h her at once, and entreated her to marry him, which, after a
time, she consented to do. Asmund, on his side, asked for the hand of
Prince Ring's sister, which was gladly granted him, and the double
wedding was celebrated with great rejoicings.

After this Prince Asmund and his bride returned to his country to live
with the king his father. The two couples often met, and lived happily
for many, many years. And that is the end of the story.

[From _Islaendische Maehrchen_.]

_RUeBEZAHL_

Over all the vast under-world the mountain Gnome Ruebezahl was lord;
and busy enough the care of his dominions kept him. There were the
endless treasure chambers to be gone through, and the hosts of gnomes
to be kept to their tasks. Some built strong barriers to hold back the
fiery rivers in the earth's heart, and some had scalding vapours to
change dull stones to precious metal, or were hard at work filling
every cranny of the rocks with diamonds and rubies; for Ruebezahl loved
all pretty things. Sometimes the fancy would take him to leave those
gloomy regions, and come out upon the green earth for a while, and
bask in the sunshine and hear the birds sing. And as gnomes live many
hundreds of years he saw strange things. For, the first time he came
up, the great hills were covered with thick forests, in which wild
animals roamed, and Ruebezahl watched the fierce fights between bear
and bison, or chased the grey wolves, or amused himself by rolling
great rocks down into the desolate valleys, to hear the thunder of
their fall echoing among the hills. But the next time he ventured
above ground, what was his surprise to find everything changed! The
dark woods were hewn down, and in their place appeared blossoming
orchards surrounding cosy-looking thatched cottages; from every
chimney the blue smoke curled peacefully into the air, sheep and oxen
fed in the flowery meadows, while from the shade of the hedges came
the music of the shepherd's pipe. The strangeness and pleasantness of
the sight so delighted the gnome that he never thought of resenting
the intrusion of these unexpected guests, who, without saying 'by your
leave' or 'with your leave,' had made themselves so very much at home
upon his hills; nor did he wish to interfere with their doings, but
left them in quiet possession of their homes, as a good householder
leaves in peace the swallows who have built their nests under his
eaves. He was indeed greatly minded to make fri