sulted and resolved, the maiden returned to her hidingplace, while the prince lay down on the bed and appeared as if sleeping. They had not to wait long, for ere the stars had vanished before the dawn of day the Troll entered the chamber to fetch the princess, and to learn all that had taken place during the night.

Im

Several days now passed, and the princess still continued in the goose-house as before. But in the palace there was great bustle and tumult; for the queen was to celebrate her marriage with Prince Hatt, and a vast multitude of Trolls were invited to the feastings from both far and near. mense preparations were now made, and the beldam caused a vast kettle to be brought forth that could hold eighteen oxen at once, so great was its capacity. When the fire was kindled, the oxen slaughtered, and all things in readiness, the Troll sent down to the goose-house, to inquire of the wandering woman how the flesh could best be rendered perfectly tender and well-boiled. The princess did not require asking twice, but answered: "It is the custom in my country to have a very powerful fire and to boil the liquor till the kettle is blue at bottom." To the Troll this seemed a good method, and she accordingly ordered the fire to be made three times stronger than before, so that the water bubbled and founted up to the clouds of heaven. while the daughter looked to see whether the kettle were yet blue at the bottom; then the princess bent over the brim and looked down into the water, but yet no blue was visible. Thus did an hour pass, when the queen sent Prince Hatt to look; but he could see no blue. The hag was now angry, and was confident that the kettle must be blue, but that they did not see correctly. She therefore stepped up herself, and looked at the water, which was boiling most furiously; but scarcely had she bent over the edge of the kettle before the prince, seizing her by the heels, cast her headlong into the boiling fluid. So there was an end of the beldam well befitting so wicked a Troll.

After a

The prince and his beloved consort now took the golden spinning-wheel, the golden reel, and the purse, and many other costly things, and hastily departed from the palace. After a long journeying they at length arrived at a magnificent castle, that lay glittering in the sunshine. In the

court of the castle there stood a green bush, from which, on drawing near, they heard sweet music, as of harps mingled with the song of birds. Now was the princess right glad, for she recognised the three singing leaves that had been given to her by her father. But infinitely greater still was her joy, when on proceeding she saw her young children, and the prince's sisters, together with a great number of people advancing to meet them, and hailed Prince Hatt as their king and the princess as their queen.

Thus did they receive the reward of their true love, and lived happy for very many years; and the prince ruled his kingdom with wisdom and vigour, so that a mightier king and a more gracious queen were nowhere to be found. And the three singing leaves never ceased their song, but played day and night, so that a sweeter melody could not be heard. and never was any one sorrowful who was not made glad on hearing them. And so is the story told.

THE PRINCESS THAT CAME OUT OF THE WATER.

L. THE

BEAUTIFUL

HERD-GIRL

From North Småland.

THERE was once a king who had an only daughter. She was fair and good, so that she was beloved by all who saw her. The king's consort had also an only daughter; but she was ugly to look upon and of evil disposition, so that no one spoke well of her. At this the queen bore a bitter grudge towards her stepdaughter, which became more manifest on the death of the king, when she put her to all kinds of menial labour. But the poor damsel never complained, and was always patient and submissive.

It happened one day that the queen sent her stepdaughter up into the loft to watch corn. While she was sitting and watching, the little fowls of heaven came and flew twittering round the heap of corn, as if they wished to have a few grains. The king's daughter felt compassion for the little creatures, and threw a few grains to them from the heap, saying: "My poor little birds! you are so hungry, here is a little corn; peck now quickly, and eat your fill." When

66

the sparrows had eaten, they flew away, perched on the roof, and consulted together how they should reward the damsel for her goodness of heart. One bird said: "I will give, that wherever she treads the ground red roses shall spring up." The second said: "I will give, that she shall become fairer and fairer every day of her life." And I," added the third, "will give, that every time she laughs, a gold ring shall fall from her mouth." Having thus spoken, they flew away; but all came to pass as the birds had said, and from that day the king's daughter became more lovely than before, so that a more beautiful damsel was not to be found, even if search had been made in seven kingdoms.

When the queen was apprized of all this, she became still more envious than before, and meditated with herself how her own daughter could become as fair as her stepsister. With this view, she sent the princess in like manner to watch the corn up in the loft. The damsel went, but in great anger, because so mean an employment had been assigned her. When she had watched a little while the fowls of the air came twittering round the heap of corn, as if they wished to have a few grains. At this the 'damsel's anger was excited, and, snatching up a broom, she drove away the little birds, saying in her passion: "What do ye want here, ye ugly animals? Can ye not understand that a young lady of rank, such as I am, is not to dirty her hands by giving food to the like of you?" The sparrows then flew away, perched on the roof, and consulted together how they should recompense the princess for her harsh words. One of them said: "I will give, that she grows uglier and uglier every day of her life.' The second

66

66

said. I will give, that every time she treads on the ground, there shall thistles and thorns spring up." 'And I," added the third, "will give, that every time she laughs, toads and frogs shall spring out of her mouth." Having so spoken, they flew their several ways; but all came to pass as the sparrows had said, and from that day the queen's daughter became uglier and uglier, and more odious in disposition than she had been previously.

The stepmother and her wicked daughter could now no longer endure to see the king's fair daughter before their

eyes, and therefore set her to tend cattle in the forest. Thus the poor damsel had to wander about like other herdgirls, while the wicked princess remained with her mother in the royal palace, and rejoiced in her false heart that no one could get sight of the king's fair daughter or hear of her beauty.

It happened one day that the beautiful herd-girl was sitting in the forest knitting a glove, while her cattle were grazing, when some young men came riding by. On seeing the maiden as she sat working so sedulously, they were smitten with her beauty, courteously greeted her, and asked: "Why do you sit here, fair maiden, and knit so diligently?" The king's daughter answered:

"I am knitting a glove :

I think of getting the king's son of Denmark."

At these words the young men were surprised, and prayed the damsel to accompany them to the king's court. But the maiden gave no ear to their entreaties, and gave them rings of red gold that they might leave her in peace. peace. On their return they were never weary of telling of the fair herd-girl, whom they had met in the forest, and thus there was much talk about her in the whole palace, both about her beauty and riches.

When the king's young son heard all this, he was seized with a violent desire to see the beautiful maiden, and ascertain whether it were all true that the young men had related. He therefore rode out to hunt with his hawks and hounds, and penetrated far into the forest, to the place where the king's daughter sat knitting her glove. The prince approached her, courteously greeted her, and said: Why sit ye here, fair damsel, and knit so diligently?" The maiden answered::

66

"I am knitting a glove :

I think of getting the king's son of Denmark."

On hearing this, the king's son was wonder-struck, and he asked the young maiden whether she would accompany him to his dwelling. The princess laughed at his proposal, and at the instant a ring of red gold fell from her mouth, and when she rose to go, red roses sprung up in her foot

steps. Now was the prince's heart turned towards her, so that he confessed who he was, and asked whether the young maiden would be his consort. The princess answered in the affirmative, and, at the same time, gave him to understand that her descent and lineage were not inferior to his own. They then proceeded together to the royal palace, and the king's daughter became the wife of the prince. Every one wished her well, but to the king's son she was dear before all else in the world.

At this news the wicked stepmother was more envious than before, and thought of nothing so incessantly as how she should effect her stepdaughter's destruction, and make her own daughter queen in her stead. Just at that time it happened that there was a great war, so that the king's son was obliged to go forth with the army, though the young queen was pregnant and about to be confined in child-bed. Availing herself of this opportunity, the stepmother proceeded to the king's palace, and conducted herself most affably towards every one. But when the young queen was taken ill, the stepmother treacherously placed her own daughter in the place of the queen, and transformed the latter into a little duck that swam in the river outside of the king's palace.

66

Some time after this, the war was at an end, and the young king returned home, full of longing to see his fair bride again. On entering the sleeping-chamber and finding the ugly stepsister in the bed, he was sorely afflicted, and inquired why his consort was so altered in appearance. The treacherous stepmother, who was instantly ready with an answer, said: That comes of her illness, and will soon pass over." The king inquired further: "Formerly gold rings fell from her mouth every time my queen laughed, now toads and frogs spring forth; formerly red roses grew in her footsteps, but now only thistles and thorns. What can be the cause of all this?" But the wicked queen was prepared with an answer: "So as she is she will continue, and not otherwise, until the king shall take the blood of a little duck, that swims about in the river." The king asked: " How can I get the blood of the duck?" The stepmother answered: "It must be taken