So he shot back the bolt , and the gold-bearded man stepped out into the world . ' I will repay you a thousand fold for that good deed . ' said the man , and then he vanished . The prince began to think what he should say to the king when he came back ; then he wondered whether it would be wise to wait for his stepfather 's return and run the risk of the dreadful death which had been promised him . ` No , ' he said to himself , ' I am afraid to stay . Perhaps the world will be kinder to me than he has been . ' Unseen he stole out when twilight fell , and for many days he wandered over mountains and through forests and valleys without knowing where he was going or what he should do . He had only the berries for food , when , one morning , he saw a wood-pigeon sitting on a bough . In an instant he had fitted an arrow to his bow , and was taking aim at the bird , thinking what a good meal he would make off him , when his weapon fell to the ground at the sound of the pigeon 's voice : ` Do not shoot , I implore you , noble prince ! I have two little sons at home , and they will die of hunger if I am not there to bring them food . ' And the young prince had pity , and unstrung his bow . ` Oh , prince , I will repay your deed of mercy , said the grateful wood-pigeon . ` Poor thing ! how can you repay me ? ' asked the prince . ` You have forgotten , ' answered the wood-pigeon , ` the proverb that runs , `` mountain and mountain can never meet , but one living creature can always come across another . '' ' The boy laughed at this speech and went his way . By-and-by he reached the edge of a lake , and flying towards some rushes which grew near the shore he beheld a wild duck . Now , in the days that the king , his father , was alive , and he had everything to eat he could possibly wish for , the prince always had wild duck for his birthday dinner , so he quickly fitted an arrow to his bow and took a careful aim . ` Do not shoot , I pray you , noble prince ! '
cried the wild duck ; ' I have two little sons XXXXX home ; they will die of hunger if I am not there to bring them food . '
So across at for near of than towards whether without