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THE HEADLESS PRINCESS.[364]

In a certain country there lived a King; and this King had a
daughter who was an enchantress. Near the royal palace there
dwelt a priest, and the priest had a boy of ten years old, who
went every day to an old woman to learn reading and writing.
Now it happened one day that he came away from his lessons
late in the evening, and as he passed by the palace he looked
in at one of the windows. At that window the Princess happened
to be sitting and dressing herself. She took off her head,
lathered it with soap, washed it with clean water, combed its
hair, plaited its long back braid, and then put it back again in
its proper place. The boy was lost in wonder.

"What a clever creature!" thinks he. "A downright
witch!"

And when he got home he began telling every one how he
had seen the Princess without her head.

All of a sudden the King's daughter fell grievously ill, and
she sent for her father, and strictly enjoined him, saying--

"If I die, make the priest's son read the psalter over me
three nights running."

The Princess died; they placed her in a coffin, and carried
it to church. Then the king summoned the priest, and said--

"Have you got a son?"

"I have, your majesty."

"Well then," said the King, "let him read the psalter over
my daughter three nights running."

The priest returned home, and told his son to get ready. In
the morning the priest's son went to his lessons, and sat over
his book looking ever so gloomy.

"What are you unhappy about?" asked the old woman.

"How can I help being unhappy, when I'm utterly done
for?"

"Why what's the matter? Speak out plainly."

"Well then, granny, I've got to read psalms over the princess,
and, do you know, she's a witch!"

"I knew that before you did! But don't be frightened,
there's a knife for you. When you go into the church, trace a
circle round you; then read away from your psalter and don't
look behind you. Whatever happens there, whatever horrors
may appear, mind your own business and go on reading, reading.
But if you look behind you, it will be all over with you!"

In the evening the boy went to the church, traced a circle
round him with the knife, and betook himself to the psalter.
Twelve o'clock struck. The lid of the coffin flew up; the Princess
arose, leapt out, and cried--

"Now I'll teach you to go peeping