Two kings» sons once upon a time went into the world to seektheir fortunes; but they soon fell into a wasteful foolish way ofliving, so that they could not return home again. Then theirbrother, who was a little insignificant dwarf, went out to seek forhis brothers: but when he had found them they only laughed at him, tothink that he, who was so young and simple, should try to travelthrough the world, when they, who were so much wiser, had been unableto get on. However, they all set out on their journey together, andcame at last to an ant-hill. The two elder brothers would have pulledit down, in order to see how the poor ants in their fright would runabout and carry off their eggs. But the little dwarf said, «Let thepoor things enjoy themselves, I will not suffer you to trouble them.»
So on they went, and came to a lake where many many ducks wereswimming about. The two brothers wanted to catch two, and roast them.But the dwarf said, «Let the poor things enjoy themselves, you shallnot kill them.» Next they came to a bees’-nest in a hollow tree, andthere was so much honey that it ran down the trunk; and the twobrothers wanted to light a fire under the tree and kill the bees, soas to get their honey. But the dwarf held them back, and said, «Let thepretty insects enjoy themselves, I cannot let you burn them.»
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