was really only a
waiting-woman, and that the true bride was here at hand, she who had
been the goose-girl. The Prince was glad at heart when he saw her beauty
and gentleness; and a great feast was made ready, and all the court
people and good friends were bidden to it. The bridegroom sat in the
midst with the Princess on one side and the waiting-woman on the other;
and the false bride did not know the true one, because she was dazzled
with her glittering braveries. When all the company had eaten and drunk
and were merry, the old King gave the waiting-woman a question to
answer, as to what such an one deserved, who had deceived her masters in
such and such a manner, telling the whole story, and ending by asking,

"Now, what doom does such an one deserve?"

"No better than this," answered the false bride, "that she be put naked
into a cask, studded inside with sharp nails, and be dragged along in it
by two white horses from street to street, until she be dead."

"Thou hast spoken thy own doom," said the old King; "as thou hast said,
so shall it be done." And when the sentence was fulfilled, the Prince
married the true bride, and ever after they ruled over their kingdom in
peace and blessedness.

THE RAVEN

THERE was once a Queen and she had a little daughter, who was as yet a
babe in arms; and once the child was so restless that the mother could
get no peace, do what she would; so she lost patience, and seeing a
flight of ravens passing over the castle, she opened the window and said
to her child,

"Oh, that thou wert a raven and couldst fly away, that I might be at
peace."

No sooner had she uttered the words, than the child was indeed changed
into a raven, and fluttered from her arms out of the window. And she
flew into a dark wood and stayed there a long time, and her parents knew
nothing of her. Once a man was passing through the wood, and he heard
the raven cry, and he followed the voice; and when he came near it said,

"I was born a King's daughter, and have been bewitched, but thou canst
set me free."

"What shall I do?" asked the man.

"Go deeper into the wood," said she, "and thou shalt find a house and an
old woman sitting in it: she will offer thee meat and drink, but thou
must take none; if thou eatest or drinkest thou fallest into a deep
sleep, and canst not set me free at all. In the garden behind the house
is a big heap of tan, stand upon that and wait for me. Three days, at
about the