And bring to me the large old kist.'

And the little toad went and brought out a great chest. Then they gave
her food and drink, and led her to a beautifully made bed of silk and
samite, on which she lay down and slept soundly. When the day dawned she
arose, and the old toad gave her three things out of the huge chest to
take with her. She would have need of them, for she had to cross a high
glass mountain, three cutting swords, and a great lake. When she had
passed these she would find her lover again. So she was given three
large needles, a plough-wheel, and three nuts, which she was to take
great care of. She set out with these things, and when she came to the
glass mountain which was so slippery she stuck the three needles behind
her feet and then in front, and so got over it, and when she was on the
other side put them carefully away.

Then she reached the three cutting swords, and got on her plough-wheel
and rolled over them. At last she came to a great lake, and, when she
had crossed that, arrived at a beautiful castle. She went in and gave
herself out as a servant, a poor maid who would gladly be engaged. But
she knew that the Prince whom she had freed from the iron stove in the
great wood was in the castle. So she was taken on as a kitchen-maid for
very small wages. Now the Prince was about to marry another princess,
for he thought she was dead long ago.

In the evening, when she had washed up and was ready, she felt in her
pocket and found the three nuts which the old toad had given her. She
cracked one and was going to eat the kernel, when behold! there was a
beautiful royal dress inside it! When the bride heard of this, she came
and begged for the dress, and wanted to buy it, saying that it was not a
dress for a serving-maid. Then she said she would not sell it unless she
was granted one favour--namely, to sleep by the Prince's door. The bride
granted her this, because the dress was so beautiful and she had so few
like it. When it was evening she said to her bridegroom, 'That stupid
maid wants to sleep by your door.'

'If you are contented, I am,' he said. But she gave him a glass of wine
in which she had poured a sleeping-draught. Then they both went to his
room, but he slept so soundly that she could not wake him. The maid wept
all night long, and said, 'I freed you in the wild wood out of the iron
stove; I have sought you, and have crossed a glassy mountain, three
sharp swords, and a great lake be