The eldest brother said to his father, ‘I am going in quest of this bird.’ [[184]]
‘Well, go, my son; have a care of me.’
He took plenty of money with him and a beautiful horse. He set out in quest of this bird. He went away far out into the world. Once he saw a fine inn. He went in. He ordered something to eat and drink. He hears, this son of the king, that they are wrangling in the next room. He looks through the keyhole and sees twelve young ladies playing at cards. He gently opens the door a little, and these damsels call to him, ‘Come away, sir, and play with us.’
He goes in, and he loses all his money at play. He sells his horse, and loses that money too. He sells his clothes, and still loses. Lastly, he asks these damsels to lend him a hundred florins. They lend them to him, and he loses the hundred florins.
‘What shall I do now, pauper that I am?’
These damsels have him arrested and put into prison. For six months he sees no one, this eldest brother.
Then his younger brother made his preparations, and requested his father to let him go in quest of the golden bird.
His father said to him, ‘Each of you goes away, and none returns. Very well, go.’
He took even more money than his brother and a finer horse. He set out, and came to the same inn. He makes them serve him with something to eat and drink. He hears people wrangling in the next room. He opens the door a little, and sees twelve damsels playing at cards.
‘Come away, sir, and play with us.’