far in the interior of the country lay an old baronial hall, and in it lived an old proprietor, who had two sons, which two young men thought themselves too clever by half. they wanted to go out and woo the king’s daughter; for the maiden in question had publicly announced that she would choose for her husband that youth who could arrange his words best.
so these two geniuses prepared themselves a full week for the wooing—this was the longest time that could be granted them; but it was enough, for they had had much preparatory information, and everybody knows how useful that is. one of them knew the whole latin dictionary by heart, and three whole years of the daily paper of the little town into the bargain, and so well, indeed, that he could repeat it all either backwards or forwards, just as he chose. the other was deeply read in the corporation laws, and knew by heart what every corporation ought to know; and accordingly he thought he could talk of affairs of state, and put his spoke in the wheel in the council. and he knew one thing more: he could embroider suspenders with roses and other flowers, and with arabesques, for he was a tasty, light-fingered fellow.
“i shall win the princess!” so cried both of them. therefore their old papa gave to each of them a handsome horse. the youth who knew the dictionary and newspaper by heart had a black horse, and he who knew all about the corporation laws received a milk-white steed. then they rubbed the corners of their mouths with fish-oil, so that they might become very smooth and glib. all the servants stood below in the courtyard, and looked on while they mounted their horses; and just by chance the third son came up. for the proprietor had really three sons, though nobody counted the third with his brothers, because he was not so learned as they, and indeed he was generally known as “jack the dullard.”
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