e Youth of the Stars made his appearance, driving with a
similar cortege to those who had preceded him.

As soon as Salme heard of his arrival, she cried out that his horse was
to be led into the stable and tended with the utmost care. The horse
must have the best provender, and must be given fine linen to rest on
and be covered with silken cloths; his head was to rest on satin, and
his hoofs on soft hay. After this she declared to his master:

"Him I will accept as lover,
Give the Star my hand in marriage,
And will prove his faithful consort.
Gently shine his eyes of starlight,
And his temper alters nothing.
Never can he thwart the sowing,
Never will destroy the harvest."

Having thus accepted her suitor and provided for the comfort of his
horse, Salme ordered the bridegroom to be ushered into the hall, where
the broad table was washed clean and covered with a new tablecloth. The
Star was to be seated with his back to the wall and his feet comfortably
propped up on the bench, while he was to be feasted on the best meat
and fish, and offered wedding-cake and honey, besides beer and sweet
mead. The widow invited the Star to take his place at the table, and
pressed him to eat and drink, but he was greatly excited, and his
weapons, ornaments, and heavy spurs jingled and clanked as he stamped on
the floor, and declared that he would eat nothing till Salme herself
appeared before him. But Salme asked him to wait awhile while she
adorned herself, and asked her sister Linda to fetch her woollen dress
and her silken shift with gold-embroidered sleeves, her stockings with
the pretty garters, and the brightly coloured and gold-worked kerchiefs
of silk and linen.

Meantime, the widow again invited the Star to eat and drink, or, if he
were tired, to sleep; but he declared, as before, that he would neither
eat nor drink till he had seen Salme, and that the stars never closed
their eyes in sleep.

At last Salme herself appeared in the hall, but the Meadow-Queen[18] and
the wood nymphs had so adorned her that her foster-mother did not know
her again, and asked in astonishment, "Is it the moon,[19] or the sun,
or one of the young daughters of the sunset?"

Guests gathered to the wedding from far and near, and even the oaks and
alders came, roots, branches, and all.

After this they danced the cross-dance,[20]
Waltzed the waltzes of Esthonia,
And they danced the Arju[21] dances,
An