صفحة 499 من 626

Just let twelve spinning-wheels be brought into the ante-chamber,

and they will go to them and be pleased with them, and that is

what no man would do.' The king liked the advice, and had the

spinning-wheels placed in the ante-chamber.

But the servant, who was well disposed to the huntsmen, went to

them, and disclosed the project. So when they were alone the

king's daughter said to her eleven girls: 'Show some constraint,

and do not look round at the spinning-wheels.' And next morning

when the king had his twelve huntsmen summoned, they went through

the ante-chamber, and never once looked at the spinning-wheels.

Then the king again said to the lion: 'You have deceived me, they

are men, for they have not looked at the spinning-wheels.' The

lion replied: 'They have restrained themselves.' The king,

however, would no longer believe the lion.