allowed his
horse to stray about and graze at liberty. When the prince awoke from
his sleep, the sun was already low in the heavens. As he was again
wandering backwards and forwards in search of the right road, he came
at length to a small footpath which led him to the cottage of the lame
old woman. The daughters were startled when they suddenly saw the
stranger appear, whose like they had never before beheld. But they had
finished their day's work, and soon made friends with the visitor in the
cool evening, feeling no inclination to retire to rest. And even after
the elder sisters had lain down to sleep, the youngest still sat on the
doorstep with their guest, and no sleep visited their eyes that night.

We will leave the pair to exchange confidences and sweet words in the
light of the moon and stars, and will return to the huntsmen who had
lost their master in the wood. They searched unweariedly through the
whole forest, until the darkness of night put an end to their quest.
After this, two men were sent to carry the sad news to the city, while
the others camped for the night under a great pine-tree, ready to renew
their search next day. The king immediately issued orders that a
regiment of horse and a regiment of foot should march out next morning
to seek for his lost son. The wood was so long and broad that the
search lasted till the third day, when horse-tracks were at length
discovered which they followed till they reached the footpath which led
to the cottage. The prince had not found the time pass heavily in
company with the maiden, and he was but little disposed to go home.
Before he departed, he gave her a secret promise that he would return in
a short time, and take her with him, either with good-will or by force,
and would make her his bride. But although the elder sisters had heard
nothing of the matter, it nevertheless came to light in a way which
nobody anticipated.

The youngest daughter was not a little astonished, when she sat down to
work after the departure of the prince, to find that the thread on the
spool was broken. She pieced the ends together, and set the wheel in
rapid motion that she might make up for the time which she had lost with
her lover, by diligent labour, but her heart fluttered at a strange and
inexplicable event, for the gold thread had lost its former lustre. No
terror and no sighs or tears could repair the mischief. According to an
old proverb, misfortune springs into the house