of the whole kingdom. The marriage was celebrated with great rejoicings, and the young king sent for his father and foster-father, and loaded them with gifts. He did not forget the innkeeper either, but sent for him, and said, "You see, Mr Innkeeper, I have married the king's daughter, so your house and farm are mine." "Yes," replied the innkeeper, "that is right according to justice."
"I will make it right, however, according to mercy," said the young king. "House and farm you shall keep, and I make you a present besides of the thousand gold pieces."
The young king and queen were now very happy, and led a pleasant life together. He often went out hunting, as that was one of his chief enjoyments, and his animals always accompanied him. It happened that there was a forest in the neighbourhood, said to be enchanted and unsafe for travellers, for anyone once within it was not able easily to get out again. This made the young king very anxious to see what it was like, and he did not rest until he had obtained the old king's permission to go and hunt there. He rode out with a large following, and had just reached the edge of the forest, when he caught sight of a white doe among the trees, and he called out to his men, "Stay here till I return; I must go after that beautiful creature," and off he rode into the forest, only his animals with him. His followers stood and waited till evening, but the young king never returned, so they rode back and told the young queen that her husband had gone into the enchanted forest to hunt a white doe, and had not returned. She was now in a terrible state of anxiety. Meanwhile the young king had gone riding on after the doe, but had not been able to overtake her; each time
