"And if I had not you left," he said to Boots, "I would live no longer, so full of sorrow am I for the loss of your brothers."
"Well, but now I've been thinking to ask your leave to set out and find them again; that's what I've been thinking of," said Boots.
"Nay, nay!" said his father; "that leave you shall never get, for then you would stay away, too."
But Boots had set his heart upon it; go he would; and he begged and prayed so long that the King was forced to let him go. Now you must know that the King had no other horse to give Boots but an old broken-down jade, for his six other sons and their train had carried off all his horses; but Boots did not care a pin for that, he sprang up on his sorry old steed.
"Farewell, father," said he; "I'll come back, never fear, and like enough I shall bring my six brothers back with me"; and with that he rode off.
So, when he had ridden a while he came to a Raven, which lay in the road and flapped its wings, and was not able to get out of the way, it was so starved.
"Oh, dear friend," said the Raven, "give me a little food and I'll help you again at your utmost need."
"I haven't much food," said the Prince, "and I don't see how you'll ever be able to help me much; but still I can spare you a little. I see you want it."
So he gave the Raven some of the food he had brought with him.
Now when he had gone a bit further he came to a brook, and in the brook lay a great Salmon, which had got upon a dry place, and dashed itself about, and could not get into the water again.
"Oh, dear friend," said the Salmon to the Prince, "shove me out into the water again, and I'll help you again at your utmost need."
"Well!" said the Prince, "the help you'll give me will not be great, I dare say, but it's a pity you should lie there and choke"; and with that he shot the fish out into the stream again.
After that he went a long, long way, and there met him a Wolf, which was so famished that it lay and crawled along the road on its belly.
"Dear friend, do let me have your horse," said the Wolf, "I'm so hungry the wind whistles through my ribs. I've had nothing to eat these two years." "No," said Boots, "this will never do; first I came to a raven, and I was forced to give him my food; next I came to a salmon, and him I had to help into the water again; and now you will have my horse. It can't be done, that it can't, for then I should have nothing to ride on."