Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/127

 Rh silly hag would not consent to it the boy killed her. He then went for the ointment and anointed the bodies and necks of all, and they rose up, and they went each to their respective countries. The youth and his brothers married the princesses they had found there, and proceeded each to their realms, not forgetting to take to their father and mother much wealth.

XXVI.—.

There once lived a king and a queen who had been married many years, but had not any children. This was a great source of sorrow to them. The queen, however, took it to heart more than the king did, and one day, when she felt more sad and unhappy than usual, she prayed God to give her a son, even if he were born with the head of a horse. The first time that she went to the garden after this she met an exceedingly old woman, who said to her, "I know that you are sad and in trouble because you are childless, but I foretell you that you will in nine months' time bear a son; but how much better it would have been for you not to have such a son! because, instead of having a man's head, he will be born with the head of a horse." The queen was very sorry to hear this, but at the same time could not help rejoicing at the prospect of having a son born to her. Accordingly before long the queen felt she was with child, and in due time gave birth to a prince with the head of a horse. As the prince grew up those around him after a time became quite accustomed to the unusual appearance of his head, and even forgot that it was that of a horse. Having arrived at an age when his father thought it time to look out for a wife for him, he sent his portrait to all the cities in hopes that some princess