Once upon a time there was a beautiful musteline princess. When she reached 18 years and had become grown, it was time for her to take a mate.
Her father, the king, sent out a proclamation that any furre who could prove himself to his daughter's satisfaction would win her hand in marriage.
On the first day after the proclamation had been posted, a giant tiger came to the palace, and was shown in by the king's personal guard, Ruff the wolf.
"Princess," the tiger said, "I have come to prove myself, so that I may win your hand."
"Go then," said she, "and bring me back a live bear."
Thinking this an easy task for a mighty hunter such as he, the tiger went out into the forest and captured the greatest bear he could find. He chained the bear and brought it back to the palace.
But the princess was not pleased. "Be off, I will not marry you."
The tiger left feeling very sad, and wondering what he had done wrong.
The next day a wily fox came to the palace, and he too was shown in by Ruff.
"Princess," the fox said, "I have come to prove myself, so that I may win your hand."
"Go then," said she, "and bring me back a live bear."
While the fox was small, he knew he was smart enough to capture a bear for her.
The fox went out to the woods, and came across the bear in a clearing trying for honeycomb.
"I know where your den is," he said to the bear, "and if you do not come with me and do as I say I shall kill your cubs! You cannot watch them always, your family is not as big as mine."
So the bear agreed, and they went back to the palace, where the princess was waiting.
But she was not pleased. "Be off, I will not marry you."
The fox left, wondering what part of his scheme he had blundered.
The next day a gentle horse came to the palace, and he was shown in by Ruff.
"Princess," the horse said, "I have come to prove myself, so that I may win your hand."
"Go then," said she, "and bring me back a live bear."
The draft horse nodded and went out to the woods. When he came upon the bear, he stepped out of the trees and said to it, "Oh Brother Bear, I have come to ask your help. Will you come to the palace and speak for me?"
The bear answered, "Yes, Brother Horse."
When the two arrived at the palace the bear stepped forward. " Oh Princess, two days ago, Tiger came and overpowered me, and brought me to you in chains. Yesterday, Fox brought me to you by threatening my family. But today, Horse does not bring me to you, I come willingly with him, as his friend, not as his captive."
The princess was pleased. "You have proven yourself kindhearted, Horse, and so I will marry you, for I know you will show the furres of our land the same gentleness you have shown the bear."
And so the horse and the musteline princess were wed, and the bear returned to the woods, and they all lived happily ever after.
The End
Her father, the king, sent out a proclamation that any furre who could prove himself to his daughter's satisfaction would win her hand in marriage.
On the first day after the proclamation had been posted, a giant tiger came to the palace, and was shown in by the king's personal guard, Ruff the wolf.
"Princess," the tiger said, "I have come to prove myself, so that I may win your hand."
"Go then," said she, "and bring me back a live bear."
Thinking this an easy task for a mighty hunter such as he, the tiger went out into the forest and captured the greatest bear he could find. He chained the bear and brought it back to the palace.
But the princess was not pleased. "Be off, I will not marry you."
The tiger left feeling very sad, and wondering what he had done wrong.
The next day a wily fox came to the palace, and he too was shown in by Ruff.
"Princess," the fox said, "I have come to prove myself, so that I may win your hand."
"Go then," said she, "and bring me back a live bear."
While the fox was small, he knew he was smart enough to capture a bear for her.
The fox went out to the woods, and came across the bear in a clearing trying for honeycomb.
"I know where your den is," he said to the bear, "and if you do not come with me and do as I say I shall kill your cubs! You cannot watch them always, your family is not as big as mine."
So the bear agreed, and they went back to the palace, where the princess was waiting.
But she was not pleased. "Be off, I will not marry you."
The fox left, wondering what part of his scheme he had blundered.
The next day a gentle horse came to the palace, and he was shown in by Ruff.
"Princess," the horse said, "I have come to prove myself, so that I may win your hand."
"Go then," said she, "and bring me back a live bear."
The draft horse nodded and went out to the woods. When he came upon the bear, he stepped out of the trees and said to it, "Oh Brother Bear, I have come to ask your help. Will you come to the palace and speak for me?"
The bear answered, "Yes, Brother Horse."
When the two arrived at the palace the bear stepped forward. " Oh Princess, two days ago, Tiger came and overpowered me, and brought me to you in chains. Yesterday, Fox brought me to you by threatening my family. But today, Horse does not bring me to you, I come willingly with him, as his friend, not as his captive."
The princess was pleased. "You have proven yourself kindhearted, Horse, and so I will marry you, for I know you will show the furres of our land the same gentleness you have shown the bear."
And so the horse and the musteline princess were wed, and the bear returned to the woods, and they all lived happily ever after.
The End