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greeted the princess with: "Peace be with you," and likewise received for answer: "Peace with you." She then asked the young damsel why she was so sad and lonely. "I may well be sad," answered the princess. "The queen has commanded me to make this web into shirts for the king's son; and if I have not finished them to-morrow before sunrise, I shall lose my beloved prince, who holds me so dear." The woman then said: Be of good cheer, fair maiden; if it is nothing more, I can help you. But then you must agree to a condition, which I will mention. At these words the princess was overjoyed, and asked the little woman what it was she wished. "I am," answered she, "called Stortumma-mor*, and I desire no other reward than that I may be present at your wedding. I have not been at a wedding since the queen your mother-in-law stood as bride." The princess willingly assented to this condition, and the little woman departed. But the princess lay down to sleep, and slept so soundly that she did not dream even once of her dear prince.

Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, the door was opened, and the little woman entered. She approached the bed, awakened the princess, and gave her some shirts that were sewed and stitched so curiously that their like was never seen. The old woman said: "See! so beautifully as this I have not sewed since I sewed for the queen, when she was about to stand as bride. But that was long long ago." With these words the little woman disappeared; for the queen was then at the door, being just come to inquire whether the shirts were ready. The king's daughter said that they were, and handed her the beautiful work. At the sight of them the queen was so enraged that her eyes flashed with fury. She said: "Well! take him then. I could never have imagined that thou wast so clever as thou art." She then went her way, slamming the door after her.

The king's son and the king's daughter were now to be united, as the queen had promised, and great preparations were made for the wedding. But the joy of the princess was not without alloy, when she thought of the singular guests that were to be present. When some time had

• Mother Bigthumb.

elapsed, and the wedding was being celebrated in the good old fashion, yet not one of the little old women appeared; although the bride looked about in every direction. At length, when it was growing late, and the guests were going to table, the princess discerned the three little women, as they sat in a corner of the dining-hall, at a table by themselves. At the same moment the king stepped up to them, and inquired who they were, as he had never seen them before. The eldest of the three answered: "I am called Storfota-mor, and have such large feet because I have been obliged to sit spinning so much in my time." "Oho!" said the king, "if such be the consequence, my son's wife shall never spin another thread." Then turning to the second little woman, he inquired the cause of her uncommon appearance. The old woman answered: "I am called Storgumpa-mor, and am so broad behind because I have been obliged to sit weaving so much in my time." Oho!" said the king, "then my son's wife shall weave no more." Lastly, turning to the third old woman, he asked her name; when Stortumma-mor, rising from her seat, told him that she had got so large a thumb because she had sewed so much in her time. "Oho!" said the king, "then my son's wife shall never sew another stitch." Thus the fair princess obtained the king's son, and also escaped from spinning, and weaving, and sewing all the rest of her life.

When the wedding was over, the three little women went their way, and no one knew whither they went, nor whence they came. The prince lived happy and content with his consort, and all passed on smoothly and peaceably; only that the princess was not so industrious as her strict motherin-law.

THE THREE DOGS.

From Westergötland.

THERE was once a king who journeyed to a strange land and married a fair queen. After they had been united for some time, the queen gave birth to a daughter. At this event there was great rejoicing both in town and country; for the king was well liked of every one, on account of his clemency and uprightness. When the child was born, an

old woman entered the chamber, of very singular appearance, and no one knew whence she came nor whither she went. The old crone predicted regarding the royal babe, and said that it must not come under the open sky until it had completed the age of fifteen; otherwise it was to be feared it would be carried off by the Mountain-trolls. When the king was informed of this, he treasured the old woman's words in his memory, and set watchers to take care that the young princess did not come under the open sky.

Some time after, the queen brought forth another daughter, at which there was again great rejoicing throughout the kingdom; but the old soothsayer again made her appearance, and warned the king not to allow the princess to come under the open sky before she had completed her fifteenth year. Time now passed on, and the queen gave birth to a third daughter, and the old woman came a third time, and predicted regarding this one as she had done with respect to her sisters. This was a cause of great grief to the king; for he loved his children above all things in the world besides. He therefore commanded that the three princesses should be constantly kept under a roof, and took every precaution to prevent any one from transgressing his mandates in this particular.

When a considerable time had elapsed, and the royal children had grown up into the fairest maidens that could be seen far or near, a war broke out in the country, and the king their father took the field. One day, while he was absent, engaged in warfare, the three princesses were sitting at the window and admiring how the sun shone on the flowers in the garden, when a strong desire seized them to amuse themselves among the beautiful plants, and they begged permission of their attendants to go for a little while and wander about in the garden. The attendants

would not grant their request, for they dreaded the king's anger; but the damsels entreated them so sweetly and fervently, that the men could no longer withstand their prayers, and let them have their will. The princesses were now overjoyed and went in and out of the garden; but their wandering was of no long duration; for before they had thus amused themselves for any length of time, a

cloud suddenly descended and bore them away, and every attempt to find them again was fruitless, although search was made in every region of the globe.

There was now great sorrow and lamentation over the whole kingdom, and it is easy to imagine that the king's anguish was extreme, when, on his return, he was informed of what had happened. But, as the proverb says, "What's done can't be undone," so he was forced to let things remain as they were. As therefore no other course could be devised, the king sent forth a proclamation over all his realm, that whosoever should deliver his three daughters out of the power of the Mountain-trolls, should have one of them to wife, and with her half the kingdom. When this announcement became known in the surrounding countries, many youthful champions, with horses and attendants, sallied forth to seek after the three princesses. At the king's court there were at this time two foreign princes, who also started off, to prove whether fortune would befriend them. They armed themselves with corselets and costly weapons, and talked amazingly big of how they would never return until they had succeeded in their enterprise.

We will now, for a while, let the two princes wander about seeking, and turn to another quarter. There dwelt at this time a poor widow, far, very far in the wild wood, who had an only son, whose daily employ it was to tend his mother's hogs. While the boy was thus wandering about the fields, he cut himself a pipe to play on, which was his greatest delight; and he played so sweetly, that every one who heard him was charmed. The youth was tall of stature and stout of heart, and there were few perils before which he would quail.

It happened one day that as the youth was sitting in the forest and playing on his pipe, while his three hogs were busied in grubbing under the pine roots, a very old man came to him, having an ample beard, which reached below his girdle. He had with him a dog, that was both large and strong. When the lad saw the large dog, he thought within himself: "It would be fortunate to have a dog like that as a companion out here in the fields; there would then be no danger." When the old man was aware of what

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was passing in the youth's mind, he said: "I am come because I wish to exchange my dog for one of thy hogs." The lad was instantly ready for the bargain, and so became possessed of the great dog, giving a grey hog in exchange. The old man then took his departure, and on going said: "I feel satisfied that thou wilt be content with the bargain; for this dog is not like other dogs. His name is Hold, and whatever thou desirest him to hold he will hold, were it even the fiercest Troll." Thus they parted, and the youth thought that this time, at all events, fortune was not unfavourable to him.

In the evening the lad called his dog, and drove the hogs home from the forest. When the old woman found that her son had given the grey hog for a dog, she was exceedingly angry and gave him a sound beating. But the lad besought her to be content; though to no purpose; for with time the old woman's wrath was rather increased than diminished. Seeing no other course, the boy called to his dog and said "Hold!" Instantly the dog rushed forward, seized the crone, and held her so fast that she could not move; but did her no injury. The old dame was now obliged to promise to be content with what her son had done, and they were again reconciled. Nevertheless, the old woman could not refrain from thinking she had sustained a great injury in losing her fat hog.

On the following day the boy went to the forest with his dog and two hogs. On reaching it he sat down and played. on his pipe, as was his custom, and the dog danced to it so artistically, that it was quite wonderful to see. While he was thus sitting, the same old greybeard came again out of the forest, having with him another dog, that was not less than the one before-mentioned. When the youth saw the handsome animal, he thought within himself: "It would be well to have a dog like that, as a companion, here out in the fields; there would then be no danger." When the old man was aware of what was passing in his mind, he said: "I am come because I wish to exchange my dog for one of thy hogs." The lad did not waste much time in considering, but closed the bargain; so got the great dog, giving his hog in exchange. The old greybeard then went his way; but when departing, said to the youth: "Verily I