to get
past him alive," said the captain.

"Oh, I don't think he is so very dangerous," said the soldier; "I have
heard that lions are very fond of bacon, and I have half a pig in my
wallet;" and then he threw a ham to the lion, who began eating and
gnawing, and thus they got past him also.

In the evening they came to a fine big house. Each room was more
gorgeous than the other; all was glitter and splendour wherever they
looked; but that did not satisfy their hunger. The captain and the
lieute