英文
Faithful John
There was once on a time an old king who was ill, and thought to himself,“I am lying on what must be my death-bed.”Then said he,“Tell Faithful John to come to me.”Faithful John was his favourite servant, and was so called, because he had for his whole life long been so true to him. When therefore he came beside the bed, the King said to him,“Most faithful John, I feel my end approaching, and have no anxiety except about my son. He is still of tender age, and cannot always know how to guide himself. If you do not promise me to teach him everything that he ought to know, and to be his foster-father, I cannot close my eyes in peace.”Then answered Faithful John,“I will not forsake him, and will serve him with fidelity, even if it should cost me my life.”At this, the old King said,“Now I die in comfort and peace.”Then he added,“After my death, you shall show him the whole castle: all the chambers, halls, and vaults, and all the treasures which lie therein, but the last chamber in the long gallery, in which is the picture of the princess of the Golden Dwelling, shall you not show. If he sees that picture, he will fall violently in love with her, and will drop down in a swoon, and go through great danger for her sake, therefore you must protect him from that.”And when Faithful John had once more given his promise to the old King about this, the King said no more, but laid his head on his pillow, and died.
When the old King had been carried to his grave, Faithful John told the young King all that he had promised his father on his deathbed, and said,“This will I assuredly keep, and will be faithful to you as I have been faithful to him, even if it should cost me my life.”When the mourning was over, Faithful John said to him,“It is now time that you shouldst see your inheritance. I will show you your father's palace.”Then he took him about everywhere, up and down, and let him see all the riches, and the magnificent apartments, only there was one room which he did not open, that in which hung the dangerous picture. The picture, however, was so placed that when the door was opened you looked straight on it, and it was so admirably painted that it seemed to breathe and live, and there was nothing more charming or more beautiful in the whole world. The young King noticed, however, that Faithful John always walked past this one door, and said,“Why do you never open this one for me?”
“There is something within it,”he replied,“which would terrify you.”
But the King answered,“I have seen all the palace, and I want to know what is in this room also,”and he went and tried to break open the door by force.
Then Faithful John held him back and said,“I promised your father before his death that you should not see that which is in this chamber, it might bring the greatest misfortune on you and on me.”
“Ah, no,”replied the young King,“if I do not go in, it will be my certain destruction. I should have no rest day or night until I had seen it with my own eyes. I shall not leave the place now until you have unlocked the door.”
Then Faithful John saw that there was no help for it now, and with a heavy heart and many sighs, sought out the key from the great bunch. When he had opened the door, he went in first, and thought by standing before him he could hide the portrait so that the King should not see it in front of him, but what good was this? The King stood on tip-toe and saw it over his shoulder. And when he saw the portrait of the maiden, which was so magnificent and shone with gold and precious stones, he fell fainting to the ground. Faithful John took him up, carried him to his bed, and sorrowfully thought,“The misfortune has befallen us, Lord God, what will be the end of it?”Then he strengthened him with wine, until he came to himself again. The first words the King said were,“Ah, the beautiful portrait! whose it it?”
“That is the princess of the Golden Dwelling,”answered Faithful John.
Then the King continued,“My love for her is so great, that if all the leaves on all the trees were tongues, they could not declare it. I will give my life to win her. You are my most Faithful John, you must help me.”
The faithful servant considered within himself for a long time how to set about the matter, for it was difficult even to obtain a sight of the King's daughter. At length he thought of a way, and said to the King,“Everything which she has about her is of gold—-tables, chairs, dishes, glasses, bowls, and household furniture. Among your treasures are five tons of gold;let one of the goldsmiths of the kingdom fashion these into all manner of vessels and utensils, into all kinds of birds, wild beasts and strange animals, such as may please her, and we will go there with them and try our luck.”
The King ordered all the goldsmiths to be brought to him, and they had to work night and day until at last the most splendid things were prepared. When everything was stowed on board a ship, Faithful John put on the dress of a merchant, and the King was forced to do the same in order to make himself quite unrecognizable. Then they sailed across the sea, and sailed on until they came to the town wherein dwelt the princess of the Golden Dwelling.
Faithful John bade the King stay behind on the ship, and wait for him.“Perhaps I shall bring the princess with me,”said he,“therefore see that everything is in order; have the golden vessels set out and the whole ship decorated.”Then he gathered together in his apron all kinds of gold things, went on shore and walked straight to the royal palace. When he entered the courtyard of the palace, a beautiful girl was standing there by the well with two golden buckets in her hand, drawing water with them. And when she was just turning round to carry away the sparkling water she saw the stranger, and asked who he was. So he answered,“I am a merchant,”and opened his apron, and let her look in. Then she cried,“Oh, what beautiful gold things!”and put her pails down and looked at the golden wares one after the other. Then said the girl,“The princess must see these, she has such great pleasure in golden things, that she will buy all you have.”She took him by the hand and led him upstairs, for she was the waiting-maid. When the King's daughter saw the wares, she was quite delighted and said,“They are so beautifully worked, that I will buy them all from you.”But Faithful John said,“I am only the servant of a rich merchant. The things I have here are not to be compared with those my master has in his ship. They are the most beautiful and valuable things that have ever been made in gold.”When she wanted to have everything brought up to her there, he said,“There are so many of them that it would take a great many days to do that, and so many rooms would be required to exhibit them, that your house is not big enough.”Then her curiosity and longing were still more excited, until at last she said,“Conduct me to the ship, I will go there myself, and behold the treasures of your master.”
At this Faithful John was quite delighted, and led her to the ship, and when the King saw her, he perceived that her beauty was even greater than the picture had represented it to be, and thought no other than that his heart would burst in twain. Then she boarded the ship, and the King led her within. Faithful John, however, remained with the helmsman, and ordered the ship to be pushed off, saying,“Set all sail, till it fly like a bird in the air.”Within, however, the King showed her the golden vessels, every one of them, also the wild beasts and strange animals. Many hours went by whilst she was seeing everything, and in her delight she did not observe that the ship was sailing away. After she had looked at the last,she thanked the merchant and wanted to go home, but when she came to the side of the ship, she saw that it was on the high seas far from land, and hurrying onwards with all sail set.“Ah,”cried she in her alarm,“I am betrayed! I am carried away and have fallen into the power of a merchant—-I would rather die!”The King, however, seized her hand, and said,“I am not a merchant. I am a king, and of no meaner origin than you are, and if I have carried you away with subtlety, that has come to pass because of my exceeding great love for you. The first time that I looked on your portrait, I fell fainting to the ground.”When the princess of the Golden Dwelling heard this, she was comforted, and her heart was drawn to him, so that she willingly consented to be his wife.
It so happened, while they were sailing onwards over the deep sea, that Faithful John, who was sitting on the fore part of the vessel, making music, saw three ravens in the air, which came flying towards them. On this he stopped playing and listened to what they were saying to each other, for that he well understood. One cried,“Oh, there he is carrying home the princess of the Golden Dwelling.”
“Yes,”replied the second,“but he has not got her yet.”
Said the third,“But he has got her, she is sitting beside him in the ship.”
Then the first began again, and cried,“What good will that do him? When they reach land a chestnut horse will leap forward to meet him, and the prince will want to mount it, but if he does that, it will run away with him, and rise up into the air with him, and he will never see his maiden more.”
Spoke the second,“But is there no escape?”
“Oh, yes, if someone else mounts it swiftly, and takes out the pistol which he will find in its holster, and shoots the horse dead, the young King is saved. But who knows that? And whosoever does know it, and tells it to him, will be turned to stone from the toe to the knee.”
Then said the second,“I know more than that; even if the horse be killed, the young King will still not keep his bride. When they go into the castle together, a wrought bridal garment will be lying there in a dish, and looking as if it were woven of gold and silver; it is, however, nothing but sulphur and pitch, and if he put it on, it will burn him to the very bone and marrow.”
Said the third,“Is there no escape at all?”
“Oh, yes,”replied the second,“if any one with gloves on seizes the garment and throws it into the fire and burns it, the young King will be saved.“But what good will that do? Whosoever knows it and tells it to him, half his body will become stone from the knee to the heart.”
Then said the third,“I know still more; even if the bridal garment be burnt, the young King will still not have his bride. After the wedding, when the dancing begins and the young Queen is dancing, she will suddenly turn pale and fall down as if dead, and if some one does not lift her up and draw three drops of blood from her right breast and spit them out again, she will die. But if any one who knows that were to declare it, he would become stone from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot.”
When the ravens had spoken of this together, they flew onwards, and Faithful John had well understood everything, but from that time forth he became quiet and sad, for if he concealed what he had heard from his master, the latter would be unfortunate, and if he disclosed it to him, he himself must sacrifice his life. At length, however, he said to himself,“I will save my master, even if it bring destruction on myself.”
When therefore they came to shore, all happened as had been foretold by the ravens, and a magnificent chestnut horse sprang forward.“Good,”said the King,“he shall carry me to my palace,”and was about to mount it when Faithful John got before him, jumped quickly on it, drew the pistol out of the holster, and shot the horse. Then the other attendants of the King, who were not very fond of Faithful John, cried,“How shameful to kill the beautiful animal, that was to have carried the King to his palace.”But the King said,“Hold your peace and leave him alone, he is my most faithful John, who knows what good may come of this!”
They went into the palace, and in the hall there stood a dish, and therein lay the bridal garment looking no otherwise than as if it were made of gold and silver. The young King went towards it and was about to take hold of it, but Faithful John pushed him away, seized it with gloves on, carried it quickly to the fire and burnt it. The other attendants again began to murmur, and said,“Behold, now he is even burning the King's bridal garment!”But the young King said,“Who knows what good he may have done, leave him alone, he is my most faithful John.”
And now the wedding was solemnized: the dance began, and the bride also took part in it; then Faithful John was watchful and looked into her face, and suddenly she turned pale and fell to the ground, as if she were dead. On this he ran hastily to her, lifted her up and bore her into a chamber—-then he laid her down, and knelt and sucked the three drops of blood from her right breast, and spat them out. Immediately she breathed again and recovered herself, but the young King had seen this, and being ignorant why Faithful John had done it, was angry and cried,“Throw him into a dungeon.”
Next morning Faithful John was condemned, and led to the gallows, and when he stood on high, and was about to be executed, he said,“Every one who has to die is permitted before his end to make one last speech;may I too claim the right?”
“Yes,”answered the King,“it shall be granted unto you.”
Then said Faithful John,“I am unjustly condemned, and have always been true to you,”and he related how he had hearkened to the conversation of the ravens when on the sea, and how he had been obliged to do all these things in order to save his master. Then cried the King,“Oh, my most Faithful John. Pardon, pardon—-bring him down.”But as Faithful John spoke the last word he had fallen down lifeless and become a stone.
Thereupon the King and the Queen suffered great anguish, and the King said,“Ah, how ill I have requited great fidelity!”and ordered the stone figure to be taken up and placed in his bedroom beside his bed. And as often as he looked on it he wept and said,“Ah, if I could bring you to life again, my most faithful John.”
Some time passed and the Queen bore twins, two sons who grew fast and were her delight. Once when the Queen was at church and the the father was sitting with his two shildren playing beside him, he looked at the stone figure, sighed, and full of grief again he said,“Ah, if I could but bring you to life again, my most faithful John.”
Then the stone began to speak and said,“You can bring me to life again if you will use for that purpose what is dearest to you.”
Then cried the King,“I will give everything I have in the world for you.”
The stone continued,“If you will cut off the heads of your two children with your own hand, and sprinkle me with their blood, I shall be restored to life.”
The King was terrified when he heard that he himself must kill his dearest children, but he thought of faithful John's great fidelity, and how he had died for him, drew his sword, and with his own hand cut off the children's heads. And when he had smeared the stone with their blood, life returned to it, and Faithful John stood once more safe and healthy before him. He said to the King,“Your truth shall not go unrewarded,”and took the heads of the children, put them on again, and rubbed the wounds with their blood, on which they became whole again immediately, and jumped about, and went on playing as if nothing had happened. Then the King was full of joy, and when he saw the Queen coming he hid Faithful John and the two children in a great cupboard. When she entered, he said to her,“Have you been praying in the church?”
“Yes,”answered she,“but I have constantly been thinking of Faithful John and what misfortune has befallen him through us.”
Then said he,“Dear wife, we can give him his life again, but it will cost us our two little sons, whom we must sacrifice.”
The Queen turned pale, and her heart was full of terror, but she said,“We owe it to him, for his great fidelity.”
Then the King was rejoiced that she thought as he had thought, and went and opened the cupboard, and brought forth Faithful John and the children, and said,“God be praised, he is delivered, and we have our little sons again also,”and told her how everything had occurred. Then they dwelt together in much happiness until their death.
中文
忠诚的约翰内斯
从前有一个老国王，得了重病，他想：“我看来好不了了。”便说：“叫忠诚的约翰内斯进来。”忠诚的约翰内斯是他最心爱的侍从，因为他一生对国王忠贞不渝，所以大家都这么叫他。约翰来到床前，国王对他说：“忠诚的约翰内斯，我觉得我快要死了，唯一不放心的是我的儿子，他还年轻，有时遇事缺乏主见。你要答应我，教给他必须知道的一切，当他的养父，否则我死不瞑目。”忠诚的约翰内斯回答说：“我决不离开他，一定忠诚地为他效劳，即使牺牲自己的生命也在所不辞。”老国王说：“那我死也放心了。”接着又说：“我死后你要带他看看这整座宫殿，看宫中所有房间、大厅、金库和金库里的全部珍宝，但是不要让他看长廊尽头的那个房间，因为房间里面藏有金屋公主的塑像，他要是看见她的塑像，会对她产生热烈的爱情，会晕过去，会因她而陷入极大的危险。你要保护他，不要让这种事情发生。”忠诚的约翰内斯听了国王的话，再次把手伸给他，国王不再说话，头往枕头上一靠就去世了。
将老国王安葬之后，忠诚的约翰内斯对年轻的国王讲了他向临终的老国王许下的诺言，他说：“我一定信守诺言，像对老国王一样对你忠诚，即使牺牲自己的生命。”服丧期结束了，忠诚的约翰内斯对年轻的国王说：“现在是你看一看你的遗产的时候了：我要领你看一看你父王的宫殿。”于是他领着年轻的国王上上下下转遍各处，让他看了所有的珍宝财富、豪华宫室，唯独没打开那间收藏着危险的塑像的房间。那塑像安放在一开门就能见到的地方，制作精美绝伦，令人感到那是真人、活人，世上再没有比她更美丽、更可爱的女子了。年轻的国王发现忠诚的约翰内斯总是从一扇门前径直走过，便说：“你为什么从不打开这扇门让我看？”
约翰内斯回答说：“这里面有些东西会吓着你。”
国王答道：“这座宫殿我都看完了，我很想知道里面有什么东西。”说着走过去用力推门。
忠诚的约翰内斯劝阻他说：“你父王临终前我答应过他，不让你看这房间里的东西，因为它会给你和我带来灾难。”
“啊，不！”年轻的国王回答，“我不进去，必遭毁灭，不亲眼见到它，我会日夜不得安宁。你不把门打开，我就不走。”
忠诚的约翰内斯见劝阻无效，便唉声叹气、心情沉重地从一大串钥匙里找出那把钥匙。他一打开门，就抢先跨进房间，想用自己的身体挡住国王的视线，让他看不见那尊塑像。可是有什么用呢？国王踮起脚尖，从他肩膀上方望去。当他瞥见那美艳绝伦、珠光宝气的少女塑像，一下子就晕倒在地上。忠诚的约翰内斯把他抱起来放在床上，满腹忧愁，他想：“大祸临头了，上帝啊，这该怎么办啊？”他给他灌葡萄酒，直至他恢复知觉。国王开口第一句话就是：“啊！那美丽的塑像是谁？”
“是金屋公主。”忠诚的约翰内斯回答说。
国王又说：“即便树上所有的树叶都是舌头，也说不尽我对她的挚爱，为了得到她，我愿付出我的生命。你是我最忠诚的约翰内斯，你必须帮助我。”
忠诚的臣仆想了很久，不知如何是好，因为仅仅要见公主一面，就很不容易。最后，他终于想出个办法，便对国王说：“公主身边的一切，桌子、椅子、盘碗酒杯，所有家用器皿，都是金子做的。你的宝物中有五吨黄金，可以拿出一吨来，让国中的金匠制作成各式各样的器皿用具，各式各样的飞禽走兽、珍稀动物，她一定会喜欢这些物件，我们就带着这些东西去碰一碰运气。”
于是国王召集全国金匠，命令他们日夜赶工，终于制成华美无比的精品。一切装船完毕，忠诚的约翰内斯换上商人的服装，国王同样乔装打扮，让人完全认不出他们。然后他们漂洋过海，航行了很久很久，终于来到金屋公主居住的城市。
忠诚的约翰内斯让国王在船上等他。他说：“说不定我会把金屋公主带来，因此你要把一切收拾得整整齐齐，把黄金器皿陈列起来，把整条船装饰得漂漂亮亮的。”说着，他把各种金器拣一些放在衣兜里，上岸直奔王宫。到了宫中庭院，只见一个美丽的姑娘站在井边，手提两只金桶打水。她提着晶亮晶亮的水要走的时候，一转身，看见一个陌生人，就问他是谁。他回答：“我是商人。”便打开衣兜让她看。她不禁叫起来：“啊，多美的金器啊！”她放下水桶，一件一件地仔细观赏。姑娘说：“我要让公主看看，她非常喜爱金器，会把您的金器全部都买下来的。”她拉着他的手，把他领进宫里，因为她是个侍女。公主见了这些金货，非常高兴，她说：“这些金器做得这么好，我要全都买下来。”但是忠诚的约翰内斯说：“我只是一个富商的仆人，我带到这儿来的珍宝，跟我主人的船上的比起来，算不了什么，他那些都是古往今来最考究、最贵重的金器。”她要他把所有的金器都拿出来，他说：“都搬出来要花好几天时间，东西太多了，要好几个大厅才能陈列得开，您宫里地方不够。”这番话更加激起了公主的好奇心和欲望，她终于说：“带我到船上去吧，我要亲自看看你家主人的珍宝。”
于是忠诚的约翰内斯领着公主向他们那条船走去，心里非常高兴。国王见她本人比那塑像还要美丽得多，乐得一颗心都快蹦出来了。她上了船，国王把她接进舱中；忠诚的约翰内斯留在舵手身边，下令开船离岸，他说：“把所有船帆都升起来，船要疾驶如飞，就像空中的鸟儿一样。”船舱里，国王向公主一件一件展示金器：金碗、金杯、金盆、金钵、黄金制作的飞禽走兽、珍稀动物。看完最后一件金器，她向商人道谢，准备回家，走到船舷，只见船已远离陆地，在大海上扬帆疾驶。“啊，”她失声惊呼，“我上当了，被人诱拐，落入商人手里，不如死了好！”国王握住她的手说：“我不是商人，我是个国王，出身高贵，不亚于你。我之所以设计诱骗你，是因为我太爱你了。当我初次见到你的塑像，我就晕倒在地。”金屋公主听了这话，感到宽慰，对国王渐渐起了爱慕之心，终于欣然同意做他的妻子。
他们在大海上航行，有一天，忠诚的约翰内斯坐在船头奏乐，看见空中飞来三只乌鸦。他便不再弹奏，聚精会神听乌鸦谈话，因为他精通鸟语。一只乌鸦叫道：“哎，他带金屋公主回家了。”
“是的，”第二只乌鸦说，“他还没得到她。”
第三只说：“他得到她了，她在船上，坐在他身边。”
第一只乌鸦又叫起来：“那有什么用！他们上岸时，会有一匹枣红马向他迎面奔来，说不定他要跃上马背，他一骑上马背，这匹马就驮着他奔上天空，他就永远见不到自己的未婚妻了。”
第三只乌鸦说：“那就没办法解救了？”
“啊，有办法，如果有另外一个人迅速骑上去，拔出马鞍上枪套里的火枪，射杀那匹马，年轻的国王就得救了。可是这法子谁知道！如果谁知道这法子，又告诉给国王，谁就会从脚趾头到膝盖变成石头。”
第二只乌鸦说：“我知道的还要多。杀了那匹马，并不等于年轻的国王就得到他的未婚妻了！他们一同走进王宫的时候，那里有一个大盆，里面放着一件做好了的结婚礼服，看上去像是金丝银线织成的，其实只不过是硫黄和沥青做成的，国王一穿上它，就会被烧成灰烬。”
第三只乌鸦说：“那就没办法解救了？”
“啊，办法是有，”第二只乌鸦回答说，“如果有人戴上手套，抓起礼服，把它扔进火里烧掉，年轻的国王就得救了。没用！没用！这法子谁知道！如果谁知道这法子，又告诉给国王，谁就会从膝盖到心脏半个身子都变成石头。”
第三只乌鸦说：“我知道的还要多。烧了结婚礼服，也还不等于年轻的国王就得到他的未婚妻了。婚礼之后，舞会开始，年轻的王后突然倒下，面色煞白，像死了一般，这时得有个男子把她抱起来，从她的右胸脯吸三滴血，再喷出来，否则她就会死掉。但是，如果有人知道这法子又泄漏出去，他从头顶到脚趾头全身就都会变成石头。”
三只乌鸦交谈完就飞走了。忠诚的约翰内斯什么都听明白了，他从此变得沉默寡言，暗自忧伤，因为，如果他不把听到的话告诉给主人，主人将遭到不幸；如果告诉他，自己必将丧命。终于，他还是对自己说：“我要救我的主人，即使为此毁了我自己。”
他们上岸的时候，果然真像乌鸦所说的那样，迎面奔来一匹枣红马。“太好了！”国王说，“就骑它回宫。”说罢就要上马，但忠诚的约翰内斯抢在他前面飞身上马，拔出枪套里的枪，打死了那匹马。那些不满忠诚的约翰内斯的侍从一起大叫起来：“这么漂亮的马竟然给杀了，真可恶！国王还想骑它回宫呢！”但国王说：“安静！让他去吧，他是我最忠诚的约翰内斯，他这么做一定有他的道理，谁知道呢！”
他们进宫，殿堂上有一个大盆，里面放着一件做好了的结婚礼服，外表看上去是金丝银线织成的。年轻的国王径直朝它走去，正要伸手去取，忠诚的约翰内斯推开国王的手，戴上手套，一把抓起礼服扔进火里烧掉了。那些侍从又叫嚷开了：“你们看，他居然把国王的结婚礼服给烧了！”但年轻的国王说：“谁知道这有什么好处！让他去吧，他是我最忠诚的约翰内斯。”
婚礼之后开始跳舞。忠诚的约翰内斯注视着王后的面庞，忽然，她面容苍白，倒在地上，像死人一样。约翰内斯一跃而起，奔上前去，把她抱起来，抱进一间房间，让她躺下。他跪下，从她的右乳房吮吸了三滴血，又喷了出来。她随即又能呼吸，恢复了过来。国王目睹这一幕，他不明白忠诚的约翰内斯为什么这样做，勃然大怒，高声说：“把他关进监牢。”
第二天早晨，忠诚的约翰内斯被判处绞刑，押赴刑场。当他站在绞刑台上将被处决的时候，他说：“要被处死的人都被允许讲一次话，我也有这个权利吗？”
“是的，”国王回答，“也给你这个权利。”
忠诚的约翰内斯说：“判我有罪是不公正的，我一贯对你忠心耿耿。”于是他讲了在海上听到的乌鸦的谈话，以及为了拯救主人，他必须做这一切。国王听了以后，大声喊道：“啊，我最忠诚的约翰内斯，赦免！赦免！快把他带下来。”可是忠诚的约翰内斯说完最后一句话，已经毫无生气，从台上摔下来，变成了石头人。
国王和王后为这件事非常难过。国王说：“啊，他这样忠心耿耿，我竟然恩将仇报！”他派人扶起石像，把它竖立在自己卧室的床边。每当望着这尊石像，他就哭泣说：“啊，我最忠诚的约翰内斯，要是能让你起死回生那该多好啊！”
过了一段时间，王后生了双胞胎，两个小男孩。小王子渐渐长大，他们是王后的开心果。有一次，王后上教堂去了，两个孩子坐在父亲身边玩儿，国王又满怀伤痛地望着石像叹息道：“啊，我最忠诚的约翰内斯，要是能让你起死回生那该多好啊！”
这时石像开口了，它说：“能，你能让我起死回生，只要你肯为此舍弃你最心爱的东西。”
国王大声说：“为了你，我愿舍弃我在世上拥有的一切。”
石像又说：“如果你亲手砍下你的两个孩子的头，把他们的血抹在我的身上，我就能重新获得生命。”
国王一听要他亲手杀死自己最心爱的孩子，惊骇异常，但他想到约翰内斯是为他而死的，便拔剑亲手砍下了两个孩子的头。当他用孩子的血涂抹了石像，石像立刻重获生机，忠诚的约翰内斯变成精神奕奕的活人，健康地站在他面前。他对国王说：“你的真诚应当获得报答。”他接上孩子们的头，用他们的血涂抹伤口，只一刹那，孩子就痊愈了，又活蹦乱跳，继续玩耍，好像什么事情都没有发生似的。国王心里非常高兴，他看见王后回来，让忠诚的约翰内斯和两个孩子躲在一个大柜橱里面。她一进门，国王就对她说：“你在教堂祈祷了吗？”
“祈祷了，”她回答，“可我心里总想着忠诚的约翰内斯，他为了我们，遭遇了这么大的不幸。”
国王说：“亲爱的妻子，我们可以使他重新获得生命，但要以我们的两个幼子为代价，我们必须牺牲他们。”
王后面色惨白，心中惊骇，但是她说：“我们应该这样做，为了报答他伟大的忠诚。”
国王很高兴她的想法和自己一样，他跑去打开柜橱，叫孩子们和忠诚的约翰内斯出来，国王说：“赞美上帝，他得救了，我们也没有失去我们的两个孩子！”并对她讲了事情的经过。从此他们一起过着幸福美满的生活，一直到老。
