صفحة 124 من 626

In the evening, after they came home, Curdken went to the old

king, and said, 'I cannot have that strange girl to help me to

keep the geese any longer.' 'Why?' said the king. 'Because,

instead of doing any good, she does nothing but tease me all day

long.' Then the king made him tell him what had happened. And

Curdken said, 'When we go in the morning through the dark gate

with our flock of geese, she cries and talks with the head of a

horse that hangs upon the wall, and says:

'Falada, Falada, there thou hangest!'

and the head answers:

'Bride, bride, there thou gangest! Alas! alas! if thy mother knew

it, Sadly, sadly, would she rue it.'