The Golden Goose (４)

The Golden Goose (4)


No sooner did the princess see Simpleton, the goose, and his seven weary followers than she began to laugh.

Indeed, she laughed and laughed as though she would never stop.

The laughter of princess broke the magic spell that had held the followers fast to the golden goose.

They at once set out on their way home.

Simpleton, still clutching the golden goose, went straight to the king and asked for his reward, the princess as his bride.

The king was very happy to see his daughter laugh, but he didn happy to see his daughter laugh, but he didn't want her to marry a ragged woodcutter like Simpleton. 

" Not so fast, " said the king.
" First you must bring me a man who can drink all the wine in my cellar. "

Simpleton thought at once of the little grey man and set out for the forest.

There, on the very spot where he had found his golden goose, he saw a stranger, looking very sad.

" What's the matter ? "asked Simpleton.

" I'm so very, very thirsty, " said the stranger.

" I think I can help you, " said Simpleton.
" Come with me and you shall have a whole cellarful of wine to drink. "

They went to the King's palace, and the stranger sat down and began to drink and drink and drink.

Before the sun set that day, every barrel in the sun set that day, every barrel in the King's cellar had been drained dry.

Once more Simpleton went to the King to claim his bride.

" No, " said the King,who still did not want his daughter to merry this simple boy.

" Now, you must bring me a man who can eat Now, you must bring me a man who can eat a whole mountain of bread in one day. "

Wasting no time, Simpleton went straight back to the same place  in the forest.

This time he found a man complaining bitterly that he was very, very hungryーeven though he had already eaten an ovenful of loaves.

When he heard of this, Simpleton was very pleased.
He said, " I think I can help you. Come with me and you shall have a whole mountain of bread. "

(つづく　4/5)