But when he had reached the outskirts of the wood, he heard from a thicket a cry as of some one in pain. And forgetting his own sorrow he ran back to the place, and saw there a little Hare caught in a trap that some hunter had set for it.
And the Star-Child had pity on it, and released it, and said to it, “I am myself but a slave, yet may I give thee thy freedom. ”
And the Hare answered him, and said: “Surely thou hast given me freedom, and what shall I give thee in return?”
And the Star-Child said to it, “I am seeking for a piece of white gold, nor can I anywhere find it, and if I bring it not to my master he will beat me. ”
“Come thou with me, ” said the Hare, “and I will lead thee to it, for I know where it is hidden, and for what purpose. ”
So the Star-Child went with the Hare, and lo! in the cleft of a great oak-tree he saw the piece of white gold that he was seeking. And he was filled with joy, and seized it, and said to the Hare, “The service that I did to thee thou hast rendered back again many times over, and the kindness that I showed thee thou hast repaid a hundred-fold. ”
“Nay,” answered the Hare, “but as thou dealt with me, so I did deal with thee, ” and it ran away swiftly, and the Star-Child went towards the city.
Now at the gate of the city there was seated one who was a leper. Over his face hung a cowl of grey linen, and through the eyelets his eyes gleamed like red coals. And when he saw the Star-Child coming, he struck upon a wooden bowl, and clattered his bell, and called out to him, and said, “Give me a piece of money, or I must die of hunger. For they have thrust me out of the city, and there is no one who has pity on me. ”
“Alas!” cried the Star-Child, “I have but one piece of money in my wallet, and if I bring it not to my master he will beat me, for I am his slave. ”
But the leper entreated him, and prayed of him, till the Star-Child had pity, and gave him the piece of white gold.
And when he came to the Magician’s house, the Magician opened to him, and brought him in, and said to him, “Hast thou the piece of white gold?” And the Star-Child answered, “I have it not.” So the Magician fell upon him, and beat him, and set before him an empty trencher, and said, “Eat, ” and an empty cup, and said, “Drink, ” and flung him again into the dungeon.
And on the morrow the Magician came to him, and said, “If to-day thou bringest me not the piece of yellow gold, I will surely keep thee as my slave, and give thee three hundred stripes. ”
So the Star-Child went to the wood, and all day long he searched for the piece of yellow gold, but nowhere could he find it. And at sunset he sat him down and began to weep, and as he was weeping there came to him the little Hare that he had rescued from the trap, and the Hare said to him, “ Why art thou weeping? And what dost thou seek in the wood?”
And the Star-Child answered, “I am seeking for a piece of yellow gold that is hidden here, and if I find it not my master will beat me, and keep me as a slave. ”
“Follow me, ” cried the Hare, and it ran through the wood till it came to a pool of water. And at the bottom of the pool the piece of yellow gold was lying.
“How shall I thank thee?” said the Star-Child, “for lo! this is the second time that you have succoured me.”
“Nay, but thou hadst pity on me first, ” said the Hare, and it ran away swiftly.
And the Star-Child took the piece of yellow gold, and put it in his wallet, and hurried to the city. But the leper saw him coming, and ran to meet him, and knelt down and cried, “Give me a piece of money or I shall die of hunger.”
And the Star-Child said to him, “I have in my wallet but one piece of yellow gold, and if I bring it not to my master he will beat me and keep me as his slave. ”
But the leper entreated him sore, so that the Star-Child had pity on him, and gave him the piece of yellow gold.
And when he came to the Magician’s house, the Magician opened to him, and brought him in, and said to him, “Hast thou the piece of yellow gold?” And the Star-Child said to him, “I have it not.” So the Magician fell upon him, and beat him, and loaded him with chains, and cast him again into the dungeon.
And on the morrow the Magician came to him, and said, “If to-day thou bringest me the piece of red gold I will set thee free, but if thou bringest it not I will surely slay thee. ”
So the Star-Child went to the wood, and all day long he searched for the piece of red gold, but nowhere could he find it. And at evening he sat him down and wept, and as he was weeping there came to him the little Hare.
And the Hare said to him, “The piece of red gold that thou seekest is in the cavern that is behind thee. Therefore weep no more but be glad.”
“How shall I reward thee?” cried the Star-Child, “for lo! this is the third time thou hast succoured me. ”
“Nay, but thou hadst pity on me first, ” said the Hare, and it ran away swiftly.
And the Star-Child entered the cavern, and in its farthest corner he found the piece of red gold. So he put it in his wallet, and hurried to the city. And the leper seeing him coming, stood in the centre of the road, and cried out, and said to him, “Give me the piece of red money, or I must die, ” and the Star-Child had pity on him again, and gave him the piece of red gold, saying, “Thy need is greater than mine.” Yet was his heart heavy, for he knew what evil fate awaited him.
But lo! as he passed through the gate of the city, the guards bowed down and made obeisance to him, saying, “How beautiful is our lord!” and a crowd of citizens followed him, and cried out, “Surely there is none so beautiful in the whole world!” so that the Star-Child wept, and said to himself, “They are mocking me, and making light of my misery. ” And so large was the concourse of the people, that he lost the threads of his way, and found himself at last in a great square, in which there was a palace of a King.
