prince to the royal residence, where, seated in her maidenbower, she received a pailful of clay and a bundle of straw, by way of trial, whether she were so skilful as her mother had said.

The poor girl now found herself in a very uncomfortable state, knowing but too well that she could not spin flax, much less gold. So, sitting in her chamber, with her head resting on her hand, she wept bitterly. While she was thus sitting, the door was opened, and in walked a very little old man, who was both ugly and deformed. The old man greeted her in a friendly tone, and asked why she sat so lonely and afflicted. "I may well be sorrowful," answered the girl; "the king's son has commanded me to spin gold from clay and long straw, and if it be not done before to-morrow's dawn, my life is at stake." The old man then said: "Fair maiden, weep not, I will help thee. Here is a pair of gloves, when thou hast them on thou wilt be able to spin gold. To-morrow night I will return, when if thou hast not found out my name, thou shalt accompany me home and be my wife." In her despair she agreed to the old man's condition, who then went his way. The maiden now sat and span, and by dawn she had already spun up all the clay and straw, which had become the finest gold it was possible to see.

Great was the joy throughout the whole palace, that the king's son had got a bride who was so skilful and, at the same time, so fair. But the young maiden did nothing but weep, and the more the time advanced the more she wept; for she thought of the frightful dwarf, who was to come and fetch her. When evening drew nigh, the king's son returned from the chase, and went to converse with his bride. Observing that she appeared sorrowful, he strove to divert her in all sorts of ways, and said he would tell her of a curious adventure, provided only she would be cheerful. The girl entreated him to let her hear it. Then said the prince: "While rambling about in the forest to-day, I witnessed an odd sort of thing. I saw a very very little old man dancing round a juniper bush and singing a singular song." "What did he sing?" asked the maiden inquisitively; for she felt sure that the prince had met with the dwarf. "He sang these words," answered the prince:

"I dag skall jag maltet mala,
I morgon skall mitt bröllopp

vara.

Och jungfrun sitter i buren
och gråter;

Hon vet inte hvad jag heter.
Jag heter Titteli Ture.
Jag heter Titteli Ture."

To-day I the malt shall grind, To-morrow my wedding shall be.

And the maiden sits in her
bower and weeps;

She knows not what I am called.
I am called Titteli Ture.
I am called Titteli Ture."

Was not the maiden now glad? She begged the prince to tell her over and over again what the dwarf had sung. He then repeated the wonderful song, until she had imprinted the old man's name firmly in her memory.

She

then conversed lovingly with her betrothed, and the prince could not sufficiently praise his young bride's beauty and understanding. But he wondered why she was so overjoyed, being, like every one else, ignorant of the cause of her past sorrow.

When it was night, and the maiden was sitting alone in her chamber, the door was opened, and the hideous dwarf again entered. On beholding him the girl sprang up, and said: "Titteli Ture! Titteli Ture! here are thy gloves." When the dwarf heard his name pronounced, he was furiously angry, and hastened away through the air, taking with him the whole roof of the house.

The fair maiden now laughed to herself and was joyful beyond measure. She then lay down to sleep, and slept till the sun shone. The following day her marriage with the young prince was solemnized, and nothing more was ever heard of Titteli Ture.

THE THREE LITTLE CRONES, EACH WITH

SOMETHING BIG.
From Upland.

THERE was once a king's son and a king's daughter who dearly loved each other. The young princess was good and fair, and well spoken of by all, but her disposition was more inclined to pleasure and dissipation than to handiworks and domestic occupations. To the old queen this appeared very wrong, who said she would have no one for a

daughter-in-law that was not as skilled in such matters as she herself had been in her youth. She therefore opposed the prince's marriage in all sorts of ways.

As the queen would not recall her words, the prince went to her and said, it would be well to make a trial whether the princess were not as skilful as the queen herself. This seemed to every one a very rash proposal, seeing that the prince's mother was a very diligent, laborious person, and span and sewed and wove both night and day, so that no one ever saw her like. The prince, however, carried his point; the fair princess was sent into the maidens' bower, and the queen sent her a pound of flax to spin. But the flax was to be spun ere dawn of day, otherwise the damsel was never more to think of the prince for a husband.

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When left alone the princess found herself very ill at ease; for she well knew that she could not spin the queen's flax, and yet trembled at the thought of losing the prince, who was so dear to her. She therefore wandered about the apartment and wept, incessantly wept. At this moment the door was opened very softly, and there stepped in a little little woman of singular appearance and yet more singular manners. The little woman had enormously large feet, at which every one who saw her must be wonderstruck. She greeted the princess with: "Peace be with you!" "And peace with you!" answered the princess. The old woman then asked: Why is the fair damsel so sorrowful to-night?" The princess answered: "I may well be sorrowful. The queen has commanded me to spin a pound of flax if I have not completed it before dawn, I lose the young prince whom I love so dearly." The old woman then said: Be of good cheer, fair maiden; if there is nothing else, I can help you; but then you must grant me a request which I will name." At these words the princess was overjoyed, and asked what it was the old woman desired. "I am called," she said, "Storfota-mor*; and I require for my aid no other reward than to be present at your wedding. I have not been at a wedding since the queen your motherin-law stood as bride." The princess readily granted her desire, and they parted. The princess then lay down to

:

* Mother Bigfoot.

sleep, but could not close her eyes the whole livelong night.

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Early in the morning, before dawn, the door was opened, and the little woman again entered. She approached the king's daughter and handed to her a bundle of yarn, as white as snow and as fine as a cobweb, saying: See! such beautiful yarn I have not spun since I span for the queen, when she was about to be married; but that was long long ago." Having so spoken the little woman disappeared, and the princess fell into a refreshing slumber. But she had not slept long when she was awakened by the old queen, who was standing by her bed, and who asked her whether the flax were all spun. The princess said that it was, and handed the yarn to her. The queen must needs appear content, but the princess could not refrain from observing that her apparent satisfaction did not proceed from good-will.

Before the day was over, the queen said she would put the princess to yet another proof. For this purpose she sent the yarn to the maiden-bower together with a yarn-roll and other implements, and ordered the princess to weave it into a web; but which must be ready before sunrise; if not, the damsel must never more think of the young prince.

When the princess was alone, she again felt sad at heart; for she knew that she could not weave the queen's yarn, and yet less reconcile herself to the thought of losing the prince to whom she was so dear. She therefore wandered about the apartment and wept bitterly. At that moment the door was opened softly softly, and in stepped a very little woman, of singular figure and still more singular manners. The little woman had an enormously large hinder part, so that every one who saw her must be struck with astonishment. She, too, greeted the princess with: "Peace be with you!" and received for answer: "Peace with you!" The old woman said: "Why is the fair damsel so sad and sorrowful?" "I may well be sorrowful," answered the princess. "The queen has commanded me to weave all this yarn into a web; and if I have not completed it by the morning before sunrise, I shall lose the prince, who loves me so dearly. The woman then said: "Be comforted, fair damsel; if it is nothing more, I will help you.

But

then you must consent to one condition, which I will name to you." At these words the princess was highly delighted, and asked what the condition might be. "I am called Storgumpa-mor*, and I desire no other reward than to be at your wedding. I have not been to any wedding since the queen your mother-in-law stood as bride." The king's daughter readily granted this request, and the little woman departed. The princess then lay down to sleep, but was unable to close her eyes the whole night.

In the morning, before daybreak, the door was opened and the little woman entered. She approached the princess, and handed to her a web white as snow and close as a skin, so that its like was never seen. The old woman said: "See! such even threads I have never woven since I wove for the queen, when she was about to be married; but that was long long ago." The woman then disappeared, and the princess fell into a short slumber, but from which she was roused by the old queen, who stood by her bed, and inquired whether the web were ready. The princess told her that it was, and handed to her the beautiful piece of weaving. The queen must now appear content for the second time; but the princess could easily see that she was not so from good-will.

The king's daughter now flattered herself that she should be put to no further trial; but the queen was of a different opinion; for she shortly after sent the web down to the maiden-bower with the message, that the princess should make it into shirts for the prince. The shirts were to be ready before sunrise, otherwise the damsel must never hope to have the young prince for a husband.

When the princess was alone, she felt sad at heart; for she knew that she could not sew the queen's web, and yet could not think of losing the king's son, to whom she was so dear. She therefore wandered about the chamber, and shed a flood of tears. At this moment, the door was softly softly opened, and in stepped a very little woman of most extraordinary appearance and still more extraordinary manners. The little woman had an enormously large thumb, so that every one who saw it must be wonderstruck. She also

*From stor, large, and gumpa, nates.