Once in summer-time the bear and the wolf were walking in the forest,and the bear heard a bird singing so beautifully that he said: «Brotherwolf, what bird is it that sings so well?» «That is the King of birds,’said the wolf, «before whom we must bow down.» In reality thebird was the willow-wren. «If that’s the case,» said the bear, «Ishould very much like to see his royal palace; come, take me thither.’«That is not done quite as you seem to think,» said the wolf; «youmust wait until the Queen comes,» Soon afterwards, the Queen arrivedwith some food in her beak, and the lord King came too, and they beganto feed their young ones. The bear would have liked to go at once, butthe wolf held him back by the sleeve, and said: «No, you must waituntil the lord and lady Queen have gone away again.» So they tookstock of the hole where the nest lay, and trotted away. The bear,however, could not rest until he had seen the royal palace, andwhen a short time had passed, went to it again. The King and Queen hadjust flown out, so he peeped in and saw five or six young ones lyingthere. «Is that the royal palace?» cried the bear; «it is a wretchedpalace, and you are not King’s children, you are disreputablechildren!» When the young wrens heard that, they were frightfullyangry, and screamed: «No, that we are not! Our parents are honestpeople! Bear, you will have to pay for that!»
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