evening, asking Him to protect her, for she remains in a wicked
step-mother's power."

The king then wished to see the picture, and he never tired of looking
on its beauty.

"If it is true," said he, "what you tell me, that that is your sister's
picture, she shall be my queen, and you yourself shall go and fetch her;
but if you lie, this shall be your punishment,--you shall be cast into
the lions' den."

The king then commanded that a ship should be fitted out in grand style,
having wine and treasure in it. Then he sent away the young man in great
state to fetch his beautiful sister to the court.

The young man sailed away over the ocean, and came at length to his
land. Here he delivered his master's message, as became him, and made
preparations to return. Then the step-mother and step-sister begged that
they might go with him and his sister. The young man had no liking for
them, so he said no, and refused their request, but Swanwhite begged for
them, and got them what they wanted.

When they had put to sea and were on the wide ocean, a great storm arose
so that the sailors expected the vessel and all on her to go to the
bottom. The young man was, however, in good spirits, and went up the
mast in order to see if he could discover land anywhere. When he had
looked out from the mast, he called to Swanwhite, who stood on the
deck--

"Dear sister, I see land now."

It was, however, blowing so hard that the maiden could not hear a word.
She asked her step-mother if she knew what her brother said.

"Yes," said the false hag; "he says we shall never come to God's land
unless you throw your gold casket into the sea."

When Swanwhite heard that, she did what the hag told her, and cast the
gold casket into the deep sea.

A while after her brother once more called to his sister, who stood on
the deck--

"Swanwhite, go and deck yourself as a bride, for we shall soon be
there."

But the maiden could not hear a word for the raging of the sea. She
asked her step-mother if she knew what her brother had said.

"Yes," said the false hag; "he says we shall never come to God's land
unless you cast yourself into the sea."

While Swanwhite thought of this, the wicked step-mother sprang to her,
and thrust her on a sudden overboard. The young girl was carried away by
the blue waves, and came to the mermaid who rules over all those who are
drowned in the sea.

When the young man came down the mast, and asked whether his sis