ul, however, the King's heart was
touched, and he was seized with a great love for her. He wrapped her
up in his cloak, placed her before him on his horse, and brought her
to his castle. There he had her dressed in rich clothes, and her
beauty shone out as bright as day, but not a word could be drawn from
her. He set her at table by his side, and her modest ways and
behaviour pleased him so much that he said, 'I will marry this maiden
and none other in the world,' and after some days he married her. But
the King had a wicked mother who was displeased with the marriage, and
said wicked things of the young Queen. 'Who knows who this girl is?'
she said; 'she cannot speak, and is not worthy of a king.'

[Illustration: 'And then her dress']

After a year, when the Queen had her first child, the old mother took
it away from her. Then she went to the King and said that the Queen
had killed it. The King would not believe it, and would not allow any
harm to be done her. But she sat quietly sewing at the shirts and
troubling herself about nothing. The next time she had a child the
wicked mother did the same thing, but the King could not make up his
mind to believe her. He said, 'She is too sweet and good to do such a
thing as that. If she were not dumb and could defend herself, her
innocence would be proved.' But when the third child was taken away,
and the Queen was again accused, and could not utter a word in her own
defence, the King was obliged to give her over to the law, which
decreed that she must be burnt to death. When the day came on which
the sentence was to be executed, it was the last day of the six years
in which she must not speak or laugh, and now she had freed her dear
brothers from the power of the enchantment. The six shirts were done;
there was only the left sleeve wanting to the last.

When she was led to the stake, she laid the shirts on her arm, and as
she stood on the pile and the fire was about to be lighted, she looked
around her and saw six swans flying through the air. Then she knew
that her release was at hand and her heart danced for joy. The swans
fluttered round her, and hovered low so that she could throw the
shirts over them. When they had touched them the swan-skins fell off,
and her brothers stood before her living, well and beautiful. Only the
youngest had a swan's wing instead of his left arm. They embraced and
kissed each other, and the Queen went to the King, who was standing by
in great