between the increase and the wane." The king now ordered the little duck to be caught, but the bird escaped from all the snares, in whatever manner laid. On Thursday night, while all were sunk in sleep, the watchmen observed a white form, in all respects resembling the queen, which rose up from the river, and went into the kitchen. The princess had had a little dog, to which she was much attached, called Nappe. On entering the kitchen she said: : 66 "Little Nappe, my dog, Hast thou some food to give me to-night?" No, indeed I have not, my lady," answered the dog. The king's daughter again said : 66 "Does the Troll sleep with my dear young prince, In the high chamber?" Yes, she does so, my lady," answered the dog. 66 The king's daughter then said: I will return yet on two Thursday nights, and never again afterwards." She then sighed deeply, went down to the river, and was changed into a little duck, as before. On the following Thursday night the same occurrence took place. When the people were gone to rest, the watchmen observed a white form that rose from the river and proceeded to the kitchen. All being greatly surprised at this sight, they went secretly to listen to what she said or did. When she came into the kitchen, she said :— 66 "Little Nappe, my dog, Hast thou some food to give me to-night?" No, indeed I have not, my lady," answered the dog. The king's daughter then asked: "Does the Troll sleep with my dear young prince, In the high chamber?" "Yes, she does so, my lady," said the dog. The queen continued: "I will yet come again on one Thursday night, and afterwards never more. She then began to weep bitterly, and returned to the river, where she was changed into a little duck, which played about on the water. But when the men perceived all this, it appeared to them as very wonderful, so that they went privately to their lord, and related to him what they had heard and seen. At this intelligence the king sank into deep reflection, and commanded the watchmen to send him notice when the form should appear for the third time. On the third Thursday night, when all had retired to rest, the king's daughter again rose from the water, and went to the palace. On entering the kitchen, as was her custom, she spoke to her dog, and said: "Little Nappe, my dog, Hast thou some food to give me to-night?" "No, indeed I have not, my lady," answered the dog. 66 "Does the Troll sleep with my dear young prince, In the high chamber?" 66 I shall now Yes, she does so, my lady," answered the dog. The queen then sighed deeply and said: never come again," and then began to weep bitterly, and was going out to return to the river. But the king had been standing behind the door, listening to the conversation; and when the figure was about to depart, he took his silver-bladed knife and wounded her left little finger, so that there came forth three drops of blood. The sorcery was then at an end; the queen awoke as from a dream, and said: Ha! ha! wast thou standing there?" She then, full of joy, fell on her husband's neck, who bore her up to her chamber. 66 The young queen now related to her consort all that had passed, and they were overjoyed at seeing each other again. The king then went to the stepmother, who was sitting by her daughter's bed; and the false queen was holding the babe on her arm, and feigned to be very weak after her illness. The king on entering greeted the old Troll-wife, and asked: "If any one would destroy my sick queen, and throw her into the river, tell me what would be a fitting reward for her?" The wicked stepmother, not suspecting that her treachery was discovered, instantly answered: "That person would well deserve to be placed in a cask set with spikes, and rolled down a mountain.' Then was the king filled with anger; he rose up and said: "Thou hast now pronounced thy own doom, and it shall be with thee as thou thyself hast said." So the Troll-wife was placed in a cask set round with spikes, and rolled down the mountain; and her daughter, the false queen, suffered the same punishment. But the king took his right queen, and lived with her in peace and happiness. Afterwards I was no longer with them. THERE was once a king and a queen, who had an only daughter. She was called Lilla (Little) Rosa, and was both fair and wise, so that she was much beloved by all who knew her. But after some time the queen died, and the king took another wife. The new queen also had an only daughter, but she was of a proud disposition and ugly of aspect, so that she acquired the name of Long Leda. Both stepsisters grew up together in the royal court; but every one who saw them observed a great difference between them. Both the queen and Long Leda were bitterly envious of Lilla Rosa, and did her all the harm in their power. But the king's daughter was at all times gentle and submissive, and willingly performed her tasks, however heavy they might be. At this the queen was still more embittered, and grew more and more malignant, the more Lilla Rosa strove to please her in all things. It happened one day, as the two princesses were walking in the garden, that they heard the head-gardener speaking to his man, and bidding him fetch an axe that had been left among the trees. On hearing this, the queen said that Lilla Rosa should go after the axe. The head-gardener objected and said that so mean an errand was ill-befitting the daughter of a king; but the queen persisted and prevailed. When Little Rosa came into the wood, as the queen had commanded, she soon found where the axe lay; but three white doves had perched on the haft. So taking some bread she had brought with her, she crumbled it and held it out to the little doves, saying: My poor little doves! you must now go away; for I am compelled to carry the 66 66 66 axe to my stepmother." The doves ate from the maiden's hand, willingly quitted the haft, and Lilla Rosa took away the axe, as she had been commanded. She had not been gone long when the doves began to converse together, and to consider what reward they should bestow on the young damsel who had been so kind to them. One said: "I will give, that she shall be twice as fair as she now is." The second said: "I will give, that her hair shall be turned to golden hair." And I," added the third, will give, that every time she laughs a ring of red gold shall fall from her mouth." Having thus spoken, the doves flew their respective ways; but all came to pass as they had said. So when Lilla Rosa came back to her stepmother, all were amazed at her incomparable beauty, at her fine golden locks, and at the red gold rings that fell from her whenever she laughed. But the queen found out all that had taken place, and from that moment entertained a more intense hatred towards her stepdaughter than before. The wicked stepmother now meditated both day and night only how her own daughter might become as beautiful as Lilla Rosa. To this end she secretly summoned the head-gardener to her presence, and told him what he should do. She then went with both princesses to walk in the flower-garden, according to her custom. As they passed by the head-gardener, he said that he had left his axe among the trees, and bade his man fetch it; whereupon the queen said that Long Leda should go for the axe. The headgardener objected to this, as was just, and thought that so mean an errand was ill-befitting a young lady of rank; but the queen persisted and gained her object. When Long Leda came into the wood, as the queen had ordered, she soon saw where the axe lay; but the three beautiful white doves were again sitting on the haft. 01 seeing them the evil-disposed damsel could not repress he ill-humour, but cast stones at the birds, cursed them, and said: "Away, ye ugly creatures! you shall not sit here and foul the axe-handle that I am to lay hold of with my white hands." At this address the doves flew away, and Long Leda took the axe, as she had been ordered. But she had not proceeded far on her return, when the doves began to converse together, and to consider what reward they should bestow on the ill-natured damsel for her malice. 66 One of them said: "I will give her, that she shall be twice as ugly as she now is.' The second said: I will give, that her hair shall be like a thorn-bush." "And I," added the third, "will give, that a toad shall spring out of her mouth every time she laughs." Having so spoken, the three doves flew their several ways; but all came to pass as they had said. When, therefore, Long Leda returned to her mother, she was wonder-struck at her loathsome aspect, at her hair, which resembled a thorn-bush, and at the toad which issued from her mouth every time she laughed. She was, as might be expected, deeply afflicted at this misfortune, and, it is said, neither she nor her daughter ever laughed from that day. The stepmother could now no longer endure the sight of Lilla Rosa, but strove to injure and destroy her. With this view she secretly called to her a shipmaster, who was going to a far distant land, and promised him a great reward if he would take the king's daughter on board his ship, and sink her in the bottom of the sea. Allured by the promised gold, the great root of evil in this world, the shipmaster carried off Lilla Rosa by night, as her stepmother had desired. But when the vessel had put out to sea, and had sailed far away' on the raging ocean, a violent storm arose, so that the ship perished, with freight and crew, all except Lilla Rosa, who was borne by the waves until she reached a green isle far out in the sea. Here she long continued without hearing or seeing a single human being, her food consisting of wild berries and roots, which grew in the woods. One day, while wandering on the sea-shore, she found the head and leg of a fawn that had been killed by the wild beasts. As the flesh was still fresh, she took the leg and set it on a pole, that the little birds might see it the better, and come and feed upon it. She then lay down on the earth, and slept for a short time, when she was wakened by a sweet song, more beautiful than anything that can be imagined. Lilla Rosa listened to the delightful notes, and thought she was dreaming; for nothing so exquisite had she ever heard before. On looking around her, she saw that the leg which she had placed as food for the little |