Poor sister was terribly frightened when she saw how her little Fawn had been wounded.She washed off the blood, bound up the injured foot with herbs, and said: `Now, dear, go and lie down and rest, so that your wound may heal.'
The wound was really so slight that it was quite well next day, and the little Roe did not feel it at all.No sooner did it hear the sounds of hunting in the forest than it cried:
`I can't stand this, I must be there too; I'll take care they shan't catch me.'
Sister began to cry, and said, `They are certain to kill you, and then I shall be left all alone in the forest and forsaken by everyone.
I can't and won't let you out.'
`Then I shall die of grief,' replied the Roe, `for when I hear that horn I feel as if I must jump right out of my skin.'
So at last, when sister found there was nothing else to be done, she opened the door with a heavy heart, and the Roe darted forth full of glee and health into the forest.
As soon as the King saw the Roe, he said to his huntsman, `Now then, give chase to it all day till evening, but mind and be careful not to hurt it.'
When the sun had set the King said to his huntsman, `Now come and show me the little house in the wood.'
And when he got to the house he knocked at the door and said, `My sister dear, open; I'm here.' Then the door opened and the King walked in, and there stood the loveliest maiden he had ever seen.
The girl was much startled when instead of the little Roe she expected she saw a man with a gold crown on his head walk in.
But the King looked kindly at her, held out his hand, and said, `Will you come with me to my castle and be my dear wife?'
`Oh yes!' replied the maiden, `but you must let my Roe come too.I could not possibly forsake it.'
`It shall stay with you as long as you live, and shall want for nothing,' the King promised.
In the meantime the Roe came bounding in, and sister tied the rush cord once more to its collar, took the end in her hand, and so they left the little house in the forest together.
The King lifted the lonely maiden on to his horse, and led her to his castle, where the wedding was celebrated with the greatest splendour.The Roe was petted and caressed, and ran about at will in the palace gardens.
Now all this time the wicked stepmother, who had been the cause of these poor children's misfortunes and trying adventures, was feeling fully persuaded that sister had been torn to pieces by wild beasts, and brother shot to death in the shape of a Roe.When she heard how happy and prosperous they were, her heart was filled with envy and hatred, and she could think of nothing but how to bring some fresh misfortune on them.Her own daughter, who was as hideous as night and had only one eye, reproached her by saying, `It is I who ought to have had this good luck and been Queen.'
`Be quiet, will you,' said the old woman; `when the time comes I shall be at hand.'
Now after some time it happened one day when the King was out hunting that the Queen gave birth to a beautiful little boy.