“But for you,” he said to Mimi, “I might have retained my hideous form all the days of my life, or I might even have lost my life. Now is the time to repay my debt. I will take you straightway to your father, whose magic powers will at once enable him to disenchant you.” The goose wept tears of joy and accepted his offer gratefully.
Jacob passed the sentries safely, for they had only been ordered to bar the way to the dwarf Long-Nose.
With Mimi beneath his arm he very soon reached the sea-shore, and before long her home was in sight.
The great Wetterbock soon turned the goose into a charming young lady, and, having loaded her rescuer with valuable gifts, bade him farewell.
Jacob hastened home, and his parents were only too delighted to accept the handsome young man as their long-lost son.
With the presents he had received from Wetterbock he was able to purchase a shop, and he became a very rich man and lived happily all his days.
But his disappearance from the Duke’s palace caused a great hubbub. When the morning came on which the Duke was to fulfil his vow and behead the dwarf if he had not found the herb, lo! the dwarf himself was missing.
The Prince declared the Duke had allowed him to escape to avoid losing such a splendid cook, and said he had broken his word.
They quarrelled so violently that a war ensued, which is known in all histories of those lands as “The Herb War,” and when at length peace was declared it was called “The Pasty Peace,” and at the reconciliation feast the Prince’s cook served up a Souzeraine pasty, to which the Duke did full justice.