the woods and forests, and she could find no path or
track to guide her. For fourteen days she roamed in the forest, sleeping
under the trees, and living upon wild berries and roots, and at last she
reached a little house. She opened the door and went in, and found the
wind seated in the room all by himself, and she spoke to the wind and
said: 'Wind, have you seen the white wolf?'

And the wind answered: 'All day and all night I have been blowing round
the world, and I have only just come home; but I have not seen him.'

But he gave her a pair of shoes, in which, he told her, she would be
able to walk a hundred miles with every step. Then she walked through
the air till she reached a star, and she said: 'Tell me, star, have you
seen the white wolf?'

And the star answered: 'I have been shining all night, and I have not
seen him.'

But the star gave her a pair of shoes, and told her that if she put them
on she would be able to walk two hundred miles at a stride. So she drew
them on, and she walked to the moon, and she said: 'Dear moon, have you
not seen the white wolf?'

But the moon answered, 'All night long I have been sailing through the
heavens, and I have only just come home; but I did not see him.'

But he gave her a pair of shoes, in which she would be able to cover
four hundred miles with every stride. So she went to the sun, and said:
'Dear sun, have you seen the white wolf?'

And the sun answered, 'Yes, I have seen him, and he has chosen another
bride, for he thought you had left him, and would never return, and he
is preparing for the wedding. But I will help you. Here are a pair of
shoes. If you put these on you will be able to walk on glass or ice, and
to climb the steepest places. And here is a spinning-wheel, with which
you will be able to spin moss into silk. When you leave me you will
reach a glass mountain. Put on the shoes that I have given you and with
them you will be able to climb it quite easily. At the summit you will
find the palace of the white wolf.'

Then the princess set out, and before long she reached the glass
mountain, and at the summit she found the white wolf's palace, as the
sun had said.

But no one recognised her, as she had disguised herself as an old woman,
and had wound a shawl round her head. Great preparations were going on
in the palace for the wedding, which was to take place next day.
Then the princess, still disguised as an old woman, took out her
spinning-wheel,