The Crimson Fairy Book, part 25 · page 21 2101After a week of feasting, the fox said to the king: “My master wishes to take his young bride home to his own castle.”102“Very well, I will accompany them,” replied the king; and he ordered his courtiers and attendants to get ready, and the best horses in his stable to be brought out for himself, Count Piro and the princess.103So they all set out, and rode across the plain, the little fox running before them.104He stopped at the sight of a great flock of sheep, which was feeding peacefully on the rich grass.105“To whom do these sheep belong?” asked he of the shepherd.106“To an ogre,” replied the shepherd.107“Hush,” said the fox in a mysterious manner.108“Do you see that crowd of armed men riding along?109If you were to tell them that those sheep belonged to an ogre, they would kill them, and then the ogre would kill you!110If they ask, just say the sheep belong to Count Piro; it will be better for everybody.”111And the fox ran hastily on, as he did not wish to be seen talking to the shepherd.112Very soon the king came up.113“What beautiful sheep!” he said, drawing up his horse.114“I have none so fine in my pastures.115Whose are they?”116“Count Piro’s,” answered the shepherd, who did not know the king.117“Well, he must be a very rich man,” thought the king to himself, and rejoiced that he had such a wealthy son-in-law.118Meanwhile the fox had met with a huge herd of pigs, snuffling about the roots of some trees.119“To whom do these pigs belong?” he asked of the swineherd.120“To an ogre,” replied he.121“Hush!” whispered the fox, though nobody could hear him; “do you see that troop of armed men riding towards us?122If you tell them that the pigs belong to the ogre they will kill them, and then the ogre will kill you!123If they ask, just say that the pigs belong to Count Piro; it will be better for everybody.”124And he ran hastily on.125Soon after the king rode up.126“What fine pigs!” he said, reining in his horse.127“They are fatter than any I have got on my farms.128Whose are they?”129“Count Piro’s,” answered the swineherd, who did not know the king; and again the king felt he was lucky to have such a rich son-in-law.130This time the fox ran faster than before, and in a flowery meadow he found a troop of horses feeding.131“Whose horses are these?” he asked of the man who was watching them.132“An ogre’s,” replied he.133“Hush!” whispered the fox, “do you see that crowd of armed men coming towards us?134If you tell them the horses belong to an ogre they will drive them off, and then the ogre will kill you!135If they ask, just say they are Count Piro’s; it will be better for everybody.”136And he ran on again.137In a few minutes the king rode up.138“Oh, what lovely creatures! how I wish they were mine!” he exclaimed.139“Whose are they?”140Count Piro’s,” answered the man, who did not know the king; and the king’s heart leapt as he thought that if they belonged to his rich son-in-law they were as good as his.141At last the fox came to the castle of the ogre himself.142He ran up the steps, with tears falling from his eyes, and crying:143“Oh, you poor, poor people, what a sad fate is yours!”144“What has happened?” asked the ogre, trembling with fright.145“Do you see that troop of horsemen who are riding along the road?146They are sent by the king to kill you!”1 2← previousThe Crimson Fairy Book, part 24next →The Crimson Fairy Book, part 26↑ back to The Crimson Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg2435/25/page/2/