Brother and Sister · page 21 2101Then she silently left the room, and next morning when the nurse asked the sentries if they had seen any one go into the castle that night, they all said, ‘No, we saw no one at all.’102For many nights the Queen came in the same way, but she never spoke a word, and the nurse was too frightened to say anything about her visits.103After some little time had elapsed the Queen spoke one night, and said:104‘Is my child well?105Is my Roe well?106I’ll come back twice and then farewell.’107The nurse made no answer, but as soon as the Queen had disappeared she went to the King and told him all.108The King exclaimed, ‘Good heavens! what do you say?109I will watch myself to-night by the child’s bed.’110When the evening came he went to the nursery, and at midnight the Queen appeared and said:111‘Is my child well?112Is my Roe well?113I’ll come back once and then farewell.’114And she nursed and petted the child as usual before she disappeared.115The King dared not trust himself to speak to her, but the following night he kept watch again.116That night when the Queen came she said:117‘Is my child well?118Is my Roe well?119I’ve come this once, and now farewell.’120Then the King could restrain himself no longer, but sprang to her side and cried, ‘You can be no one but my dear wife!’121‘Yes,’ said she, ‘I am your dear wife!’ and in the same moment she was restored to life, and was as fresh and well and rosy as ever.122Then she told the King all the cruel things the wicked witch and her daughter had done.123The King had them both arrested at once and brought to trial, and they were condemned to death.checked by a teacher124The daughter was led into the forest, where the wild beasts tore her to pieces, and the old witch was burnt at the stake.125As soon as she reduced to ashes the spell was taken off the little Roe, and he was restored to his natural shape once more, and so brother and sister lived happily ever after.126[6]127[6] Grimm.1 2← previousThe Master Thiefnext →Princess Rosette↑ back to The Red Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg540/10/page/2/