The Two Brotherspage 15 / 20
"See now," said the huntsman, "I have bread, meat vegetables, sweetmeats, and wine, such as the King himself has; now I and my animals will have our dinner," and he sat down to the table and ate and drank, and gave food and drink also to the hare, the fox, the wolf, the bear, and the lion, and was of good cheer, for he was certain that the king's daughter still cared for him. After dinner, he said to the innkeeper, "I have eaten and drunk, as the king eats and drinks, now I will go to the king's court and marry the king's daughter." The host asked how that could be, since there was already a bridegroom, and that very day the marriage was to be celebrated. The huntsman drew out the handkerchief that had been given him on the dragon's mountain by the king's daughter, and in which he had kept the monster's seven tongues. "That which I hold in my hand," he answered, "will help me to it." The innkeeper looked at the handkerchief, and said, "I can believe everything but that, I will wager my house and farm you do not succeed."
The huntsman drew out a purse containing a thousand gold pieces, and laid it on the table: "And I will wager that much that I do," was his response.
While this was going on at the inn, the king was sitting at his own table with his daughter, and said to her, "What did all those wild animals that have been running in and out of my castle, want with you?" She answered, "I cannot tell you that, but you will do well to send and fetch hither the master of those animals." So the king despatched a servant to the inn with an invitation from him to the stranger, and the servant arrived just as the huntsman had completed his wager with the innkeeper. "You see, Mr Innkeeper, the king has sent his servant to invite me," he said; "but I do not intend to go like that," and turning to the servant he continued, "I pray you beg of the king that he send me some royal robes and a carriage with six horses, and servants to wait upon me."