towards the land; wherefore he turned home again, and gathered a
great many of men and women, and came thither again, and fought with the
whale, and wounded him very sore, and as they smote, the maiden that was
in his belly cried with a high voice, and said: "O gentle friends, have
mercy and compassion on me, for I am a king's daughter, and a true maid
from the hour of my birth unto this day." When the earl heard this he
wondered greatly, and opened the side of the whale, and found the young
lady, and took her out. And when she was thus delivered, she told him
forthwith whose daughter she was, and how she had lost all her goods in
the sea, and how she should have been married unto the emperor's son.
And when the earl heard this, he was very glad, and comforted her the
more, and kept her with him till she was well refreshed. And in the
meantime he sent messengers to the emperor, letting him to know how the
king's daughter was saved.

Then was the emperor right glad of her safety, and coming, had great
compassion on her, saying, "Ah, good maiden, for the love of my son thou
hast suffered much woe; nevertheless, if thou be worthy to be his wife,
soon shall I prove." And when he had thus said, he caused three vessels
to be brought forth. The first was made of pure gold, well beset with
precious stones without, and within full of dead men's bones, and
thereupon was engraven this posie: "WHOSO CHOOSETH ME, SHALL FIND THAT
HE DESERVETH." The second vessel was made of fine silver, filled with
earth and worms, the superscription was thus: "WHOSO CHOOSETH ME, SHALL
FIND THAT HIS NATURE DESIRETH." The third vessel was made of lead, full
within of precious stones, and thereupon was insculpt this posie: "WHOSO
CHOOSETH ME, SHALL FIND THAT GOD HATH DISPOSED FOR HIM." These three
vessels the emperor showed the maiden, and said: "Lo, here daughter,
these be rich vessels. If thou choose one of these, wherein is profit to
thee and to others, then shalt thou have my son. And if thou choose that
wherein is no profit to thee, nor to any other, soothly thou shalt not
marry him."

When the maiden heard this, she lift up her hands to God, and said,
"Thou Lord, that knowest all things, grant me grace this hour so to
choose, that I may receive the emperor's son." And with that she beheld
the first vessel of gold, which was engraven royally, and read the
superscription, "_Whoso chooseth me, shall find that he deserveth_;"
saying thus, "Though th