“It may be,” said the King, “that my son has in truth come home, and is here in the palace, and that that is why you feel so happy.”
He then gave orders that everyone in the palace was to come before him. This was done, and among all the rest came the young Prince disguised as an old beggar-man.
But though he was disguised the Princess knew him at once. She ran to him and threw her arms about his neck and kissed him. “You are my own dear one,” she cried, “and to you and you only do I belong.”
Then there was great rejoicing all through the palace because the Prince had come home again. But as for the elder brothers they were sent out from before the King’s presence and punished as they deserved.
Now some time after this as the young Prince was hunting in the forest he met the little red fox, and it looked very sad and thin and worn.
“Alas!” said he to the Prince, “now you are happy and have everything your heart can wish, but I am hunted about the world, miserable and forlorn.”
Then the Prince was filled with pity. “Whatever I can do for you I will,” he said, “for everything I have I owe to you.”
Then again the fox begged and implored the Prince to shoot it and cut off its head and its paws. At last the Prince consented.
No sooner had he done as the fox asked him, than instead of the little animal a handsome young man stood before him. This young man was the brother of the Princess Beautiful. He had been enchanted, and obliged to wander about the world in the shape of a fox, but now the young Prince had broken the enchantment.
The two princes embraced each other tenderly, and returned to the palace together, and after that they all lived together in the greatest happiness.