Everybody looked at the thrush singing on her peg, and clapped their hands.
“Come here, little bird,” said the king, “and show the queen your pretty clothes.”
The thrush felt highly flattered, and flew down on the table, and took off her jacket to show the queen. After the queen had looked at it she folded it up and put it in her pocket.
“Give me my jacket,” twittered the thrush. “I shall catch cold, and besides, it is not proper for a lady to go about without a jacket.”
All the company laughed, and the king said, “You shall have your jacket, Mistress Thrush, if you will come nearer.”
She approached the king close enough so he was able to make a sudden grab and catch her.
“Let me go,” squeaked the thrush, struggling to get free. But the king would not release her.
“Greedy king!” cried the thrush, “you ought to be ashamed to covet my little jacket!”
That made the king angry, and he took a carving knife and chopped her to little bits. While he was doing so the thrush kept exclaiming, “The king snips and cuts like a tailor, but he is not so honest!”
When the king had finished chopping her up, he began to wash the pieces, and each piece as he washed it called out, “The king scours and scrubs like a washerwoman, but he is not so honest!”