But the men wouldn’t believe it until they went into the forest and saw the two dead bodies, lying each in a pool of blood, while the ground was covered with uprooted trees.
Back they went to the king, but instead of handing over half his kingdom, as he had promised, his majesty told the little tailor that there was still another brave deed for him to do before he got the princess for his bride.
“Just name it, then; I’m more than ready,” was the man’s reply.
“You are to kill the famous unicorn that is running wild in the forest and doing so much damage. When this is done you shall have your reward at once.”
“No trouble at all, your majesty. I’ll get rid of him in a twinkling.”
He made the ten men wait for him at the entrance to the wood, as they had done the first time, and taking a stout rope and a saw he entered the forest alone.
Up came the unicorn, but just as it was about to rush at the man he darted behind a big tree.
The unicorn dashed with such force against the tree that its horn was caught quite fast and it was kept a prisoner.
Taking his rope, he tied it tightly round the animal, and, after sawing off the horn, back he went to the palace, leading the unicorn by his side.
But even then the king was not satisfied, and he made the little tailor catch a wild boar that had been seen wandering in the woods.