31-minnikin-第4节

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one　whom　he　had　first　saved；　and　she　was　the　younger。　For　this

cause　he　was　continually　walking　backwards　and　forwards；　thinking

how　he　could　contrive　to　get　her；　and　yet　do　nothing　that　was　unkind

to　her　sister。　One　day　when　he　was　walking　about　and　thinking

of　this；　it　came　into　his　mind　that　if　he　only　had　his　brother；　King

Pippin；　with　him；　who　was　so　like　himself　that　no　one　could

distinguish　the　one　from　the　other；　he　could　let　him　have　the　elder

Princess　and　half　the　kingdom；　as　for　himself；　he　thought；　the

other　half　was　quite　enough。　As　soon　as　this　thought　occurred　to

him　he　went　outside　the　palace　and　called　for　King　Pippin；　but　no

one　came。　So　he　called　a　second　time；　and　a　little　louder；　but　no！

still　no　one　came。　So　Minnikin　called　for　the　third　time；　and　with

all　his　might；　and　there　stood　his　brother　by　his　side。



‘I　told　you　that　you　were　not　to　call　me　unless　you　were　in　the

utmost　need；'　he　said　to　Minnikin；　‘and　there　is　not　even　so　much

as　a　midge　here　who　can　do　you　any　harm！'　and　with　that　he

gave　Minnikin　such　a　blow　that　he　rolled　over　on　the　grass。



‘Shame　on　you　to　strike　me！'　said　Minnikin。　‘First　have　I　won

one　Princess　and　half　the　kingdom；　and　then　the　other　Princess

and　the　other　half　of　the　kingdom；　and　now；　when　I　was　just　thinking

that　I　would　give　you　one　of　the　Princesses　and　one　of　the

halves　of　the　kingdom；　do　you　think　you　have　any　reason　to　give

me　such　a　blow？'



When　King　Pippin　heard　that　he　begged　his　brother's　pardon；

and　they　were　reconciled　at　once　and　became　good　friends。



‘Now；　as　you　know；'　said　Minnikin；　‘we　are　so　like　each　other

that　no　one　can　tell　one　of　us　from　the　other；　so　just　change　clothes

with　me　and　go　up　to　the　palace；　and　then　the　Princesses　will　think

that　I　am　coming　in；　and　the　one　who　kisses　you　first　shall　be

yours；　and　I　will　have　the　other。'　For　he　knew　that　the　elder

Princess　was　the　stronger；　so　he　could　very　well　guess　how　things

would　go。



King　Pippin　at　once　agreed　to　this。　He　changed　clothes　with

his　brother；　and　went　into　the　palace。　When　he　entered　the

Princess's　apartments　they　believed　that　he　was　Minnikin；　and

both　of　them　ran　up　to　him　at　once；　but　the　elder；　who　was　bigger

and　stronger；　pushed　her　sister　aside；　and　threw　her　arms　round

King　Pippin's　neck　and　kissed　him；　so　he　got　her　to　wife；　and

Minnikin　the　younger　sister。　It　will　be　easy　to　understand　that

two　weddings　took　place；　and　they　were　so　magnificent　that　they

were　heard　of　and　talked　about　all　over　seven　kingdoms。＇27＇



＇27＇　From　J。　Moe。