disappeared and he
found a dirty looking girl standing near him. The girl returned with him
and managed to get a place as housemaid in the palace.

Of course she was very busy all day long, but whenever she had a little
spare time she sat down to spin. Her distaff turned of itself and her
spindle span by itself and the flax wound itself off; and however much
she might use there was always plenty left.

When the queen--or, rather, the swineherd's daughter--heard of this,
she very much wished to have the distaff, but the girl flatly refused
to give it to her. However, at last she consented on condition that she
might sleep one night in the king's room. The queen was very angry, and
scolded her well; but as she longed to have the distaff she consented,
though she gave the king a sleeping draught at supper.

Then the girl went to the king's room looking seven times lovelier than
ever. She bent over the sleeper and said: 'My heart's love, I am yours
and you are mine. Speak to me but once; I am your Ilonka.' But the king
was so sound asleep he neither heard nor spoke, and Ilonka left the
room, sadly thinking he was ashamed to own her.

Soon after the queen again sent to say that she wanted to buy the
spindle. The girl agreed to let her have it on the same conditions as
before; but this time, also, the queen took care to give the king a
sleeping draught. And once more Ilonka went to the king's room and spoke
to him; whisper as sweetly as she might she could get no answer.

Now some of the king's servants had taken note of the matter, and warned
their master not to eat and drink anything that the queen offered him,
as for two nights running she had given him a sleeping draught. The
queen had no idea that her doings had been discovered; and when, a few
days later, she wanted the flax, and had to pay the same price for it,
she felt no fears at all.

At supper that night the queen offered the king all sorts of nice things
to eat and drink, but he declared he was not hungry, and went early to
bed.

The queen repented bitterly her promise to the girl, but it was too late
to recall it; for Ilonka had already entered the king's room, where he
lay anxiously waiting for something, he knew not what. All of a sudden
he saw a lovely maiden who bent over him and said: 'My dearest love, I
am yours and you are mine. Speak to me, for I am your Ilonka.'

At these words the king's heart bounded within him. He sprang up and
embraced and