ers; but
when she escaped from her jailer she found that she could not break the
charm which held her imprisoned in the forest. Then the prince left the
crown lying at her feet and continued his wanderings. Scarcely had he
gone when there came to the hut of the witch a broommaker and a
woodchopper, guided by a wandering minstrel. They were ambassadors from
the city of Hellabrunn, which had been so long without a king that its
boorish burghers themselves felt the need of a ruler in spite of their
boorishness. To the wise woman the ambassadors put the questions: Who
shall be this ruler and by what sign shall they recognize him? The
witch tells them that their sovereign shall be the first person who
enters their gates after the bells have rung the noon hour on the
morrow, which is the day of the Hella festival. Then the minstrel
catches sight of the lovely goose-girl, and through the prophetic gift
possessed by poets he recognizes in her a rightly born princess for his
people. By the power of his art he is enabled to put aside the
threatening spells of the witch and compel the hag to deliver the
maiden into his care. He persuades her to break the enchantment which
had held her bound hitherto and defy the wicked power.

Meanwhile, however, grievous misfortunes have befallen the prince, her
lover. He has gone to Hellabrunn, and desiring to learn to serve in
order that he might better know how to rule, he had taken service as a
swineherd. The daughter of the innkeeper becomes enamoured of the
shapely body of the prince, whose proud spirit she cannot understand,
and who has repulsed her advances. His thoughts go back to the
goosegirl whose wreath, with its fresh fragrance, reminds him of his
duty. He attempts to teach the burghers their own worth, but the wench
whose love he had repulsed accuses him of theffy and he is about to be
led off to prison when the bells peal forth the festal hour.

Joyfully the watchmen throw open the strong town gates and the
multitude and gathered councillors fall back to receive their king. But
through the doors enters the gooseherd, proudly wearing her crown and
followed by her flock and the minstrel The lovers fall into each
other's arms, but only the poet and a little child recognize them as of
royal blood. The boorish citizens, who had fancied that their king
would appear in regal splendor, drive the youth and maiden out with
contumely, burn the witch and cripple the minstrel by breaking one