Then the other attendants
of the King, who after all were not very fond of Faithful John, cried,
"How shameful to kill the beautiful animal, that was to have carried the
King to his palace." But the King said, "Hold your peace and leave him
alone, he is my most faithful John, who knows what may be the good of
that!" They went into the palace, and in the hall there stood a dish,
and therein lay the bridal garment looking no otherwise than as if it
were made of gold and silver. The young King went towards it and was
about to take hold of it, but Faithful John pushed him away, seized it
with gloves on, carried it quickly to the fire and burnt it. The other
attendants again began to murmur, and said, "Behold, now he is even
burning the King's bridal garment!" But the young King said, "Who knows
what good he may have done, leave him alone, he is my most faithful John."
And now the wedding was solemnized: the dance began, and the bride also
took part in it; then Faithful John was watchful and looked into her
face, and suddenly she turned pale and fell to the ground, as if she
were dead.
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