like to take home presents to each of his three daughters; so he went
into a jeweller's shop and bought a beautiful necklace for the
eldest princess; then he went to a rich merchant's and bought a dress
embroidered in gold and silver thread for the second princess, but in
none of the flower shops nor in the market could he find the wreath of
wild flowers that his youngest daughter had set her heart on. So he
had to set out on his homeward way without it. Now his journey led him
through a thick forest. While he was still about four miles distant
from his palace, he noticed a white wolf squatting on the roadside, and,
behold! on the head of the wolf, there was a wreath of wild flowers.

Then the king called to the coachman, and ordered him to get down from
his seat and fetch him the wreath from the wolf's head. But the wolf
heard the order and said: 'My lord and king, I will let you have the
wreath, but I must have something in return.'

'What do you want?' answered the king. 'I will gladly give you rich
treasure in exchange for it.'

'I do not want rich treasure,' replied the wolf. 'Only promise to give
me the first thing that meets you on your way to your castle. In three
days I shall come and fetch it.'

And the king thought to himself: 'I am still a good long way from home,
I am sure to meet a wild animal or a bird on the road, it will be quite
safe to promise.' So he consented, and carried the wreath away with him.
But all along the road he met no living creature till he turned into
the palace gates, where his youngest daughter was waiting to welcome him
home.

That evening the king was very sad, remembering his promise; and when
he told the queen what had happened, she too shed bitter tears. And the
youngest princess asked them why they both looked so sad, and why they
wept. Then her father told her what a price he would have to pay for the
wreath of wild flowers he had brought home to her, for in three days a
white wolf would come and claim her and carry her away, and they would
never see her again. But the queen thought and thought, and at last she
hit upon a plan.

There was in the palace a servant maid the same age and the same height
as the princess, and the queen dressed her up in a beautiful dress
belonging to her daughter, and determined to give her to the white wolf,
who would never know the difference.

On the third day the wolf strode into the palace yard and up the great
stairs, to the room wher