Grimms' Fairy Tales

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them into his service. The king looked at her and did not know her, but
as they were such handsome fellows, he said: 'Yes,' and that he would
willingly take them, and now they were the king's twelve huntsmen.

The king, however, had a lion which was a wondrous animal, for he knew
all concealed and secret things. It came to pass that one evening he
said to the king: 'You think you have twelve huntsmen?' 'Yes,' said the
king, 'they are twelve huntsmen.' The lion continued: 'You are mistaken,
they are twelve girls.' The king said: 'That cannot be true! How
will you prove that to me?' 'Oh, just let some peas be strewn in the
ante-chamber,' answered the lion, 'and then you will soon see. Men have
a firm step, and when they walk over peas none of them stir, but girls
trip and skip, and drag their feet, and the peas roll about.' The king
was well pleased with the counsel, and caused the peas to be strewn.

There was, however, a servant of the king's who favoured the huntsmen,
and when he heard that they were going to be put to this test he went to