“The little son of the king began to think what to do; if he waited until the ministers came back from the war and he did not run away, he would have to bear their heavy reproaches, having set the man free. They would explain to him in all detail why this or that ministry would not be so efficient as before, now that the required funds were missing, and therefore one could not expect that he, the prince, would ever become king - not even with the greatest effort on the part of the ministers who would of course be prepared for any personal sacrifice; but of what use would the effort be when the treasury was empty: none, none at all.

“And since these considerations did not appeal to the boy, he decided to set out in all silence and seek his fortune in the world.
So the little son of the king wandered and wandered over paved and unpaved ways, over hill and dale.

“Once he saw a wild dove; quickly he took his arrow and took aim.
“Don't shoot, honourable prince,” the dove said to him, ”I have two little sons at home; they will die of hunger if I cannot bring them food.”

“The king's son felt pity with the bird and did not shoot. ”Now, prince, for your good deed you may expect good; I will reward you,” said the wild dove.

“You poor dove, how can you ever repay me?” replied the king's son.
“Certainly they say, honourable prince,” said the dove, ”that mountain and mountain shall never meet; a living being, however, may well meet another living being.”

“The king's son was happy to hear these words and went on.

“As he loitered along, he saw a wild duck; again he pulled his arrow to shoot at it.
And the wild duck said to him, ”Do not shoot, honourable prince, for I have two little sons at home; they will die of hunger if I cannot bring them something to eat.”

“The king's son felt pity with it too and again he did not shoot.
“Now, prince, for your good deed you may expect good; I will reward you,” said the wild duck.

“You poor duck, how can you ever repay me?” replied the king's son.
“They do say, honourable prince,” said the duck, ”that mountain and mountain shall never meet; a living being, however, may well meet another living being anywhere in the world.”
The king's son was happy to hear these words and went on.

“As he roamed along he saw a stork. Again he pulled his arrow and took aim.
And the stork too began to implore him, ”Do not shoot, honourable prince, for I have two little sons at home; they will die of hunger if I cannot bring them something to eat.”