'and when she is happy
her beauty will soon come back.' And without any further delay he begged
the queen to consent to their betrothal, for the marriage must take
place in his own country.

The queen was enchanted. She had hardly expected to succeed so soon, and
she at once set about her preparations. Indeed she wished to travel with
the young couple, to make sure that nothing should go wrong; but here
the prince was firm, that he would take no one with him but Laufer, whom
he thought was Lineik.

They soon took leave of the queen, and set sail in a splendid ship; but
in a short time a dense fog came on, and in the dark the captain steered
out of his course, and they found themselves in a bay which was quite
strange to all the crew. The prince ordered a boat to be lowered, and
went on shore to look about him, and it was not long before he noticed
the two beautiful trees, quite different from any that grew in Greece.
Calling one of the sailors, he bade him cut them down, and carry them on
board the ship. This was done, and as the sky was now clear they put out
to sea, and arrived in Greece without any more adventures.

The news that the prince had brought home a bride had gone before them,
and they were greeted with flowery arches and crowns of coloured lights.
The king and queen met them on the steps of the palace, and conducted
the girl to the women's house, where she would have to remain until her
marriage. The prince then went to his own rooms and ordered that the
trees should be brought in to him.

The next morning the prince bade his attendants bring his future bride
to his own apartments, and when she came he gave her silk which she was
to weave into three robes--one red, one green, and one blue--and these
must all be ready before the wedding. The blue one was to be done first
and the green last, and this was to be the most splendid of all, 'for I
will wear it at our marriage,' said he.

Left alone, Laufer sat and stared at the heap of shining silk before
her. She did not know how to weave, and burst into tears as she thought
that everything would be discovered, for Lineik's skill in weaving was
as famous as her beauty. As she sat with her face hidden and her body
shaken by sobs, Sigurd in his tree heard her and was moved to pity.
'Lineik, my sister,' he called, softly, 'Laufer is weeping; help her, I
pray you.'

'Have you forgotten the wrongs her mother did to us' answered Lineik,
'and that it is owing t