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Rh with him who was the youngest than with the eldest, who ought to have had more knowledge of the ways of the world, and he was afraid he might lose him too. But the king's son begged so prettily, that he had to give him leave at last.

So he began to pack up his travelling fare, and the king fitted him out well, both with clothes and money, and so he set off. So when he had travelled a bit he got hungry and opened his scrip, and sat him down to eat his dinner; and just as he put the first bit into his mouth a fox came out of a spruce clump, and sat down by him and looked on.

"Oh, dear friend, give me a morsel of food, do," said the fox.

"I might very well come to need food for myself," said the king's son; "for I'm sure I can't tell how far I shall have to go; but so much I know, that I can just give you a little bit."

So when the fox had got a bit of meat to bite at, he asked the king's son whither he was bound. Well, he told him what he was trying to do.

"If you will listen to me," said the fox, "I will help you, so that you shall take luck along with you."

Then the king's son gave his word to listen to him, and so they set off in company, and when they had travelled awhile they came to the self-same town and the self-same inn where there was always mirth and never sorrow.

"Now I may just as well stay outside the town," said the fox. "Those dogs are such a bore."

And then he told him what his brothers had done, and what they were still doing, and he went on.