n said to himself, 'if the old fellow has many daughters like
that I should not mind being his son-in-law. This one is just what I
admire'; and he watched her lay the table, bring in the food, and take
her seat by the fire as if she had never noticed that a strange man was
present. Then she took out a needle and thread, and began to darn her
stockings. The master sat at table alone, and invited neither his new
servant nor the maid to eat with him. Neither was the old grandmother
anywhere to be seen. His appetite was tremendous: he soon cleared all
the dishes, and ate enough to satisfy a dozen men. When at last he could
eat no more he said to the girl, 'Now you can pick up the pieces, and
take what is left in the iron pot for your own dinner, but give the
bones to the dog.'

The prince did not at all like the idea of dining off scraps, which
he helped the girl to pick up, but, after all, he found that there was
plenty to eat, and that the food was very good. During the meal he stole
many glances at the maiden, and would even have spoken to her, but
she gave him no encouragement. Every time he opened his mouth for the
purpose she looked at him sternly, as if to say, 'Silence,' so he could
only let his eyes speak for him. Besides, the master was stretched on a
bench by the oven after his huge meal, and would have heard everything.

After supper that night, the old man said to the prince, 'For two days
you may rest from the fatigues of the journey, and look about the house.
But the day after to-morrow you must come with me, and I will point out
the work you have to do. The maid will show you where you are to sleep.'

The prince thought, from this, he had leave to speak, but his master
turned on him with a face of thunder and exclaimed:

'You dog of a servant! If you disobey the laws of the house you will
soon find yourself a head shorter! Hold your tongue, and leave me in
peace.'

The girl made a sign to him to follow her, and, throwing open a door,
nodded to him to go in. He would have lingered a moment, for he thought
she looked sad, but dared not do so, for fear of the old man's anger.

'It is impossible that she can be his daughter!' he said to himself,
'for she has a kind heart. I am quite sure she must be the same girl who
was brought here instead of me, so I am bound to risk my head in this
mad adventure.' He got into bed, but it was long before he fell asleep,
and even then his dreams gave him no rest. He seeme