Many others came after this and undertook the enterprise,
but all forfeited their lives. Now it came to pass that a poor soldier,
who had a wound, and could serve no longer, found himself on the road to
the town where the King lived. There he met an old woman, who asked him
where he was going. "I hardly know myself," answered he, and added in
jest, "I had half a mind to discover where the princesses danced their
shoes into holes, and thus become King." "That is not so difficult,"
said the old woman, "you must not drink the wine which will be brought
to you at night, and must pretend to be sound asleep." With that she gave
him a little cloak, and said, "If you put on that, you will be invisible,
and then you can steal after the twelve." When the soldier had received
this good advice, he went into the thing in earnest, took heart, went to
the King, and announced himself as a suitor. He was as well received as
the others, and royal garments were put upon him. He was conducted that
evening at bed-time into the ante-chamber, and as he was about to go to
bed, the eldest came and brought him a cup of wine, but he had tied a
sponge under his chin, and let the wine run down into it, without drinking
a drop.
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