at
such a pace that flashes of lightning were seen both by sea and land
wherever they went.

Close to the palace the soldier got off and the eagle flew home again,
but first she told him that if he at any time should want her he need
only blow the whistle and she would be there at once.

In the meantime everything was ready at the palace, and the time
approached when the captain and lieutenant were to be married with the
two eldest _Princesses_, who, however, were not much happier than
their youngest sister; scarcely a day passed without weeping and
mourning, and the nearer the wedding-day approached the more sorrowful
did they become.

At last the _King_ asked what was the matter with them; he thought it
was very strange that they were not merry and happy now that they
were saved and had been set free and were going to be married. They
had to give some answer, and so the eldest sister said they never
would be happy any more unless they could get such checkers as they
had played with in the blue mountain.

That, thought the _King_, could be easily managed, and so he sent word
to all the best and cleverest goldsmiths in the country that they
should make these checkers for the _Princesses_. For all they tried
there was no one who could make them. At last all the goldsmiths had
been to the palace except one, and he was an old, infirm man who had
not done any work for many years except odd jobs, by which he was just
able to keep himself alive. To him the soldier went and asked to be
apprenticed. The old man was so glad to get him, for he had not had an
apprentice for many a day, that he brought out a flask from his chest
and sat down to drink with the soldier. Before long the drink got into
his head, and when the soldier saw this he persuaded him to go up to
the palace and tell the _King_ that he would undertake to make the
checkers for the _Princesses_.

He was ready to do that on the spot; he had made finer and grander
things in his day, he said. When the _King_ heard there was some one
outside who could make the checkers he was not long in coming out.

"Is it true what you say, that you can make such checkers as my
daughters want?" he asked.

"Yes, it is no lie," said the goldsmith; that he would answer for.

"That's well!" said the _King_. "Here is the gold to make them with;
but if you do not succeed you will lose your life, since you have come
and offered yourself, and they must be finished in three days."