The next morning Jean and his companion left the inn to continue their
journey through the great pine-forests and over the high mountains. They
arrived at last at such a great height that towns and villages lay beneath
them, and the church steeples looked like little specks between the green
trees. They could see for miles round, far away to places they had never
visited, and Jean saw more of the beautiful world than he had ever known
before. The sun shone brightly in the blue firmament above, and through the
clear mountain air came the sound of the huntsman’s horn, and the soft,
sweet notes brought tears into his eyes, and he could not help exclaiming,
“How good and loving God is to give us all this beauty and loveliness in the
world to make us happy!”
His fellow-traveller stood by with folded hands, gazing on the dark wood
and the towns bathed in the warm sunshine. At this moment there sounded
over their heads sweet music. They looked up, and discovered a large white
swan hovering in the air, and singing as never bird sang before. But the
song soon became weaker and weaker, the bird’s head drooped, and he sunk
slowly down, and lay dead at their feet.
“It is a beautiful bird,” said the traveller, “and these large white wings are
worth a great deal of money. I will take them with me. You see now that a
sword will be very useful.”
So he cut off the wings of the dead swan with one blow, and carried them
away with him.
They now continued their journey over the mountains for many miles, till
they at length reached a large city, containing hundreds of towers, that
shone in the sunshine like silver. In the midst of the city stood a splendid
marble palace, roofed with pure red gold, in which dwelt the king. Jean and
his companion would not go into the town immediately; so they stopped at
an inn outside the town, to change their clothes; for they wished to appear
respectable as they walked through the streets. The landlord told them that
the king was a very good man, who never injured any one: but as to his
daughter, “Heaven defend us!”
