them diamonds, and pearls, and
silk stuffs, and gold thread whenever they wished for them, and then
they agreed to let her stay.

It wasn't long till she heard how a young prince, that was just arrived,
was living in the palace of the young mistress. He seldom stirred
abroad, and every one that saw him remarked how silent and sorrowful he
went about, like a person that was searching for some lost thing.

The servants and conceited folk at the big house began to take notice
of the beautiful young woman at the lodge, and to annoy her with their
impudence. The head footman was the most troublesome, and at last she
invited him to come and take tea with her. Oh, how rejoiced he was, and
how he bragged of it in the servants' hall! Well, the evening came, and
the footman walked into the lodge, and was shown to her sitting-room;
for the lodge-keeper and his wife stood in great awe of her, and gave
her two nice rooms for herself. Well, he sat down as stiff as a ramrod,
and was talking in a grand style about the great doings at the castle,
while she was getting the tea and toast ready. 'Oh,' says she to him,
'would you put your hand out at the window and cut me off a sprig or two
of honeysuckle?' He got up in great glee, and put out his hand and head;
and said she, 'By the virtue of my magic gifts, let a pair of horns
spring out of your head, and sing to the lodge.' Just as she wished, so
it was. They sprung from the front of each ear, and met at the back. Oh,
the poor wretch! And how he bawled and roared! and the servants that he
used to be boasting to were soon flocking from the castle, and grinning,
and huzzaing, and beating tunes on tongs and shovels and pans; and he
cursing and swearing, and the eyes ready to start out of his head, and
he so black in the face, and kicking out his legs behind him like mad.

At last she pitied him, and removed the charm, and the horns dropped
down on the ground, and he would have killed her on the spot, only he
was as weak as water, and his fellow-servants came in and carried him up
to the big house. Well, some way or other the story came to the ears of
the prince, and he strolled down that way. She had only the dress of a
countrywoman on her as she sat sewing at the window, but that did not
hide her beauty, and he was greatly puzzled after he had a good look,
just as a body is puzzled to know whether something happened to him when
he was young or if he only dreamed it. Well, the witch's dau