Every morning she went out to gather dried roots, nuts, and berries, for
her own food, and sweet fresh grass for the fawn, which he ate out of
her hand, and the poor little animal went out with her, and played about
as happy as the day was long.

When evening came, and the poor sister felt tired, she would kneel down
and say her prayers, and then lay her delicate head on the fawn's back,
which was a soft warm pillow, on which she could sleep peacefully. Had
this dear brother only kept his own proper form, how happy they would
have been together! After they had been alone in the forest for some
time, and the little sister had grown a lovely maiden, and the fawn a
large stag, a numerous hunting party came to the forest, and amongst
them the king of the country.

The sounding horn, the barking of the dogs, the holloa of the huntsmen,
resounded through the forest, and were heard by the stag, who became
eager to join his companions.

"Oh dear," he said, "do let me go and see the hunt; I cannot restrain
myself." And he begged so hard that at last she reluctantly consented.

"But remember," she said, "I must lock the cottage door against those
huntsmen, so when you come back in the evening, and knock, I shall not
admit you, unless you say, 'Dear little sister let me in.'"

He bounded off as she spoke, scarcely stopping to listen, for it was so
delightful for him to breathe the fresh air and be free again.

He had not run far when the king's chief hunter caught sight of the