r a few days they lived in this indifferent
manner, until they came to the end of their store.

"Wife," said the man, "this will not do, stopping here and earning
nothing; you must make baskets."

So he went out and cut willows, and brought them home; and she began to
weave them, but the hard twigs wounded her tender hands.

"I see this will not do," said the man, "you had better try spinning."

So she sat her down and tried to spin, but the harsh thread cut her soft
fingers, so that the blood flowed.

"Look now!" said the man, "you are no good at any sort of work; I made a
bad bargain when I took you. I must see what I can do to make a trade
of pots and earthen vessels; you can sit in the market and offer them
for sale."

"Oh dear!" thought she, "suppose while I am selling in the market people
belonging to my father's kingdom should see me, how they would mock at
me!"

But there was no help for it; she had to submit, or else die of hunger.

The first day all went well; the people bought her wares eagerly,
because she was so beautiful, and gave her whatever she asked, and some
of them gave her the money and left the pots after all behind them. And
they lived on these earnings as long as they lasted; and then the man
bought a number of new pots. So she seated herself in a corner of the
market, and stood the wares before her for sale. All at once a drunken
horse-soldier came plunging by, and rode straight into the midst of her
pots, breaking them into a thousand pieces. She could do nothing for
weeping.

"Oh dear, what will become of me," cried she; "what will my husband
say?" and she hastened home and told him her misfortune.

"Who ever heard of such a thing as sitting in the corner of the market
with earthenware pots!" said the man; "now leave off crying; I see you
are not fit for any regular work. I have been asking at your father's
castle if they want a kitchen-maid, and they say they don't mind taking
you; at any rate you will get your victuals free."

And the king's daughter became a kitchen-maid, to be at the cook's beck
and call, and to do the hardest work. In each of her pockets she
fastened a little pot, and brought home in them whatever was left, and
upon that she and her husband were fed. It happened one day, when the
wedding of the eldest prince was celebrated, the poor woman went
upstairs, and stood by the parlour door to see what was going on. And
when the place was lighted up, and the company