ompany, and said:

'Don't be frightened; I will go and see if I can find out something.'

And the Wind departed with a great noise and fuss, and in the twinkling
of an eye he was back again, beaming with delight.

'From what one person and another have let fall,' he exclaimed, 'I have
contrived to learn that he is in the palace of the king, who keeps him
hidden lest anyone should see him; and that to-morrow he is to marry the
princess, who, ugly creature that she is, has not been able to find any
man to wed her.'

Who can tell the despair which seized the poor maiden when she heard
this news! As soon as she could speak she implored the Wind to do all
he could to get the wedding put off for two or three days, for it would
take her all that time to reach the palace of the king.

The Wind gladly promised to do what he could, and as he travelled much
faster than the maiden he soon arrived at the palace, where he found
five tailors working night and day at the wedding clothes of the
princess.

Down came the Wind right in the middle of their lace and satin and
trimmings of pearl! Away they all went whiz! through the open windows,
right up into the tops of the trees, across the river, among the dancing
ears of corn! After them ran the tailors, catching, jumping, climbing,
but all to no purpose! The lace was torn, the satin stained, the pearls
knocked off! There was nothing for it but to go to the shops to buy
fresh, and to begin all over again! It was plainly quite impossible that
the wedding clothes could be ready next day.

However, the king was much too anxious to see his daughter married to
listen to any excuses, and he declared that a dress must be put together
somehow for the bride to wear. But when he went to look at the princess,
she was such a figure that he agreed that it would be unfitting for her
position to be seen in such a gown, and he ordered the ceremony and the
banquet to be postponed for a few hours, so that the tailors might take
the dress to pieces and make it fit.

But by this time the maiden had arrived footsore and weary at the
castle, and as soon as she reached the door she cracked her nut and
drew out of it the most beautiful mantle in the world. Then she rang the
bell, and asked:

'Is not the princess to be married to-day?'

'Yes, she is.'

'Ask her if she would like to buy this mantle.'

And when the princess saw the mantle she was delighted, for her wedding
mantle had been spoilt wit