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THE SEVEN FOALS
THERE was once upon a time a couple of poor folks who lived in
a wretched hut； far away from everyone else； in a wood。 They
only just managed to live from hand to mouth； and had great difficulty
in doing even so much as that； but they had three sons； and
the youngest of them was called Cinderlad； for he did nothing else
but lie and poke about among the ashes。
One day the eldest lad said that he would go out to earn his living；
he soon got leave to do that； and set out on his way into the world。
He walked on and on for the whole day； and when night was beginning
to fall he came to a royal palace。 The King was standing
outside on the steps； and asked where he was going。
‘Oh； I am going about seeking a place； my father；' said the youth。
‘Wilt thou serve me； and watch my seven foals？' asked the
King。 ‘If thou canst watch them for a whole day and tell me at
night what they eat and drink； thou shalt have the Princess and
half my kingdom； but if thou canst not； I will cut three red stripes
on thy back。'
The youth thought that it was very easy work to watch the
foals； and that he could do it well enough。
Next morning； when day was beginning to dawn； the King's
Master of the Horse let out the seven foals； and they ran away；
and the youth after them just as it chanced； over hill and dale； through
woods end bogs。 When the youth had run thus for a long time he
began to be tired； and when he had held on a little longer he was
heartily weary of watching at all； and at the same moment he came
to a cleft in a rock where an old woman was sitting spinning with
her distaff in her hand。
As soon as she caught sight of the youth； who was running after
the foals till the perspiration streamed down his face； she cried：
‘Come hither； come hither； my handsome son； and let me comb
your hair for you。'
The lad was willing enough； so he sat down in the cleft of the
rock beside the old hag； and laid his head on her knees； and she
combed his hair all day while he lay there and gave himself up to
idleness。
When evening was drawing near； the youth wanted to go。
‘I may just as well go straight home again；' said he； ‘for it is
no use to go to the King's palace。'
‘Wait till it is dusk；' said the old hag； ‘and then the King's
foals will pass by this place again； and you can run home with
them； no one will ever know that you have been lying here all day
instead of watching the foals。'
So when they came she gave the lad a bottle of water and a bit
of moss； and told him to show these to the King and say that this
was what his seven foals ate and drank。
‘Hast thou watched faithfully and well the whole day long？'
said the King； when the lad came into his presence in the evening。
‘Yes； that I have！' said the youth。
‘Then you are able to tell me what it is that my seven foals eat
and drink；' said the King。
So the youth produced the bottle of water and the bit of moss
which he had got from the old woman； saying：
‘Here you see their meat； and here you see their drink。'
Then the King knew how his watching had been done； and fell
into such a rage that he ordered his people to chase the youth back
to his own home at once； but first they were to cut three red
stripes in his back； and rub salt into them。
When the youth reached home again； anyone can imagine what
a state of mind he was in。 He had gone out once to seek a place；
he said； but never would he do such a thing again。
Next day the second son said that he would now go out into the
world to seek his fortune。 His father and mother said ‘No；' and
bade him look at his brother's back； but the youth would not give
up his design； and stuck to it； and after a long； long time he got
leave to go； and set forth on his way。 When he had walked all day
he too came to the King's palace； and the King was standing outside
on the steps； and asked where he was going； and when the youth
replied that he was going about in search of a place； the King said
that he might enter into his service and watch his seven foals。 Then
the King promised him the same punishment and the same reward
that he had promised his brother。
The youth at once consented to this and entered into the King's
service； for he thought he could easily watch the foals and inform
the King what they ate and drank。
In the grey light of dawn the Master of the Horse let out the
seven foals； and off they went again over hill and dale； and off went
the lad after them。 But all went with him as it had gone with his
brother。 When he had run after the foals for a long； long time and
was hot and tired； he passed by a cleft in the rock where an old
woman was sitting spinning with a distaff； and she called to him：
‘Come hither； come hither； my handsome son； and let me comb
your hair。'
The youth liked the thought of this； let the foals run where
they chose； and seated himself in the cleft of the rock by the side
of the old hag。 So there he sat with his head on her lap； taking his
ease the livelong day。
The foals came back in the evening； and then he too got a bit of
moss and a bottle of water from the old hag； which things he was to
show to the King。 But when the King asked the youth： ‘Canst
thou tell me what my seven foals eat and drink？' and the youth
showed him the bit of moss and the bottle of water； and said： ‘Yes
here may you behold their meat； and here their drink；' the King
once more became wroth； and commanded that three red stripes
should be cut on the lad's back； that salt should be strewn upon
them； and that he should then be instantly chased back to his own
home。 So when the youth got home again he too related all
that had happened to him； and he too said that he had gone out in
search of a place once； but that never would he do it again。
On the third day Cinderlad wanted to set out。 He had a fancy
to try to watch the seven foals himself； he said。
The two others laughed at him； and mocked him。 ‘What I
when all went so ill with us； do you suppose that you are going to
succeed？ You look like succeedingyou who have never done
anything else but lie and poke about among the ashes！' said they。
‘Yes； I will go too；' said Cinderlad； ‘for I have taken it into my
head。'
The two brothers laughed at him； and his father and mother
begged him not to go； but all to no purpose； and Cinderlad set out
on his way。 So when he had walked the whole day； he too came
to the King's palace as darkness began to fall。
There stood the King outside on the steps； and he asked whither
he was bound。
‘I am walking about in search of a place；' said Cinderlad。
‘From whence do you come； then？' inquired the King； for by
this time he wanted to know a little more about the men before he
took any of them into his service。
So Cinderlad told him whence he came； and that he was brother
to the two who had watched the seven foals for the King； and then
he inquired if he might be allowed to try to watch them on the
following day。
‘Oh； shame on them！' said the King； for it enraged him even to
think of them。 ‘If thou art brother to those two； thou too art not
good for much。 I have had enough of such fellows。'
‘Well； but as I have come here； you might just give me leave
to make the attempt；' said Cinderlad。
‘Oh； very well； if thou art absolutely determined to have thy
back flayed； thou may'st have thine own way if thou wilt；' said the
King。
‘I would much rather have the Princess；' said Cinderlad。
Next morning； in the grey light of dawn； the Master of the Horse
let out the seven foals again； and off they set over hill and dale；
through woods and bogs； and off went Cinderlad after them。 When
he had run thus for a long time； he too came to the cleft in the rock。
There the old hag was once more sitting spinning from her distaff；
and she cried to Cinderlad；
‘Come hither； come hither； my handsome son； and let me comb
your hair for you。'
‘Come to me； then； come to me！' said Cinderlad； as he passed
by jumping and running； and keeping tight hold of one of the foals'
tails。
When he had got safely past the cleft in the rock； the youngest
foal said：
‘Get on my back； for we have still a long way to go。' So the
lad did this。
And thus they journeyed onwards a long； long way。
‘Dost thou see anything now？' said the Foal。
‘No；' said Cinderlad。
So they journeyed onwards a good bit farther。
‘Dost thou see anything now？' asked the Foal。
‘Oh； no；' said the lad。
When they had gone thus for a long； long way； the Foal again
asked：
‘Dost thou see anything now？'
‘Yes； now I see something that is white；' said Cinderlad。 ‘It
looks like the trunk of a great thick birch tree。'
‘Yes； that is where we are to go in；' said the Foal。
When they got to the trunk； the eldest foal