Grimms' Fairy Tales

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them.' The following day the king's daughter again called to him that he
was to bring her a wreath of field-flowers, and then he went in with it,
she instantly snatched at his cap, and wanted to take it away from him,
but he held it fast with both hands. She again gave him a handful of
ducats, but he would not keep them, and gave them to the gardener for
playthings for his children. On the third day things went just the
same; she could not get his cap away from him, and he would not have her
money.

Not long afterwards, the country was overrun by war. The king gathered
together his people, and did not know whether or not he could offer any
opposition to the enemy, who was superior in strength and had a mighty
army. Then said the gardener's boy: 'I am grown up, and will go to the
wars also, only give me a horse.' The others laughed, and said: 'Seek
one for yourself when we are gone, we will leave one behind us in the
stable for you.' When they had gone forth, he went into the stable, and
led the horse out; it was lame of one foot, and limped hobblety jib,