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英文童话故事：TheRiddleAKing'ssononcehadagreatdesiretotravelthroughtheworld,sohestartedoff,takingnoonewithhimbutonetrustyservant.Onedayhecametoagreatforest,andaseveningdrewonhecouldfindnoshelter,andcouldnotthinkwheretospendthenight.Allofasuddenhesawagirlgoingtowardsalittlehouse,andashedrewnearerheremarkedthatshewasbothyoungandpretty.Hespoketoher,andsaid,'Dearchild,couldIandmyservantspendthenightinthishouse?''Ohyes,'saidthegirlinasadtone,'youcanifyoulike,butIshouldnotadviseyoutodoso.Betternotgoin.''Whynot?'askedtheKing'sson.Thegirlsighedandanswered,'Mystepmotherdealsinblackarts,andsheisnotveryfriendlytostrangers.'ThePrinceguessedeasilythathehadfallenonawitch'shouse,butasbythistimeitwasquitedarkandhecouldgonofurther,andasmoreoverhewasnotatallafraid,hesteppedin.Anoldwomansatinanarmchairnearthefire,andasthestrangersenteredsheturnedherredeyesonthem.'Goodevening,'shemuttered,andpretendingtobequitefriendly.'Won'tyousitdown?'Sheblewupthefireonwhichshewascookingsomethinginalittlepot,andherdaughtersecretlywarnedthetravellerstobeverycarefulnottoeatordrinkanything,astheoldwoman'sbrewswereapttobedangerous.Theywenttobed,andsleptsoundlytillmorning.WhentheywerereadytostartandtheKing'ssonhadalreadymountedhishorsetheoldwomansaid：'Waitaminute,Imustgiveyouastirrupcup.'WhilstshewenttofetchittheKing'ssonrodeoff,andtheservantwhohadwaitedtotightenhissaddle-girthswasalonewhenthewitchreturned.'Takethattoyourmaster,'shesaid;butasshespoketheglasscrackedandthepoisonspurtedoverthehorse,anditwassopowerfulthatthepoorcreaturesankdowndead.Theservantranafterhismasterandtoldhimwhathadhappened,andthen,notwishingtolosethesaddleaswellasthehorse,hewentbacktofetchit.Whenhegottothespothesawthataravenhadperchedonthecarcaseandwaspeckingatit.'Whoknowswhetherweshallgetanythingbettertoeatto-day!'saidtheservant,andheshottheravenandcarrieditoff.Thentheyrodeonalldaythroughtheforestwithoutcomingtotheend.Atnightfalltheyreachedaninn,whichtheyentered,andtheservantgavethelandlordtheraventodressfortheirsupper.Now,asithappened,thisinnwasaregularresortofabandofmurderers,andtheoldwitchtoowasinthehabitoffrequentingit.Assoonasitwasdarktwelvemurderersarrived,withthefullintentionofkillingandrobbingthestrangers.Beforetheysettowork,however,theysatdowntotable,andthelandlordandtheoldwitchjoinedthem,andtheyallatesomebrothinwhichthefleshoftheravenhadbeensteweddown.Theyhadhardlytakenacoupleofspoonfulswhentheyallfelldowndead,forthepoisonhadpassedfromthehorsetotheravenandsointothebroth.Sotherewasnooneleftbelongingtothehousebutthelandlord'sdaughter,whowasagood,well-meaninggirl,andhadtakennopartinalltheevildoings.Sheopenedallthedoors,andshowedthestrangersthetreasurestherobbershadgatheredtogether;butthePrincebadeherkeepthemallforherself,ashewantednoneofthem,andsoherodefurtherwithhisservant.AftertravellingaboutforsomelengthoftimetheyreachedatownwherelivedalovelybutmostarrogantPrincess.Shehadgivenoutthatanyonewhoaskedherariddlewhichshefoundherselfunabletoguessshouldbeherhusband,butshouldsheguessithemustforfeithishead.Sheclaimedthreedaysinwhichtothinkovertheriddles,butshewassoverycleverthatsheinvariablyguessedtheminamuchshortertime.NinesuitorshadalreadylosttheirliveswhentheKing'ssonarrived,and,dazzledbyherbeauty,determinedtoriskhislifeinhopesofwinningher.Sohecamebeforeherandpropoundedhisriddle.'Whatisthis?'heasked.'Oneslewnoneandyetkilledtwelve.'Shecouldnotthinkwhatitwas!Shethought,andthought,andlookedthroughallherbooksofriddlesandpuzzles,butshefoundnothingtohelpher,andcouldnotguess;infact,shewasatherwits'end.Asshecouldthinkofnowaytoguesstheriddle,sheorderedhermaidtostealatnightintothePrince'sbedroomandtolisten,forshethoughtthathemightperhapstalkaloudinhisdreamsandsobetraythesecret.Butthecleverservanthadtakenhismaster'splace,andwhenthemaidcamehetoreoffthecloakshehadwrappedherselfinandhuntedheroffwithawhip.OnthesecondnightthePrincesssentherlady-in-waiting,hopingthatshemightsucceedbetter,buttheservanttookawayhermantleandchasedherawayalso.OnthethirdnighttheKing'ssonthoughthereallymightfeelsafe,sohewenttobed.ButinthemiddleofthenightthePrincesscameherself,allhuddledupinamistygreymantle,andsatdownnearhim.Whenshethoughthewasfastasleep,shespoketohim,hopinghewouldanswerinthemidstofhisdreams,asmanypeopledo;buthewaswideawakeallthetime,andheardandunderstoodeverythingverywell.Thensheasked：'Oneslewnone--whatisthat?'andheanswered：'Aravenwhichfedonthecarcaseofapoisonedhorse.'Shewenton：'Andyetkilledtwelve--whatisthat?''Thosearetwelvemurdererswhoatetheravenanddiedofit.'Assoonassheknewtheriddleshetriedtoslipaway,butheheldhermantlesotightlythatshewasobligedtoleaveitbehind.NextmorningthePrincessannouncedthatshehadguessedtheriddle,andsentforthetwelvejudges,beforewhomshedeclaredit.Buttheyoungmanbeggedtobeheard,too,andsaid：'Shecamebynighttoquestionme,otherwiseshenevercouldhaveguessedit.'Thejudgessaid：'Bringussomeproof.'Sotheservantbroughtoutthethreecloaks,andwhenthejudgessawthegreyone,whichthePrincesswasinthehabitofwearing,theysaid：'Letitbeembroideredwithgoldandsilver;itshallbeyourweddingmantle.'