BROTHER took sister by the hand and said: `Look here; we haven't had one single happy hour since our mother died.
That stepmother of ours beats us regularly every day, and if we dare go near her she kicks us away.We never get anything but hard dry crusts to eat--why, the dog under the table is better off than we are.She does throw him a good morsel or two now and then.Oh dear! if our own dear mother only knew all about it!
Come along, and let us go forth into the wide world together.'
So off they started through fields and meadows, over hedges and ditches, and walked the whole day long, and when it rained sister said:
`Heaven and our hearts are weeping together.'
Towards evening they came to a large forest, and were so tired out with hunger and their long walk, as well as all their trouble, that they crept into a hollow tree and soon fell fast asleep.
Next morning, when they woke up, the sun was already high in the heavens and was shining down bright and warm into the tree.
Then said brother:
`I'm so thirsty, sister; if I did but know where to find a little stream, I'd go and have a drink.I do believe I hear one.' He jumped up, took sister by the hand, and they set off to hunt for the brook.
Now their cruel stepmother was in reality a witch, and she knew perfectly well that the two children had run away.She had crept secretly after them, and had cast her spells over all the streams in the forest.
Presently the children found a little brook dancing and glittering over the stones, and brother was eager to drink of it, but as it rushed past sister heard it murmmuring:
`Who drinks of me will be a tiger! who drinks of me will be a tiger!'
So she cried out, `Oh! dear brother, pray don't drink, or you'll be turned into a wild beast and tear me to pieces.'
Brother was dreadfully thirsty, but he did not drink.
`Very well,' said he, `I'll wait till we come to the next spring.'
When they came to the second brook, sister heard it repeating too:
`Who drinks of me will be a wolf I who drinks of me will be a wolf!'
And she cried, `Oh! brother, pray don't drink here either, or you'll be turned into a wolf and eat me up.'
Again brother did not drink, but he said:
`Well, I'll wait a little longer till we reach the next stream, but then, whatever you may say, I really must drink, for I can bear this thirst no longer.'
And when they got to the third brook, sister heard it say as it rushed past:
`Who drinks of me will be a roe! who drinks of me will be a roe!'
And she begged, `Ah! brother, don't drink yet, or you'll become a roe and run away from me.'
But her brother was already kneeling by the brook and bending over it to drink, and, sure enough, no sooner had his lips touched the water than he fell on the grass transformed into a little Roebuck.
Sister cried bitterly over her poor bewitched brother, and the little Roe wept too, and sat sadly by her side.At last the girl said:
`Never mind, dear little fawn, I will never forsake you,' and she took off her golden garter and tied it round the Roe's neck.
Then she plucked rushes and plaited a soft cord of them, which she fastened to the collar.When she had done this she led the Roe farther and farther, right into the depths of the forest.
After they had gone a long, long way they came to a little house, and when the girl looked into it she found it was quite empty, and she thought `perhaps we might stay and live here.'
So she hunted up leaves and moss to make a soft bed for the little Roe, and every morning and evening she went out and gathered roots, nuts, and berries for herself, and tender young grass for the fawn.And he fed from her hand, and played round her and seemed quite happy.In the evening, when sister was tired, she said her prayers and then laid her head on the fawn's back and fell sound asleep with it as a pillow.And if brother had but kept his natural form, really it would have been a most delightful kind of life.
They had been living for some time in the forest in this way, when it came to pass that the King of that country had a great hunt through the woods.Then the whole forest rang with such a blowing of horns, baying of dogs, and joyful cries of huntsmen, that the little Roe heard it and longed to join in too.
`Ah!' said he to sister, `do let me go off to the hunt! I can't keep still any longer.'
And he begged and prayed till at last she consented.
`But,' said she, `mind you come back in the evening.I shall lock my door fast for fear of those wild huntsmen; so, to make sure of my knowing you, knock at the door and say, ``My sister dear, open; I'm here.'' If you don't speak I shan't open the door.'
So off sprang the little Roe, and he felt quite well and happy in the free open air.
The King and his huntsmen soon saw the beautiful creature and started in pursuit, but they could not come up with it, and whenever they thought they were sure to catch it, it bounded off to one side into the bushes and disappeared.When night came on it ran home, and knocking at the door of the little house cried:
`My sister dear, open; I'm here.' The door opened, and he ran in and rested all night on his soft mossy bed.
Next morning the hunt began again, and as soon as the little Roe heard the horns and the `Ho! ho! `of the huntsmen, he could not rest another moment, and said:
`Sister, open the door, I must get out.'
So sister opened the door and said, `Now mind and get back by nightfall, and say your little rhyme.'
As soon as the King and his huntsmen saw the Roe with the golden collar they all rode off after it, but it was far too quick and nimble for them.This went on all day, but as evening came on the huntsmen had gradually encircled the Roe, and one of them wounded it slightly in the foot, so that it limped and ran off slowly.
Then the huntsman stole after it as far as the little house, and heard it call out, `My sister dear, open; I'm here,' and he saw the door open and close immediately the fawn had run in.
The huntsman remembered all this carefully, and went off straight to the King and told him all he had seen and heard.
`To-morrow we will hunt again,' said the King.