then the king and queen flew home to their children and cried, "children, rejoice, eat and drink to your heart’s content, we have won the battle!" but the young wrens said, "we will not eat yet, the bear must come to the nest, and beg for pardon and say that we are honorable children, before we will do that." then the willow-wren flew to the bear’s hole and cried, "growler, thou art to come to the nest to my children, and beg their pardon, or else every rib of thy body shall be broken." so the bear crept thither in the greatest fear, and begged their pardon. and now at last the young wrens were satisfied, and sat down together and ate and drank, and made merry till quite late into the night.