ad's hat, so that
he had to run a long way after it; while the Goose Girl combed out her
hair and put it back in proper trim before his return. All this the King
observed, and then went home unnoticed; and when the Goose Girl returned
at evening, he called her aside, and asked her what it all meant.

"That I dare not tell you, nor any other man," replied she; "for I have
sworn by the free sky not to speak of my griefs, else lose my life."

The King pressed her to say what it was, and left her no peace about it;
but still she refused. So at last he said, "If you will not tell me,
tell your griefs to this fireplace;" and he went away.

Then she crept into the fireplace and began to weep and groan; and soon
she relieved her heart by telling her tale. "Here sit I," she said
"forsaken by all the world, and yet I am a King's daughter; and a false
servant has exercised some charm over me, whereby I was compelled to lay
aside my royal clothes; and she has also taken my place at the
bridegroom's side, and I am forced to perform the common duties of a
Goose Girl. Oh, if my mother knew this, her heart would break with
grief!"

The old King, meanwhile, stood outside by the chimney and listened to
what she said; and when she had finished he came in, and called her away
from the fireplace. Then her royal clothes were put on, and the old
King, calling his son, showed him that he had taken a false bride, who
was only a servant-girl, and that the true bride stood there as a Goose
Girl.

The prince was glad indeed at heart when he saw her beauty and virtue.
Then there was a great feast, at which the bridegroom sat, with the
Princess on one side and the servant-girl on the other. But the latter
was dazzled, and recognized her mistress no longer in her shining dress.

When they had finished their feasting, and were beginning to be gay, the
old King set a riddle to the real servant-girl: What such an one were
worthy of who had, in such and such a manner, deceived her masters; and
he related all that had happened to the true bride. The servant-girl
replied, "Such an one deserves nothing better than to be put into a
cask, lined with sharp nails, and then to be dragged by two horses
through the streets till the wretch be killed."

"You are the woman then!" exclaimed the King; "You have proclaimed your
own punishment, and it shall be strictly fulfilled."

The sentence was at once carried out, and afterwards the Prince married
his right