Page:Danske Folkeæventyr ved Svend Grundtvig.djvu/58

 in time," said Esben, and he stuffed the crow in his pocket and trotted on after them.

A little later he yells again: "Hey there! see what I found!" His brothers wouldn't even look back; it was an old clog-ring. "There's no one who knows what this might be good for," said Esben, he stuffed the ring into his pocket, and trotted on.

Now when he has travelled another part of the way, he yells: "Hey there! see what I found!" It was an old bottle-stopper. His brothers were by then far ahead. And the stopper goes down into his pocket with the other things.

And a little after Esben stops again and yells: "Hey there! see what I found!" It was a ram's horn. And just after that he found another ram's horn, and they both go down into his pocket.

Finally Esben stops yet one more time and yells: "Hey there! see what I found!" It was a nice big, round road-apple. He was delighted with this, and it had to go down into his pocket with all the other rarities.

In the mean time Per and Povl had reached the King's Court and had announced their business. "You're aware, aren't you, of what's at stake?" said the guardsman. Yes, they were well aware, and first Per was brought in before the Princess. She sat in all her magnificence up on a dais in a gilded chair, while all her court ladies stood behind her and on both sides. And farther in back in the hall sat the King himself on his throne, with his counsellors standing in a circle around him.

"Good day, Your Grace!" said Per and bowed, as nicely as he could. "I'll give you Death and the Devil. You won't get fat off my grace!" said the Princess. Poor Per