Pagina 451 de 626

The king was terrified; he threw himself on the soldier's mercy,

and merely to be allowed to live at all, gave him his kingdom for

his own, and his daughter to wife.

THE RAVEN

There was once a queen who had a little daughter, still too young

to run alone. One day the child was very troublesome, and the

mother could not quiet it, do what she would. She grew impatient,

and seeing the ravens flying round the castle, she opened the

window, and said: 'I wish you were a raven and would fly away,

then I should have a little peace.' Scarcely were the words out

of her mouth, when the child in her arms was turned into a raven,

and flew away from her through the open window. The bird took its

flight to a dark wood and remained there for a long time, and

meanwhile the parents could hear nothing of their child.