~ne<br > day a king went hunting in an enchanted<br > forest， pursuing a magnificent stag so eagerly that his hunts-<br > men could not keep up. The creature led him deeper and<br > deeper into the wood， then suddenly vanished. Puzzled， the<br > king reined in his horse and looked around him. He realized<br > that he had lost his way， and evening was falling. On all<br > sides， he heard the snarls and growls of strange beasts roam-<br > ing in the shadows.<br > Vainly， he searched for a way out of the wood， but the<br > path he had followed had disappeared as surely as the deer.<br > He found another path and followed it for a while. Soon<br > he saw an old woman， coming toward him. She leaned on<br > a staff of hazelwood that went Tap! Tap! Tap! as she<br > approached.<br > "Good woman，" he called， "can you show me the way<br > out of this forest?"<br > "I can easily show you the way--but only upon one con-<br > dition，" the woman said. "If you don t agree to it， you ll<br > never get out of the wood."<br > "What is the condition?" asked the king uneasily.<br > "I have a daughter，" said the old woman， "who is so beau-<br > tiful， only a king is worthy of her. If you will promise to<br > marry her， and make her your queen， I will show you the<br > way out o~ the forest."<br >"