’Buthehasnothingon！’saidalittlechildatlast。
’Justlistentotheinnocentchild！’saidthefather，andeachonewhisperedtohisneighbourwhatthechildhadsaid。
’Buthehasnothingon！’thewholeofthepeoplecalledoutatlast。
ThisstrucktheEmperor，foritseemedtohimasiftheywereright；buthethoughttohimself，’Imustgoonwiththeprocessionnow。Andthechamberlainswalkedalongstillmoreuprightly，holdingupthetrainwhichwasnotthereatall。
[5]’PrinzKrebs，’fromGriechischeMahrchen。Schmidt。
Onceuponatimetherewasafishermanwhohadawifeandthreechildren。Everymorningheusedtogooutfishing，andwhateverfishhecaughthesoldtotheKing。Oneday，amongtheotherfishes，hecaughtagoldencrab。Whenhecamehomeheputallthefishestogetherintoagreatdish，buthekepttheCrabseparatebecauseitshonesobeautifully，andplacedituponahighshelfinthecupboard。Nowwhiletheoldwoman，hiswife，wascleaningthefish，andhadtuckeduphergownsothatherfeetwerevisible，shesuddenlyheardavoice，whichsaid:
’Letdown，letdownthypetticoatThatletsthyfeetbeseen。’
Sheturnedroundinsurprise，andthenshesawthelittlecreature，theGoldenCrab。
’What！Youcanspeak，canyou，youridiculouscrab？’shesaid，forshewasnotquitepleasedattheCrab’sremarks。Thenshetookhimupandplacedhimonadish。
Whenherhusbandcamehomeandtheysatdowntodinner，theypresentlyheardtheCrab’slittlevoicesaying，’Givemesometoo。’Theywereallverymuchsurprised，buttheygavehimsomethingtoeat。WhentheoldmancametotakeawaytheplatewhichhadcontainedtheCrab’sdinner，hefounditfullofgold，andasthesamethinghappenedeverydayhesoonbecameveryfondoftheCrab。
OnedaytheCrabsaidtothefisherman’swife，’GototheKingandtellhimIwishtomarryhisyoungerdaughter。’
Theoldwomanwentaccordingly，andlaidthematterbeforetheKing，wholaughedalittleatthenotionofhisdaughtermarryingacrab，butdidnotdeclinetheproposalaltogether，becausehewasaprudentmonarch，andknewthattheCrabwaslikelytobeaprinceindisguise。Hesaid，therefore，tothefisherman’swife，’Go，oldwoman，andtelltheCrabIwillgivehimmydaughterifbyto-morrowmorninghecanbuildawallinfrontofmycastlemuchhigherthanmytower，uponwhichalltheflowersoftheworldmustgrowandbloom。’
Thefisherman’swifewenthomeandgavethismessage。
ThentheCrabgaveheragoldenrod，andsaid，’GoandstrikewiththisrodthreetimesuponthegroundontheplacewhichtheKingshowedyou，andto-morrowmorningthewallwillbethere。’
Theoldwomandidsoandwentawayagain。
Thenextmorning，whentheKingawoke，whatdoyouthinkhesaw？
Thewallstoodtherebeforehiseyes，exactlyashehadbespokenit！
ThentheoldwomanwentbacktotheKingandsaidtohim，’YourMajesty’sordershavebeenfulfilled。’
’Thatisallverywell，’saidtheKing，’butIcannotgiveawaymydaughteruntiltherestandsinfrontofmypalaceagardeninwhichtherearethreefountains，ofwhichthefirstmustplaygold，theseconddiamonds，andthethirdbrilliants。’
Sotheoldwomanhadtostrikeagainthreetimesuponthegroundwiththerod，andthenextmorningthegardenwasthere。TheKingnowgavehisconsent，andtheweddingwasfixedfortheverynextday。
ThentheCrabsaidtotheoldfisherman，’Nowtakethisrod；goandknockwithitonacertainmountain；thenablackman[6]willcomeoutandaskyouwhatyouwishfor。Answerhimthus:’’Yourmaster，theKing，hassentmetotellyouthatyoumustsendhimhisgoldengarmentthatislikethesun。’’Makehimgiveyou，besides，thequeenlyrobesofgoldandpreciousstoneswhichareliketheflowerymeadows，andbringthembothtome。Andbringmealsothegoldencushion。’
[6]EinMohr。
Theoldmanwentanddidhiserrand。Whenhehadbroughtthepreciousrobes，theCrabputonthegoldengarmentandthencreptuponthegoldencushion，andinthiswaythefishermancarriedhimtothecastle，wheretheCrabpresentedtheothergarmenttohisbride。Nowtheceremonytookplace，andwhenthemarriedpairwerealonetogethertheCrabmadehimselfknowntohisyoungwife，andtoldherhowhewasthesonofthegreatestkingintheworld，andhowhewasenchanted，sothathebecameacrabbydayandwasamanonlyatnight；andhecouldalsochangehimselfintoaneagleasoftenashewished。Nosoonerhadhesaidthisthanheshookhimself，andimmediatelybecameahandsomeyouth，butthenextmorninghewasforcedtocreepbackagainintohiscrab-shell。Andthesamethinghappenedeveryday。ButthePrincess’saffectionfortheCrab，andthepoliteattentionwithwhichshebehavedtohim，surprisedtheroyalfamilyverymuch。
Theysuspectedsomesecret，butthoughtheyspiedandspied，theycouldnotdiscoverit。Thusayearpassedaway，andthePrincesshadason，whomshecalledBenjamin。Buthermotherstillthoughtthewholematterverystrange。AtlastshesaidtotheKingthatheoughttoaskhisdaughterwhethershewouldnotliketohaveanotherhusbandinsteadoftheCrab？Butwhenthedaughterwasquestionedsheonlyanswered:
’IammarriedtotheCrab，andhimonlywillIhave。’
ThentheKingsaidtoher，’Iwillappointatournamentinyourhonour，andIwillinvitealltheprincesintheworldtoit，andifanyoneofthempleasesyou，youshallmarryhim。’
IntheeveningthePrincesstoldthistotheCrab，whosaidtoher，’Takethisrod，gotothegardengateandknockwithit，thenablackmanwillcomeoutandsaytoyou，’’Whyhaveyoucalledme，andwhatdoyourequireofme？’’Answerhimthus:
’YourmastertheKinghassentmehithertotellyoutosendhimhisgoldenarmourandhissteedandthesilverapple。’’Andbringthemtome。’
ThePrincessdidso，andbroughthimwhathedesired。
ThefollowingeveningthePrincedressedhimselfforthetournament。Beforehewenthesaidtohiswife，’NowmindyoudonotsaywhenyouseemethatIamtheCrab。Forifyoudothisevilwillcomeofit。Placeyourselfatthewindowwithyoursisters；Iwillridebyandthrowyouthesilverapple。Takeitinyourhand，butiftheyaskyouwhoIam，saythatyoudonotknow。’Sosaying，hekissedher，repeatedhiswarningoncemore，andwentaway。
ThePrincesswentwithhersisterstothewindowandlookedonatthetournament。Presentlyherhusbandrodebyandthrewtheappleuptoher。Shecaughtitinherhandandwentwithittoherroom，andby-and-byherhusbandcamebacktoher。ButherfatherwasmuchsurprisedthatshedidnotseemtocareaboutanyofthePrinces；hethereforeappointedasecondtournament。
TheCrabthengavehiswifethesamedirectionsasbefore，onlythistimetheapplewhichshereceivedfromtheblackmanwasofgold。ButbeforethePrincewenttothetournamenthesaidtohiswife，’NowIknowyouwillbetraymeto-day。’
Butshesworetohimthatshewouldnottellwhohewas。Hethenrepeatedhiswarningandwentaway。
Intheevening，whilethePrincess，withhermotherandsisters，wasstandingatthewindow，thePrincesuddenlygallopedpastonhissteedandthrewherthegoldenapple。
Thenhermotherflewintoapassion，gaveheraboxontheear，andcriedout，’Doesnoteventhatprincepleaseyou，youfool？’
ThePrincessinherfrightexclaimed，’ThatistheCrabhimself！’
Hermotherwasstillmoreangrybecauseshehadnotbeentoldsooner，ranintoherdaughter’sroomwherethecrab-shellwasstilllying，tookitupandthrewitintothefire。ThenthepoorPrincesscriedbitterly，butitwasofnouse；herhusbanddidnotcomeback。
NowwemustleavethePrincessandturntotheotherpersonsinthestory。Onedayanoldmanwenttoastreamtodipinacrustofbreadwhichhewasgoingtoeat，whenadogcameoutofthewater，snatchedthebreadfromhishand，andranaway。Theoldmanranafterhim，butthedogreachedadoor，pusheditopen，andranin，theoldmanfollowinghim。Hedidnotovertakethedog，butfoundhimselfaboveastaircase，whichhedescended。
Thenhesawbeforehimastatelypalace，and，entering，hefoundinalargehallatablesetfortwelvepersons。Hehidhimselfinthehallbehindagreatpicture，thathemightseewhatwouldhappen。Atnoonheheardagreatnoise，sothathetrembledwithfear。Whenhetookcouragetolookoutfrombehindthepicture，hesawtwelveeaglesflyingin。Atthissighthisfearbecamestillgreater。Theeaglesflewtothebasinofafountainthatwasthereandbathedthemselves，whensuddenlytheywerechangedintotwelvehandsomeyouths。Nowtheyseatedthemselvesatthetable，andoneofthemtookupagobletfilledwithwine，andsaid，’Ahealthtomyfather！’Andanothersaid，’Ahealthtomymother！’andsothehealthswentround。Thenoneofthemsaid:
’Ahealthtomydearestlady，Longmaysheliveandwell！
ButacurseonthecruelmotherThatburntmygoldenshell！’
Andsosayingheweptbitterly。Thentheyouthsrosefromthetable，wentbacktothegreatstonefountain，turnedthemselvesintoeaglesagain，andflewaway。
Thentheoldmanwentawaytoo，returnedtothelightofday，andwenthome。SoonafterheheardthatthePrincesswasill，andthattheonlythingthatdidhergoodwashavingstoriestoldtoher。Hethereforewenttotheroyalcastle，obtainedanaudienceofthePrincess，andtoldheraboutthestrangethingshebadseenintheundergroundpalace。NosoonerhadhefinishedthanthePrincessaskedhimwhetherhecouldfindthewaytothatpalace。