be it whirl'd,
Till the golden locks,
Are all comb'd and curl'd!"

[Illustration: "THEN THERE CAME A WIND SO STRONG THAT IT BLEW OFF
CURDKEN'S HAT."]

And soon came a gale of wind, and carried away Curdken's hat, while
the girl went on combing and curling her hair.

All this the old king saw: so he went home without being seen; and
when the little goose girl came back in the evening, he called her
aside, and asked her why she did so: but she burst into tears, and
said, "That I must not tell you or any man, or I shall lose my life."

But the old king begged so hard that she had no peace till she had
told him all, word for word: and it was very lucky for her that she
did so, for the king ordered royal clothes to be put upon her, and
gazed on her with wonder, she was so beautiful.

Then he called his son, and told him that he had only the false bride,
for that she was merely a waiting-maid, while the true one stood by.

And the young king rejoiced when he saw her beauty, and heard how meek
and patient she had been; and without saying anything, ordered a great
feast to be got ready for all his court.

The bridegroom sat at the top, with the false princess on one side,
and the true one on the other; but nobody knew her, for she was quite
dazzling to their eyes, and was not at all like the little goose-girl,
now that she had her brilliant dress.

When they had eaten and drunk, and were very merry, the old king told
all the story, as one that he had once heard of, and asked the true
waiting-maid what she thought ought to be done to anyone who would
behave thus.

"Nothing better," said this false bride, "than that she should be
thrown into a cask stuck round with sharp nails, and that two white
horses should be put to it, and should drag it from street to street
till she is dead."

"Thou art she!" said the old king; "and since thou hast judged
thyself, it shall be so done to thee."

And the young king was married to his true wife, and they reigned over
the kingdom in peace and happiness all their lives.

[Illustration]

LITTLE SNOW-WHITE

It was in the middle of winter, when the broad flakes of snow were
falling around, that a certain queen sat working at the window, the
frame of which was made of fine black ebony; and as she was looking
out upon the snow, she pricked her finger, and three drops of blood
fell upon it. Then she gazed thoughtfully upon the red drops which
sprinkled the whi