this!' said the King; but the largest dog seized him
too, and the Queen as well, and threw them up after the others. This
frightened the soldiers, and all the people cried: 'Good Soldier, you
shall be our King, and marry the beautiful Princess!'

Then they put the Soldier into the King's coach, and the three dogs
danced in front, crying 'Hurrah!' And the boys whistled and the soldiers
presented arms.

The Princess came out of the copper castle, and became Queen; and that
pleased her very much.

The wedding festivities lasted for eight days, and the dogs sat at table
and made eyes at everyone.

THE WITCH IN THE STONE BOAT(31)

(31) From the Icelandic.

There were once a King and a Queen, and they had a son called Sigurd,
who was very strong and active, and good-looking. When the King came
to be bowed down with the weight of years he spoke to his son, and
said that now it was time for him to look out for a fitting match for
himself, for he did not know how long he might last now, and he would
like to see him married before he died.

Sigurd was not averse to this, and asked his father where he thought
it best to look for a wife. The King answered that in a certain country
there was a King who had a beautiful daughter, and he thought it would
be most desirable if Sigurd could get her. So the two parted, and Sigurd
prepared for the journey, and went to where his father had directed him.

He came to the King and asked his daughter's hand, which he readily
granted him, but only on the condition that he should remain there as
long as he could, for the King himself was not strong and not very able
to govern his kingdom. Sigurd accepted this condition, but added that
he would have to get leave to go home again to his own country when
he heard news of his father's death. After that Sigurd married the
Princess, and helped his father-in-law to govern the kingdom. He and the
Princess loved each other dearly, and after a year a son came to them,
who was two years old when word came to Sigurd that his father was dead.
Sigurd now prepared to return home with his wife and child, and went on
board ship to go by sea.

They had sailed for several days, when the breeze suddenly fell, and
there came a dead calm, at a time when they needed only one day's voyage
to reach home. Sigurd and his Queen were one day on deck, when most of
the others on the ship had fallen asleep. There they sat and talked for
a while, and had their li