Page:Grimm's Fairy Tales.djvu/68

 59 "God alone knows," replied her mother, "but they are wandering somewhere about the world."

Then she took her little daughter to the room where the coffins were hidden, and unlocking the door, shewed them to her, and said, "These were meant for your brothers, but they ran away and escaped," and she related to her all that had happened before she was born.

"Dear mother," said the girl, "do not weep; I will go and try to find my brothers."

So she took the twelve shirts and started through the wood in search of them. On and on she went all through the day, and as the evening fell she came to the little house. She stepped in, and there she found a young boy, who looked with astonishment at this beautiful girl, who was dressed like a princess and had a gold star on her forehead. "Whence come you?" he asked, "and what are you seeking?"

"I am a king's daughter," she answered, "and I am seeking my twelve brothers; and as far as the blue sky reaches overhead, will I wander till I find them," and she shewed him the twelve shirts. Then Benjamin knew that it was his sister. "I am Benjamin," he cried, "your youngest brother," and at this, they were both so overcome with delight, that they began to cry for joy, and kissed and embraced one another.

At last Benjamin said: "There is one thing that troubles me; my brothers and I were so angry at being driven out of our kingdom on account of a girl, that we made a vow to kill every girl whom we met."

"I would gladly die," said his sister, "if by so doing I could restore my dear brothers to their home."

"No, no, you shall not die," cried Benjamin, "hide