双语故事 牧鹅姑娘(5)

　　She was led upstairs, while the real princess was left standing below. Then the old king looked out of the window and saw her waiting in the courtyard, and noticed how fine and delicate and beautiful she was, so at once he went to the royal apartment, and asked the bride about the girl she had with her who was standing down below in the courtyard, and who she was.

　　"I picked her up on my way for a companion. Give the girl some work to do, so she won't stand idly by."

　　However, the old king had no work for her, and knew of nothing else to say but, "I have a little boy who tends the geese. She can help him." The boy was called Kürdchen （Little Conrad）， and the true bride had to help him tend geese.

　　Soon afterwards the false bride said to the young king, "Dearest husband, I beg you to do me a favor."