wedding drew
near, and the old Queen had to send her daughter into the foreign land,
she got together many costly things, furniture and cups and jewels and
adornments, both of gold and silver, everything proper for the dowry of
a royal Princess, for she loved her daughter dearly. She gave her also a
waiting gentlewoman to attend her and to give her into the bridegroom's
hands; and they were each to have a horse for the journey, and the
Princess's horse was named Falada, and he could speak. When the time for
parting came, the old Queen took her daughter to her chamber, and with a
little knife she cut her own finger so that it bled; and she held
beneath it a white napkin, and on it fell three drops of blood; and she
gave it to her daughter, bidding her take care of it, for it would be
needful to her on the way. Then they took leave of each other; and the
Princess put the napkin in her bosom, got on her horse, and set out to
go to the bridegroom. After she had ridden an hour, she began to feel
very thirsty, and she said to the waiting-woman,

"Get down, and fill my cup that you are carrying with water from the
brook; I have great desire to drink."

"Get down yourself," said the waiting-woman, "and if you are thirsty
stoop down and drink; I will not be your slave."

[Illustration: GOOSE GIRL

'O WIND, BLOW CONRAD'S HAT AWAY,
AND MAKE HIM FOLLOW AS IT FLIES,
WHILE I WITH MY GOLD HAIR WILL PLAY
AND BIND IT UP IN SEEMLY WISE.' ]

And as her thirst was so great, the Princess had to get down and to
stoop and drink of the water of the brook, and could not have her gold
cup to serve her. "Oh dear!" said the poor Princess. And the three drops
of blood heard her, and said,

"If your mother knew of this, it would break her heart."

But the Princess answered nothing, and quietly mounted her horse again.
So they rode on some miles farther; the day was warm, the sun shone hot,
and the Princess grew thirsty once more. And when they came to a
water-course she called again to the waiting-woman and said,

"Get down, and give me to drink out of my golden cup." For she had
forgotten all that had gone before. But the waiting-woman spoke still
more scornfully and said,

"If you want a drink, you may get it yourself; I am not going to be your
slave."

So, as her thirst was so great, the Princess had to get off her horse
and to stoop towards the running water to drink, and as she stooped, she
wept and said, "Oh dear!