ning blisters
vanished.

She passed the night at her work, for she could not sleep till she had
delivered her dear brothers. The whole of the following day, while the
swans were away, she sat in solitude, but never had time flown so
quickly with her as now. One shirt of mail was already finished, and
now she began the second.

Then a hunting horn sounded among the hills, and she was struck with
fear. The noise came nearer and nearer; she heard the barking dogs, and
timidly she fled into the cave, bound into a bundle the nettles she had
collected and prepared, and sat upon the bundle.

Immediately a great dog came bounding out of the ravine, and then
another, and another: they barked loudly, ran back, and then came again.
Only a few minutes had gone before all the huntsmen stood before the
cave, and the handsomest of them was the King of the country. He came
forward to Eliza, for he had never seen a more beautiful maiden.

"How did you come hither, you delightful child?" he asked.

Eliza shook her head, for she might not speak--it would cost her
brothers their deliverance and their lives. And she hid her hands under
her apron, so that the King might not see what she was suffering.

"Come with me," said he. "You cannot stop here. If you are as good as
you are beautiful, I will dress you in velvet and silk, and place the
golden crown on your head, and you shall dwell in my richest castle, and
rule."

And then he lifted her on his horse. She wept and wrung her hands; but
the King said:

"I only wish for your happiness: one day you will thank me for this."

And then he galloped away among the mountains with her on his horse, and
the hunters galloped at their heels.

When the sun went down, the fair regal city lay before them, with its
churches and cupolas; and the King led her into the castle, where great
fountains plashed in the lofty marble halls, and where walls and
ceilings were covered with glorious pictures. But she had no eyes for
all this--she only wept and mourned. Passively she let the women put
royal robes upon her, and weave pearls in her hair, and draw dainty
gloves over her blistered fingers.

When she stood there in full array, she was dazzlingly beautiful, so
that the Court bowed deeper than ever. And the King chose her for his
bride, although the archbishop shook his head and whispered that the
beauteous fresh maid was certainly a witch, who blinded the eyes and led
astray the heart of the King