socriedbothofthem.thereforetheiroldpapagavetoeachofthemahandsomehorse.theyouthwhoknewthedictionaryandnewspaperbyhearthadablackhorse,andhewhoknewallaboutthecorporationlawsreceivedamilk-whitesteed.thentheyrubbedthecornersoftheirmouthswithfish-oil,sothattheymightbecomeverysmoothandglib.alltheservantsstoodbelowinthecourtyard,andlookedonwhiletheymountedtheirhorses;andjustbychancethethirdsoncameup.fortheproprietorhadreallythreesons,thoughnobodycountedthethirdwithhisbrothers,becausehewasnotsolearnedasthey,andindeedhewasgenerallyknownas"jackthedullard."

"hallo!"saidjackthedullard,"whereareyougoing?ideclareyouhaveputonyoursundayclothes!"

"we'regoingtotheking'scourt,assuitorstotheking'sdaughter.don'tyouknowtheannouncementthathasbeenmadeallthroughthecountry?"andtheytoldhimallaboutit.

"myword!i'llbeinittoo!"criedjackthedullard;andhistwobrothersburstoutlaughingathim,androdeaway.

"father,dear,"saidjack,"imusthaveahorsetoo.idofeelsodesperatelyinclinedtomarry!ifsheacceptsme,sheacceptsme;andifshewon'thaveme,i'llhaveher;butsheshallbemine!"

"don'ttalknonsense,"repliedtheoldgentleman."youshallhavenohorsefromme.youdon'tknowhowtospeak-youcan'tarrangeyourwords.yourbrothersareverydifferentfellowsfromyou."

"well,"quothjackthedullard,"ifican'thaveahorse,i'lltakethebilly-goat,whobelongstome,andhecancarrymeverywell!"

andsosaid,sodone.hemountedthebilly-goat,pressedhisheelsintoitssides,andgallopeddownthehighstreetlikeahurricane.

"hei,houp!thatwasaride!hereicome!"shoutedjackthedullard,andhesangtillhisvoiceechoedfarandwide.

buthisbrothersrodeslowlyoninadvanceofhim.theyspokenotaword,fortheywerethinkingaboutthefineextemporespeechestheywouldhavetobringout,andthesehadtobecleverlypreparedbeforehand.

"hallo!"shoutedjackthedullard."hereami!lookwhatihavefoundonthehighroad."andheshowedthemwhatitwas,anditwasadeadcrow.

"dullard!"exclaimedthebrothers,"whatareyougoingtodowiththat?"

"withthecrow?why,iamgoingtogiveittotheprincess."

"yes,doso,"saidthey;andtheylaughed,androdeon.

"hallo,hereiamagain!justseewhatihavefoundnow:youdon'tfindthatonthehighroadeveryday!"

andthebrothersturnedroundtoseewhathecouldhavefoundnow.

"dullard!"theycried,"thatisonlyanoldwoodenshoe,andtheupperpartismissingintothebargain;areyougoingtogivethatalsototheprincess?"

"mostcertainlyishall,"repliedjackthedullard;andagainthebrotherslaughedandrodeon,andthustheygotfarinadvanceofhim;but-

"hallo-hoprara!"andtherewasjackthedullardagain."itisgettingbetterandbetter,"hecried."hurrah!itisquitefamous."

"why,whathaveyoufoundthistime?"inquiredthebrothers.

"oh,"saidjackthedullard,"icanhardlytellyou.howgladtheprincesswillbe!"

"bah!"saidthebrothers;"thatisnothingbutclayoutoftheditch."

"yes,certainlyitis,"saidjackthedullard;"andclayofthefinestsort.see,itissowet,itrunsthroughone'sfingers."andhefilledhispocketwiththeclay.

buthisbrothersgallopedontillthesparksflew,andconsequentlytheyarrivedafullhourearlieratthetowngatethancouldjack.nowatthegateeachsuitorwasprovidedwithanumber,andallwereplacedinrowsimmediatelyontheirarrival,sixineachrow,andsocloselypackedtogetherthattheycouldnotmovetheirarms;andthatwasaprudentarrangement,fortheywouldcertainlyhavecometoblows,hadtheybeenable,merelybecauseoneofthemstoodbeforetheother.

alltheinhabitantsofthecountryroundaboutstoodingreatcrowdsaroundthecastle,almostundertheverywindows,toseetheprincessreceivethesuitors;andaseachsteppedintothehall,hispowerofspeechseemedtodeserthim,likethelightofacandlethatisblownout.thentheprincesswouldsay,"heisofnouse!