BUT the wedding did not end the story. Caesarino was now a prince, and he and his beasts had the great rich royal forest to hunt in, whenever he could spare any time from the company of his fair bride. Meanwhile the news of his greatness spread to his old home, and his sisters grew restless. They would not even wait till he sent for them, as he intended to do, but took ship and arrived without warning at the court, where, for his sake, they were well received. Yet they were never satisfied, however kindly they were treated, but continually grumbled, and were envious of all the other ladies about the Princess. Worse than that, some wicked men, jealous of the favour shown by the King to their brother, instigated them to put an end to Caesarino's life, and showed them a sure way.

It was his habit, when he came back tired from the chase, to throw off his doublet, and cast himself down on a couch in his wife's room, while she played and sang to him. These wicked people, knowing this, dipped a sharp bone in a deadly poisonous liquid, and concealed it in the couch, so that when he lay down it pierced his silken shirt and wounded him. After a few brief moments of agony he tried to sit up, gave one groan, and fell back lifeless. His young wife gave the alarm. The household ran to him; physicians were called in; they applied restoratives, but all was in vain; and the palace was filled with cries of mourning for the well-beloved Prince. The Princess and King, too, were overwhelmed with grief.

But what of his good beasts the while? They had come in from the chase with him, and had lain down in the fine lairs he had made for them. Tired with waiting for him to come and feed them, as it was his wont to do every day with his own hands, they all three fell asleep. The wailing and lamentation should have wakened them and told them that something was wrong; but the wicked sisters and their accomplices had stuffed and sealed the ears of the beasts while they slept, so that they might hear nothing.

But the Wolf's ears were too restless, even in sleep, to be sealed up quite; and he it was first heard something of the commotion in the palace. He crept out of his lair softly, wandered about, peered, listened as well as he could, and came back. "Brothers," he whispered, "I fear some evil thing has befallen our dear master." But they could hear nothing, he saw, though they were now awake. So he made signs, and at last they understood for animals have many marvellous ways of speaking to each other that their dear master was in trouble, or dead. Then the Bear with his sharp claws scooped out the stuffing from the Lion's ears, and the Lion did the same for the Wolf and the Bear.