THE BOY WHO KNEW WHAT THE BIRDS SAID
the Steward's house and get from the under-servants two meals a day for herself and Mell, her son.
And everybody, as I said, despised this son of hers—horse-boys and dog-boys and the grooms around the Castle. But of course no one despised Mell more than did the King's daughter, Princess Bright Brow.
She used to go into a wood and whisper along the branch of a tree. And one day the Hen-wife's son whom she despised so much made answer to her. He was lying along the branch of the tree watching his mother's goat that grazed on the grass below. Now this is what Princess Bright Brow said to the tree and this is what she used to say to it every day.—
Oak-tree, oak-tree, above the rest,
Which of the heroes loves me best?
Mell was lying along the Branch as I have said, and he made answer back to her.
Princess, Princess, he's at your call,
And the Hen-wife's sonloves you best of all!
The King's daughter looked up and she saw the Hen-wife's son on the branch, and she went into
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