“What is the matter?” asked Jalmir in fright.
“The king wants the wedding to-day,” answered the steed.
“Then let us hurry,” said Jalmir, and he sprang on the steed, opened his arms toward the town, and cried: “Oh, my dear father!”
“Calm thyself,” said the steed; “I know that thou wouldst embrace him; but vain is thy wish, for he died long ago.” The steed rose in the air and flew so swiftly that his native place soon vanished from the tearful eyes of Jalmir. On the road the steed said: “When thou art king, judge justly, even if thy heart has to bleed.”
Jalmir did not understand him; but when he came to the town and heard how his brothers were laughing at their puny little Jalmir who had perished somewhere, an evil feeling seized him. Mastering himself however, he went to the princess to give her the three waters; and she hastened to the king to whom she said: “My dear bridegroom, so that our marriage be equal, thou must become young and beautiful as I am, and therefore I will rub thee with the water of death so that thy old age shall perish, then with the water of youth, and last with the water of life.”
The king consented with gladness, and the princess rubbed him with the water of death; then he straightened himself on the couch so that the princess herself was terrified. Seizing quickly the water of youth; she rubbed him with it and the fresh color of youth shone on the face of the old king. “But still he is not so beautiful as Jalmir,” sighed the princess, greatly grieved. With tearful eyes she reached for the water of life, but instead of it took the water of death and rubbed the king. Straightway the pallor of death spread over his face. The princess fell in a faint at his side and remained in it till Jalmir came by chance to the chamber, seized the water of life, and rubbed with it quickly the princess and the king. The princess stood up at once, but the king remained dead.
“Is there no help for him?” asked Jalmir with trembling voice.
“There is not,” said the princess, shaking her head; “whoever is rubbed twice with the water of death can never live again.”
“But what shall I do now?” muttered Jalmir, closing his eyes.
“Thou art king,” answered the princess, “but I—”