iful greyhound stood
before them, took the child out of the father's hand, and was out of
the door before you could wink. This time she shouted and ran out of
the room, but there were some of the servants in the next room, and all
declared that neither child nor dog passed out. She felt, somehow, as if
it was her husband's fault, but still she kept command over herself, and
didn't once reproach him.

When the third child was born she would hardly allow a window or a door
to be left open for a moment; but she wasn't the nearer to keep the
child to herself. They were sitting one evening by the fire, when a
lady appeared standing by them. The princess opened her eyes in a great
fright and stared at her, and while she was doing so, the lady wrapped
a shawl round the baby that was sitting in its father's lap, and either
sank through the ground with it or went up through the wide chimney.
This time the mother kept her bed for a month.

'My dear,' said she to her husband, when she was beginning to recover,
'I think I'd feel better if I was to see my father and mother and
sisters once more. If you give me leave to go home for a few days I'd
be glad.' 'Very well,' said he, 'I will do that, and whenever you feel
inclined to return, only mention your wish when you lie down at night.'
The next morning when she awoke she found herself in her own old chamber
in her father's palace. She rang the bell, and in a short time she had
her mother and father and married sisters about her, and they laughed
till they cried for joy at finding her safe back again.

In time she told them all that had happened to her, and they didn't know
what to advise her to do. She was as fond of her husband as ever, and
said she was sure that he couldn't help letting the children go; but
still she was afraid beyond the world to have another child torn from
her. Well, the mother and sisters consulted a wise woman that used to
bring eggs to the castle, for they had great faith in her wisdom. She
said the only plan was to secure the bear's skin that the prince was
obliged to put on every morning, and get it burned, and then he couldn't
help being a man night and day, and the enchantment would be at an end.

So they all persuaded her to do that, and she promised she would; and
after eight days she felt so great a longing to see her husband again
that she made the wish the same night, and when she woke three hours
after, she was in her husband's palace, and he hi