The second night the King’s daughter sent her maid-in-waiting, who was to see if she could succeed better in listening, but the servant took her mantle also away from her, and hunted her out with rods. Now the master believed himself safe for the third night, and lay down in his own bed. Then came the princess herself, and she had put on a misty-grey mantle, and she seated herself near him. And when she thought that he was asleep and dreaming, she spoke to him, and hoped that he would answer in his sleep, as many do, but he was awake, and understood and heard everything quite well.

Then she asked, “One slew none, what is that?”

He replied, “A raven, which ate of a dead and poisoned horse, and died of it.”

She inquired further, “And yet slew twelve, what is that?”

He answered, “That means twelve murderers, who ate the raven and died of it.”