nted to destroy it, stamping about and
shouting angrily.

Now, all this time Prince Asmund and his sister sat in their trees
just outside the window and saw all that was going on.

'Dear Signy,' said Asmund, 'do try to get hold of that piece of
brocade and make the clothes yourself, for really we shall have no
rest day or night with such a noise.'

'I will try,' said Signy; 'it won't be an easy matter, but it's worth
while taking some trouble to have a little peace.'

So she watched for an opportunity and managed to carry off the brocade
the first time the witch left her room. Then she set to work, cutting
out and sewing as best she could, and by the end of six days she had
turned it into an elegant robe with a long train and a mantle. When it
was finished she climbed to the top of her tree and contrived to
throw the clothes on to a table through the open window.

[Illustration: SIGNY AT THE WINDOW]

How delighted the witch was when she found the clothes all finished!
The next time Prince Ring came to see her she gave them to him, and he
paid her many compliments on her skilful work, after which he took
leave of her in the most friendly manner. But he had scarcely left the
house when the witch began to rage as furiously as ever, and never
stopped till her brother Ironhead appeared.

When Asmund saw all these wild doings from his tree he felt he could
no longer keep silence. He went to Prince Ring and said: 'Do come with
me and see the strange things that are happening in the new princess's
room.'

The prince was not a little surprised, but he consented to hide
himself with Asmund behind the panelling of the room, from where they
could see all that went on through a little slit. The witch was raving
and roaring as usual, and said to her brother:

'Once I am married to the king's son I shall be better off than now. I
shall take care to have all that pack of courtiers put to death, and
then I shall send for all my relations to come and live here instead.
I fancy the giants will enjoy themselves very much with me and my
husband.'

When Prince Ring heard this he fell into such a rage that he ordered
the house to be set on fire, and it was burnt to the ground, with the
witch and her brother in it.

Asmund then told the prince about the two oak trees and took him to
see them. The prince was quite astonished at them and at all their
contents, but still more so at the extreme beauty of Signy. He fell in
love wit