590 THE CHARMED FAWN.

little hut.” And when he got to the little door he knocked,
and called out, “Sister mine, let mein.” Then the door was
opened, and he stepped in, and there stood a maiden more
beautiful than he had ever seen. The maiden was frightened
when she saw that it was not her fawn, but a man, who had
entered, with a golden crown upon his head. The king, how-
ever, looked at her very kindly, and taking her hand, said,
“Will you go with me to my castle, and be my dear wife?”
—Yes, readily,” replied the maiden; “but my little fawn
must go too, for I cannot forsake him.” The king said to her,
“ He shall stop with you as long as you live, and never want
anything.” Just then he sprang in, and the sister, binding him
again with the reed-rope, took it in her hand, and led him out
of the hut,

The king placed the beautiful maiden upon his horse, and
took her to his castle, where the wedding was celebrated with
great splendour, and she became a queen, and they lived along
time happily together, while the fawn was well fed and cared
for, and sported about in the castle garden, But the wicked
stepmother, on whose account the children had wandered away
into the world, thought not otherwise than the sister had been
torn in pieces by the wild beasts, and the little fawn shot dead
by the hunters. When she heard that they were so happy
and prosperous, envy and jealousy arose in her heart, and left
her no peace ; s0 that’ she thought of nothing else than how to
bring misfortune upon them both. Her own daughter, who
was as ugly as the night, and had only one eye, forwarded her
plans, and said, “To be a queen, luck has not favoured me.”—
« Be quiet,” said the old woman, “and make yourself happy:
when the time comes, I shall be ready.” When the time
came, and the queen brought a beautifal little boy into the
world, the king was that day gone out hunting, and the old