its mistress's misfortune, there was no one to take care of the faithful animal, which ran to the king's palace and took refuge in the kitchen, where it lay before the fire. At night, when all had retired to rest, the master-cook observed that the door opened of itself, and a beautiful little duck, fastened with a chain, came into the kitchen. Wherever the little bird stept there sprung up the most beautiful The duck then proceeded to the hearth, where the dog was lying, and said: roses. "Thou poor little Snöhvit ! Erst didst thou lie on silken cushions blue, And my poor brother! he's in the lion's den. Out upon Räfrumpa! she sleeps in my lord's arms." The duck continued: "Poor I! I will come again two nights more afterwards I may never see thee again." She then caressed the little dog, and the animal fawned upon her in return. When a short time had passed, the door again opened of itself, and the little duck went its way. On the following morning, as soon as it was light, the master-cook took some of the beautiful roses that were strewn about on the floor, and laid them round the dishes that were to be served up at the king's table. The king could not enough admire the flowers, and called the master-cook, and asked him whence he had got such beautiful roses. The cook then related what had taken place in the night, and what the duck had said to the little dog. When the king had heard this he was struck with astonishment, and ordered the master-cook to send him notice when the bird again made its appearance. The next night the little duck went again up into the kitchen, and spoke with the dog as before. A message was thereupon sent to the king, who came just as the bird had passed out at the door; but all about the kitchen floor there lay splendid roses, that diffused a delicious odour, such as the like had never been experienced. The king now resolved, that if the bird again made its appearance, it should not escape. He therefore posted himself on the watch in the kitchen. After waiting a long while, just as it drew near midnight, the little bird entered, and approaching the dog, as he lay on the hearth, said: "Thou poor little Snöhvit ! Erst didst thou lie on silken cushions blue, And my poor brother! he's in the lion's den. Out upon Räfrumpa! she sleeps in my lord's arms.” The duck continued: “Poor I! never shall I see thee more." She then caressed the little dog, and the animal fawned upon her in return. When the bird was about to depart, the king rushed forward and seized it by the foot.. It then changed its form, and appeared as a hideous dragon; but the king still held fast. It was again transformed, and appeared in the likeness of serpents, wolves, and other ferocious animals; but the king did not let go his hold. And now the mermaid pulled hard at the chain; but the king, nevertheless, held fast, and the chain snapt asunder with a rattling noise. At the same moment there stood a beautiful damsel before him, far fairer than the charming picture. She thanked the king for having rescued her from the power of the mermaid, and he was glad beyond measure, and, clasping the maiden to his bosom, he kissed her and said: "Thee or no one in the world will I have for my queen; and now I see well that thy brother was innocent." He then sent in all haste to the lion's den, to see if the young man were still alive; but there he sat sound and well in the midst of the wild beasts, which had not injured him in the slightest degree. At this the king was rejoiced, and also delighted that all had fallen out so well. The brother and sister then related to him how their treacherous stepmother had acted towards them. As soon as it dawned the king commanded a great feast to be prepared, and invited the chief men of the realm to come to the palace. While all were sitting at table and making merry, the king began to relate about the brother and sister, who had been betrayed by their stepmother, and recounted all that had befallen them from beginning to end. When he had finished his recital, the king's men looked at each other, and all were of opinion that it was a most unheard-of tissue of wickedness. Then, turning to his mother-in-law, the king said: "I long to know what punish ment a person deserves who would destroy so innocent a life." The false beldam, not perceiving that her own treachery was discovered, answered boldly: "Such a person would well deserve to be boiled in melted lead." Then, turning to Jungfru Räfrumpa, the king said: "I also long to hear thy opinion." She answered hastily: "That person would well deserve to be cast into boiling tar." The king in anger then started up from the table and said: "Ye have pronounced judgment on yourselves, and that judgment ye shall undergo." He then commanded the two women to be led to death, according to their own sentence, and there was no one save Svanhvita who asked grace for them. The king afterwards solemnized his marriage with the fair damsel, and every one was of opinion that a more beautiful queen could nowhere be found. To the young man, her brother, the king gave his own sister; and thus joy was spread over the whole palace; and if they are not dead, there they live well and happy even until this day. THE story of The Princess that came out of the Water is one of the most wide-spread among the popular tales of Sweden, and is told with many variations. The editors have had access to the following several versions: 1. THE GOLD RING AND THE FROG THE GOLD RING AND THE SERPENT. From Upland. THERE was once a man who lost his way in a forest. After wandering about for a long while, without finding a path, he became very disheartened, and sat down on a stone. There came then to him an ugly old hag, who asked him why he was so sad. The man answered that he had lost his way, and could not find his road home. The crone thereupon said: "If thou wilt promise to take me to wife, I will show thee the way; otherwise thou wilt never leave this forest alive." In his tribulation the man promised compliance with her proposal, although it appeared to him a miserable alternative. So the beldam accompanied him to the town, and became his wife; but she was a Troll-woman, and did not allow him many joyful days. The man had been married previously, and had a daughter by his first wife, who was both good and fair. The crone had also a daughter, who resembled her mother, being both ugly and of evil disposition. Both mother and daughter entertained much envy and hatred towards the man's poor daughter, so that she met with a stepchild's treatment, and was made to suffer much wrong. It happened one day that the wicked stepmother would take a bath, and sent her stepdaughter to see whether all things were in readiness in the bath room. When the damsel approached the spot she was met by three young maidens, who besought her with great earnestness to bathe them. The stepdaughter answered: "I will readily do so, but you must make haste, that I may not get a scolding from my stepmother." She now bathed the young girls, and went her way. After her departure the three maidens consulted together how they should reward the friendly damsel for her kindness. One of them said: "I wish that she may become thrice as fair as she now is." The second said: "I wish that a gold ring may slip on her finger every time she sneezes." "And I," said the third, "wish that every time she sneezes a gold chain may wind itself thrice round her neck." Having so spoken, they went their way. The husband's daughter now accompanied her stepmother to the bath, and attended her while bathing. While so employed she chanced to sneeze, and in the same moment a gold ring fell on the floor, and gave forth a sound. "What was that?" asked the beldam, snatching up the ring; "this thou hast taken from me." The damsel said nothing, and the stepmother kept the ring. When they had returned to the apartment the damsel sneezed again, and instantly a gold chain twined itself thrice round her neck. "What was that?" again asked the beldam, "that also thou hast taken from me," grasping the beautiful chain, which she likewise kept. But the stepdaughter well knew that the ornaments were a gift from the three maidens. The crone now meditated how her own daughter might become as beautiful as her stepdaughter. For this purpose she ordered another bath to be prepared, and sent her own daughter to see whether all were in readiness. When the crone's daughter reached the bath, she was met by the three young damsels, who earnestly prayed her to bathe them; but the ill-nurtured stepdaughter cursed the young maidens, and drove them away with harsh words. The three then consulted together how they should reward the ugly creature for her ill-will and malevolence. One of them said: "I wish she may become thrice as ugly as she now is." The second said: "I wish that every time she sneezes a foul frog may come out of her mouth." "And I," added the third, I wish that every time she sneezes a serpent may twist itself three times round her neck." Having so spoken, the three maidens disappeared, and no one has set eyes on them since. 66 The crone and her daughter now proceeded to the bath-room. On reaching it the girl sneezed, when instantly a foul frog fell on the floor. "Ha! what was that?" asked the Troll-wife. The daughter was silent. On returning to their apartment the girl sneezed again, and instantly an ice-cold serpent wound itself thrice round her neck. "Ha! what was that?" exclaimed the woman, while, trembling, she removed the reptile. Thereupon the daughter related to her all that had passed between her and the three little damsels. From that day the Trollwife and her daughter were much more evil-disposed towards the husband's daughter, and sent her away to the wood to tend cattle, in order that no one might know of her beauty. It happened one day that some young men were engaged in the chase in the forest, who, when they saw the young herd-girl, as she was tending her cattle, were greatly stricken with her beauty, and insisted on her accompanying them to the king's palace, whether she would or not. The maiden was terrified, and promised to give them both gold and other precious things if they would leave her in peace. The young men placed no great reliance on these words; but the herd-girl, stepping aside to a hole she had dug in the sand, took forth both rings and gold chains, which she gave to the huntsmen, who, on seeing all these riches, were yet more wonderstruck; and he who was their chief conceived such a love for the fair maid that it seemed to him he could not live without her. The huntsmen now entreated the herdgirl to accompany them to the king's palace, promising she should experience no disgrace or dishonour from them. The damsel then complied with their request, and went with them out of the forest. But as they proceeded, she discovered that it was the young king himself who had taken her with him. And the king made love to the fair herd-girl, and made her his queen, and held her dearer than all other things in the world. When the young king had been married some time, a great war burst out,.and he was obliged to take the field. The queen was at this time pregnant. The king sent messengers over all his realm to seek out a midwife who might best attend to his consort during her confinement. At these tidings the stepmother set out for the royal palace, and was well received. But when the queen fell in childbirth, the Troll-wife, seizing a favourable opportunity, threw her stepdaughter into the sea, and caused her own daughter to act the part of queen in her stead. When the war was ended, and the king returned home, he at once saw that his queen was very unlike her former self; but the false woman was at no loss for an excuse, saying it was a consequence of her illness, and that she would soon be better. sea The fair stepdaughter, who had been cast into the sea, was taken," and came to the mermaid. After she had been there for some time, she begged the Sea-troll to let her go up to the green earth and see her little son. The mermaid consented; so the queen went up from the sea, and came late at night to the king's sleeping-chamber. There, sorrowfully bending over the infant's cradle, she said : "Who was that who spoke ?" asked the king, starting out of his sleep. "I heard nothing," answered the beldam's daughter, who was acting the part of queen. The king now commanded the watches, that, if they observed any one coming into the palace by night, they should detain them. Some |