The idea pleased the men, and they handed him the shoes; but the
moment they were on his feet he cried:

'I wish to be in the castle on the Banka!' And before he knew it, he
was there, and found the Sister of the Sun dying of grief. He knelt
down by her side, and pulling out a pin he stuck it into the palm of
her hand, so that a drop of blood gushed out. This he sucked, as he
had been told to do by the old woman, and immediately the princess
came to herself, and flung her arms round his neck. Then she told him
all her story, and what had happened since the ship had sailed away
without him. 'But the worst misfortune of all,' she added, 'was a
battle which my father lost because you had vanished with his magic
sword; and out of his whole army hardly one man was left.'

'Show me the battle-field,' said he. And she took him to a wild heath,
where the dead were lying as they fell, waiting for burial. One by one
he touched them with the end of his staff, till at length they all
stood before him. Throughout the kingdom there was nothing but joy;
and _this_ time the wedding was _really_ celebrated. And the bridal
pair lived happily in the castle on the Banka till they died.

[_Lapplaendische Maehrchen._]

_THE PRINCE AND THE THREE FATES_

Once upon a time a little boy was born to a king who ruled over a
great country through which ran a wide river. The king was nearly
beside himself with joy, for he had always longed for a son to inherit
his crown, and he sent messages to beg all the most powerful fairies
to come and see this wonderful baby. In an hour or two, so many were
gathered round the cradle, that the child seemed in danger of being
smothered; but the king, who was watching the fairies eagerly, was
disturbed to see them looking grave. 'Is there anything the matter?'
he asked anxiously.

The fairies looked at him, and all shook their heads at once.

'He is a beautiful boy, and it is a great pity; but what _is_ to
happen _will_ happen,' said they. 'It is written in the books of fate
that he must die, either by a crocodile, or a serpent, or by a dog. If
we could save him we would; but that is beyond our power.'

And so saying they vanished.

For a time the king stood where he was, horror-stricken at what he had
heard; but, being of a hopeful nature, he began at once to invent
plans to save the prince from the dreadful doom that awaited him. He
instantly sent for his master builder, and bade him construct