nd the maiden shut the
lattice and went away. But the prince knew that what the ox had said
was true, and that she had not her equal in the whole world. And he came
down from the tree, his heart burning with love.

'Why has the ogre not eaten her?' thought he. 'This night I will invite
him to supper in my palace and question him about the maiden, and find
out if she is his wife.'

So the prince ordered a great ox to be slain and roasted whole, and two
huge tanks to be made, one filled with water and the other with wine.
And towards evening he called his attendants and went to the ogre's
house to wait in the courtyard till he came back from hunting. The ogre
was surprised to see so many people assembled in front of his house; but
he bowed politely and said, 'Good morning, dear neighbours! To what do I
owe the pleasure of this visit? I have not offended you, I hope?'

'Oh, certainly not!' answered the prince.

'Then,' continued the ogre, 'What has brought you to my house to-day for
the first time?'

'We should like to have supper with you,' said the prince.

'Well, supper is ready, and you are welcome,' replied the ogre, leading
the way into the house, for he had had a good day, and there was plenty
of game in the bag over his shoulder.

A table was quickly prepared, and the prince had already taken his
place, when he suddenly exclaimed, 'After all, Buk Ettemsuch, suppose
you come to supper with me?'

'Where?' asked the ogre.

'In my house. I know it is all ready.'

'But it is so far off--why not stay here?'

'Oh, I will come another day; but this evening I must be your host.'

So the ogre accompanied the prince and his attendants back to the
palace. After a while the prince turned to the ogre and said:

'It is as a wooer that I appear before you. I seek a wife from an
honourable family.'

'But I have no daughter,' replied the ogre.

'Oh, yes you have, I saw her at the window.'

'Well, you can marry her if you wish,' said he.

So the prince's heart was glad as he and his attendants rode back with
the ogre to his house. And as they parted, the prince said to his guest,
'You will not forget the bargain we have made?'

'I am not a young man, and never break my promises,' said the ogre, and
went in and shut the door.

Upstairs he found the maiden, waiting till he returned to have her
supper, for she did not like eating by herself.

'I have had my supper,' said the ogre, 'for I have been spending the