want to see what my wife is fit for, and beg her to
wash the shirt which has the three spots of tallow on it; she'll say
yes, for she doesn't know 'tis you who put them there; but that's a
work only for Christian folk, and not for such a pack of Trolls, and
so I'll say that I won't have any other for my bride than the woman
who can wash them out, and ask you to do it."

So there was great joy and love between them all that night. But next
day, when the wedding was to be, the _Prince_ said:

"First of all, I'd like to see what my bride is fit for."

"Yes!" said the step-mother, with all her heart.

"Well," said the _Prince_, "I've got a fine shirt which I'd like for
my wedding shirt, but somehow or other it has got three spots of
tallow on it, which I must have washed out; and I have sworn never to
take any other bride than the woman who's able to do that. If she
can't, she's not worth having."

Well, that was no great thing they said, so they agreed, and she with
the long-nose began to wash away as hard as she could, but the more
she rubbed and scrubbed, the bigger the spots grew.

"Ah!" said the old hag, her mother, "you can't wash; let me try."

But she hadn't long taken the shirt in hand before it got far worse
than ever, and with all her rubbing, and wringing, and scrubbing, the
spots grew bigger and blacker, and the darker and uglier was the
shirt.

Then all the other Trolls began to wash, but the longer it lasted, the
blacker and uglier the shirt grew, till at last it was as black all
over as if it had been up the chimney.

"Ah!" said the _Prince_, "you're none of you worth a straw; you can't
wash. Why there, outside, sits a beggar lassie, I'll be bound she
knows how to wash better than the whole lot of you. COME IN, LASSIE!"
he shouted.

Well, in she came.

"Can you wash this shirt clean, lassie you?" said he.

"I don't know," she said, "but I think I can."

And almost before she had taken it and dipped it in the water, it was
as white as driven snow, and whiter still.

"Yes; you are the lassie for me," said the _Prince_.

At that the old hag flew into such a rage, she burst on the spot, and
the _Princess_ with the long nose after her, and the whole pack of
Trolls after her--at least I've never heard a word about them since.

As for the _Prince_ and _Princess_, they set free all the poor
Christian folk who had been carried off and shut up there; and they
took with them all the silver and gold,