once or twice, when
the prince took it into his head to visit his garden and see how the new
ox was getting on. When he entered the ox was working busily; but in
spite of that the flowers and grass were dried up. And the prince drew
his sword, and rushed at the ox to slay him, as he had done the other.
But the ox fell on his knees and said:

'My lord, only spare my life, and let me tell you how it happened.'

'How what happened?' asked the prince.

'My lord, a girl looked out of that window and spoke a few words to me,
and I fell to the ground. For seven days and seven nights I lay there,
unable to move. But, O my lord, it is not given to us twice to behold
beauty such as hers.'

[Illustration]

'It is a lie,' said the prince. 'An ogre dwells there. Is it likely that
he keeps a maiden in his upper chamber?'

'Why not?' replied the ox. 'But if you come here at dawn to-morrow, and
hide behind that tree, you will see for yourself.'

'So I will,' said the prince; 'and if I find that you have not spoken
truth, I will kill you.'

The prince left the garden, and the ox went on with his work. Next
morning the prince came early to the garden, and found the ox busy with
the water-wheel.

'Has the girl appeared yet?' he asked.

'Not yet; but she will not be long. Hide yourself in the branches of
that tree, and you will soon see her.'

The prince did as he was told, and scarcely was he seated when the
maiden threw open the lattice.

'Good morning, O daughter of Buk Ettemsuch!' said the ox. 'Your father
is feeding you up till you are nice and fat, and then he will put you on
a spit and cook you.'

'My father is feeding me up till I am nice and fat, but he does not mean
to eat me. If I had one of your eyes I would use it for a mirror, and
look at myself before and behind; and your girths should be loosened,
and you should be blind--seven days and seven nights.' And hardly had
she spoken when the ox fell on the ground, and the maiden shut the
lattice and went away. But the prince knew that what the ox had said was
true, and that she had not her equal in the whole world. And he came
down from the tree, his heart burning with love.

'Why has the ogre not eaten her?' thought he. 'This night I will invite
him to supper in my palace and question him about the maiden, and find
out if she is his wife.'

So the prince ordered a great ox to be slain and roasted whole, and two
huge tanks to be made, one filled with water and