They were quite ready for this , and got the task of looking after all the king 's horses . Long after them came Esben riding on his stick , and he also wanted to get a place in the palace , but no one had any use for him , and he was told that he could just go back the way he had come . However , he stayed there and occupied himself as best he could . He got his food , but nothing more , and by night he lay just where he could . At this time there was in the palace a knight who was called Sir Red . He was very well liked by the king , but hated by everyone else , for he was wicked both in will and deed . This Sir Red became angry with the eleven brothers , because they would not always stand at attention for him , so he determined to avenge himself on them . One day , therefore , he went to the king , and said that the eleven brothers who had come to the palace a little while ago , and served as stablemen , could do a great deal more than they pretended . One day he had heard them say that if they liked they could get for the king a wonderful dove which had a feather of gold and a feather of silver time about . But they would not procure it unless they were threatened with death . The king then had the eleven brothers called before him , and said to them , ` You have said that you can get me a dove which has feathers of gold and silver time about . ' All the eleven assured him that they had never said anything of the kind , and they did not believe that such a dove existed in the whole world . ` Take your own mind of it , ' said the king ; ` but if you do n't get that dove within three days you shall lose your heads , the whole lot of you . ' With that the king let them go , and there was great grief among them ; some wept and others lamented . At that moment Esben came along , and , seeing their sorrowful looks , said to them , ` Hello , what 's the matter with you ? ' ` What good would it do to tell you , you little fool ? You ca n't help us . ' ` Oh , you do n't know that , ' answered Esben . ' I have helped you before . ' In the end they told him how unreasonable the king was , and how he had ordered them to get for him a dove with feathers of gold and silver time about .
` Give me a bag of peas ' said Esben , ` and I shall see what I can do XXXXX you . '
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