assembled, he said to the Huntsman, ‘You shall sit by me as you are so clever.’
He answered, ‘My lord and King, may it please your Majesty, I am only a poor Huntsman!’
The King, however, insisted, and said, ‘I command you to sit by me.’
As he sat there, his thoughts wandered to his dear mother, and he wished one of the courtiers would speak of her. Hardly had he wished it than the Lord High Marshal said—
‘Your Majesty, we are all rejoicing here, how fares it with Her Majesty the Queen? Is she still alive in the tower, or has she perished?’
But the King answered, ‘She allowed my beloved son to be devoured by wild animals, and I do not wish to hear anything about her.’
Then the Huntsman stood up and said—
‘Gracious father, she is still alive, and I am her son. He was not devoured by wild animals; he was taken away by the scoundrel of a Cook. He stole me while my mother was asleep, and sprinkled her garments with the blood of a chicken.’ Then he brought up the black Poodle with the golden chain, and said, ‘This is the villain.’
He ordered some live coals to be brought, which he made the dog eat. in the sight of all the people til! the flames poured out of his mouth. Then he asked the King if he would like to see the Cook in his true shape, and wished him back, and there he stood in his white apron, with his knife at his side.
The King was furious when he saw him, and ordered him to be thrown into the deepest dungeon. Then the Huntsman said further—
‘My father would you like to see the Maiden who so tenderly saved my life when she was ordered to kill me, although by so doing she might have lost her own life?’
The King answered, ‘Yes, I will gladly see her.’
Then his son said, ‘Gracious father, I will show her to you first in the guise of a beautiful flower.’
