Page:Tales from the Fjeld.djvu/415

Rh So when the king's son had eaten and rested awhile he set off on his way again. After a long, long time he came to a great town, and in that town there was an inn, where there was always mirth and never sorrow; there he thought it would be good to be, and so he turned in there. But there was so much dancing and drinking, and fun and jollity, that he forgot the bird and its feathers, and his father, and his quest, and the whole kingdom. Away he was, and away he stayed.

The year after, the king's midmost son was to watch for the apple-thief in the garden. Yes; he too sat him down under the tree when it began to ripen. So all at once one night the golden bird came shining like the sun, and the lad got so afraid, he put his tail between his legs and ran in-doors as fast as ever he could.

Next morning the apple was gone; but by that time the king's son had taken heart again, and was all for setting off to see if he could find the bird. Yes, he began to put up his travelling fare, and the king fitted him out well, and spared neither clothes nor money. But just the same befell him as had befallen his brother. When he had travelled a bit he got hungry, and opened his scrip, and sat him down to eat his dinner by the wayside. So out came a fox from a spruce clump and sat up and looked on.

"Dear friend, give me a morsel of food, do?" said the fox.

"I'll give you burnt horn, that I will," said the king's son. "I may come to need food myself, for no one knows how far and how long I may have to go."

"Oh! that's your game, is it?" said the fox, and away he went into the wood again.