The false bride at length remembered Falada's gift of speech and
became alarmed lest he should betray the secret of her treachery. She
told the Prince that the horse which had brought her was vicious and
had given her much trouble, and that she desired his head cut off
immediately. The Prince at once granted her request, and gave orders
that Falada be beheaded.
When the real Princess heard the sad news, she dried her tears and
sought the executioner. She could not save her dear Falada from his
doom, but with the aid of a gold piece she persuaded the slaughterer
to nail his head over the great gate through which she had to pass on
her way to and from the goose-pasture.
The next morning, when she and Curdken drove their geese under the
gate, the Princess wrung her hands and cried:
"O Falada, hang you there?"
And the head replied to her:
"'Tis Falada, Princess fair.
If she knew this, for thy sake
Thy queen-mother's heart would break."
When she had driven the geese to the field, she sat down and loosed
her golden hair. Curdken, seeing it shining in the sun, caught at it
to pull some out. Whereupon she sang:
"Wind, blow gently here, I pray,
And take Curdken's hat away.
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