ay the
city was taken. The prince escaped, but the king and his household were
made prisoners, and the queen was slain by a hostile spear. The princess
was changed by her godmother into a peasant maiden, and instructed to
wait for better times, when she could resume her former appearance with
the aid of the casket. After wandering alone for some days, the princess
reached a district unravaged by war, and engaged herself as maid at a
farm-house. She did her work admirably with the aid of the casket, and
after a time attracted the notice of a noble lady who was passing
through the village, who asked her to enter her service. Six months
afterwards came news that the prince had driven out the enemy with the
aid of an army from abroad, and had been proclaimed king, the old king
having died in prison in the meantime.

The prince was greatly grieved at his father's death, but after a year
of mourning he resolved to take a bride, and all the maidens were bidden
to a feast. The three daughters of Rebuliina's mistress were invited,
and the godmother directed her in a dream to attire them first, and then
to set out after them. She grew very restless, and when her mistress and
the young ladies were gone, she sat down and wept bitter tears; but a
voice told her to make use of the casket, and immediately magnificent
gold-embroidered robes appeared on the bed; and as soon as she had
washed her face, she resumed her former appearance, and was amazed at
her own beauty when she looked in the glass. When she went down-stairs,
she found a magnificent coach with four yolk-coloured horses at the
door. Just as she reached the palace, she found to her horror that she
had forgotten the casket, and was about to turn back, when a swallow
brought it to her. Everything in the palace was joy and splendour; but
as the princess entered, the other ladies paled like stars before the
sun, and the king never left her side. At midnight the hall was
suddenly darkened, and then grew light again, when the godmother of the
princess appeared, and presented her to the king as the adopted child of
his father's first queen. Then there was a loud noise, and she
disappeared. The king married the princess, and they lived happily
together, but the casket was seen no more, and it was supposed that the
god-mother had taken it with her.

[Footnote 150: Yolk-Carrie.]

THE ROYAL HERD-BOY.

(KREUTZWALD.)

Once upon a time there lived a king who was so mild and