The Waiting-woman then mounted Falada and put the real bride on her poor jade, and they continued their journey.
There was great rejoicing when they arrived at the castle. The Prince hurried towards them, and lifted the Waiting-woman from her horse, thinking she was his bride. She was led upstairs, but the real Princess had to stay below.
The old King looked out of the window and saw the delicate, pretty little creature standing in the courtyard; so he went to the bridal apartments and asked the bride about her companion, who was left standing in the courtyard, and wished to know who she was.
‘I picked her up on the way, and brought her with me for company. Give the girl something to do to keep her from idling.’
But the old King had no work for her, and could not think of anything. At last he said, ‘I have a little lad who looks after the geese; she may help him.’
The boy was called little Conrad, and the real bride was sent with him to look after the geese.
Soon after, the false bride said to the Prince, ‘Dear husband, I pray you do me a favour.’
He answered, ‘That will I gladly.’
‘Well, then, let the knacker be called to cut off the head of the horse I rode; it angered me on the way.’
Really, she was afraid that the horse would speak, and tell of her treatment of the Princess. So it was settled, and the faithful Falada had to die.
When this came to the ear of the real Princess, she promised the knacker a piece of gold if he would do her a slight service. There was a great dark gateway to the town, through which she had to pass every morning and evening. ‘Would he nail up Falada’s head in this gateway, so that she might see him as she passed?’
The knacker promised to do as she wished, and when the horse’s head was cut off, he hung it up in the dark gateway.
