Yes, the man was willing to do that, but his price was three hundred dollars without the hood; the hood was not for sale for love nor money.
All the fine folk began to laugh. “What do we want with that old hood?” they cried. “We will give the bird a hood that is worthy of a king.”
So the man took the three hundred dollars and the hood and went on his way.
The one who had bought the falcon cast it at a quail, and it struck down its prey as before, but when the hunters reached the place where the birds had fallen they saw no falcon, but only a handsome young man who stood there looking down at the dead quail.
“What became of the falcon that was here?” they asked.
But the youth had seen no falcon.
He set out and soon overtook his father, who had not gone far. “And now art thou content?” he asked.
“Six hundred dollars is not a fortune,” answered the man. “Since you have done so well you might have done better.”
“Very well,” answered the son. “We are now coming to a town where they are holding a fair. I will change myself into a horse, and you shall take me there and sell me for a thousand dollars,—no more, no less. But heed what I say. Do not sell the halter whatever you do, or evil will surely come of it.”
“Very well,” said the father. “I will remember.”