aiden whom he had
released from her watery prison, as well as an attendant and a lady's
maid. The prince kept the attendant with him, but sent the chariot and
the maid with the clothes to the spot where his naked darling was
waiting under the rowan-tree. Rather more than an hour elapsed before
the coach returned, bringing the maiden attired as a royal bride to the
spot where the prince was waiting. He also was richly dressed in wedding
robes, and seated himself by her side in the chariot. They drove
straight to the city, and stopped before the door of the church. In the
church sat the king and queen in black garments, mourning for the loss
of their beloved son, who was supposed to have been drowned in the
river, for his horse and his clothes had been found on the bank. Great
was their joy when their lost son appeared before them, accompanied by
a beautiful girl, both in wedding attire. The king himself led them to
the altar, and they were married. Then a wedding-feast was prepared,
which lasted for six whole weeks.

But there is no peace nor rest in the course of time, for days of
happiness appear to pass more quickly than hours of trouble. Soon after
the wedding, autumn set in, followed by frost and snow, and the young
couple did not feel much inclination to leave the house. But when spring
returned, the prince and his young consort went to walk in the garden.
There they heard a magpie crying out from the summit of a tree, "O what
an ungrateful creature to neglect the friends who have helped him so
much, in his days of happiness! Must the two poor girls sit spinning
gold thread all their lives? The lame old woman is not the mother of the
maidens, but a wicked witch who stole them away from a far country when
they were children. The old woman has committed many crimes, and
deserves no mercy. Let her be punished with boiled hemlock, or she will
perhaps direct another witch's coil against the child who has been
rescued."

This reminded the prince of all that had happened, and he told his
consort how he had gone to the cottage in the wood to ask the advice of
her sisters, and how the maidens had taught him the language of birds,
and he had promised to release them from their servitude. His wife
begged him with tears in her eyes to go to the aid of her sisters. When
they awoke next morning, she said, "I had an important dream last night.
I dreamed that the old mother had left the house, and that the girls
were alone. No d