IV
The next morning the woodman said to the youngest girl,
“Bring me my dinner to-day.
I will drop corn along the path.
Then you can find your way.”
At noon the youngest girl went into the wood.
The doves had picked up the corn and she, too, lost her way.
At night she saw a light and came to the house in the wood.
“May I stop here all night?” she asked.
The old man said to the animals,
“Pretty cock,
Pretty hen,
And you spotted cow,
What say you now?”
“Yes,” said the three.
The youngest girl went over to the animals and petted them.
She cooked a good supper for the old man.
But before she sat down to eat she gave the cow some hay.
Then she gave the cock and the hen some corn.
“Eat this, dear animals,” she said.
“Then I will bring you some water.”
After supper the animals said to the old man,
“She is kind and good.
Let her stay with us,
In the house in the wood.”
V
Just then the youngest girl saw a bright light.
She covered her eyes.
When she looked up she was in a beautiful castle.
The old man was gone.
He was now a king’s son.
The three animals had changed to three men.
“You were kind and good to my animals,” said the king’s son.
“So this is your castle.”
Then the youngest girl sent for her father and sisters.
They all lived happily together in the beautiful castle.
Jacob and William Grimm (adapted).
