Never was there a pleasanter hunting party, and day after day the time passed so happily away that the Prince forgot all [page 338] about the little dog he was searching for, and even forgot his own home and his father's promise.
At length the White Cat reminded him that in three days he must appear at court, and the Prince was terribly upset to think that he had now no chance of winning his father's kingdom. But the White Cat told him that all would be well, and giving him an acorn, bade him mount the wooden horse and ride away.
The Prince thought she must be mocking him, but when she held the acorn to his ear, he heard quite plainly a little dog's bark.
"Inside this acorn," she said, "is the prettiest little dog in the world. But be sure you do not open the fruit until you are in the King's presence."
The Prince thanked her, and having bidden her a sorrowful farewell, mounted his wooden steed and rode away.
Before he reached the castle, he met his two brothers, who made fine fun of the wooden horse, and also of the big ugly dog which trotted by his side.
They imagined this to be the one their brother had brought back from his travels, hoping that it would gain the prize.
When they reached the palace, everyone was loud in praise of the two lovely little dogs the elder brothers had brought back with them, but when the youngest opened his acorn and showed a tiny dog, lying upon a white satin cushion, they knew that this must be the prettiest little dog in the world.
However, the King did not feel inclined to give up his throne just yet, so he told the brothers that there was one more task they must first perform: they must bring him a piece of muslin so fine that it would pass through the eye of a needle.
So once more the brothers set out upon their travels. As for the youngest, he mounted his wooden horse and rode straight back to his dear White Cat.